With 12 Grammy wins and 46 nominations, Taylor Swift has continued to prove herself as a powerhouse in the music industry. 

Starting her career at 16 and gaining popularity instantly with her single “Tim McGraw,” the singer has only continued to prove that she is deserving all of the awards and praise that come her way. With that popularity, she has also faced extensive criticism throughout her career, 

With a career that spans more than 15 years so far, Swift has created fan connections with each album that she has released — winning over the hearts of millions with each song. 

In the age of social media, streaming and entertainment gossip columns, Taylor Swift is a bigger household name than ever. This praise and cult following she’s amassed aren’t for nothing. Swift has worked endlessly, ensuring that each album and song released has her entire heart and soul in it. 

Over the decades, there are many popular singers that have broken records and had adoring fans. These artists once created timeless masterpieces, yet lack Swift’s unique advantage:  She relates to the younger generation’s thoughts and feelings. 

Swift has created deep bonds with her fans who have grown up with her. She releases music that describes the happiness and passion of falling in love, along with the heartbreak and loss that comes with life. Her songwriting makes it seem like she knows everything people are feeling or what they are dealing with and that has resulted in the singer gaining popularity. 

With that being said, many artists have been in the same position as Swift, just at different points in history. Being a fan of an artist in 1960 vs 2023 looks completely different, making the reactions that fans have equally different. 

Swift also has not always been favored by the media or fans of music. Throughout her entire career, she has been belittled and judged, with people claiming she only writes songs about breakups. A feud between Kanye West and Swift began in 2009 when he interrupted her on stage while she was accepting an MTV Video Music award for Best Female Video. Since then, the two have had a seemingly friendly relationship until 2016, when West negatively used her name in his song “Famous,” then publicly lied by saying that she had approved the use of the line. This ultimately led to a Taylor Swift hate train that forced her into hiding for a year. 

She has been through more hate than the average singer, only to continue her career and prove to every media outlet that she is a force to be reckoned with. She has been judged and criticized solely for being a woman at every turn in her career. 

Swift addressed this exact issue in her song “The Man,” released in 2019 with lyrics like “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can. Wondering if I’d get there quicker If I was a man,” where she highlights how she has been criticized for the same things that her male counterparts in the industry have gotten away with. 

Swift is currently in the process of re-recording her records to claim the rights back to her music after her former record label sold them to Scooter Braun. With each album being re-recorded, Swift is successfully bringing in new fans and grabbing the attention of old fans, all while gaining ownership of her music again. These records are proving to be more successful than their initial releases.  

Throughout her career, she hasn’t stuck to one genre. She has ensured to change her music style to fit herself, along with also altering it to fit what her fans and the trends will enjoy. She has produced 12 consistent, powerful and genre-bending albums that have ensured she hasn’t been lost in the trenches of the industry.  

Her fans may want to spend their whole paycheck on seeing her in concert for her Eras Tour, but that is not much different than any other artist having fans that will pay anything to see them perform live. Swift just has a higher demand, leading to higher prices. Especially with this tour, as she is performing songs that her older fans will want to hear, along with her newest Swifties. 

Taylor Swift’s success is all her own. She has consistently charmed her fans with her songwriting and tore down every obstacle in her way to being as successful as she is today. She deserves and has worked hard for every bit of success that has come her way.

Follow Keely on Twitter @menyhartkeely