Taylor Swift‘s “Opalite” jumps from No. 8 to No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100, dated Feb. 28. The breezy pop-rock hit, which originally debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 dated Oct. 18, 2025 (following the release of parent album The Life of a Showgirl) was propelled by a surge in song sales, with new physical editions of it shipping out to fans, and new remixes of it from producer/DJs like Chris Lake and Skream being made available for digital purchase and streaming.

With its rise to No. 1, the song becomes the second Showgirl single to top the Hot 100 — following “The Fate of Ophelia,” which debuted at pole position and ruled for a Swift-career-best total of 10 weeks between 2025-26. That makes Showgirl just Swift’s second album to boast multiple Hot 100 leaders, following 2014’s 1989, which topped the chart with three singles: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and the Kendrick Lamar-featuring “Bad Blood.”

How big a deal is getting her second Showgirl No. 1 to Swift? And what song might she use to go for No. 3? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

1. “Opalite” becomes the second single off Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl to reach the Hot 100’s No. 1 spot, making it her first album since 1989 to snag multiple No. 1s. On a scale of 1-10, how meaningful do you think that accomplishment is for her?

Katie Atkinson: I’m going to say 5, only because it feels impossible to top the unheard-of records set when this album debuted back in October. The enduring success of “Opalite” proves the staying power of the album itself, but if we look back at her other recent albums, there might have been pathways to other Hot 100 No. 1s — whether it was through music videos or remixes or physical releases — and Team Taylor didn’t make those moves for whatever reason. Or maybe her album pace was just so quick that there wasn’t time to dwell on a previous cycle. So while this is a big look for the project, I think the legacy of this album will remain that massive first week.

Hannah Dailey: I’ll say 8! Clearly, it’s meaningful enough to her that she specifically posted about it on Instagram, but there are also so few commercial milestones left for her to achieve — so it’s extra cool when she does find one to achieve. 

Kyle Denis: A 6? It helps her tie a pretty massive all-time Hot 100 record, but neither of the Showgirl songs hold a candle to how vital “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood” felt to the wider culture in 2014-15.

Danielle Pascual: 7. I honestly might have said even lower if it weren’t for her Instagram post, where she specifically calls out the feat. Taylor has scored so many Billboard chart records over her career, one might think another No. 1 (out of the 14 she already has) might be small potatoes. However, she is clearly very proud of this album, and 1989 has been her one album whose feats have been difficult to match or beat. The fact that TLOAS was able to achieve this, especially over four months post-release, says a lot about the album’s staying power.

Andrew Unterberger: Like a 7.5? It might not feel like a huge accomplishment for an artist who now has 14 total No. 1s to their credit to get two off the same album, but the list of artists who have done that with an album this decade is shorter than you might think, and Swift herself had gotten close so many times without quite getting there — as when “Karma” off Midnights rebounded to No. 2 following the release of its remix with Ice Spice, but couldn’t quite get past Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” at No. 1.

2. What do you think is the biggest reason “Opalite” was able to become a relatively late-arriving No. 1 for Swift, when she (along with nearly every other pop star) has had significant trouble generating post-album-release No. 1s in recent years?

Katie Atkinson: The cameo-packed visual’s buzzy release did seem to generate new interest in the song just as its radio airplay was hitting a peak and the 7-inch singles were delivered. But of that trio of factors, what’s the biggest reason? I would say the Swifties never met a vinyl they didn’t need to add to their collection, so the physical push gets the edge for me. (I mean, look no further than the whopping 2,290% gain in sales for proof.)

Hannah Dailey: The way she executed the music video was absolutely ingenious. Not only did she nail the project artistically – everything about the casting, storyline and ‘90s drab was perfect – but she also was incredibly smart to premiere the visual on Spotify and Apple rather than YouTube. Even if YouTube views still counted the same towards the Billboard charts as they used to, I think this strategy would have still given people more incentive to seek out the song/video on streaming services, just for the novelty of it.

Kyle Denis: Relentless strategy and timing. Team Swift’s decision to shift the shipment of “Opalite” physical singles a week allowed her to dodge last week’s Bad Bunny takeover. Those sales were necessary to vault “Opalite” to the No. 1 spot; the song currently ranks outside of the top 15 on Streaming Songs, despite its current No. 3 peak on Radio Songs.

Danielle Pascual: Her thoughtful release strategy. She didn’t really start promoting her second single until the numbers for “The Fate of Ophelia” began to fall. Since then, it was all systems go on “Opalite”: she’s dropped a big music video, multiple remixes (the Chris Lake remix is a banger) and even two “extended” versions of the music video, which include bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage tacked on to the end. I think the music video was the biggest player because she was able to get not one, but six famous faces to make cameos, which isn’t something most pop stars could pull off.

