2026 Country Song From Major Animated Film Makes Spotify History

Taylor Swift has broken a major Spotify record with her new country song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which appears on the soundtrack for Pixar’s 2026 animated film Toy Story 5. Released on June 2, 2026, the track became the most-streamed country song by a female artist in a single day in Spotify history, reflecting Swift’s wide reach and the strong interest surrounding both the singer and the long-running franchise.

The song was teased before its official release and quickly drew huge attention once it arrived on streaming platforms. Its strong first-day performance was fueled by Swift’s global fan base, her established reputation as one of the biggest names in music, and the built-in audience for Toy Story 5. Listeners responded immediately, praising the track’s emotional tone and its mix of storytelling and country-pop style, which has long been a hallmark of Swift’s work.

“I Knew It, I Knew You” was written with Jack Antonoff, one of Swift’s frequent collaborators. The new release adds to Swift’s growing list of soundtrack contributions over the years. She previously recorded “Carolina” for Where the Crawdads Sing in 2022, “Beautiful Ghosts” for Cats in 2019, and both “Safe and Sound” with The Civil Wars and “Eyes Open” for The Hunger Games. Earlier in her career, she also wrote “Today Was a Fairytale” for Valentine’s Day in 2010, a film in which she appeared with Taylor Lautner.

Swift’s latest movie tie-in could also increase speculation about awards recognition. With its prominent placement in a major animated film and its strong early streaming performance, the song could become a possible contender for Best Original Song at the 2027 Academy Awards. That would give Swift another high-profile moment in her career, this time on the film awards stage.

Although Swift is now best known as a pop star, her early music career was rooted in country, making the new song feel especially fitting. The release also carries a nostalgic personal connection. Along with the song, Swift shared a video recreating a key moment from Toy Story, showing Jessie, voiced by Joan Cusack, meeting Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks, before Jessie joins other toys such as Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Tim Allen. The video also includes emotional flashbacks to Jessie’s past, including being left in a donation box by her former owner.

In an Instagram post, Swift said writing the song felt “like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,” while also sharing footage of herself as a 5-year-old dressed as a cowgirl. The image highlighted her early connection to the Toy Story world and added another layer of sentiment to a release that has already made history.