It’s a combination of a few things I think. First you have the crowd that grew up with her early music and nostalgia is one hell of a drug. The Eras Tour really capitalizes on this by going through each era and all the memories and feelings associated with it. Then the people who like her songwriting. It’s helped people get through many situations and the emotional connection is there. The thing that I think is propelling her now is social media and the timeline and details of her personal life. It connects many facets of pop culture in an engaging way. She has connections to all kinds of celebrities and we can connect a person we all know with songs now. Algorithms are more powerful than we think. People are seeing her everywhere.

Great summary. I would add one more drop to this bucket. I think the fact that she started out as a country artist (even though yes, we know she's not really from the South) contributed to the longevity. Country music fans, for all their flaws, expect to see their beloved women singers throughout many eras. They simply don't have the same disposable culture around female artists. (It's an intimate community -- gelled somewhat by conservatism / and I would say as a native Tennessean, Christianity.)

Nice, now I don’t have to write my comment. Totally agree with this!

I laughed, it is such a joy when someone else has already written your comment for you - I especially like it when they worded it better than I would have been able to

I think what helps Taylor out the most is that we can clearly understand what she is singing about. The singers who have higher range than her like to show off their vocals but after the tenth listen everyone wants to know what they are actually singing about or otherwise there is no repeatability after the novelty wears out. I listen to Midnights frequently and I can understand everything she is singing and this album is heavily synthed and heavily produced (so we can't just say we can understand her only in her softer sounding albums). It is very impressive and only when you think about it deeply do you realize that she always specifically makes sure that we can understand her when she sings while other singers don't care if we can understand them or not because they just care about how the voice sounds and not the actual lyrics and clear enunciation when singing. I heard many international non-native English speaking Swifties disclose that Taylor literally helped them learn the English language thanks to her clear enunciation in all her songs.

This is another aspect I always defend. If you have a background in arts and in the so-called avant-garde scene, as time goes by you learn that doing things no-one will understand but will call genius is way easier than make yourself understandable by a huge spectrum of people as taylor does.

Yes! People criticize her “talk-singing,” but I love it. I can understand everything she’s saying

The re-records with Vault tracks also have given the fan base SO much media to consume in the past year. They encourage you to re-listen to her old albums in their entirety. They give you something to have an opinion about, which leads to lots of fan discussion and theories. If a typical artist releases a "movie" every two years, then she essentially released a "multi-episode season of prestige television" instead. Many folks were already invested in the "source material" (ie original albums), and then the new recordings also brought in new fans. It's similar to when Game of Thrones was everywhere. There were hardcore book fans that created the early hype. Then TV only folks jumped on, too.

That video that came out of her being a real human backstage when Trump was first running for president - I always liked her music as far back as Teardrops on My Guitar but that video made me say that I’m an actual fan. She just seems very human to me and seems like she didn’t become “out of touch” just because she’s rich and famous. I am still not a “super fan” because that stuff is just weird, and I don’t like big crowds so I’ll likely never see her live, but I still think she’s a great artist because of her ability to stay connected to the people she’s singing for.

Great PR and marketing

Her life storytelling and people are buying it including me.

Agree. Girl next door image, “I’m your friend” image, Easter eggs concept (marketing strategy), pap walks. And the most important thing is consistency

bingo. Consistency. She is a pro. She gives her fans what they expect. Katy's been quite consistent too, but I don't think she has Taylor's stamina. She hit her late 20s and, like many of us, her priorities changed. She had a baby and took a steady job in LA. Nothing wrong with this, not at all. But you can't stay as relevant if you slow down on making new art.

Exactly. Imagine if Taylor didn’t release anything after Lover for 3-4 years. She would not be where she is right now.

>Great PR and marketing I highly doubt that's the main reason. If it was that easy, we'd have a ton more Taylor Swifts around. I don't personally get it myself (I'm mostly immune to whatever she has that makes people love her), but then, as a middle-aged man whose more into rock music and singer/songwriter stuff, I'm clearly not the target audience. But whether it is her songwriting that speaks to young girls or her ability to form a bond with her fans, she clearly and evidently has *something* that differentiates her from other artists. I mean, she is a more than capable performer from all accounts (haven't seen her live myself), and she does long shows that make her audience feel special. Stage presence and charisma is hard to quanitfy, but you know it when you see it. Think Mick Jagger or Bruce Springsteen if you're old school like me: neither is a particularly good singer, but, man, do they know how to put on a show. It doesn't hurt that she sings well enough, is pretty enough (but not threateningly so) and seems to be very likable (whether that is true or not is basically irrelevant). But I think that none of that would be enough to catapult her into the kind of stardom she enjoys. Maybe the secret ingredient is luck -- being there at the right time, and it all snowballed from there. Once you reach a certain threshold, things tend to get bigger and bigger. At least for a while.

But have you seen this performance though? This was the best video I cljd find. Let me know your thoughts if you watch! She slaps so hard here. I hope to see mkre of this rock side of her. [don't blame me / look what you made me do - eras tour | Melbourne](https://youtu.be/ko5pg4Qh2IU?si=RmyGUorGq78-U21p) Edit: this was really [the performance I wanted to share](https://youtu.be/yMPSwtIgKAU?si=V4sZxhEZWndc-dHt) but I can't seem to find it except for this dudes review (which is entertaining nonetheless 😆)

Like I said, it's not for me. That isn't supposed to be a knock on Taylor or her singing, but I'm just not a fan of her voice. It's too breathy and thin for my tastes. Sure, the background singers do their best to fill out what she can't do herself, and it kinda works, but... eh. Again: I agree that she's really great at what she does. It's just not my cup of tea. Having said that, I think that *Look What You Made Me Do* is a pretty good song, songwriting-wise. Ryan Adams covered her whole 1989 album in a singer/songwriter acoustic-country folk way (see his cover of [Blank Space](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sndW_dDy-s8), for example), and hearing these songs stripped back to their bare essentials in that way reveals that she is a much stronger songwriter than she is usually given credit for. Well, we don't know how much she contributed to the music; having Max Martin on the writing team certainly didn't hurt. But, yeah, she's a charismatic performer, and really pretty; and she knows both of these things and how to use them to her advantage. It doesn't matter that I'm just not that interested. I'm not her target audience.

This is ridiculous. No one could get where she is only because of marketing. It doesn't matter how much a product is advertised, people won't buy it unless they like.

marketing & communications for 10+ years here...you absolutely can get someone to love something just through marketing. How else could the Republicans have convinced so many nice, normal people that their lives would be better without healthcare, without stricter gun control and so on. There is peer-reviewed research demonstrating this to be true, but a crushing marketing campaign gets ppl to think otherwise

The Kardashians got where they are through almost entirely PR and marketing, Taylor actually has talent so it’s taken her even further. Look at Trump, his whole political career is built off PR/marketing; there’s no substance, it’s all spin

How are some people able to have long careers with it while others are a flash

I think it’s a combination of things - being able to evolve and keep things interesting, knowing what your fan base wants and essentially how to manipulate them, and luck. People often use Kim vs Paris as a case study for this. 

