It’s tough to go anywhere these days without hearing a Taylor Swift song or seeing her face appear on magazines and TV screens. Admirers say she’s really talented. Conspiracy theorists suggest she’s a clone of some satanic priestess. Others believe her romance with football star Travis Kelce is a political stunt to sway the election and boost Pfizer vaccine rates.
I grew up listening to her music like countless others. While my days of obsessing over her have since passed like a warm breeze on an August afternoon, I still enjoy her music and have had the pleasure of nabbing press passes to her reputation tour and TheEras tour.
So what is it about Taylor Swift that has captured youthful fans all over the world? There are five components to her success that blend into a bejeweled love story between her and Swifties everywhere.
1. She’s A Bona-Fide Marketing Maven
Taylor Swift isn’t just in the music business – she’s also able to reach into the minds of her fans and keep them on their toes. After she lost her entire music catalogue to Scooter Braun in 2019 when it was sold without her consent, she set out to re-record all her old music. She not only re-did music she wrote in her teens and twenties, she made new versions that are better than the originals – and added previously unreleased music with the very same producers of the originals. Genius move, Ms. Swift.
2. Easter Egg Hunting Is Fun — And It Brings Her Fans Together
Taylor’s fans crave figuring out her next move. After noticing that people liked solving clues in her compact disc jackets (back in the day, before digital streaming services took over), Taylor started placing “Easter Eggs” everywhere. Her music videos, her social media posts, and the landing pages of her website feature cryptic messages. Making it a game causes her fans to band together to make educated (or crazy) guesses about her next chapter. Some messages are intricate and clever, while others are hidden in plain sight. No matter what you think of Taylor, it’s amusing to try to guess her next idea.
3. Taylor Grew Up Alongside Millennials – And Relates To Them
Born in 1989 (which is also the title of her fifth studio album), Taylor Swift is directly in the middle of the Millennial range. Many contemporaries relate to the themes of her music — struggles of coming-of-age, dating, and becoming who you were always meant to be. Her music bridges gaps between the famous and blue-collared folks, making us all her best friends — as if we knew her when we were fifteen. Her stories also offer some timeless truths that resonate with teen-agers today, as well.
4. That Girl Knows How To Write A Catchy Hook
Swift’s lyrics are punctuated by beats and alliterative moments that are often more poetic than other songs. And she has a deep understanding of music theory. She sticks to (or deviates from) typical diatonic chord structures that draw listeners in. Don’t blame me if you find yourself enchanted by her lyrics and dazzled by the way she crafts a heartfelt tune that brings people together from all walks of life. My personal favorite is the way she uses a key change to elevate a storyline to emotionally affect her listeners.
5. Taylor Projects Humility Amid Fame
Anyone who’s watched Taylor Swift perform (whether in person or on a screen) can attest that she enjoys chatting with the audience, giggles when reminiscing about her life, and wants to make sure everyone has a great time. She’s also given a lot of money to charities, including many that simply help people in need.
While she’s generous with her wallet, Taylor can be a polarizing figure with her support of left-wing causes like legal abortion, same-sex marriage, and Joe Biden. This is where some fans might diverge — which is understandable, because everyone is entitled to a point of view.
Whether you’re new to Taylor Swift or have been a loyal fan since her debut single “Tim McGraw” back in 2006, these observations might help explain why she’s everywhere these days.
Whether you agree with her values or not is a bigger question — but for now, I’d rather just enjoy the music and the glitter.
Angelina Singer is a published author, content writer, and music journalist dipping her toes into the holistic health field. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Stonehill College in 2019, where she studied English, Music, and, of course, Creative Writing. In her spare time, Angelina enjoys crocheting, as well as teaching guitar at a local music store — where she studied for more than a decade. She views her writing as a way to simultaneously escape and embrace reality.
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