Andrew Unterberger: There’s a bunch of release strategy-related explanations as to why Taylor Swift was able to pull this off, but the biggest and simplest reason this song was able to get to No. 1 is that people were still streaming the hell out of it — and radio was just starting to play the hell out of it — four months after the album’s release. “Opalite” succeeded where “Karma” failed in large part because it had a much shorter distance to travel to the Hot 100’s top spot from the No. 8 position; before the latter jumped to No. 2, it was all the way down at No. 27.

3. Do you think Swift will try to push for a third No. 1 (or at least a third big hit single) off Showgirl? If so, which song would you advise her to try with?

Katie Atkinson: I would be surprised if there’s a push for a third chart-topper, but I think the most likely contender would be the title duet with Sabrina Carpenter. It feels like the combo of Taylor and Sabrina would be irresistible for pop radio, and if they decided to make another music video, there’s already a built-in visual opportunity: Since the track ends with onstage audio from The Eras Tour, they could edit together clips of Swift and Carpenter together during the landmark trek. Video’s already made!

Hannah Dailey: Of course I do. This woman doesn’t stop.

“Elizabeth Taylor” is right there, but I think the smartest single would be “Father Figure.” We already know it has virality potential thanks to all the edits on TikTok it inspired after Showgirl dropped, and the lyrical prompts for a truly cinematic, Sopranos-style music video are almost too exciting to think about. Plus, it breaks up the similar sounds of “Ophelia” and “Opalite” a little bit more than any other obvious single choice would.

Kyle Denis: Probably. This is all sport for Tay at this point, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes with “Elizabeth Taylor” or “Father Figure,” both of which have lingered around the Hot 100’s bottom rungs post-Showgirl release, as the third single. I suppose there’s also a world where she goes with “Wood,” but that’s not one I’d like to live in.

Danielle Pascual: I hope so! “Ruin the Friendship” would be a great single ahead of summer. It’s my personal favorite song from the album, and carries the sort of care-free, driving down the Pacific Coast Highway feeling that all great summer jams have. 

Andrew Unterberger: “Actually Romantic” remix with a provocative guest! (Maybe Kendrick Lamar feels like reviving his 1989-era third-single magic? He knows a thing or two about diss tracks.)

4. If you were a fellow pop artist trying to learn from Swift’s success with “Opalite” in terms of garnering interest for a second (or first-post-release) single off an album, what lessons might you take from it? Or does Taylor Swift’s strategy only work because she’s Taylor Swift?

Katie Atkinson: There are things that only Taylor can attempt and attain, and I think this No. 1 was a particularly Swiftian feat. Without the YouTube-to-No. 1 pathway, Swift had to deploy multiple tactics at once to make this one work – and the most invaluable one was that this song was already an active radio hit that just needed a push over the edge.

Hannah Dailey: For however long YouTube’s doesn’t factor towards Billboard’s charts, I think artists will follow suit and continue premiering music videos on Spotify/Apple — whether or not they realize it was Taylor who set the precedent. But more generally speaking, “Opalite” was an immediate fan-favorite – even more than “Ophelia” was, at least from what I saw online and experienced with the people in my life. It’s always smart to keep an ear to the ground regarding which songs fans are flocking to on their own.

Kyle Denis: Taylor Swift’s strategy is contingent upon a relatively broad fan base with deep commitment and deeper pockets. If you’re missing one of those three elements, her strategy probably won’t be of much help. Regardless, pop stars who are looking to follow in her chart-dominating footsteps should take note about how closely Team Swift follows the charts. It’s not likely a coincidence that the “Opalite” music video initially premiered exclusively on Spotify and Apple Music after YouTube announced that it would no longer provide their data for Billboard chart tracking. Just look at her celebratory Instagram caption, which basically reads like a Wikipedia summary of her post-2014 Hot 100 chart history. Don’t be afraid to embrace the numbers game of it all!

Danielle Pascual: I think it’s a bit of both, but moreso the latter. If Taylor Swift wants a No. 1, a No. 1 she will get. She has a fanbase big enough to help her get there, and the marketing resources that not all artists have access to. The biggest takeaway would be to ride the wave of what’s trending and build up from there.

Andrew Unterberger: It’s not so easy for anyone not named Taylor Swift to find similar success running the Taylor Swift playbook. But her level of planning and attentiveness when it comes to timing the chart moves that she makes is something that other artists could certainly look towards.

5. Which of the two Showgirl No. 1s will ultimately be more fondly remembered: “Ophelia” or “Opalite”?

Katie Atkinson: I think I’ll always associate “Ophelia” with Showgirl, especially since it so sweetly recalls the Shakespearean themes of her global breakthrough hit “Love Story” but through a more grown-up lens, nearly 20 years later. That sort of full-circle narrative is what Swift’s success is built on.

