Taylor

Taylor Swift was a rarity in pop: she is the sole celebrity who transitioned from the traditional to the mainstream and become a global pop culture icon. Swift shed the country influences as if they were an additional layer of skin, revealing she was among the most talented singers/songwriters in her generation. Swift could make the event personal and use it for her benefit. This was evident in her first hits, particularly the Neo-Tribute Tim McGraw but her second album in 2008's Fearless featured a singer-songwriter figuring out the person she really was, and in the process finding an audience of mass. Fearless was a huge success worldwide, not only in the United States (where it was certified as platinum six times for Top Ten Hits Love Story and "You Belong with Me") however, in Canada, Australia and the U.K. and many other countries. Swift's Speak Now album released two years ago was a continuation of her earlier successes, propelling her into superstardom. The popularity of Swift only grew through her subsequent three albums -- Red (2012) 1989 (2014) as well as Reputation (2017) and Reputation in 2017 and saw her move confidently into a pop realm in which she was already a part. While she reduced her work with folklore and Evermore released in 2020, she was nevertheless at the forefront of pop music.