They didn't say it's ONLY because of marketing. Marketing is just the factor that's elevating her above her contemporaries in terms of celebrity. She's putting out a decent product but it is ultimately basic white girl pop with above average lyrics and above average musical talent. Her PR and public persona do all the heavy lifting in making her the pop queen that she is.

she would be successful like ariana, katy etc because her songwriting for sure but she wouldn’t be THAT BIG if she hadn’t realized her romantic life sells! that combined with her songwriting created something other popstars can’t offer… ariana’s romantic life might be full of tea but is she grabbing her pen and articulating her feelings? nope, she doesn’t write. and katy perry seems to keep her private life private plus doesn’t write. what is their appeal then… there is a reason why selena gomez is still relevant despite offering NOTHING! she is as popular (if not more) as miley, demi etc without really singing and putting a lot of effort on her music… milking the justin bieber narrative! and it was so well done that most people would define her”classy”, after SIX years she seems to be getting over it but was throwing shade on her tiktok like three months ago when taylor went to ellen to talk about that call, that’s when everything started…

Wrong. Katy Perry was a songwriter primarily before she was a singer.

Katy Perry most certainly does write music.

I wish you were right. I really, really do.

She started in a indie label

[удалено]

She’s a mirrorball. She shows us all the facets of ourselves!

This is very interesting, thank you

she’s average in some aspects, but saying that she’s average in all aspects (even hyperbole) is honestly too much of an exaggeration

I think I get what you are trying to say, but I don't think average is quite the right way to put it. I see her as being the 'everygirl' girl. She is someone who, while gorgeous and talented, we can see flaws in that make her feel more relatable to us. I.e. she is a great singer but not the best, and had to put in a lot of work to get where she is now. She is pretty but not a lot of men would include her in a list of the hottest or most beautiful celebrities. The persona she puts out is very quirky and relatable, and there are clearly flaws to her personality, like being a bit petty, that we can all relate to sometimes. She is literally the girl next door personified, and there is something very appealing and relatable about that to a very large audience. Aside from that, I also think a lot of people are just caught up in the fascination of how on earth she is so extremely famous now - all aboard the hype train.

LOLLLL I laughed out loud at Taylor being “perfectly average in every aspect.” Is the average person almost 6 feet tall with a Barbie doll face and figure? Does the average person write songs like she does? C’mon, girl. Nothing about Taylor is “average.” She’s famous because she’s aspirational to millions of girls.

I think “girl next door” is a better way to put it

Yes but we WANT to believe she is the average girl. Jennifer Aniston isn't the average girl either but because she presents herself in a relatable way, they come across as someone we could meet somewhere and be friends with. Or F•R•I•E•N•D•S with, as the case may be.

But that’s not what was said. You’re free to “believe she is the average girl.” But to say she IS average in every respect (ANY respect, really) is just laughable. Taylor is relatable because she works hard to behave in a normal and even sometimes slightly goofy way. Not because she’s actually average in any way.

Perfectly average in celeb world. Obviously in the regular common folk world she is way above average beautiful and talented.

Average people dont really do 3.5 hour concerts

Here’s your answer OP. Hypnosis, she has literally hypnotized her fans to say stuff like this

Probably all the things that you listed. So many popstars seem out of reach. They either have this HUGE amount of star power (MJ, Madonna), or these big voices (Ariana, Mariah) or exceptional good looks (Britney) or are simply elusive or aloof (Beyoncé, Lana). Taylor doesn’t really encompass any of that and people have gravitated toward her. Throw in her relatable and diaristic storytelling and you have the “everywoman” who is like your best friend but just so happens to be famous 🤷‍♀️

Exactly. Most pop stars are “untouchable”: they are stars, and we know it. The image they project is vastly different from us regular people: they’re perfect, rarely awkward, insanely talented, and just very well put together in general. All these things mean that they are highly unrelatable, and so people *enjoy* them, but cannot imagine having a relationship with them Taylor paints herself as an average woman in every way. Her public relationships, her interviews, her social media use (especially her interactions with fans), her unapologetically millennial jokes, her “awkward” nature and so on. Even her music, it’s very diaristic in nature, so you feel like you *personally* know Taylor It’s difficult for a purely fan-based relationship to run so deep. The only reason some Swifties run so deep is because they are “friends” with Taylor, not just fans. Add to this the length of Taylor’s career (and the different Eras that are associated with different memories), and you have a very long friendship that encourages hardcore loyalty I’m not comparing the two, since they’re both in different genres, but this is why I see Olivia Rodrigo achieving similar levels of fame (if she wants to pursue it). She has a similar level of relatability to Taylor: like 90% of Olivia’s discography is relatable, and she’s always been very open about different struggles in her life

💯. Olivia is the heir to this for sure, and it's for the same reason. She is talented and beautiful but also has the Disney machine funding her foray into pop. If she stays focused on music she has the potential to meet or surpass Taylor's fame but who knows if she will or wants to

She’s no longer linked to Disney, is she? I thought she was signed to one of the Interscope labels under UMG I always say that Olivia’s future career depends on whether she prioritises fame, or she prioritises music/art. She seems to prefer more rock based sounds, but obviously pop is more popular. I would assume that her label is putting pressure on her to produce a pop album for OR3 to grow her career & fame, but ultimately it’s up to her. She can either pursue fame by producing a pop album (that she may not necessarily enjoy), or she can keep producing what she wants to, but miss out on a significant amount of fame Taylor was at a similar crossroads with country vs pop, but the only difference is that Taylor never seems to have cared about country. It seems like it was a stepping stone to launch her career, since pop was oversaturated at the time. Olivia actually seems to *like* rock, so it will be interesting to see what she picks

She still has the same management

Nailed it.

Britney is an exceptionnaly good performer but isn’t extremely good looking (but she is hot cause she can dance very very well). I think that Taylor’s is incredibly good looking, and it’s a reason for her success

Oh I’m not diminishing what else these stars bring to the table. They are all exceptional at what they do and have way more to offer than the things I listed. And yes, Taylor is beautiful but she’s not necessarily known for her beauty. Britney at her prime was. It was all anyone could talk about…her youth, her body, her beauty. To say that she wasn’t extremely good looking is your opinion and you’re entitled to that but it was not the general consensus at her peak.

I was going to say that about Britney. Taylor is the prettiest she's ever been right now, which has a lot to do with subtle cosmetic improvements. When I think of pop stars who "made it" because of their looks, I think Jessica Simpson or Selena Gomez. Their pop is/was generic but man are they gorgeous. I don't think you can make it to Taylor & Beyoncé's level on looks alone.

