Taylor Swift

Swift's childhood home in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania

Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989,[1] in West Reading, Pennsylvania.[2] Her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, is a former stockbroker for Merrill Lynch[3] and her mother, Andrea Gardner Swift (née Finlay), is a former homemaker who previously worked as a mutual fund marketing executive.[4] She has a younger brother, actor Austin Swift,[5] and their maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, was an opera singer.[6] Named after singer-songwriter James Taylor,[7] Swift has Scottish,[8] German and Italian heritage.[9][10] She spent her early years on a Christmas tree farm that her father had purchased from one of his clients.[11][12] She is a Christian.[13] She attended preschool and kindergarten at Alvernia Montessori School, a Montessori school run by the Bernadine Franciscan sisters,[14] before transferring to the Wyndcroft School.[15] The family moved to a rented house in the suburban town of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania,[16] where Swift attended Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School.[17] She spent summers in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, until she was 14 years old, performing in a local coffee shop.[18][19]

At age nine, Swift became interested in musical theater and performed in four Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions.[20] She also traveled regularly to New York City for vocal and acting lessons.[21] Swift later shifted her focus toward country music, inspired by Shania Twain's songs, which made her "want to just run around the block four times and daydream about everything."[22] She spent weekends performing at local festivals and events.[23][24] After watching a documentary about Faith Hill, Swift felt sure she needed to move to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in music.[25] She traveled there with her mother at age eleven to visit record labels and submitted demo tapes of Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks karaoke covers.[26] She was rejected, however, because "everyone in that town wanted to do what I wanted to do. So, I kept thinking to myself, I need to figure out a way to be different."[27]

When Swift was around 12 years old, computer repairman and local musician Ronnie Cremer taught her to play guitar. "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer was the first song Swift learned to play. Cremer helped with her first efforts as a songwriter, leading her to write "Lucky You".[28][29] In 2003, Swift and her parents started working with New York–based talent manager Dan Dymtrow. With his help, Swift modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch as part of their "Rising Stars" campaign, had an original song included on a Maybelline compilation CD, and met with major record labels.[30] After performing original songs at an RCA Records showcase, Swift, then 13 years old, was given an artist development deal and began making frequent trips to Nashville with her mother.[31][32][33] To help Swift break into the country music scene, her father transferred to Merrill Lynch's Nashville office when she was 14 years old, and the family relocated to Hendersonville, Tennessee.[11][34] Swift initially attended Hendersonville High School[35] before transferring to Aaron Academy after two years, which better accommodated her touring schedule through homeschooling. She graduated one year early.[36]

In Nashville, Swift worked with experienced Music Row songwriters such as Troy Verges, Brett Beavers, Brett James, Mac McAnally, and the Warren Brothers[37][38] and formed a lasting working relationship with Liz Rose.[39] They began meeting for two-hour writing sessions every Tuesday afternoon after school.[40] Rose called the sessions "some of the easiest I've ever done. Basically, I was just her editor. She'd write about what happened in school that day. She had such a clear vision of what she was trying to say. And she'd come in with the most incredible hooks." Swift became the youngest artist signed by the Sony/ATV Tree publishing house,[41] but left the Sony-owned RCA Records at the age of 14 due to the label's lack of care and them "cut[ting] other people's stuff". She was also concerned that development deals can shelve artists[33][24] and recalled: "I genuinely felt that I was running out of time. I wanted to capture these years of my life on an album while they still represented what I was going through."[42]

Swift opening for Brad Paisley in 2007. To promote her first album, she opened tours for other country musicians in 2007 and 2008.[43]

At an industry showcase at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a DreamWorks Records executive who was preparing to form an independent record label, Big Machine Records. She had first met Borchetta in 2004.[44] She was one of Big Machine's first signings,[33] and her father purchased a three-percent stake in the company for an estimated $120,000.[45][46] She began working on her eponymous debut album with producer Nathan Chapman, with whom she felt she had the right "chemistry".[24] Swift wrote three of the album's songs alone and co-wrote the remaining eight with Rose, Robert Ellis Orrall, Brian Maher, and Angelo Petraglia.[47] Taylor Swift was released on October 24, 2006.[48] Country Weekly critic Chris Neal deemed Swift better than previous aspiring teenage country singers because of her "honesty, intelligence and idealism".[49] The album peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200, on which it spent 157 weeks—the longest stay on the chart by any release in the U.S. in the 2000s decade.[50] Swift became the first female country music artist to write or co-write every track on a U.S. platinum-certified debut album.[51]

Big Machine Records was still in its infancy during the June 2006 release of the lead single, "Tim McGraw", which Swift and her mother helped promote by packaging and sending copies of the CD single to country radio stations.[52] As there was not enough furniture at the label yet, they would sit on the floor to do so.[52] She spent much of 2006 promoting Taylor Swift with a radio tour, television appearances; she opened for Rascal Flatts on select dates during their 2006 tour,[53] as a replacement for Eric Church.[54] Borchetta said that although record industry peers initially disapproved of his signing a 15-year-old singer-songwriter, Swift tapped into a previously unknown market—teenage girls who listen to country music.[52][11]

Following "Tim McGraw", four more singles were released throughout 2007 and 2008: "Teardrops on My Guitar", "Our Song", "Picture to Burn" and "Should've Said No". All appeared on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, with "Our Song" and "Should've Said No" reaching number one. With "Our Song", Swift became the youngest person to single-handedly write and sing a number-one song on the chart.[55] "Teardrops on My Guitar" reached number thirteen on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[56] Swift also released two EPs, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection in October 2007 and Beautiful Eyes in July 2008.[57][58] She promoted her debut album extensively as the opening act for other country musicians' tours in 2006 and 2007, including those by George Strait,[59] Brad Paisley,[60] and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.[61]

