Actually Romantic
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:51:32 AM Wikipedia source
"Actually Romantic" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (2025). Swift wrote and produced the song with Max Martin and Shellback. An incorporation of alternative rock, pop-punk, and guitar pop, the track displays elements of 1990s power pop and slacker rock, with an arrangement characterized by a grunge electric guitar motif. In the lyrics, Swift's narrator expresses her amazement and enjoyment of another woman's attention on her, sarcastically claiming that no other man had showed her as much affection as that woman. Upon its release, various critics and listeners speculated that the track was written as a diss track targeting the British singer Charli XCX and her song "Sympathy Is a Knife" (2024), which was allegedly about Swift. It garnered comparisons to the composition of the Pixies's "Where Is My Mind?" (1988). Music critics generally criticized the song's lyrics and narrative as unmerited, although a few complimented it as a standout from the album for its production. The track peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Global 200 and on the charts in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, and the US.
Infobox
Tables
| Chart (2025) | Peakposition |
| Argentina (Argentina Hot 100) | 42 |
| Australia (ARIA) | 8 |
| Brazil (Brasil Hot 100) | 41 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 8 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 26 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 15 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 35 |
| France (SNEP) | 50 |
| Germany (GfK) | 10 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 10 |
| Greece International (IFPI) | 7 |
| Iceland (Tónlistinn) | 12 |
| India International (IMI) | 17 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 67 |
| Latvia Streaming (LaIPA) | 10 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 27 |
| Luxembourg (Billboard) | 9 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 9 |
| Norway (IFPI Norge) | 23 |
| Philippines (IFPI) | 14 |
| Philippines (Philippines Hot 100) | 13 |
| Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) | 38 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 10 |
| Singapore (RIAS) | 13 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 47 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | 27 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 9 |
| United Arab Emirates (IFPI) | 14 |
| UK Streaming (OCC) | 8 |
| UK Video Streaming (OCC) | 27 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/article/charli-xcx-taylor-swift-brat-sympathy-is-a-knife.html
- Entertainment Tonighthttps://www.etonline.com/why-fans-think-taylor-swift-is-referenced-in-charli-xcxs-sympathy-is-a-knife-song-226938
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/arts/music/taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl-review.html
- Dazedhttps://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/62863/1/is-taylor-swift-intentionally-blocking-charli-xcx-from-the-uk-music-charts
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/article/charli-xcx-interview-brat-summer-fall-kamala-harris.html
- The Life of a Showgirl
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/arts/music/taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl-analysis.html
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://www.stereogum.com/2325068/premature-evaluation-taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl/reviews/premature-evaluation/
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-review/
- Slatehttps://slate.com/culture/2025/10/taylor-swift-actually-romantic-charli-xcx-lyrics-sympathy.html
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://consequence.net/2025/10/taylor-swifts-the-life-of-a-showgirl-is-all-dressed-up-with-nowhere-to-go-review/
- Pitchforkhttps://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/taylor-swift-actually-romantic/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/oct/03/taylor-swifts-charli-xcx-hit-job-misses-the-point-and-underscores-her-tedious-obsession-with-conflict
- Consequencehttps://consequence.net/2025/10/taylor-swift-actually-romantic-charli-xcx-diss/
- Timehttps://time.com/7322945/actually-romantic-taylor-swift-charli-xcx/
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://pitchfork.com/thepitch/takeaways-from-taylor-swift-new-album-the-life-of-a-showgirl/
- NMEhttps://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-explains-lyrics-to-rumoured-charli-xcx-diss-track-actually-romantic-3897079
- Clashhttps://www.clashmusic.com/news/taylor-swift-explains-actually-romantic-is-it-a-charli-xcx-diss-track/
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2025/10/03/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-review/
