Swift’s All Too Well ousts American Pie as longest top hit
New York – After nearly 50 years as the longest number one hit of all time, it’s finally time to say bye, bye Miss American Pie.
Taylor Swift unseated Don McLean’s 8-minute, 42-second epic about the day the music died with the 10-minute, 13-second version of her smash hit All Too Well (Taylor’s Version), which soared to take the top spot on the top songs chart this week, according to industry tracker Billboard.
The extended version of the US singer’s hit was recently released on her re-recorded album Red (Taylor’s Version).
Swift dropped two new versions of the song, the 10-minute version and another clocking in at around five minutes.
Per Billboard’s chart rules, both of those songs were rolled into one listing, making Swift’s rise to the Hot 100’s top spot all the more likely.
American Pie had held the rank of longest ever number one hit since it first hit the charts in January 1972.
“You guys sent a 10-minute song to Number One for the first time in history,” Swift, 31, said on Instagram.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd’s hit single Blinding Lights has ousted Chubby Checker’s 1960s hit The Twist for the title of number one song on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of All Time Hot 100 Chart.
Billboard said on Tuesday that the Canadian artist’s single had spent 90 weeks on its Hot 100 chart. It was also a top 5 hit for 43 weeks and a top 10 hit for 57 weeks.
The Twist was awarded the title in 2008 after separate chart runs in 1960 and again in 1962. The decision is reached by factoring in total weeks on the chart as well as exact chart positions.
The US singer’s website has for years highlighted the honour of it being the number one song of all time. Checker, now 80, still performs around the US. - AFP/REUTERS
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