Taylor

Taylor Swift was a rarity in pop culture: she was the only superstar to have transitioned from the traditional to the mainstream and become an international icon of pop culture. Swift shed country like it was another layer, showing that she's perhaps the most intelligent pop singer/songwriter of her time. A person who has the ability to tap into the zeitgeist to make it personal as well as sing in the other direction. The skills she displayed were apparent in some of her earliest tracks, notably the neodue Tim McGraw. But on her second album Fearless released in 2008 Swift was able to discover her true identity and gain audiences across the globe. Fearless wound up having considerable legs not only on the U.S. where it racked up six platinum singles thanks to Top Ten hits Love Story and Belong with Me Belong with Me but throughout the globe, performing especially well with Australia, U.K. Canada and Australia. Swift managed to build upon her popularity with Speak Now almost two year after. Her popularity only increased over her next three albums - Red (2012) 1989 (2014) as well as Reputation (2017) -- and found her moving assuredly into a pop realm in which she was already a part. Even though she had slowed her work with folklore and Evermore released in 2020, she was nevertheless at the forefront of pop music.