Taylor Swift Topples Ariana Grande With New Release, ‘Me!’

Ariana Grande’s record-breaking “Thank U, Next” YouTube video just got toppled by Taylor Swift’s new release, “Me!” Swift’s “Me!” video managed to make history just a little over a day after its release, with an astounding 65.2 million views earned within 24 hours.

Grande’s “Thank U, Next” video earned 55.4 million plays within 24 hours of its release late last year. Over the weekend, however, Swift moved up to No. 1 when it comes to all music videos by solo artists, dethroning the “Sweetener” singer.

Swift released her new single on Friday, which immediately hit steaming platforms on the same day. Within 24 hours, the video smashed the records of top solo artists on YouTube when it comes to the most plays in a new upload, particularly Grande’s “Thank U, Next” video. “Me!” earned 10 million more views than the previous record holder, given the same span of time.

Although Swift is now the most-viewed female and solo 24-hour debut for any music video on YouTube to date, she is still not the most impressive 24-hour showing when all musical acts are taken into consideration. BTS and Halsey still hold the record for the largest premiere on YouTube. Earlier this month, both artists raised the bar once more with the release of “Boy With Luv,” which earned 74.6 million views on its first day.

Meanwhile, Swift and Grande are two of the biggest stars today, each taking pride on their huge social media following. Fans of both singers have long been pitting them against each other, comparing them in terms of vocal range, voice quality and songwriting skills.

Over the course of their careers, both Grande and Swift have reached heights. But while Grande is currently the most-followed music personality on Instagram, in terms of awards, Swift has considerably more. She has previously won Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, American Music Awards and Billboard Woman of the Year.

“Me!” marks Swift’s return to the charts after months of veering away from the limelight. It is slated to serve as the first single from her upcoming full-length record, which does not have a release date yet.