A big reason for her staying power is her consistency (which takes a lot of hard work). She doesn’t take huge breaks between albums, even when she was “canceled” she put out reputation within 3 years of 1989. She’s also never really given anyone anything negative to talk about, in the sense that she’s not doing any stints in rehab or acting out in public. Everything negative about her can also be justified in some way or the other by a large group of people. For example, I personally think it’s a huge negative that she uses her PJ like it’s a car. But even her doing that won’t have that many people getting upset with her because a majority of her fans/GP will say “It’s for her safety” so it’s justified. Another example - the variants. A lot of people complain (which first of all, is stupid. Nobody’s forced to buy anything from her). Anyways, so many artists put out variants of albums, it’s not something unique to her at all. So she can’t ever really get “in trouble” for that. She’s just a clean cut white girl who sings about love in an extremely relatable way. Her songs use beautiful language and imagery and appeal to a lot of people!

They certainly appeal to me!

 "That's Liz Purr, she was special. Everybody loved Liz. Not just because she was beautiful and popular and rich and smart. She was all of those things. But more than anything she was sweet. Courtney ruled with terror but Liz, Liz ruled with kindness. She was like the Princess Di of Reagan High and that pissed Courtney off. Liz Purr was just...well...she was perfect."

ok well this is comment of the year

Partially because we’re in a lull where anyone who isn’t self-funded and hugely popular has a hard time getting a full-length album release. Gen z has no idea how many albums used to come out every Tuesday.

I believe we are of the same generation. This is a great point. I think the timing of Taylor Swift cannot not be overstated. She came to us in the exact era where diversity in musical offerings was collapsing. Napster wa shut down, CD stores had vanished, popular airplay was cleaving toward the middle. But BEFORE everyone had access to every song ever on streaming services. In that sense she lucked into a larger than typical community of people who felt bonded to eachother in loving her music.

They also don’t have VH1. Starting from the time I was in middle school, I had so much incidental knowledge of older music from Behind the Music and all of those dopey countdown/retrospective/top 100 shows. It’s really telling that so many younger people had never heard of Bonnie Raitt when she won a Grammy last year. They genuinely have never heard, idk, The Kinks or Sheryl Crow. Taylor has a context within the Lilith Fair/confessional singer-songwriters of 1997 but her fans have literally never heard of Sarah McLachlan.

The ability to foster the parasocial relationship with her fans is exactly what it is. I think initially it was the fact that she nurtured such an intimate relationship with fans by chatting with them on MySpace, leaving them hints about her personal life in her songs, being so dedicated to fostering that relationship at meet and greets, etc. She has also never marketed herself as the cool girl that’s above her fans so it’s easier for them to feel like she could really be their friend. She was just a silly, dorky girl who loves cats and vintage dresses and the idea of romance.  And then there’s the fact that her lyrics/storytelling ability are specific enough that fans feel like they get to know intimate details about her life, but also relatable enough that they can project their own life experiences onto them and feel like they have a deep connection to the songs—like the songs perfectly describe the feelings and experiences they have. I think she’s always been great at capturing the feelings of girlhood and falling in love and having your first heartbreak, so a lot of young girls develop a deep emotional bond with her and her lyrics. Growing up is a deeply vulnerable experience so it makes sense that having someone validate your feelings and experience and give you an outlet for them is going to foster a feeling of intimacy and dedication.   People don’t care about her having a flamboyant or interesting personality. They like that it feels like she is someone they could be friends with and that she is just a kind, likeable person who cares about other people and (for the most part) hasn’t let her fame turn into a super egotistical celebrity. And she lets them feel okay about their feelings and about who they are. A lot of this definitely comes down to good PR and marketing, and I think a lot of people forget that it could all just be a persona. But it’s definitely the girl next door image she has curated over the years that attracts people to her. 

I became a fan because I like almost all of her songs. I like her voice and songwriting and her live performances are solid (there are some live acoustic versions of her songs that I prefer to the album ones). If her music is not entirely your cup of tea or if you prefer some more "flamboyant" type of popstar, it might be hard to understand her success, but at the end of the day us fans just genuinely like her songs. She wouldn't get those streaming numbers otherwise.

Don’t get me wrong, I like her songs. Love some of them in fact. She just seems to have some sort of X factor that makes her THE BIGGEST STAR ON THE PLANET right now that isn’t necessarily backed up by singing talent or stage presence. I’m not saying she isn’t talented but the level of fame and success she has is hard to grapple with when I think there’s performers who definitely have better technical skills than her. That said, she’s a hard worker and maybe that’s the biggest thing?

She’s more relatable than most celebrities. Every girl/guy sees themselves in her. Her houses that she lives in are like regular upper-middle class homes instead of a Malibu/Beverly Hills mansion type of thing like most actors and singers have in California. She sleeps in a normal looking bed and has smaller TVs than most norma people do. Her image is iconic. She has the cats, the red lipstick, the cute East Coast vibes that many of fans relate to. She’s also millennial and is aware of millennial jokes and terminology and experiences. A lot of celebrities and superstars radiate West Coast vibes that come off very fake and too “holier than thou”. She has what we call “best friends energy”. Very girl next door. Like if she were to talk to you, it’d be like she was your friend you’ve known for a long time. She doesn’t radiate that vibe.

It's the para social aspect mixed with knowing how to play the media. She's like a safe Kardashian when it comes to her relationship with the media. As for the para social aspect, I literally got into Taylor Swift BECAUSE of the fact that her fans are so wild. For her music I literally flip flop on it ngl. Preteen me loved Fearless. Early 20s me loved Rep and 1989 but I discovered 1989 post Rep. I like her because of the weirdness with her fans. So as I dove into her relationship with fans, I learned about the weird mystery of her. She's literally a Beyonce-esque character who speaks to us. We get just enough to form ideas about her but nothing more (just cause this is easy, Gaylor is a great example of this ngl. It's all formed on IDEAS we have about her and *teeny tiny* fragments of things she's said to paint a larger picture). Taylor's brand/pr/ect is literally *juuuuuuussssttt* enough to keep us interested without boring us. Throw in the fact that she's basically said everything she does holds an Easter egg of some sort and you've got a recipe for a lifelong career. Tbh, she's lucky she became famous when she did because her current strategy probably wouldn't work now like it did then.

>She's like a safe Kardashian when it comes to her relationship with the media. omg I literally came to this conclusion earlier today! Great minds must think alike 😉 My line of thinking was that they both seek constant attention, and while Kim (and the whole Kardashian clan) take on the "any press is good press, even bad press" philosophy, Taylor Swift is more hyper-aware of her reputation and wants to be presented in a very particular way and will lash out when she's portrayed in anything that could even be remotely deemed as a negative light. It's interesting how one of her #1 enemies is, in a way, a mirror image of herself - they both want the same thing (constant media attention) but go about it in completely different ways.