Swift won multiple accolades for Taylor Swift. She was one of the recipients of the Nashville Songwriters Association's Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2007, becoming the youngest person to be honored with the title.[62] She also won the Country Music Association's Horizon Award for Best New Artist,[63] the Academy of Country Music Awards' Top New Female Vocalist,[64] and the American Music Awards' Favorite Country Female Artist honor.[65] She was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.[66] In 2008, she opened for Rascal Flatts again,[67] and dated singer Joe Jonas briefly.[68][69]

Swift at the 2009 premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie. She had a cameo appearance in the film and wrote two songs for its soundtrack.[70][71]

Swift's second studio album, Fearless, was released on November 11, 2008, in North America,[72] and in March 2009 in other markets.[73] Critics lauded Swift's honest and vulnerable songwriting in contrast to other teenage singers.[74] Five singles were released in 2008–2009: "Love Story", "White Horse", "You Belong with Me", "Fifteen", and "Fearless". The first single peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in Australia.[56][75] It was the first country song to top Billboard's Pop Songs chart.[76] "You Belong with Me" was the album's highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two,[77] and was the first country song to top Billboard's all-genre Radio Songs chart.[78] All five singles were Hot Country Songs top-10 entries, with "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" topping the chart.[79] Fearless became her first number-one album on the Billboard 200 and 2009's top-selling album in the U.S.[80] The Fearless Tour, Swift's first headlining concert tour, grossed over $63 million.[81] Journey to Fearless, a documentary miniseries, aired on television and was later released on DVD and Blu-ray.[82] Swift also performed as a supporting act for Keith Urban's Escape Together World Tour in 2009.[83]

In 2009, the music video for "You Belong with Me" was named Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.[84] Her acceptance speech was interrupted by rapper Kanye West,[85] an incident that became the subject of controversy, widespread media attention and Internet memes.[86] That year she won five American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year and Favorite Country Album.[87] Billboard named her 2009's Artist of the Year.[88] She won Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year for "Love Story" at the 2009 CMT Music Awards, where she made a parody video of the song with rapper T-Pain called "Thug Story".[89] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Fearless was named Album of the Year and Best Country Album, and "White Horse" won Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Swift was the youngest artist to win Album of the Year.[note 1] At the 2009 Country Music Association Awards, Swift won Album of the Year for Fearless and was named Entertainer of the Year, the youngest person to win the honor.[92]

Swift featured on John Mayer's single "Half of My Heart" and Boys Like Girls' "Two Is Better Than One", the latter of which she co-wrote.[93][94] She co-wrote and recorded "Best Days of Your Life" with Kellie Pickler,[95] and wrote two songs for the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack—"You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home" and "Crazier".[71] She contributed two songs to the Valentine's Day soundtrack, including the single "Today Was a Fairytale", which was her first number-one on the Canadian Hot 100 and peaked at number two on the U.S. Hot 100.[96][97] While shooting her film debut Valentine's Day in October 2009, Swift dated co-star Taylor Lautner.[98] In 2009, she made her television debut as a rebellious teenager in an CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode.[99] She hosted and performed as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live; she was the first host ever to write their own opening monologue.[100][101]

Swift performing at the Speak Now World Tour in 2012

In August 2010, Swift released "Mine", the lead single from her third studio album, Speak Now. It entered the Hot 100 at number three.[102] Swift wrote the album alone and co-produced every track.[103] It was released on October 25, 2010,[104] opening atop the Billboard 200 with over one million copies sold.[105] It became the fastest-selling digital album by a female artist, with 278,000 downloads in a week.[106] Critics appreciated Swift's grown-up perspectives;[107] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone wrote, "in a mere four years, the 20-year-old Nashville firecracker has put her name on three dozen or so of the smartest songs released by anyone in pop, rock or country."[108] "Back to December", "Mean", "The Story of Us", "Sparks Fly", and "Ours" became subsequent singles, with the latter two reaching number one on the Hot Country Songs[79] and the first two peaking in the top ten in Canada.[97] She dated actor Jake Gyllenhaal in 2010.[109]

At the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012, Swift won Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for "Mean", which she performed during the ceremony.[110] Swift won other awards for Speak Now, including Songwriter/Artist of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association (2010 and 2011),[111][112] Woman of the Year by Billboard (2011),[113] and Entertainer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music (2011 and 2012)[114] and the Country Music Association in 2011.[115] At the American Music Awards of 2011, Swift won Artist of the Year and Favorite Country Album.[116] Rolling Stone named Speak Now amongst its "50 Best Female Albums of All Time" (2012), writing: "She might get played on the country station, but she's one of the few genuine rock stars we've got these days, with a flawless ear for what makes a song click."[117]

The Speak Now World Tour ran from February 2011 to March 2012 and grossed over $123 million,[118] followed up by the live album, Speak Now World Tour: Live.[119] She contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games soundtrack album: "Safe & Sound", co-written and recorded with the Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett, and "Eyes Open". "Safe & Sound" won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[120][121] Swift featured on B.o.B's single "Both of Us", released in May 2012.[122] She dated Conor Kennedy that year.[123]

Swift on the Red Tour (2013)

