Taylor Swift has added another major achievement to her career with the release of “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her original song for Toy Story 5. The track was released on June 5, 2026, after weeks of speculation about the singer’s involvement in the upcoming Pixar film. Shortly after being released, several major streaming platforms reported record-breaking numbers for the country-inspired track.
For instance, Apple Music announced that “I Knew It, I Knew You” became its biggest country single of 2026 and also set a new record for the most successful soundtrack song based on first-day streams. Spotify reported that the country tune achieved the highest single-day streaming total ever recorded for a country song by a female artist on the platform. Similarly, Amazon Music revealed that the song delivered the biggest first 24-hour global streaming debut of any release in 2026. These accomplishments make “I Knew It, I Knew You” an event beyond a regular soundtrack contribution.
The songwriter and Pixar built anticipation for “I Knew It, I Knew You” with many hints that aligned with their collaborative crossover for Toy Story 5. On June 1, 2026, the “Shake It Off” singer confirmed the rumors and revealed that she had contributed to the movie’s soundtrack.
Writing this song felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time. Creating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once. And being a @toystory kid from the age of 5 til now… is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and… pic.twitter.com/gewjzSS0qg
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 5, 2026
“I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a 5-year-old kid watching the first Toy Story movie,” she said on social media. “I fell instantly in love with Toy Story 5 when I was lucky enough to see it in its early stages, and I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening. Sometimes you just know, right?”
Four days later, on June 5, the “Karma” hitmaker released the audio for the song and a music video, which shows a compilation of memorable Toy Story moments featuring the character Jessie. With sonic elements such as harmonica and banjo, the song marks a departure from Taylor Swift’s most recent musical material, while also connecting to the themes and characters of the beloved animated movie and the singer’s roots as a country artist.
Toy Story 5 will premiere in theaters on June 19.