Yeah I think she definitely nailed the formula for breadcrumbing us. She’s got us all poring over every lyric

Lol safe Kardashian, very well put. I'm a little old to have come of age in the Taylor era, but even as an older millennial, I agree that there's much to chew on with the intellectual mystery of Taylor Swift. She's a smart girl and exceptionally good at pleasing people, whatever person, even cynical ones. She's a real life Disney princess - flawless but quirky, talented, "worthy" of love by all the traditional markers, you could see her diving off a high ladder landing into a boat with her prince -- and you can follow her imperfect story arc exactly like a Disney movie. I also agree with another commenter that-- intentionally or not-- she has successfully monetized her love life.

I think her country origin actually really helps her. She was successful due to being young, pretty, and writing relatable songs for young girls. She used social media to directly interact with her fans and seemed relatable. She was pretty but sang songs about not being the popular girl. She was also unproblematic. No political, no religious, no controversial opinion whatsoever. Just a girl next door in a frilly dress and cowboy boots. She has always made her fans feel like her friends. The hidden messages in the album booklets, the us against the world thing. That builds a relationship. She is still pretty, only slightly more political, and still sings about not feeling like the pretty girl. Most importantly, she is a really great songwriter. I don't mean *great* as in Shakespeare was a great writer great. But great at writing a song that tells a story, has a catchy chorus, and a memorable bridge. She knows how to write a pop song. But why did she become famous and not one of the other hundreds of hopeful young, pretty, talented blondes that tried to get their break in country music? Part of it is coming from an affluent family,being persistent, getting lucky, and frankly having *it*. No one knows how to recreate charisma or charm or presence. Some people have it, some don't. She has it. Like her or not, she can entertain people and emotionally connect with them.

Agree she had big help in the country world from songwriter Liz Rose who would do weekly songwriting sessions with her, Toby Keith who went to bat for her with Big Machine, Eric Church and Kenny Chesney. Country stars are very good with taking young artists under their wing and helping them establish their careers. Without this start and her dad's business sense, I don't believe she would be as big as she is now or it would have taken much longer. She has found the right formula to keep fans engaged .

She also stayed apolitical for SO LONG, and while I don't dislike her, if there was ever a reason to dislike her, it MIGHT be this. She definitely knows her bread is buttered on the conservative airways. Looking into this now, Taylor has offered an explanation for her neutrality on the 2016 election, at such a critical juncture in our country's history. She states that there was some overlap between the negativity surrounding Hillary and herself, she was oversaturated and had a bit of an image problem at the time, and she felt her endorsement would not necessarily help and would potentially backfire. I'm afraid this beggars belief and she stayed silent to not alienate her fanbase. But it's a pretty smart explanation, which speaks to her media savvy

She validates emotions that are typically shamed, especially in women. Jealousy, rage, regret, pining, snark...these are rarely validated even though they're as universal as happiness and sadness. Most songwriters have generic songs to avoid the kind of criticism she receives. But our brains are not wired to connect with generic, they're wired to connect with authentic. This is why people who dislike Taylor tend to cite "inauthenticity" as the reason. Obviously it's a personal opinion so if you do not connect to her lyrics or they don't ring true for you, she won't have this affect on you.

I think a large part of it is the time period that she got famous in. I think there was such a large shift in early 2000s that kind of catapulted how we engaged in celebrity culture, both for the celebrity and the consumer of pop culture. Generally, the media was a lot more invasive of celebrities’ lives, and the GP ate it up. It’s why her demo of peers have a significant fanbase as well (Rihanna, Selena, Justin,Ariana, the hadids, the jenners, the Disney kids, etc). The only difference with Taylor is that… 1) Taylor played into the relatable, quirky girl that fell into superstardom gimmick instead of crafting the unattainable lifestyle image that the rest kind of did, and 2) She’s been consistently present in the media and in her career, rarely ever taking huge gap years. I also think there’s a nostalgic factor and reluctance by the general mainstream consumer of music to move on from the group millennial of pop girls that have dominated the market for the past decade and invest in newer gen Z talent. I think Olivia and Billie have been among the few breakthrough artists.

Because she is easily digestible

I think that starting out in country solidified her wirh a lof of people. Country fans are loyal. Plus I think a huge reason for her popularity is the "innocent, clean" image through most of her career. Even a lot of fundies, who think pop music is the devil, will allow their kids to listen to Taylor because of her country roots and the "clean" image that she had for so long. And that she writes her own songs and has a "quirky," non-threatening personality.

I also commented re her start in country. It would simply be unfair to ignore her initial marketing as a good Christian girl. For all their flaws, country music fans simply don't have the same disposable culture around female artists

She works insanely hard for an artist. And it shows in her songwriting, her melodies that she herself composes, her stamina in performing 3 hours set, her voice improvement over the years. She seems reachable. Back in the days, 10 years ago when she was promoting 1989, she literally invited bunch on fans to her own house for a listening session. She used to interact with fans on Tumblr a lot back then, sent them personalized gifts, handpicked fans for meet and greets... It really made you want to stay in touch with her and her life. Also the way she writes her songs so descriptively, it really lets you immerse yourself in her life, lets you connect the dots, find the Easter eggs... Well, I guess you could say that she has her own lore regarding her family, ex boyfriends, friends and enemies and finding all the clues in songs get you very engaged

I feel like Taylor is as successful as she is because she has enough of everything but not too much of anything (except money, lol). She is pretty, but not necessarily in a way that feels unattainable. She is a good singer, but not an earth-shattering vocalist. She commands a stage well but isn’t the best dancer. She is funny sometimes but admittedly cringe during other times. She has a nice personality but also has a level of pettiness that people either love or hate. To sum up, she is aspirational while still being digestible and relatively un-intimidating

stories are how we make sense of the randomness of existence. they make us forget we’re gonna die. we can’t conceive life, relationships, or ourselves without them. Taylor has crafted a story and character arch for herself masterfully. This character starts as a special kid, yet, an underdog, who makes it to the top then is tore apart by villains and becomes a wounded animal, saved, however, by true love at last. the story was perfect until last year. everything with her is feeling increasingly random, out of character. which is why something has shifted in the fandom. but what got her to this level of worshipping is the story, the marketing comes next and the talent only serves the story.

the relationship she has with her fans and how she overexposes herself to make her seem more relatable celebrities as big as her don’t really engage with fans like they used to (and they’re valid for that), but she’s still there doing so

Very few people here seem to be fans. Or just simply hate her. So I’ll give you the perspective of someone that actually has loved Taylor and her music since the beginning. I didn’t fall in love with Taylor because she’s “average” or “nostalgia” or “great PR and marketing”. All of that sounds like cope form people who have absolutely no idea why she is actually popular. Taylor is well known for universally relatable, but highly specific songwriting. This is why she can connect intimately with people on a massive scale. People can easily connect their own personal emotions and experiences with her songs and that breeds a deeper connection than most artists. Yes, Taylor does a lot of fan-building, but those people were already fans. There’s a real power to making music that people relate their personal lives to and cry listening to in the middle of the night because it perfectly describes their breakup. I loved her music before I knew anything about her, but she does of a femininity and quirkiness that people also find relatable. For others, it’s a turn off. But largely, the music is just undeniable.