In August 2012, Swift released "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", the lead single from her fourth studio album, Red. It became her first number one in the U.S. and New Zealand,[124][125] and became the fastest-selling single in digital history.[126] Other singles from the album were "Begin Again", "I Knew You Were Trouble", "22", "Everything Has Changed", "The Last Time", and "Red". "I Knew You Were Trouble" reached the top five on charts in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.[127] "Begin Again", "22", and "Red" reached the top 20 in the U.S.[56] On Red, released on October 22, 2012,[128] Swift worked with Chapman and Rose, as well as the new producers Max Martin and Shellback.[129] It incorporated many pop and rock styles such as heartland rock, dubstep and dance-pop.[130] Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times said Swift "strives for something much more grand and accomplished" with Red.[131] It opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 1.21 million sales, making Swift the first female to have two million-selling first-weeks.[132][133] Red was Swift's first number-one album in the U.K.[134] It earned several accolades, including four nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2014).[135] Swift received American Music Awards for Best Female Country Artist in 2012, Artist of the Year in 2013,[136][137] and the Nashville Songwriters Association's Songwriter/Artist Award for the fifth and sixth consecutive years.[138] The Red Tour ran from March 2013 to June 2014 and grossed over $150 million, becoming the highest-grossing country tour ever.[139] Swift was honored with the Pinnacle Award, making her the second recipient of the accolade after Garth Brooks.[140] During this time, she briefly dated English singer Harry Styles.[141]

In 2013, Swift recorded "Sweeter than Fiction", a song she wrote and produced with Jack Antonoff for the One Chance soundtrack. The song received a Best Original Song nomination at the 71st Golden Globe Awards.[142] She provided guest vocals for Tim McGraw's song "Highway Don't Care", also featuring Keith Urban.[143] Swift performed "As Tears Go By" with the Rolling Stones in Chicago, Illinois, as part of the band's 50 & Counting tour,[144] and joined Florida Georgia Line at their set at the 2013 Country Radio Seminar to sing "Cruise".[145] Swift voiced Audrey in the animated film The Lorax (2012),[146] made a cameo in the sitcom New Girl (2013),[147] and had a supporting role in the dystopian film The Giver (2014).[148]

Swift at the 1989 World Tour, the highest-grossing tour of 2015

In March 2014, Swift began living in New York City.[note 2] She hired Tree Paine as her publicist,[151] and worked on her fifth studio album, 1989, with producers Jack Antonoff, Max Martin, Shellback, Imogen Heap, Ryan Tedder, and Ali Payami.[152] She promoted the album extensively, including inviting fans to secret album-listening sessions.[153] 1989 was released on October 27, 2014, and opened atop the Billboard 200 with 1.28 million copies sold.[154] Its singles "Shake It Off", "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood" reached number one in Australia, Canada and the U.S., the first two making Swift the first woman to replace herself at the Hot 100 top spot;[155] other singles include "Style", "Wildest Dreams", "Out of the Woods" and "New Romantics".[156] The 1989 World Tour (2015) was the highest-grossing tour of the year with $250 million in total revenue.[157]

Prior to 1989's release, Swift stressed the importance of albums to artists and fans.[158] In November 2014, she removed her entire catalog from Spotify, arguing that the streaming company's ad-supported, free service undermined the premium service, which provides higher royalties for songwriters.[159] In a June 2015 open letter, Swift criticized Apple Music for not offering royalties to artists during the streaming service's free three-month trial period and stated that she would pull 1989 from the catalog.[160] The following day, Apple Inc. announced that it would pay artists during the free trial period,[161] and Swift agreed to let 1989 on the streaming service.[162] She then returned her entire catalog plus 1989 to Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Play and other digital streaming platforms in June 2017.[163] Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2014, becoming the first artist to win the award twice.[164] At the 2014 American Music Awards, Swift received the inaugural Dick Clark Award for Excellence.[165] On her 25th birthday in 2014, the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live opened an exhibit in her honor in Los Angeles that ran until October 4, 2015, and broke museum attendance records.[166][167] In 2015, Swift won the Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist.[168] The video for "Bad Blood" won Video of the Year and Best Collaboration at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.[169] At the 58th Grammy Awards (2016), 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, making Swift the first woman and fifth act overall to win Album of the Year twice.[170]

Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), the highest-grossing North American tour of all time

Swift dated Scottish DJ Calvin Harris from March 2015 to June 2016.[171] They co-wrote the song "This Is What You Came For", featuring vocals from Barbadian singer Rihanna; Swift was initially credited under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg.[172] In April 2016, Swift criticized the lyrics of West's single "Famous", in which he sings "I made that bitch famous" in reference to his interruption of her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. West claimed he had received her approval for the line, and his then-wife Kim Kardashian released video clips of Swift and West discussing the single amicably over the phone; a full recording of the call leaked in 2020 established that West did not disclose that he would call her a bitch.[173][174]

After briefly dating English actor Tom Hiddleston,[175] Swift entered a six-year relationship with English actor Joe Alwyn in September 2016.[176][177][178] She wrote the song "Better Man" for country band Little Big Town,[note 3] which earned her the Song of the Year award at the 51st CMA Awards.[180] Swift and English singer Zayn Malik released the joint single "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" for Fifty Shades Darker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2017). The song reached number two in the U.S.[181] In August 2017, Swift successfully countersued David Mueller, a former radio jockey for KYGO-FM, who sued her for damages from his loss of employment. Four years earlier, she informed Mueller's bosses that he had sexually assaulted her by groping her at an event.[182]

After a one-year hiatus from public spotlight, Swift cleared her social media accounts and released "Look What You Made Me Do" as the lead single from her sixth album, Reputation.[183][184] The single was Swift's first U.K. number-one single.[185] It topped charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the U.S.[186] Reputation, released on November 10, 2017,[187] incorporated heavy electropop, along with hip hop, R&B, and EDM sounds.[188] Reviews praised Swift's mature artistry, but some denounced the themes of fame and gossip.[189] The album opened atop the Billboard 200 with 1.21 million sales, making Swift the first act to have four albums sell one million copies in a week in the U.S.[190] The album topped the charts in the UK, Australia, and Canada,[191] and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide as of 2018.[192] It spawned three more singles: "...Ready for It?",[193] "End Game" (featuring Ed Sheeran and rapper Future) and "Delicate".[156] Reputation was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019.[194] At the American Music Awards of 2018, Swift won four awards, including Artist of the Year and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. Swift had garnered collected 23 AMAs in her career, becoming the most awarded female musician in the show, surpassing Whitney Houston.[195] In April 2018, Swift featured on country duo Sugarland's "Babe".[note 4] She embarked on her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.[197] It broke many records, such as the highest-grossing North American concert tour in history with $345.7 million revenue worldwide.[198] It was followed up with an accompanying concert film on Netflix.[199]

