Taylor Swift Writes and Records Toy Story 5 End-Credit Song in One Day, Hits No.1 on Billboard
On a bright Thursday in early June, Taylor Swift turned a preview screening into a chart‑topping single. She arrived at the early‑showing of Disney‑Pixar’s forthcoming Toy Story 5 at 11 a.m., described the experience as “one of the most fun days of my life,” and returned home to write and record the end‑credit track on the same day.
The result is the upbeat song “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which Swift posted in a video on her social‑media accounts that evening. In the clip she explains that inspiration struck during the screening and that she finished the lyric, melody, and vocal tracks before the day ended.
Released on June 5 2026—exactly one week before the film’s U.S. theatrical debut on June 19—the single debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and set new streaming records on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. It is the first single from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack, issued by Walt Disney Records and featuring Randy Newman’s score that has defined every installment in the franchise.
Swift’s studio video shows her in a relaxed setting, mentioning a meeting later that evening with “Bob Iger and Tom from Pixar.” The comments refer to Disney CEO Bob Iger and Tom MacDougall, president of Walt Disney Music and executive music producer for Pixar. The track was produced by Swift herself and her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff.
A separate Instagram post offered a deeper look at the songwriting process. Swift wrote that the song was made for Jessie, the cowgirl character voiced by Joan Cusack, calling it a “musical departure and coming home at the same time.” She added that the experience felt “second nature” and that she was a “Toy Story kid from the age of 5.” The post included a childhood video of Swift dressed as a cowgirl, underscoring the personal connection to the franchise.
She also thanked key figures behind the music. Swift praised director and co‑writer Andrew Stanton for “imagining me for this” and Randy Newman for the “gorgeous sonic tapestry” that has defined the series.
The song’s release follows the announcement that Newman will return to score Toy Story 5, marking his tenth collaboration with Pixar. The film, directed by Stanton and co‑written with Kenna Harris, is the fifth entry in the series and is slated for a $250 million budget.
Industry analysts note that Swift’s rapid songwriting and recording schedule is unusual for an artist of her stature. The fact that the track entered the Hot 100 at No. 1 and achieved record‑breaking streaming numbers suggests a strong commercial impact for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
As of now, the next steps are the film’s scheduled release on June 19 and the full soundtrack’s availability on the same day. No further singles have been announced.
The collaboration between Swift, Disney‑Pixar and Randy Newman underscores the continued blending of pop culture and animated film franchises—a trend that has seen similar partnerships in recent years.