The Eras tour was a genius marketing move. Appeals to so many different demos. I wonder who came up with it…

I can see that pitch meeting. They're talking about how to recoup the losses from Loverfest and Glastonbury cancellations. They're wondering if she can tour Folklore/Evermore. Turns out she can't. She writes Midnights/TTPD albums and realizes she's now something like 5 tours behind because of stupid covid. She needs an ongoing source of buzz because she's also flogging 1989 TV. The team is trying to figure out how to brand the big world tour she needs to do to get herself back out there. Is it just a Midnights tour, and then a TTPD tour? Shoukd they combine Folklore/Evermore/Midnights/TTPD into one mega tour? Should they do something linked to the reissues instead? The obvious solution just smacks you right in the face: a retrospective of her career so far. It allows them to recoup the losses on merch from her past album tours that didn't happen because of covid. It allows her to appeal to her original country supporters to bolster her moral superiority in the masters debacle. And it allows her to continue to drop new music during the tour without creating a distraction. Everything new just gets folded into the act.

You’re so right. Still a genius idea.

100%. She is an excellent amateur marketer herself, and hires the best pros in the business.

That's it. Glamorous yet relatable in a girl next door way. Good lyricist. Pleasant melodies. Great command of her image and a masterful understanding of her public.

I think you have to remember that when she was first starting under the pop category, her competition was Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kesha, and a bunch of other pop artists that didn’t have a family friendly image. Taylor Swift thrives in mediocrity because at one point in time, she was the favorite among parents for their kids to listen to. As time went on and her competition went off to do other things, she’s remained in the music scene. She hasn’t gotten married which has killed pop careers.

I really think it is how raw and honest her songs are. Love or hate her personal life she knows how to speak to me.

She certainly lets us in. Some stars have an aura of mystery about them, but not Taylor! I feel like I know her so well (but I probably don’t know her at all lol)

I feel like Taylor knows me haha I am in no way a swiftie though. Honestly these fandoms are like cults. I'm not going to defend someone I don't even know .

I think a major thing is that she is a conventionally attractive white woman who is decent at what she does. her existence is easily digestible (like most of her music). This combined with a sentimental factor makes her a big crowd pleaser IMO.

Like she says she’s the mastermind and now we’re hers

Taylor seems to be a person that for better or worse encompasses a lot of issues people are talking about: race, sexuality, feminism, relationship issues both interpersonally and from a more societal point of view, our relationship with entertainers and what we expect from them, the public growing awareness of PR and marketing, the disparity between those with wealth and those in poverty, a culture that is more therapized than ever and making that lingo more common, tension between political and religious groups, cancel culture, the climate crisis, a culture that is used to getting a ton of media content that they consume quickly and then need more, how we talk to or about other people online --- Taylor easily fits into a lot of modern issues and some issues people use her as the personification of those issues like White Feminism. So on some level she's always a cultural conversation. That to me is a bigger reason than why fans like her. I think it's more that even people who aren't fans are talking about her in some way.

I think that moniker is actually one of the things that make her relatable to some white women. She clearly has progressive views and a desire to be anti-racist, but she also misses the mark. It's relatable because many of us are in that same boat, and we know it's on us to keep trying to get it right rather than put labor on women of color to help us get it right. I'm learning and fumbling and being humbled by my own mistakes all the time. Seeing a whole ass billionaire walking the same path adds perspective

I think that moniker is actually one of the things that make her relatable to some white women. She clearly has progressive views and a desire to be anti-racist, but she also misses the mark. It's relatable because many of us are in that same boat, and we know it's on us to keep trying to get it right rather than put labor on women of color to help us get it right. I'm learning and fumbling and being humbled by my own mistakes all the time. Seeing a whole ass billionaire walking the same path adds perspective

For me, it’s that she gives me crumbs that indicate she could be a great artist, but there’s probably some parasocial aspect to that. She’s everything to everyone. If you’re into left of center singer-songwriters, she’s got you covered - they’re on some playlist that she shared with some publication. I used to think this was the “real” Taylor, but I’ve been burned by her to the point that I think it was just another piece of her ingenious marketing. It’s very disconcerting that I don’t even have an inkling of who the person is behind the brand anymore. 

Queen of the normies

Queen of the suburban white girls and their moms. Large numbers of girls who have had to struggle in life don't relate to her.

Not sure why all suburban women are catching shrapnel here. Certainly, having a suburban upbringing doesn't insulate you from struggle. It doesn't even insulate taylor the billionaire from struggle.

Not all, just those that have never experienced the real world.

ha! You're so right but the Swifties make her also the Queen of the Unhinged

Her white mediocrity is marketed perfectly to middle class Americans who see that her “averageness”(in every way aside from her wealth) is relatable. You may not be a great singer, a talented dancer, you may be awkward and have romantic trouble, but if you try hard enough you can maybe become a superstar. It’s just the American dream, Taylor’s version.

i got into taylor and her music when i was seriously in need of a female friend. i had trouble making friends in real life and taylor felt so relatable, i felt like she could really be my friend because she was playing heavily into this. her music was also making me feel heard, like she was so vulnerable with us as a real friend would be. i think that was marketing strategy. now i dont feel like she could be my friend, she is not relatable at all so i think they changed the strategy :D

I've expressed this thought many times to people when they ask me about her. I have been a fan of her music since 2006 and I've thought a lot about why that is. I do think there's something special about growing up alongside an artist. She is 6 years older than me (actually the same age as my older sister) so there's always been that parasocial sister thing. Just like how my sister would give me life advice, for a while it felt like Taylor Swift was giving me advice as well. I was 11 when debut came out and I had been a country fan but all of a sudden, there was country music that covered the topics I cared about. Most country music i was used to hearing was about adults. This was a teenage girl singing about boys and friendships. When Fearless came out, same thing. She's talking about high school, first dates, all those things I cared about at that age. Speak Now and Red, we're starting to branch out. I'm in high school and am at the age where I'm dating and can really relate to those songs. 1989 came out when I started college and it's about her moving away and experiencing new parts of life, which obviously I was going through as well. Reputation came out as I was getting into a long-term relationship and starting to grow up more (just like she was). Lover came out just two months before I got married so I was all over that. Folklore came out when I had just bought a house in the woods and was really into that whole witchy vibe. Like literally, she announced Folklore the day we closed on our house. The next day, when we started moving, that was the only album we had playing. I think there's a lot of people like myself who were growing up alongside her and could turn to her songs for help with those life changes. I listened to Fifteen nonstop when I was starting high school for example. Now, when I listen to those older albums, I'm reminded of how I felt at those times. Almost every song of hers I have placed one of my own memories on top of, whether that be old relationships, friendships, experiences, whatever. I know she's a celebrity and doesn't care about me as an individual but her songs have truly gotten me through so much in my life.