Reputation was Swift's last album under Big Machine. In November 2018, she signed a new deal with the Universal Music Group; her subsequent releases were promoted by Republic Records. Swift said the contract included a provision for her to maintain ownership of her masters. In addition, in the event that Universal sold any part of its stake in Spotify, it agreed to distribute a non-recoupable portion of the proceeds among its artists.[200] Vox called it a huge commitment from Universal, which was "far from assured" until Swift intervened.[201]

Swift at the American Music Awards of 2019, where she was named Artist of the Decade

Swift released her seventh studio album, Lover, on August 23, 2019.[202] Besides Jack Antonoff, Swift worked with new producers Louis Bell, Frank Dukes, and Joel Little.[203] Lover made Swift the first female artist to have a sixth consecutive album sell more than 500,000 copies in one week in the U.S.[204] Critics commended the album's free-spirited mood and emotional intimacy.[205][206] The lead single, "Me!", peaked at number two on the Hot 100.[207] Other singles from Lover were the U.S. top 10 singles "You Need to Calm Down" and "Lover", top 40 single "The Man",[56] and "Cruel Summer", which became a resurgent success in 2023 and reached number one on the Hot 100.[208] Lover was the world's best-selling album by a solo artist of 2019, selling 3.2 million copies,[209] and along with its singles earned nominations at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020.[210] At the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, "Me!" won Best Visual Effects, and "You Need to Calm Down" won Video of the Year and Video for Good. Swift was the first female and second artist overall to win Video of the Year for a video that they directed.[211]

While promoting Lover, Swift became embroiled in a public dispute with talent manager Scooter Braun and Big Machine over the purchase of the masters of her back catalog.[212] Swift said she had been trying to buy the masters, but Big Machine would only allow her to do so if she exchanged one new album for each older one under new contract, which she refused to sign.[212][213] Swift began re-recording her back catalog in November 2020.[214] Besides music, she played Bombalurina in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats (2019), for which she co-wrote and recorded the Golden Globe-nominated original song "Beautiful Ghosts".[215][216] Critics panned the film but praised Swift's performance.[217] The documentary Miss Americana, which chronicled parts of Swift's life and career, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Netflix that January.[218][219] Swift signed a global publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group in February 2020 after her 16-year-old contract with Sony/ATV expired.[220]

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift released two surprise albums: Folklore on July 24, and Evermore on December 11, 2020.[221][222] Both explore indie folk and alternative rock with a more muted production compared to her previous upbeat pop songs.[223][224] Swift wrote and recorded the albums with producers Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner from the National.[225] Alwyn co-wrote and co-produced select songs under the pseudonym William Bowery.[226] The albums garnered widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian and Vox opined that Folklore and Evermore emphasized Swift's work ethic and increased her artistic credibility.[227][228] Three singles supported each of the albums, catering the U.S. mainstream radio, country radio, and triple A radio. The singles, in that order, were "Cardigan", "Betty", and "Exile" from Folklore, and "Willow", "No Body, No Crime", and "Coney Island" from Evermore.[229] Swift became the first artist to debut a U.S. number-one album and a number-one song at the same time with Folklore's "Cardigan" and Evermore's "Willow".[230] Folklore was 2020's best-selling album in the U.S. with 1.2 million copies.[231] It won Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making Swift the first woman to win the award thrice.[232] At the 2020 American Music Awards, she won three awards, including Artist of the Year for a record third consecutive time.[233] According to Billboard, she was 2020's highest-paid musician in the U.S., and the world's highest-paid solo musician.[234]

Swift on the Eras Tour (2023)

Following the masters dispute, Swift released three re-recorded albums—Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version) in 2021 and Speak Now (Taylor's Version) in 2023. All three peaked atop the Billboard 200,[235] becoming the first ever re-recorded albums to do so.[236] Fearless (Taylor's Version) was preceded by "Love Story (Taylor's Version)", the re-recording of Swift's 2008 single, which made her the second artist after Dolly Parton to have both the original and re-recorded versions of a song reach number one on the Hot Country Songs chart.[237] Red (Taylor's Version) was supported by "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)", which became the longest song in history to top the Hot 100.[238] The song was accompanied by a short film, which won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video[239] and Swift's record third MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.[240] Her fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), will be released on October 27, 2023.[241] The album was preceded by two re-recorded songs, "Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)" and "This Love (Taylor's Version)".[242][243]

Amidst the re-recording projects, Swift's tenth studio album, Midnights, was released on October 21, 2022.[244] It experiments with chill-out music[245] and received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone critics dubbing it an instant classic.[246][247] It was Swift's fifth album to open atop the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of over one million copies and broke various sales and streaming records,[248] including the most U.S. first-week vinyl sales and the most single-day streams and most single-week streams on Spotify.[249] Its tracks, led by the single "Anti-Hero", monopolized the entire top 10 of the Hot 100, making Swift the first artist to do so.[250] Two other singles, "Lavender Haze" and "Karma", both peaked at number two on the Hot 100.[251] To support Midnights and all of her albums to date, Swift embarked on the Eras Tour in March 2023. Media outlets extensively covered the tour's cultural and economic impact,[252] and its U.S. leg broke the record for the most tickets sold in a day.[250] Ticketmaster received public and political criticisms for mishandling ticket sales and alleged monopoly in the concert industry.[253] A concert film of the tour, released to theaters worldwide on October 13, 2023, became the highest-grossing concert film ever.[254] Swift won nine awards at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year ("Anti-Hero") for a record fourth time.[255]

