Taylor Swift is one of the most famous pop musicians of her generation, with a global following that reaches into millions. She rose to prominence in the late ’90s, just as the Millennial Baby Boom was coming of age, and her rise from country romancer to imperial pop queen has charted a generation’s coming-of-age story. The Grammy and Emmy-winning artist has 14 albums, including the iconic Fearless and 1989, as well as a slew of hit singles, but it’s her mastery of storytelling that has earned her the most accolades. Whether it’s a breakup song animated with anger or a divorce song exhausted and suffused with the weight of years, she’s a master purveyor of both.
After her parents separated when she was 12, Taylor moved from her home in West Reading, Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee with her mother and brother. Initially, she pursued acting and took vocal lessons but eventually shifted her focus to singing and songwriting. Swift’s talent quickly caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, who had just launched his independent record label Big Machine Records and signed Taylor to her first major recording contract.
In the late ’90s, she rose to stardom with her debut album, Fearless, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawned a string of hits including “Love Story” and “Blank Space.” Swift’s popularity peaked in 2012 when she released her sixth studio album, reputation, which topped the charts worldwide. It was the first album in history to sell more than a million copies in its first week of release. The album’s most popular single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” broke several music video and streaming records upon its release.
While sex is a common theme in pop songs, Swift is unique among her peers for refusing to make it a major aspect of her persona. This likely stems from her core audience being young straight women, as well as the fact that her early career was heavily wrapped up in the purity ideal. But it can also be seen as a form of self-protection: She knows that many people want a piece of her, and that’s why she reserves the right to keep some things private.
In 2024, Swift returned to the soft, bed-like sonics of her previous album, Midnights, for her 11th record, The Tortured Poets Department. Featuring guest turns by artists such as Post Malone and Florence + the Machine, the album is a study in extremes and heightened emotions. With this release, Swift continued to expand her facility for characterization; in particular, she tackles her anxieties about becoming a legacy act, wondering what it’ll be like when she’s the only recognizable face left at the club.