- "Taylor Swift Lives up to Her Own Lyrics, Revealing Herself as 'The Problem' as She Takes Aim at Charli XCX in Misguided Clapback"https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/taylor-swift-lives-up-to-her-own-lyrics-revealing-herself-as-the-problem-as-she-takes-aim-at-charli-xcx-in-misguided-clapback/news-story/f300c4be7a19e7c886c39cfe4a074f30
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/article/review-taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl.html
- The Life Of A Showgirlhttps://diymag.com/review/album/taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/music/article-taylor-swift-life-of-a-showgirl-album-review/
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-review/
- The Life of a Showgirlhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/taylor-swifts-albums-ranked-best-showgirl/
- "Taylor Swift – Chart History (Argentina Hot 100)" Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Singles for Taylor Swift. Retrieved Octohttps://www.billboard.com/artist/Taylor-Swift/chart-history/ARG
- "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart"https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart/2025-10-13
- "Taylor Swift Chart History (Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Taylor-Swift/chart-history/BZL
- "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Taylor-Swift/chart-history/CAN
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 41. týden 2025 in the dahttps://ifpicr.cz/hitparada/30
- "Track Top-40 Uge 40, 2025"http://hitlisten.nu/default.asp?w=40&y=2025&list=t40
- "Taylor-Swift: Actually Romantic" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved October 11, 2025.https://www.ifpi.fi/lista/artistit/Taylor-Swift/kappale/Actually-Romantic
- "Top Singles (Week 41, 2025)"https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?semaine=1&annee=2025&categorie=Top%20Singles
- "Taylor Swift – Actually Romantic" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 11, 2025.https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-2567257
- "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Taylor-Swift/chart-history/GLO
- "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 41/2025"https://web.archive.org/web/20251015055110/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html
- "Tónlistinn – Lög: Streymi, spilun og sala viku 41. Birt 11. október 2025 – Næst uppfært 18. október 2025"https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/
- IMIchartshttps://web.archive.org/web/20251014151255/https://imicharts.com/
- "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 41 (dal 03.10.2025 al 09.10.2025)"https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/archivio-classifiche-settimanali/archivio-classifiche-per-settimana/?tipo=3&anno=2025&settimana=41
- "Teilore Svifta plūc mūzikas topu uzvaras laurus arī Latvijā"https://sejas.tvnet.lv/8342242/teilore-svifta-pluc-muzikas-topu-uzvaras-laurus-ari-latvija
- "2025 41-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)"https://www.agata.lt/naujienos/s41-4/
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i12/
- "Official Top 40 Singles"https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2025-10-10
- "Singel 2025 uke 41"https://topplista.no/charts/singles/2025-w41/
- "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Philippines Chart Top 20 from 10/03/2025 to 10/09/2025"https://www.officialseacharts.com/weeklychart
- Billboard Philippineshttps://billboardphilippines.com/chart/philippines-hot-100/10-18-2025/
- "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie"https://www.olis.pl/charts/oficjalna-lista-sprzedazy/single-w-streamie
- "Top 200 Singles Semana 41 de 2025"https://audiogest.pt/uploads/files/file_2025-10-15-13-40-49.pdf
- "The Official Singapore Charts Week 41 (3 - 9 Oct 2025)"https://archive.today/20251014062329/https://www.rias.org.sg/the-official-singapore-charts/
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 41. týden 2025https://ifpicr.cz/hitparada/43
- "100 Songs Weekly"https://www.elportaldemusica.es/lists/top-100-canciones/2025/41
- "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 41"https://sverigetopplistan.se/chart/41/?dspy=2025&dspp=41
- The Official MENA Charthttps://www.theofficialmenachart.com/weeklychart
- "Official Streaming Chart Top 100"https://officialcharts.com/charts/streaming-chart/20251010/7510/
- "Official Video Streaming Chart Top 100"https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/video-streaming-chart/20251010/7508/
- "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Taylor-Swift/chart-history/HSI
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2025 Singles"https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/orr9fphn3kyhykimwm11l/ANyJH-XrsjkDWsQErOGV2ek/Nov%20Single%20Accreds%202025.pdf?rlkey=b5et6u9n5p7f3gkxgmqhivbyf
- "Canadian single certifications – Taylor Swift – Actually Romantic"https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Actually+Romantic%20Taylor+Swift