Beyond her albums, Swift featured on five songs from 2021 to 2023: "Renegade" and "Birch" by Big Red Machine,[256] a remix of "Gasoline" by Haim,[257] "The Joker and the Queen" by Ed Sheeran,[258] and "The Alcott" by the National.[259] For the soundtrack of the 2022 film Where the Crawdads Sing, she recorded "Carolina", which received nominations for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammy Awards.[260] Swift's music releases, touring, and related activities culminated in an unprecedented height of popularity post-pandemic.[261] Music Business Worldwide remarked that she entered a "new stratosphere of global career success".[262] Swift received the Songwriter Icon Award from the National Music Publishers' Association.[263] Outside of music, she had a bit part in the 2022 period comedy Amsterdam and has ventured into directing a feature film under Searchlight Pictures.[264][265]

One of Swift's earliest memories of music is listening to her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, sing in church.[4] As a child, she enjoyed Disney film soundtracks: "My parents noticed that, once I had run out of words, I would just make up my own."[266] Swift said she owes her confidence and "fascination with writing and storytelling" to her mother, who helped her prepare for class presentations as a child.[267][268]

Swift was drawn to the storytelling aspect of country music,[269] introduced to the genre by "the great female country artists" of the 1990s—Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and the Dixie Chicks.[270][271] Twain, both as a songwriter and performer, was her biggest musical influence.[272] Hill was Swift's childhood role model, as she would often imitate her.[273] She admired the Chicks' defiant attitude and ability to play their own instruments,[274] and was also influenced by older country stars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton,[23] the last of whom she believes is exemplary to female songwriters.[113] As a songwriter, Swift was influenced by Joni Mitchell's emotional and autobiographical lyrics, highlighting Mitchell's album Blue as a favorite "because it explores somebody's soul so deeply."[275] She also spoke of influence from 1990s songwriters such as Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette,[276][277] and alt-country artists like Patty Griffin[278] and Lori McKenna.[279]

Various pop and rock artists have also influenced Swift. She lists Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, and Kris Kristofferson as her career role models.[11][280] 1989 was influenced by some of her favorite 1980s pop acts, including Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Phil Collins, and Madonna.[281][282] She also cited Keith Urban's musical style and Fall Out Boy's lyrics as major influences.[283][284]

Swift is known for venturing into various music genres and undergoing artistic reinventions,[286][265] having been described as a "music chameleon".[287][288] She self-identified as a country musician until 2012, when she released her fourth studio album, Red.[289] Her albums were promoted to country radio, but music critics noted wide-ranging styles of pop and rock.[290][291] After 2010, they observed that Swift's melodies are rooted in pop music, and the country music elements are limited to instruments such as banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, and her slight twang;[292][293] some commented that her country music identity was an indicator of her narrative songwriting rather than musical style.[294][295] Although the Nashville music industry was receptive of Swift's status as a country musician, critics accused her of abandoning her roots in favor of crossover success in the mainstream pop market.[296][297] Red's eclectic pop, rock, and electronic styles intensified the critical debate, to which Swift responded, "I leave the genre labeling to other people."[298]

Music journalist Jody Rosen commented that by originating her musical career in Nashville, Swift made a "bait-and-switch maneuver, planting roots in loamy country soil, then pivoting to pop".[299] She abandoned her country music identity in 2014 with the release of her synth-pop fifth studio album, 1989. Swift described it as her first "documented, official pop album".[300] Her subsequent albums Reputation (2017) and Lover (2019) have an upbeat pop production; the former incorporates hip hop, trap, and EDM elements.[301][302][303] Midnights (2022), on the other hand, is distinguished by a more experimental, "subdued and amorphous pop sound".[304][305] Although reviews of Swift's pop albums were generally positive, some critics lamented that the pop music production indicated Swift's pursuit of mainstream success, eroding her authenticity as a songwriter nurtured by her country music background—a criticism that has been retrospectively described as rockist.[306][307] Musicologist Nate Sloan remarked that Swift's pop music transition was rather motivated by her need to expand her artistry.[308] Swift eschewed mainstream pop in favor of alternative, folk and indie rock styles with her 2020 studio albums Folklore and Evermore.[309][310] Clash said her career "has always been one of transcendence and covert boundary-pushing", reaching a point at which "Taylor Swift is just Taylor Swift", not defined by any genre.[311]

Swift possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range,[312] and a generally soft but versatile timbre.[313][314] As a country singer, her vocals were criticized by some as weak and strained compared to those of her contemporaries.[315] Swift admitted her vocal ability often concerned her in her early career and has worked hard to improve.[316] Reviews of her vocals remained mixed after she transitioned to pop music with 1989; critics complained that she lacked proper technique but appreciated her usage of her voice to communicate her feelings to the audience, prioritizing "intimacy over power and nuance".[317] They also praised her for refraining from correcting her pitch with Auto-Tune.[318]

The Los Angeles Times remarked that Swift's defining vocal feature is her attention to detail to convey an exact feeling—"the line that slides down like a contented sigh or up like a raised eyebrow".[319] With Reputation, critics noted she was "learning how to use her voice as a percussion instrument of its own",[320] swapping her "signature" expressive vocals for "cool, conversational, detached" cadences and rhythms similar to hip hop and R&B styles.[321][322][323] Alternative Press stated that her "evocative" vocal stylings are more reminiscent of pop-punk and emo genres.[324]

