Which Billboard chart did Taylor Swift’s “august” lead at number five upon its 2020 debut?

Taylor Swift’s “august” debuted and peaked at number five on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in 2020.

The chart placement reflected the song’s alternative-leaning production. “august” uses reverberant vocals, guitar, strings, keyboards, and a soft-rock arrangement, placing it comfortably outside a conventional dance-pop framework.

The track also reached number 23 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Its number-five position on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs was therefore a genre-chart achievement rather than its overall U.S. singles-chart peak.

The song stayed on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs for 20 weeks. That performance helped demonstrate how Folklore’s indie and alternative textures expanded Swift’s presence beyond her earlier pop and country associations.