Hannah Dailey: That’s such a good question, because “Ophelia” will always be the song that beat her prior career record for longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 – but like I said, it seems like listeners simply have more pure love for “Opalite.” Even the people I know who weren’t big on Life of a Showgirl all seemed to say something to the effect of, “But I did really like ‘Opalite,’ it’s so fun.” 

To answer: My brain says “Ophelia,” but my heart says “Opalite.”

Kyle Denis: This is a tough one. But I’m going to go with “Ophelia.” I think it has the advantage of being the lead single and the first music video of the Showgirl era and that will help its legacy in the public consciousness. And you can’t exactly scoff at 10 weeks at No. 1.

Danielle Pascual: Probably “Ophelia.” I’d be surprised if “Opalite” comes close to 10 weeks at No. 1. I think a lead single will almost always perform best for big pop stars — and therefore needs to be chosen wisely. Although, Swift’s own “Cruel Summer” is a huge exception, of course. 

Andrew Unterberger: “Opalite.” I predict a parallel trajectory for these two singles to “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” off Red — the first single is the bigger chart hit, but the second one becomes the more unshakeable one in the culture, and ultimately the more streamed one on DSPs.

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Labubus took over the world last year, and are trickling into 2026.

The plushie is polarizing but undoubtedly popular. According to Pop Mart and industry observers, global sales of the Labubu doll series surpassed 100 million units in 2025, according to Global Times. This popularity was only inflated when musicians such as Madonna, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, BTS members V and j-hope, Lady Gaga and Stray Kids’ Felix were all seen with the fuzzy collectible either clipped to bags or even transformed into birthday cakes.

Everyone wanted one attached to their bags, displayed on shelves and tacked onto keys, and for a while, the toy was extremely hard to get. Due to high demand, the popular plush could range from $67 to nearly $300 on third-party sites such as StockX and Walmart. For reference on Pop Mart, Labubus run for $22.99 to $27.99, depending on the series.

While Labubus are great, we think it’s time for some other blind boxes to have their moment in the sun. There are plenty of unique series out there just waiting for collectors to snag them. While some are unique characters crafted by artists from around the world, others might be recognizable, especially for those who love cartoon characters or cute collectibles from the past. They’re also relatively easy to obtain now, available at retailers both in-store and online. Below, we’ve included a few of our favorites from retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Smoko, Hot Topic and more. Keep reading to shop our favorites.

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters has a ton of blind boxes available in store and online. The collectibles range from bag charms to plastic and flocked figures dressed in outfits.

Monchhichis are a global phenom that originated in Japan, introduced in 1974. The monkey-like doll usually features a fuzzy body and a hard vinyl face, but this blind box is a different style known as a hipper. Hippers are characters with an adhesive surface that allows you to stick your little companion to whatever surface you’d like, including laptops, iPads, notebooks and phones. In this blind box, you’ll have the option to get one of six collectible figures.

Miffy is a lovable rabbit girl hailing from the Netherlands, and created by Dick Bruna in 1955. The rabbit has a major history with kids and adults all over the world, and it’s easy to see why. Miffy is cute as can be. This collectible blind box features Miffy in different outfits, showing off her fashion choices.

Buyers will have the option to snag one of six figures, all wearing unique outfits. You might notice that each Miffy figure looks different. This is because the character has gone through major changes over the years, changing slightly since its conception, as reflected in each of the figures you can get.

If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, you’re likely already familiar with Calico Critters, originally called Sylvanian Families. These flocked toys were all the rage with kids because they came with play sets and outfits. Some even came in little family units so you could collect them all and let your imagination run wild. Today, the little flocked animals are included in a ton of blind boxes, passing on the ’90s toy to kids and adults of today. This blind box features one of six animal figures dressed in whimsical fairy garb.

Smoko

Smoko is Aussie slang for a short break from the daily grind of work. This website features refreshing blind boxes in cute little costumes. You’ll also likely find some of your favorite characters from cartoons or comic books that you can collect.

This blind box may look normal on the surface — however, it’s hiding a secret: These little turtles created by Smoko glow in the dark. You’ll have the option to pull one of six of these little relaxing turtles striking poses, wearing costumes and taking a nap. These turtles are a fun twist on the blind box and a unique addition to your collection.

Unlike your usual blind-box fare, these Smoko collectibles are plushie keychains or bag charms. Each little figure represents a yummy pastry, from matcha croissants to an ooey-gooey cinnamon roll, all with adorable faces. These characters can be attached to your bag or put on your keys for addition to your everyday items. You’ll have the option to pull one of five collectibles.

