by Jenna Bloom ’21

From country, to pop, to indie, one artist has mastered countless genres and produced No. 1 hits across the board. Taylor Swift, who signed her first record deal in 2006, has proved herself to the music industry album after album. Despite being publicly embarrassed by Kanye West at the 2009 VMAs and confronting misogyny her entire career, Swift has persevered while making her fans a priority. As Swift evolved, so has her talent.

Taylor Swift is hands down the artist of the decade. Starting with her early success, her young fans related to her music and were able to see themselves in her writing. Swift’s talent grew as her fans got older. She went from country music to pop music, producing “Red” and 1989. Red landed itself on numerous best albums of the 2010s lists, while 1989 won Swift another album of the year Grammy, preceded by Fearless. She then went on to produce more albums, such as Reputation and Folklore. Every album Swift has made is different from the others, and no single one has been named a “fan favorite.” She not only has made incredible songs from a variety of genres, but she uses her large platform for good and is an amazing role model for her audience. Her music has validated and empowered millions of young women, and she has fought to create a better culture around female artists.