Taylor

Taylor Swift was a rarity in the world of pop music: she was the only superstar to have transitioned from the traditional to the mainstream, and to become a pop icon worldwide. Swift shed her country roots as though they were part of her skin to reveal that she was possibly the most savvy populist singer/songwriter of her generation someone who was able to harness the current zeitgeist and make it personal and just as impressively perform in the opposite direction. Swift's first hits, particularly their neo tribute to Tim McGraw, showed off the talents of her. But her 2008 album Fearless showcased a writer who was discovering herself and gaining a huge following. Fearless was successful not only in America, but also with six platinum-certified songs. The Top Ten songs Love Story and the hit song You Belong with Me were the primary reasons behind this. It also performed very well across the globe. Swift's next album, Speak Now, released almost two years after the debut, further consolidated this momentum. It helped propel Swift to the heights of fame. She grew in popularity over the course of the three albums that followed - Red (2012) 1989 (2014) and Reputation (2017). Swift became a household name within the genre she was a part of. Even when she scaled back her approach with 2020's stripped-down sibling releases folklore and Evermore she remained atop the pop world a position she maintained with re-recordings of her earlier catalog, as well as Midnights which was her top-charting synthesizer 2022 album.