Moomin is another character beloved by children. The character was created by Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, and is supposed to be a troll with a large snout. This Smoko blind box features the little white troll engaging in various activities throughout his day, such as reading a book, picking wildflowers and chopping wood, among other things. You’ll have the option to get one of six colorful figures. 

Amazon

Surprisingly, Amazon has a bunch of blind-box options. This includes official series from Pop Mart on the brand’s storefront. This is a great option for those who want their blind boxes fast. 

This Nyota I Am figure is an official blind box from Pop Mart. The Nyota series was created in 2024 by artist Kaka. The introspective little girl comes in a series of 12, depicting her in different scenarios and costumes that are all very cute and collectible. Some of our favorites include Nyota in the rain or Nyota with a kitty. Whether you want to try to get them all or bag your favorites, they’re all available on Amazon. 

Hirono figures are extremely slept on. The series was created by Chinese artist Lang, otherwise known as Lang Rui, in collaboration with Pop Mart back in 2021. The figure is a child, seemingly a little boy, dressed in unique fashions. The little guy is supposed to represent your inner child doing playful activities. You’ll have the option to get one of 12 characters from the singular box you receive.

Lulu the Piggy was created in 2019 by independent artist Cici. It debuted at the Shanghai Toy Show and has maintained popularity ever since. This time around, Lulu is dressed like other animals in plushy fashions with a vinyl pig face. You’ll have the option to get one of seven Lulu figures dressed as a fox, panda, kohala and more. This is a plushy option for those who’d want something more textural than a plastic figure.

Hot Topic

Hot Topic offers fandom-oriented blind-box options from Hello Kitty to Strawberry Shortcake.

If you are a fan of all things cute, you’re probably familiar with Hello Kitty and her many friends. From the kitty herself to Cinnamoroll, My Melody and Kuromi, this cast of characters has been transformed into plushie blind boxes that double as accents for your keys. The box comes with six figures dressed in blue attire attached to a star-shaped keyring. Right now, this figure is 30% off. If you’re looking for a bag charm, this could also work as such.

While we’re not totally sure what this little guy could be, we know we’re obsessed. This figure, called Hard Stare Pierre, appears to be a wide-eyed seal wearing a beret, boasting different color combos. The figure was designed by artist Kibooki and released by Kaleidos Creative. You’ll be able to get one of five of these collectible little guys at Hot Topic. There’s even a glossy blue one that is slightly clear and looks like jelly, standing out from the rest of the bunch.

Mofusand has been around since 2017. The kitty character got its start on social media and was created by artist Juno. The kitty is usually posted up in a box and usually has a little hat on. This time around, Mofusand is wearing animal hats, including fearsome sharks and spiny pufferfish. There are five total figures, but, as usual, you’ll only be able to get one unless you buy a bunch of blind boxes at once.

Salt-N-Pepa are not backing down from their legal battle against Universal Music Group (UMG) despite an initial setback, and they’ve brought on a veteran music lawyer for the job.

Richard Busch, an intellectual property attorney at the Nashville firm King & Ballow, has been newly hired to represent Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton in their attempt to claw back master recordings from UMG. A New York federal judge dismissed Salt-N-Pepa’s lawsuit last month due to contract technicalities, and the iconic hip-hop duo is appealing.

Busch has repped scores of artists and rightsholders in high-profile music industry cases, including Megan Thee Stallion in litigation with her former record label in 2020 and two songwriters who scored a copyright settlement from Ed Sheeran in 2017. He’s perhaps best known for winning a landmark copyright verdict in 2015 that held Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams liable for infringing Marvin Gaye‘s “Got to Give It Up” with their chart-topper “Blurred Lines.”

Now, Busch will be tasked with convincing the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to revive Salt-N-Pepa’s lawsuit against the world’s biggest music company. Filed in May 2025 by a different group of lawyers, the case seeks to enforce the “Push It” duo’s so-called “termination rights,” a provision of copyright law that allows artists who sign over their master recordings to regain control of that intellectual property decades later.

UMG maintains that Salt-N-Pepa do not have any termination rights because they didn’t actually sign their 1986 record deal with the imprint Next Plateau Records. Judge Denise Cote agreed with the company and threw out the suit in January, finding that the rappers’ contract was solely between Next Plateau and Noise in the Attic (NITA) Productions, an entity controlled by music producer Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor.

Busch is set to file appeal papers challenging Judge Cote’s dismissal ruling at the end of March. UMG will then respond in May, and a panel of three appellate judges will issue their decision following oral arguments.

Busch and a UMG rep did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday (Feb. 24).

Termination rights have become a hot-button issue in music law over the past few years. UMG and Sony Music both entered into class action settlements in 2024 with artists who sued to claw back their masters en masse, and last month a high-profile appeals court ruling held that termination rights should extend overseas, potentially setting the stage for significant changes in international music dealmaking.