Taylor

Taylor Swift was a rarity in pop: she is the sole celebrity who crossed from country into the mainstream and become an international icon of pop culture. Swift removed her roots in the country as though they were part of her skin revealing that she was perhaps the savviest populist singer/songwriter of her generation one who could harness the zeitgeist make it personal and also perform the reverse. The skills she displayed were apparent in some of the first songs she released, most notably the Neodue Tim McGraw. But on her sophomore album Fearless released in 2008 Swift discovered who she is and find a wide audience. Fearless became a massive success and not just in the US, where six of its singles were certified platinum in the wake of Top Ten hit songs Love Story and You Belong with Me. But it also performed well around all over the world. Swift's Speak Now album released two years ago was a continuation of her earlier successes, propelling Swift into the spotlight. Swift's popularity continued to grow through her subsequent three albums -- Red (2012) 1989 (2014) and Reputation (2017) Reputation (2017) which saw her move into a pop realm in which she was already a part. When she reduced her sound with the stripped-down releases of 2020, folklore, and Evermore however, she remained in the top spot. The position was defended by re-recordings from her past catalogue as along with Midnights which was her chart-topping synth heavy 2022 album.