Taylor Swift is reportedly taking an unusual split approach to two of the biggest categories at the 2027 Grammy Awards. Rather than pushing the same single across both fields, Swift has submitted “The Fate of Ophelia” for Record of the Year and “I Knew It, I Knew You” for Song of the Year, according to Billboard’s reporting on this year’s Grammy submissions.
The distinction matters. These are submissions for consideration, not Grammy nominations. Recording Academy voters still have to choose the nominees during first-round voting, which runs from October 12 through October 22, 2026, with the nominations scheduled to be announced on November 16.
What makes Swift’s choices particularly interesting is that Record of the Year and Song of the Year remain two conspicuous gaps in an otherwise historic Grammy résumé.
Why Swift chose two different songs
On paper, “The Fate of Ophelia” looks like a natural Record of the Year contender. The track, released on Swift’s 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl, became one of the era’s defining singles and spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, according to reporting ahead of this year’s Grammy race.
Record of the Year does not primarily reward songwriting. The Recording Academy describes the category as recognizing the artist, producer, recording engineer, mixer and mastering engineer for the overall achievement of a particular recording, with factors including performance, production and engineering.
That makes the category a logical home for “The Fate of Ophelia,” particularly given the scale of the record itself and its commercial impact.
“I Knew It, I Knew You,” meanwhile, is being positioned for Song of the Year, which puts the emphasis on songwriting rather than the finished recording.
Swift released the track in June 2026 for Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart, giving it a substantial life beyond its connection to the animated film.
The choice therefore appears to play to two different strengths: the complete recording and production of “The Fate of Ophelia” in one category, and the composition behind “I Knew It, I Knew You” in another. That interpretation is reasonable given the categories, although Swift has not publicly explained the strategy behind the submissions.
Two Grammy categories Swift has never won
The move carries extra significance because Swift has already achieved something no other artist has managed at the Grammys: four Album of the Year victories, for Fearless, 1989, Folklore and Midnights. The Recording Academy currently credits her with 14 Grammy wins overall.
Yet Record of the Year and Song of the Year have repeatedly escaped her.
Her past Record of the Year nominations include “You Belong With Me,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Fortnight.” She has also competed for Song of the Year with songs including “You Belong With Me,” “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “cardigan,” “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” “Anti-Hero” and “Fortnight,” without winning either category.
That history gives the 2027 campaign a clear storyline. Swift is not trying to add another unfamiliar category to her Grammy record; she is targeting two of the Recording Academy’s biggest awards that have remained outside her reach despite years of nominations.
And she had options. “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite” and “I Knew It, I Knew You” all reached No. 1 during the 2027 eligibility cycle, making the decision over which songs to prioritize more consequential than usual.
For now, though, neither submission guarantees anything. The first real test comes when Recording Academy voting begins on October 12. If both songs make the final ballot, Swift could enter Grammy night with separate chances to finally fill the two biggest remaining holes in her general-field record.
