Taylor SwifT

The Icon Herself

Words | Catherine Reiher Layout | Audrey Allen

Taylor Swift is arguably the most influential singer of the last two decades – captivating audiences since her debut album “Taylor Swift”, released in 2006. Swift has remained relevant for the past 16 years by continuing to reinvent herself, charming fans with her heartfelt narratives, relatable interviews and Easter eggs. Let us discuss Swift’s most notable songs and appearances leading up to her newly released album “Midnights”.

Swift’s first studio album brought us iconic songs like “Picture to Burn”, “Teardrops on My Guitar”, “Should’ve Said No” and “Tim McGraw”. This initial album launched Swift into stardom, landing multiple singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and performing her song “Tim McGraw” on Good Morning America. The seemingly normal teenager from Pennsylvania moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of being a songwriter and Swifties everywhere could not be more thankful.

In 2008, Swift released her second studio album “Fearless”. That contained more heartbreak songs, where a naive Taylor discusses her high school relationships. Though Swift was 18 years old at the time one of the most notable songs from this album is “Fifteen”, it depicts a relatable freshman high school experience. “Cause when you’re fifteen, Somebody tells you they love you, You’re gonna believe them.”

This song continues to gain popularity for its timeless message about love and young relationships. For anyone who’s been in high school, the anxious and excited feeling that falls upon you on the first day is relatable to students and staff alike.

The “Fearless” album also included power anthems: “Love Story”, “You’re Not Sorry” and “You Belong With Me”.

In 2009, the “You Belong With Me” music video won best female video, beating out Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies”, which prompted the ‘ringless’ dance most pop listeners have learned and love, appearing at weddings, bachelorette parties, and high school dances. Swift’s acceptance speech at the Video Music Awards (VMAs) for best female video of the year would become much more notable than anyone could have imagined inviting the feud between Swift and rapper Kanye West (Ye). For those who are unfamiliar with the iconic line from Ye as he interrupts Swift on the stage, “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!

One of the best videos of all time!” This infamous interruption at the VMA’s would influence Swift’s sixth studio album “Reputation.”

“Speak Now” marks Swift’s third studio album and includes one of my personal favorites “Back to December.” Just two years later Swift released “Red,” her last Country album. This is where Swifties start to see Swift transition to a sound more reminiscent of Pop Music. Red is conceivably her most well-known album with “Red”, “ I Knew You Were Trouble”, “We Are Never Getting Back Together”, “All Too Well” and “22”. The more ‘Pop-y’ sound allowed it to gain further attention from Pop and Country music listeners alike and is likely one of the best career decisions that Swift has made.

Being Swift’s first official pop album after being deemed too pop for country, “1989” is a transition as she begins to reinvent herself dramatically with each album. “1989” includes “Shake it Off” which I can almost guarantee you have heard. 1989 is deemed by the 80’s inspired songs and Swift’s birth year, Dec. 13, 1989. It is well known that many of her songs are about relationships, “Out of the Woods” is the story of how Swift and fellow singer

Harry Styles were in a snowmobile crash. “Bad Blood” is about Swift’s public feud with Katy Perry. However, I am more engrossed in the music video which features a-list celebrities like Selena Gomez, Hailee Steinfeld, Gigi Hadid, Ellie Goulding, Cara Delevingne, Zendaya, Karlie Kloss, Jessica Alba, Ellen Pompeo, Cindy Crawford and Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay is famous for her role as Olivia Benson on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”. Swift, a fan of the show, named one of her cats Olivia as a symbol of female power.

In March 2016, Swift went on a hiatus, leaving social media. This was the first time in 10 years that Swift was not actively performing or making music. In August 2017 Swift ended her hiatus just in time for the release of Reputation in November. After all the hate and ridicule from the media, Swift reinvented herself once more with a darker sound and songs seeking vengeance. “Look What You Made Me Do” is rumored to be about Swift’s feud with Kanye West. “Reputation” even features Ed Sheeran in “Getaway Car” and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ daughter James for the beginning of “Gorgeous”. Reputation was a power move for Swift continuing to shape her own narrative and fight the sexism she faced in the industry. In August 2017, the singer won a symbolic settlement of one dollar against former radio host David Mueller who was accused of groping Swift at a meet-in-greet in 2013.

“Lover” is Swift’s first self-produced album, and it covers her romantic relationship with Joe Alwyn and her battle with Scooter Braun. With fan favorites like “Lover”, “The Man”, “Paper Rings” and “London Boy”, the album displays a contrast between Swift’s new successes in love and the battles she is still fighting. In “Miss Americana”, Swift’s documentary released in January 2020, the artist opens up about her own struggles with eating disorders and body image issues. Being candid with her struggles is another reason why Swift continues to be popular with younger audiences. Aside from her fantastic music, fans are looking for someone they can trust and connect with.

Surprise! Swift stunned fans in the midst of the Pandemic with not one but two studio albums, “Folklore” and “Evermore”. Both albums feature alternative music, a first for Swift, best described as more simplistic and raw. Again, Swift reinvents herself, but this time, it feels different. An era of Swift that tells stories not of her own but instead creative narratives.

Scooter Braun is a well-known name amongst Swifties, the former owner of Swift’s early masters came under backlash as he did not allow Swift to purchase her master from Big Machine Records. While I am sure Swift was upset by the unfair agreement and greed from her former producers at Big Machine Records, the entire fiasco brought Swift devotees (Taylor’s Version). Swift re-recorded “Fearless” and “Red” including more initial songs. Gems like “All Too Well 10 Minute Version) [Taylor’s Version] was born, along with 15 more songs and versions on “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and an additional 10 tracks on “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”.

In 2022, Dr. Taylor Swift earns an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts from New York University and gives a wholesome commencement speech. With 11 Grammys and a doctorate the singer, songwriter, woman of the decade, actor, producer, cat lover, activist and philanthropist continues to shock the world. On Oct. 21, listeners around the globe stayed up to hear Swift’s newest album, which exemplifies and ties together all nine other original albums and every era of Swift imaginable. At three in the morning, Swift released an additional seven songs making her newest album and 20-track masterpiece with several music and lyric videos directed by Swift to accompany. Including the music video for “Bejeweled” which some Swifties believe contains an Easter egg that Swift will be rerecording “Speak Now” next. 10 days after the release of “Midnights” Swift announced the Eras Tour starting in March 2023. The tour will include a whopping 34 U.S. performances with songs from all 12 studio albums. Simply put, Taylor Swift is not arguably the most influential singer of the decade or the last 2 decades, she is the most influential pop culture icon of the 21st century.