Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero,” the lead single from the four-track “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore” deluxe edition released September 25, 2026, benefits from her unmatched fan mobilization and the original album’s record 4-million-plus first-week units in 2025. The track posted the biggest solo female and U.S. Spotify debut of the year at 13.7 million global streams on day one, holding the Global Spotify top spot for multiple days before typical post-debut declines set in. Mixed-to-negative critical reception for the Encore—Metacritic at 39/100—has not deterred Swifties, though the project’s shorter campaign window and competition from other 2026 releases introduce some uncertainty around exact first-week totals. Traders are watching the final chart lock and any late-week streaming surges tied to the MTV VMAs performance timing.