Taylor Swift is one of the most successful artists in modern music. She has racked up 23 Grammy nominations and has won four of them, the most by any female artist in history. She’s also a multi-platinum selling artist, and has performed at the world’s largest arenas. But it wasn’t always this way. At the beginning of her career, she struggled to break into the industry. But she didn’t give up and instead began to experiment with her musical style. In doing so, she managed to turn herself into a pop icon without losing her country roots.
The result was a unique blend of pop and country music that captivated audiences worldwide. The success of her first album was unprecedented at the time and earned Taylor several awards at prestigious music shows like the CMAs and AMAs. It also helped launch her Fearless Tour which grossed over $63 million.
In addition to her success as a musician, Taylor has proven herself as a savvy businesswoman. Oftentimes when an artist tries to change their genre they risk alienating fans, but Taylor was able to transition seamlessly with her ninth studio album. Her ruminative albums folklore and evermore, released in 2020 and 2022 respectively, earned her the title of Songwriter of the Year at the Apple Music Awards, and both debuted atop both the Billboard 200 and singles charts.
On these two releases, Swift’s voice sounded more exhausted than usual, but the effect was effective. It lent the songs a sense of desperation that worked to convey her feelings of isolation. In fact, many of the tracks on these albums doubled as short stories and character studies ranging from Proustian flashbacks (“cardigan”) to outcast widows (the title track) and doomed relationships (“exile”, a duet with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon).
After her incredibly successful “Reputation” released in 2019, she won an additional three awards at the 61st annual Grammy Awards. She became the youngest female artist to win album of the year and won a record breaking sixth straight award for Best Pop Solo Performance. She’s the most awarded female artist in AMA history and the fourth highest-selling country artist of all time.
Throughout the years, Taylor has embraced her role as a cultural influencer. She’s been known to address issues of sexism, racism and other social injustices through her music. She’s also been a vocal advocate for women’s rights, and has used her fame to promote awareness and raise funds for charitable causes.
While some may argue that Taylor’s music is formulaic and predictable, her fans can attest to the fact that she’s never lost sight of her core values. Taylor’s ability to constantly innovate and challenge her sound while keeping her classic appeal intact is what keeps her at the top of her game. Her ability to read and adapt to her audience has made her one of the most popular artists in history.