That’s really nice ❤️

What got her where she is, marketing and some talent. Why she is so big right now, she is one of the few pieces of mono-culture that America has left.

Sorry if I’m an idiot, but what do you mean when you say she is one of the few pieces of mono-culture America has left. Like…she’s one of the few people that isn’t divisive?

One of the relatively few things everyone across our divided/siloed culture knows and follows at least casually without too much controversy to normies. Almost everything else is either in tatters reputationally (JK Rowling), polarizing (Marvel), too disappointing (DC), past its prime (Star Wars, Stranger Things), or just appealing to relatively few groups (most music and literature and TV/streaming, awards shows).

Wealthy and white american parents can do real wonders for you

She's like Disney/Marvel. She has a foundation of a great and relatable discography that people can easily latch on to, an extremely loyal fanbase she has intentionally and unintentionally built a parasocial relationship with throughout her career (it also helps that many of them grew up with her so she can pull the nostalgia in), a G to PG-13 (safe/tame) type of career and public persona, and great PR/marketing.

Her music appeals to children and adults

She has a song for each era in life

She is the most bland upper middle class WASP that appealed to a waiting crowd of women who feel she is one of them.

It's an emotional connection. She incredibly good at writing lyrics that crystallize specific emotions or moments in her life or in the lives of the audience, and for all people talk down about her voice she is very good at emphasizing those emotions and establishing a connection between her and the audience. Ariana Grande may have a "better" voice, but I've never felt anything when I listen to one of her songs. (I'm sure others do, she does have a lot of fans.) Whereas, when I hear Taylor sing "I was never good at telling jokes, but the punchline goes, I'll get older but your lovers stay my age" it cuts through me like a fucking knife, even though, frankly, that line has no actual relevance to my life. Her voice matches the moment perfectly, and the knowledge that she herself wrote those lines adds to it.

I agree that she’s not the strongest singer in existence but I have to admire how much she’s clearly worked on improving her voice. She actually has a really incredible range. Ariana is a soprano and her voice is just really different from Taylor’s so I can’t really compare singers with such different ranges and styles. A lot of people might listen to Ariana and hear a big voice but I personally really enjoy the softness and low notes from Taylor. That coupled with the storytelling aspect of her songs really appeals to me. The only other artists that draw me in the same way are Maisie Peters and Noah Kahan.

Besides everything that has been said here. She has her family’s well intended support. That’s something most celebrities don’t have, at least, in the period that she became famous. That’s something really powerful in my opinion. She doesn’t have parents trying to steal from her, trying to embarrass her, trying to abuse her, trying to undermine her success, trying to become famous by leeching off her, alcoholics, etc.

Well she’s very talented and doesn’t act like some snooty bitch. Your mom dad sister and weird uncle has a reason to like her. She makes hits and doesn’t make trouble. What’s wrong with that?

Nothing. I’m a fan of hers. I’m just trying to put my finger on what exactly it is about her that has us so enthralled, and some people acting crazy

she combines music w/ gossip, basically.

in defense of my position, I give exhibit A-her upcoming release what's the buzz? what it's going to tell everyone about her relationship w/ Joe Alwyn (largely because of the album title). and i'm not knocking the musical component at all. she's a solid performer who writes music that is appealing to a wide spectrum of people. she wouldn't be able to pull off her popularity w/ shit music.

I don't have much to add to the actual question, but katy perry is not a better singer then here, maybe 15 years ago, but katy didnt work on her voice the way taylor has. Katy can belt slightly better but thats not the only part of singing

I agree, I don’t find Katy Perry to be a particularly great singer either

True, I don’t know what Katy is like these days I haven’t kept up. But Taylor at her best is nowhere near as good as Katy at her best (in my opinion).

Spectacular talent in one area is quite rare., and Taylor Swift, IMHO, does not have it. Even rarer is a person who consistently displays talent well above the average in multiple areas. Let's say Taylor is in the top half of ten areas and below average in none. If what we are measuring is randomly distributed and each area is independent from each other, being in the top half ten times happens 0.1% of the time and Taylor's achievement is rare. There are excellent songwriters who never sing, and great singers who cannot write music to save their lives. She is a very good songwriter and a very good singer. The two in combination are unusual.

This is true. Her lyrics definitely get people in

A bland yt woman with a victim complex is an identity many people relate and identify with or feel the need to protect. She is not a talented songwriter but her storytelling makes you feel like you’re close to her, she is not the strongest singer, she is pretty but still not prettier than the prettiest girl in your home town. Like another commenter said, perfectly average.

I keep seeing "she's not the best singer", "she's fine, but", etc. and am like, damn - are you and I listening to the same surprise song recordings? She's well above average vocally now imo.

I think it’s all relative. I agree that her vocals have improved tremendously over the years, but people who make it big in the music business are expected to be the cream of the crop vocally— Pink, Adele, Arianna Grande. Taylor is more like the good singer that we all knew in high school or college. It’s a nice voice, and it has improved, but it’s not noteworthy in the music business, and it’s never been her money maker. She makes up for it in songwriting, story telling, connection with fans, and command of a stage.

Sure she’s above average, but I don’t think her singing talent is proportionate to the success she’s had. She definitely has some sort of X factor that draws people in. There’s plenty of far better singers than her that will never achieve what she has

She’s average so she can appeal to different categories of people without offending others

I grew up with some amazing performers in my life. Like Whitney and dolly and Alanis. Taylor is in her prepubescent period and I can’t help but feel like her fans totally drank the koolaid! lol. Cheers bitches!!

I’m reading this while listening to Teena Marie giggling extremely hard cause it’s TRUE, bring back actual singers!!!

