Taylor

Taylor Swift was a rarity in pop: she is the only superstar to have transitioned from the traditional to the mainstream and become an international icon of pop culture. Swift removed the influences of country in the sense that they had been added as an extra layer of skin. She revealed that she was among the most talented singers/songwriters in the generation she was born into. Swift could make the moment personal or harness it for her benefit. The skills she displayed were apparent on her earliest hits especially the neo-tribute Tim McGraw but her second album in 2008's Fearless showcased a songwriter discovering the person she really was, and in the process, finding a mass audience. The album was able to have significant reach not just on the U.S. where it racked seven platinum singles on the strength of the Top Ten hits Love Story and Belong with Me Belong with Me but throughout the world, with a particular success with Canada, the U.K. Canada and Australia. Swift took off to the peak of stardom with Speak Now. In the three albums following the three albums that followed -- Red 2012, 1989 2014 as well as Reputation 2017, her fame only grew. This was a sure sign she had moved to the new music scene where she fit in. She was at the top of pop even after she changed her signature style in her twin albums Folklore and Evermore in 2020.