Reviews of Swift's later albums and performances were more appreciative of her vocals, finding them less nasal, richer, more resonant, and more powerful.[293][325][326] With Folklore and Evermore, Swift received praise for her sharp and agile yet translucent and controlled voice.[327][328][329] Pitchfork described it as "versatile and expressive".[330] With her 2021 re-recorded albums, critics began to praise the mature, deeper and "fuller" tone of her voice.[331][332][333] An i review said Swift's voice is "leagues better now" with her newfound vocal furniture.[334] The Guardian highlighted "yo-yoing vocal yelps" and passionate climaxes as the trademarks of Swift's voice,[335] and that her country twang faded away.[336] Midnights received acclaim for Swift's nuanced vocal delivery.[337] She ranked 102nd on the 2023 Rolling Stone list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[314] In a review of the Eras Tour, The New Yorker critic Amanda Petrusich praised the clarity and tone of Swift's live vocals.[338]

Swift has been referred to as one of the greatest songwriters of all time by several publications.[339][340][341] English-language scholars like Jonathan Bate and Stephanie Burt have noted that her literary and melodic sensibility and verbal writing style are rare amongst her peers.[342][343] Swift's bridges are often underscored as one of the best aspects of her songs,[344][345] earning her the title "Queen of Bridges" from Time.[346] Mojo described her as "a sharp narrator with a gift for the extended metaphor".[347]

In The New Yorker in 2011, Swift said she identifies as a songwriter first: "I write songs, and my voice is just a way to get those lyrics across".[11] Her personal experiences were a common inspiration for her early songs, which helped her navigate life.[348][349] Her "diaristic" technique began with identifying an emotion, followed by a corresponding melody.[350][351] On her first three studio albums, love, heartbreak, and insecurities, from an adolescent perspective, were dominant themes.[352][353] She delved into the tumult of toxic relationships on Red,[354] and embraced nostalgia and post-romance positivity on 1989.[281] Reputation was inspired by the downsides of Swift's fame,[355] and Lover detailed her realization of the "full spectrum of love".[356] Other themes in Swift's music include family dynamics, friendship,[357][358] alienation, self-awareness, and tackling vitriol, especially sexism.[268][359]

Her confessional lyrics received positive reviews from critics,[360][11][361] who highlighted their vivid details and emotional engagement, which they found uncommon in pop music.[362][363][364] Critics also praised her melodic compositions; Rolling Stone described Swift as "a songwriting savant with an intuitive gift for verse-chorus-bridge architecture".[365][366] NPR dubbed Swift "a master of the vernacular in her lyrics",[322] remarking that her songs offer emotional engagement because "the wit and clarity of her arrangements turn them from standard fare to heartfelt disclosures".[366] Despite the positive reception, The New Yorker stated she was generally portrayed "more as a skilled technician than as a Dylanesque visionary".[11] Tabloid media often speculated and linked the subjects of her songs with her ex-lovers, a practice reviewers and Swift herself criticized as sexist.[367][368][369] Aside from clues in album liner notes, Swift avoided talking about the subjects of her songs.[370]

On her 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore, Swift was inspired by escapism and romanticism to explore fictional narratives.[371] Without referencing her personal life, she imposed emotions onto imagined characters and story arcs, which liberated her from tabloid attention and suggested new paths for her artistry.[350] Swift explained that she welcomed the new songwriting direction after she stopped worrying about commercial success.[371] According to Spin, she explored complex emotions with "precision and devastation" on Evermore.[372] Consequence stated her 2020 albums convinced skeptics of her songwriting prowess, noting her transformation from "teenage wunderkind to a confident and careful adult".[345]

Swift divides her writing into three types: "quill lyrics", referring to songs rooted in antiquated poeticism; "fountain pen lyrics", based on modern and vivid storylines; and "glitter gel pen lyrics", which are lively and frivolous.[373] Critics note the fifth track of every Swift album as the most "emotionally vulnerable" song of the album.[374] Awarding her with the Songwriter Icon Award in 2021, the National Music Publishers' Association remarked that "no one is more influential when it comes to writing music today" than Swift.[375] The Week deemed her the foremost female songwriter of modern times,[376] and the Nashville Songwriters Association International named her Songwriter-Artist of the Decade in 2022.[250] Swift has also published two original poems: "Why She Disappeared" and "If You're Anything Like Me".[377]

Swift performing on the Reputation Stadium Tour in Seattle, May 2018. A review in Stereogum said, Swift's onstage persona emulates those of "classic rock deities".[378]

Journalists have described Swift as one of the best performers and entertainers in mainstream music. Often praised for her showmanship and stage presence,[379][380][381] Swift is known for her ability to command large audiences, such as in a stadium,[382][383][384] without having to rely fully on dance like her contemporaries do.[385] According to V magazine's Greg Krelenstein, she possesses "a rare gift of turning a stadium spectacle into an intimate setting", irrespective of whethere she is "plucking a guitar or leading an army of dancers".[386]

In a 2008 review of Swift's early performances, Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker called Swift a "preternaturally skilled" entertainer with a vibrant stage presence, adding "she returned the crowd's energy with the professionalism she has shown since the age of fourteen."[387] In 2023, Adrian Horton of The Guardian noted her "seemingly endless stamina" on the Eras Tour,[388] and i critic Ilana Kaplan called her showmanship "unparalleled".[389]

Critics have highlighted Swift's versatility as an entertainer, praising her ability to switch onstage personas and performance styles depending on the varying themes and aesthetics of her albums.[390][391] Her concert productions have been characterized by elaborate Broadway theatricality and high technology,[392] and her performances frequently incorporate a live band, with whom she has played and toured since 2007.[393] Swift also often accompanies herself with musical instruments such as electric guitar,[394] acoustic guitar, piano,[395] and sometimes a banjo or ukulele.[396][397] Interacting frequently with the audience, her solo acoustic performances are considered intimate and emotionally resonant, complementing her story-based lyrics and fan connection.[338][398] Lydia Burgham of The Spinoff opined that this intimacy remains "integral to her singer-songwriter origins".[399][395] Chris Willman of Variety called Swift "pop's most approachable superstar",[400] and the 21st century's most popular performer.[401]