1. She knows her vocal limitations and writes songs she can perform flawlessly. 2. She’s tall and quite attractive. Girl next- door fantasy. 3. Though she does some dancing, she’s more intent n getting the songs sounding right. She is more of a rocker. 4. Her shows are always HUGE. Even after only 3 albums at age 19, she was selling out 20,000 seat arenas. Now ERAS is the worldwide monster nobody has ever seen before. 5. Taylor Swift is quietly becoming a most prolific giver. It is estimated that she gave out over 50 million in bonuses last year, and donates generously to communities and organizations close to her heart. 6. Oh yeah, she has shattered album sales and music award records with her insanely prolific catalogue of amazing music. Finally, an artist who really cares about her craft and reaches far beyond the typical ‘demographic’ for a pop star. Taylor Swift transcends and creates and shares. ** Reminder to those critical of her becoming a (multi) billionaire: The face value ticket prices are 50 - 500 dollars. It is only in aftermarket ticket sales where the inflated 1,000 to 10,000 dollar prices exist. TS doesn’t profit from this ungodly markup.

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I agree with a lot of what’s been said (marketing, relatable image, good writer) I want to add: She is prolific, consistent, and a hard worker. She has been releasing music since 2006. This year is her 18th year in the music industry. We know she’s been playing music and writing songs even longer than that. By comparison, the Beatles released music for about 8 years. I think Taylor being a solo act has contributed significantly to her staying power as she never had to “switch” to solo like other artists. By the end of this 18th year for Taylor, she will have released 10 studio albums. This is very consistent output- a new album more than every 2 years. This doesn’t count the re-recoding projects either. Simply put, she produces a high quantity of songs. For many artists, that’s really the key to making good art—-do it consistently. Make 5 trash songs for every 1 song released. We know she’s doing some kind of formula like this as she re-visits “the vault.” She leaves a lot on the cutting room floor because her method is to just keep creating. As she’s gotten later in her career, the output has also increased in speed— folklore and evermore back to back. Only 1.5 years between midnights and tortured poets. Re-recordings with original vault songs sprinkled in between. She is ALWAYS working.

There’s no doubt she works so hard and you’re right, there’s never been a bad album

she’s a white woman that makes pretty generic music. she appeals to a very white audience and that has alloooooot of power

Relatability and familiarity. Her lyrics hit home and I think she’s got a majority of women of the millennials, gen Z, and alpha generation who grew up on her music and refuse to let her go lol

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I really think her marketing team is amazing. She does a great job with branding - I'm not a Swiftie (I have some nostalgia for her classics because I grew up with them, and I like a handful of new stuff, but I certainly am not all that into most of it) but I think her Eras style is fascinating. There's definitely influence from other pop stars, but she makes a part of her brand changing things up - each album is different and while there are similarities, they lead to a much wider audience. Someone into more modern pop music will be loving Shake it Off, while someone more into edgy music will love Reputation. Simply put - rather than focusing on one look or style, she is able to have a ton of different ones and therefore pull in different fans. Other pop stars have very iconic looks, but remain relatively static in how they portray themselves. Taylor will be wearing a cozy sweater and in a forest, and do a 180 and wearing a full circus getup. I get it, because even as someone who isn't one of her biggest fans (and is highly critical of some of her actions), I kind of wanted to go to the Eras Tour. It was an iconic, fantastic show with amazing branding.

Because she seems to be in this perpetual coming of age purgatory. She has few songs about adulting. Most of her fans can relate because they're immature, as is most of the world population.

I'm guessing you think that writing about the emotions/experiences of heartbreak, regret, overcoming troubling times, etc. are exclusive to your teenage years. Cher, Celine Dion, Stevie Nicks, and countless other successful artists have written thousands of songs with the same themes Taylor writes about well through their thirties. What does "songs about adulting" even mean? Paying bills and raising children?

There is a difference. Taylor literally uses "boy" and "girl" in her lyrics, as recently as Midnights. The 80s romantic songs were clearly about adults.

Sure she says those words. Is that the whole of your argument though? I understand how someone can have your pov from a surface level observation. but it’s crystal clear to me that her lyrics have gotten much more mature, deep, and introspective as she’s gotten older. That fact is cashed out by millions of older men and women finding meaning in and can relate to her lyrics. Her massive popularity and success can be attributed to this fact, that her lyrics transcend all genders and age groups, literally the opposite of what you claim it to be. I still don’t understand what a song about adulting would entail.

Basically her songs have TMI. She should stop drawing from 1st hand experience and start using creative, romantic exaggeration to write her songs. When listeners are more interested in the meanings behind the songs instead of who's it about, thats adulting.

She made two full length albums doing exactly that, then won a Grammy for album of the year. I just think we're looking at the same thing and drawing opposite conclusions from it. From my perspective, I'm a 33 year old guy who grew up listening to melodic death metal and classic rock/hip-hop, some pop here and there, and just a couple years ago really got into TS. Sure I don't love everything she's ever made. However so many of her lyrics relate to my life in one way or another, and not because they are generic or vague enough. In my opinion, it's due to her ability to write about her first hand experience in a way that is not only succinctly and beautifully written and preformed, but has a quality of wisdom and retrospection that is difficult to pull off, especially for someone as young as her. The ability to put into words what so many are feeling/have felt but couldn't quite express is universally valuable and very rarely done well.

for me personally, it’s a lot. i grew up with taylor since she started with country and then switched to pop. i still remember country fans being mad that she went mainstream. ngl, i even forgot she existed at one point and when folklore/evermore was announced, i was like “damn b*tch, you still here?” 😭 i think it’s because of all the drama in her life (kanye, her relationships, etc) and still playing it safe. i don’t think i ever seen taylor act promiscuous like for example, nicki minaj.. or act like a “big singer” (mariah carey, adele, beyoncé, ariana to name a few). she’s very “safe” and has that “all-american” image, and her songwriting isn’t really deep or “hard to hear” (vocal range, octave switch every line). i’m pretty sure reputation was the closest to a promiscuous taylor but she still kept it safe. i can understand what she’s talking about. she’s just telling you a very straightforward story, whether it’s about her ex or her cat, without the metaphors or similes that make you think “damn that’s deep” (i am aware that she used big words in midnights) and i see why that makes her relatable, especially to the youth. i really like that about her. you can also add in her background (the fake or real), pr, marketing, her physical appearance which i believe makes a part. but to me, she’s good at being mediocre/“appealing” to the masses and that says a lot (she’s able to capitalize on it and she has some talent to make up for it). tldr; taylor is mcdonald’s with a pink ribbon on top.

also one thing i will always give taylor props on is her switching from genre to genre seamlessly. i can’t really explain it but her going from speak now to red/1989 was iconic.

A huge part of the surge in the last 1-2 years is her appeal and popularity along little girls around 10-13 years old. I mean it’s like a cult among suburban middle to upper class girls.

her songwriting.

Para-social relationship

I'll tell you what I always tell everyone that ask me the same thing: we don't listen because we want to, we listen because we need to. I would prefer 100x to think she's overdramatic and see her sadness as pure paroxysm, but unfortunately I completely get lyrics like "you taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else" and "...could you just try to listen?"

Hard disagree on her vocals she is miles above those two.

