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 dropped country as if it was another layer and proved that she's perhaps the smartest pop-singer/songwriter her generation. Someone who is able to harness the mood of times to make her music personal and also be able to perform at the opposite. The skills she displayed were apparent on her early hits including the neo-tribute Tim McGraw but her second album, 2008's Fearless featured a singer-songwriter figuring out her true identity and in the process, finding the mass market. Fearless was a huge success worldwide but not only in the United States (where it was certified with six platinum awards for Top Ten Hits Love Story as well as "You Belong with Me") but in Canada, Australia as well as the U.K. and many other countries. Swift could build on her success by releasing Speak Now almost two year after. She grew in popularity over the course of the three albums that followed - Red (2012) 1989 (2014) and Reputation (2017). Swift became a household name within a genre where she belonged. Even though she had slowed the production of her folklore album, and Evermore albums in the year 2020, she was nevertheless in the forefront of pop music.