Swift emphasizes visuals as a key creative component of her music making process.[402] She has collaborated with different directors to produce her music videos, and over time she has become more involved with writing and directing. She developed the concept and treatment for "Mean" in 2011[403] and co-directed the music video for "Mine" with Roman White the year before.[404] In an interview, White said that Swift "was keenly involved in writing the treatment, casting and wardrobe. And she stayed for both the 15-hour shooting days, even when she wasn't in the scenes."[405]

From 2014 to 2018, Swift collaborated with director Joseph Kahn on eight music videos—four each from her albums 1989 and Reputation. Kahn has praised Swift's involvement in the craft.[406] She worked with American Express for the "Blank Space" music video (which Kahn directed), and served as an executive producer for the interactive app AMEX Unstaged: Taylor Swift Experience, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Program in 2015.[407] Swift produced the music video for "Bad Blood" and won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 2016.[408]

Her production company, Taylor Swift Productions, is credited with producing all of her visual media starting with the 2018 concert documentary Reputation Stadium Tour.[409] She continued to co-direct music videos for the Lover singles "Me!" with Dave Meyers, and "You Need to Calm Down" (also serving as a co-executive producer) and "Lover" with Drew Kirsch,[410] but first ventured into sole direction with the video for "The Man" (which won her the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction).[411] After Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, Swift debuted as a filmmaker with All Too Well: The Short Film,[250] which made her the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Music Video as a sole director.[412] Swift has cited Chloé Zhao, Greta Gerwig, Nora Ephron, Guillermo del Toro, John Cassavetes, and Noah Baumbach as her filmmaking influences.[402]

Swift helped shape the modern country music scene,[477] having extended her success and fame beyond the Anglosphere,[299][477] pioneered the use of internet (Myspace) as a marketing tool,[33][52] and introduced the genre to a younger generation.[478][299] Country labels have since become interested in signing young singers who write their own music;[479] her guitar performances contributed to the "Taylor Swift factor", a phenomenon to which an upsurge in guitar sales to women, a previously ignored demographic, is attributed.[480][481]

According to publications, Swift changed the music landscape "forever" with her genre transitions, a discography that accommodates cultural shifts,[482] and her ability to popularize any sound in mainstream music.[483] Lyrically, in being personal and vulnerable in her songs, music journalist Nick Catucci opined Swift helped make space for later singers like Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Halsey to do the same.[484] Scholars have highlighted the literary sensibility and poptimist implications of Swift in the 21st century.[485][486] She has been credited with legitimizing and popularizing the concept of album "eras".[487][488]

Swift has influenced numerous music artists, and her albums have inspired an entire generation of singer-songwriters.[478][309][489] Journalists praise her ability to reform industry practices, noting how her actions changed streaming policies, prompted awareness of intellectual property in new musicians,[490][491] and reshaped ticketing models.[492] Various sources deem Swift's music a paradigm representing the millennial generation;[493] Vox called her the "millennial Bruce Springsteen",[494] and The Times named her "the Bob Dylan of our age".[495] Swift earned the title Woman of the Decade (2010s) from Billboard,[496] Artist of the Decade (2010s) at the American Music Awards,[497] and Global Icon at the Brit Awards for her impact.[428] Senior artists such as Paul McCartney,[498] Mick Jagger,[499] Madonna,[500] and Parton have praised her musicianship.[501] Carole King regards Swift her "professional grand daughter" and thanked Swift for "carrying the torch forward".[502] Springsteen called her a "tremendous" writer,[503] while Ringo Starr and Billy Joel considered Swift the Beatles' successor.[504][505]

Swift is a subject of academic study and scholarly media research.[286] Various educational institutions offer courses on Swift in literary, cultural and sociopolitical contexts.[506][286] Entomologists named a millipede species Nannaria swiftae in her honor.[507]

Swift's music, life and image are points of attention in global celebrity culture.[286] Initially a teen idol,[508] she has become a dominant figure in popular culture,[509] often referred to as a pop icon.[301][510] Publications note her immense popularity and longevity as the kind of fame unwitnessed since the 20th century.[511][512] Music critics Sam Sanders and Ann Powers regard Swift as a "surprisingly successful composite of megawatt pop star and bedroom singer-songwriter."[513]

Journalists have written about Swift's polite and "open" personality,[36][45] calling her a "media darling" and "a reporter's dream".[360] Awarding her for her humanitarian endeavors in 2012, former First Lady Michelle Obama described Swift as an artist who "has rocketed to the top of the music industry but still keeps her feet on the ground, someone who has shattered every expectation of what a 22-year-old can accomplish".[514] Swift, labeled by the media in her early career as "America's Sweetheart" for her likability and girl-next-door image,[515][516] has earned a reputation for her enthusiasm at award shows.[517][518] YouGov surveys ranked her as the world's most admired female musician from 2019 to 2021.[519]

Though Swift is reluctant to publicly discuss her personal life, believing it to be "a career weakness",[520] it is a topic of widespread media attention and tabloid speculation,[521] with all her moves "closely monitored and analyzed."[466] Clash described Swift as a lightning rod for criticism.[522] The New York Times asserted in 2013 that her "dating history has begun to stir what feels like the beginning of a backlash" and questioned whether she was in the midst of a "quarter-life crisis".[523] Swift's detractors accused her of being "calculated" and manipulating her image—a narrative bolstered after the 2016 dispute with West.[173][174] Cultural critics have highlighted that Swift's life and career have been subject to intense misogyny and slut-shaming,[524][525] and she is an easy target of "fragile male egos",[526] hence her antennae for sexism are crucial for the industry.[527] Swift has also been a victim of numerous house break-ins and stalkers, some of whom were armed.[528][529]

Having embraced the cat lady archetype,[530] Swift owns three cats; Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button. They have been featured or referenced in her videos and other works.[531]

Media outlets describe Swift as a savvy businesswoman.[532][533] She is also known for her traditional album rollouts, consisting of a variety of promotional activities that Rolling Stone termed as an inescapable "multimedia bonanza".[534][535] Easter eggs and cryptic teasers became a common practice in contemporary pop music because of Swift.[536] Publications describe her discography as a music "universe" subject to analyses by fans, critics and journalists.[537][538][509] Swift maintains an active presence on social media and a close relationship with fans, to which many journalists attribute her success.[539][462][540] She has an in-house management team called 13 Management.[541]

Swift has endorsed many brands and businesses. In 2009, she launched a l.e.i. sundress range at Walmart,[542] and designed American Greetings cards and Jakks Pacific dolls.[543][544] Also that year, she became a spokesperson for the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators and Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras.[545][546] Swift launched two Elizabeth Arden fragrances—"Wonderstruck" and "Wonderstruck Enchanted",[547] followed by "Taylor" and its "Made of Starlight" variation in 2013,[548][549] and "Incredible Things" in 2014.[550] She was appointed global tourism ambassador for New York City in 2014,[551] and signed multi-year deals with AT&T in 2016 and bank corporation Capital One in 2019.[552][553] Swift released a sustainable clothing line with Stella McCartney in 2019.[554] In light of her philanthropic support for independent record stores during the COVID-19 pandemic, Record Store Day named Swift their first-ever global ambassador in 2022.[555]

Swift identifies as a pro-choice feminist,[556] and is one of the founding signatories of the Time's Up movement against sexual harassment.[557] She criticized the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973) and end federal abortion rights in 2022.[558] Swift advocates for LGBT rights,[559] and has called for the passing of the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.[560][561] The New York Times wrote her 2011 music video for "Mean" had a positive impact on the LGBTQ+ community.[562] Swift performed during WorldPride NYC 2019 at the Stonewall Inn, a gay rights monument.[563] She has donated to the LGBT organizations Tennessee Equality Project and GLAAD.[564][565]

A supporter of the March for Our Lives movement and gun control reform in the U.S.,[566] Swift is a vocal critic of white supremacy, racism, and police brutality.[567][556] In 2020, she urged her fans to check their voter registration ahead of elections, which resulted in 65,000 people registering to vote within one day of her post,[568] and endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election.[569] Following the George Floyd protests, she donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Black Lives Matter movement,[570] called for the removal of Confederate monuments in Tennessee,[571] and advocated for Juneteenth to become a national holiday.[572]

Swift is well known for her philanthropic efforts.[581] She was ranked at number one on DoSomething's "Gone Good" list,[582] and has received the "Star of Compassion" accolade from the Tennessee Disaster Services,[583] The Big Help Award from the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for her "dedication to helping others" as well as "inspiring others through action".[584] In 2008, she donated $100,000 to the Red Cross to help the victims of the Iowa flood.[585] In 2009, she sang at BBC's Children in Need concert and raised £13,000 for the cause.[586] Swift has performed at charity relief events, including Sydney's Sound Relief concert.[587] In response to the May 2010 Tennessee floods, Swift donated $500,000 during a telethon hosted by WSMV.[588] In 2011, Swift used a dress rehearsal of her Speak Now tour as a benefit concert for victims of recent tornadoes in the U.S., raising more than $750,000.[589] In 2016, she donated $1 million to Louisiana flood relief efforts and $100,000 to the Dolly Parton Fire Fund.[590][591] Swift donated to food banks after Hurricane Harvey struck Houston in 2017 and at every stop of the Eras Tour in 2023;[592][593] she also directly employed local businesses throughout the tour and gave $55 million in bonus payments to her entire crew.[594][595] In 2020, Swift donated $1 million for Tennessee tornado relief.[596]

She is also a supporter of the arts. A benefactor of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,[597] Swift has donated $75,000 to Nashville's Hendersonville High School to help refurbish the school auditorium,[598] $4 million to fund the building of a new education center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville,[599] $60,000 to the music departments of six U.S. colleges,[600] and $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony.[601] Also a promoter of children's literacy, she has donated money and books to various schools around the country to improve education.[602][603] In 2007, Swift partnered with the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police to launch a campaign to protect children from online predators.[604] She has donated items to several charities for auction, including the UNICEF Tap Project and MusiCares.[605] As recipient of the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year in 2011, Swift donated $25,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tennessee.[606] In 2012, Swift participated in the Stand Up to Cancer telethon, performing the charity single "Ronan", which she wrote in memory of a four-year-old boy who died of neuroblastoma.[607] She has also donated $100,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research[608] and $50,000 to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.[609] Swift has encouraged young people to volunteer in their local communities as part of Global Youth Service Day.[610]

Swift donated to fellow singer-songwriter Kesha to help with her legal battles against Dr. Luke and to actress Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation organization.[581][611] After the COVID-19 pandemic began, Swift donated to the World Health Organization and Feeding America,[612] supported independent record stores,[613][614] and offered a signed guitar for auction to raise money for the National Health Service.[615] Swift performed "Soon You'll Get Better" on the One World: Together At Home television special, a benefit concert curated by Lady Gaga for Global Citizen to raise funds for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.[616] In 2018 and 2021, Swift donated to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.[581][617] In addition to charitable causes, she has made donations to her fans several times for their medical or academic expenses.[618]