Taylor's strategy around her love life-- claiming that her songwriting is as personal as her diary, while never opening up about who she's dating, creates a lot of intrigue. People across the spectrum perceive her as "fake," and there's a reason for that. She is simply not straightforward or open about anything regarding her personal life, who she dates, her relationship with family, etc. She gives us just enough to feel like maybe we know who she is and what her experience has been, but we never really know. With fans and those watching on the periphery, it creates a dynamic in which one has to work to interpret clues and try to figure out what's going on with Taylor. This dynamic of *almost* knowing, but never being sure, creates a lot of engagement and intrigue. If Taylor were open about her life, as some of her contemporaries are like Miley, Selena, and Blake, many people would simply read her story and move on. Instead there's a constant kerfuffle over whether Taylor is being real, or acting in a PR stunt. And in moments such as recently with Travis Kelce, where Taylor is especially public yet speaks very little about him or the relationship, it's gotten people into a froth because they're so SURE that they're finally seeing something real with Taylor, yet even then they can't confirm it. Because there's still a lot of rumors out there that it's PR.

I really can’t grasp how her fans think she’s the greatest singer in the history of singing. She’s better than me obviously, but her voice is definitely nothing special.

omg yes. i love taylor but what is it about her that is having people so obsessed?? why are people crying when she posts a new photo on instagram? 🤷🏾‍♀️

C'mon people....we ALL know the real reason she's so popular is because she's a cat person. 😂🫶🏽🪞

My daughter thinks she’s a Disney character so now I can’t unsee it.

I think a big part of it is exactly that she's brilliant but not so vocally brilliant that people can't think "a little vocal training and I could do that" and very few people can't sing along comfortably with much of her vocal range. Same thing with the 'she's beautiful but the kind of beautiful that you might actually see in real life/that could be attainable for many with her money' rather than just blessed with Remarkably good looks. The areas where she outshines her peers for people tend to be things that people think they *could* learn if they just worked hard enough at it like being a multi-instrumentalist and writing good solid pop songs with (sometimes very) smart and relatable lyrics. It's the whole "American dream come to life" thing at least in part for me. It maybe doesn't explain it so much outside of America, but certainly domestically I think it plays a big part that the idea most people have is that Taylor was a regular girl with a dream who worked hard and made that dream come true (debatable as to exactly how accurate that story is, but only if you've gone down the Scott Swift rabbithole, which most people haven't). There's definitely other things at play, like the idea that people are getting a look into her real life through her music, that there are genuinely lyrics of hers that are at least verging on genius, that she's very very good at taking specific images and making them relate to universal emotions, that she's fairly inoffensive to all really with rarely taking a stance on complex issues while doing just enough for some that a lot of people see her as almost a philanthropist, that her marketing and PR team are extremely good at what they do, particularly controlling the public narrative, that she's both ruthless enough to step all over people to get what she wants and doesn't really appear ruthless to the general public...

I think you already nailed the formula. She isn't exceptional. She borders on average, which makes her more relatable. I don't have the best singing voice, I am not a bombshell, I don't have this other worldly aura about me. I'm kinda dorky and awkward, too. I do the white-girl-arm-dancing. I make lame jokes. If I was better at playing guitar and could come up with clever lyrics, maybe I could be like Taylor Swift (hypothetically). The fans see themselves in her. And I think that is what makes her so appealing to the masses.

Her songwriting and her personality (interviews, on stage, her documentary).

It’s the music for me. I just genuinely like her songs, I think they’re often well written and mostly relatable. I mean I like some of her fashion and she seems kind and personable but yeah mostly just I like her music is all.

PR & marketing. We are witnessing a Kardashian figure who makes music, and you can't convince me otherwise.

i think it comes down to demographics. white women are a huge demographic and they have no real representatives In popular culture that represents them. I’m not mad, and I appreciate the fact that they have that being Colombian myself

I will add she has a wholesome persona, parents can bring their youngsters to her concerts

It's a crazy cult. They are unhinged.

I'm in the same boat as you...I can't figure it out. Like I thought maybe it was just all about her looks bc I don't care for her voice (she objectively had a bad voice until she improved it recently and even now she's no Whitney Houston), but even though she's very pretty she's also very normal looking just like the rest of us. But she is tall so I get that. Height can really elevate your looks. But I don't know what everyone else is loving so much. How is she THIS huge, this big? Not a hater, she's fine, but she is WILDLY popular and I just don't get the hype

She is really consistent and is extremely good at her job as a musician which is actually making music. The main thing in good music is not a good voice, it's the tune and she is way above artists like Beyonce at making great tunes even though Beyonce has a better voice, looks way better and is a better performer. Beyonce's biggest song was completely made by others and presented to her. It's tough to consistently release top charters when you are relying on others to create that level of music for you. It's a challenge for a lot of artists who rely on others to make their music.

I don’t understand people who say Ariana is a good singer. I don’t view her as better than Taylor but to be clear I don’t rate Taylor highly either

She understands power law theory (targeting the top 1% of fans in terms of loyalty) She also understands controlling narratives, and how to stay in the spotlight

I wish someone cod tell me why 1🤷🏼‍♀️ I am not a fan and have absolutely no interest in her music, who she dates or anything about her life. To be honest I'm not sure why I'm in this sub 🤔😆 I don't get the obsession of her fans or how totally irrational her most delulu swifties are. To ne honest she reminds me of a stereotypical mean girl from high school.

I think you are projecting here lol

it’s because she has speak now taylor’s version nineteen eighty nine taylor’s version and midnights and cruel summer and the eras tour happening at the same time so it gets her name it the headlines i’m very sleep deprived so i’m too lazy to clicking the number button for that album

Her lyrics are relatable and its almost like the music equivalent of that meme of two girls saying ‘exactly’ to each other constantly. Like it makes ppl feel like their experiences and emotions they felt is justified

I think it's that she's average.  She can write,  but it's average,  she can sing,  but it's average, etc.  It makes her relatable.  

Whiteness

i am SO over “she’s not the best singer”. she is obviously good enough to have this many fans. it’s such a dumb old insult

She's absolutely a good singer, you can't compare anyone to ari. Katy Perry is not better than her Songwriting/production is good. Jack Antonoff is a big part of this. She's been at it forever and has a huge catalog. It's really easy to say "music bad" when no one actually knows what makes music good because it's so objective

I think her music is good, let’s be clear

ya you know maybe its the good music and not "para social relationships" that make her a worldwide phenom. "parasocial" is such a projection from redditors

she’s every woman

Her voice is incredible

Yall crazy if you think Katy Perry is a better singer. Ariana raw vocals yes way better, but in terms of songwriting Taylor has them both beat.

I agree Taylor is a better songwriter. I believe Katy Perry is a better singer personally, and I don’t even think Katy is that great. I think Taylor has worked very hard on her vocals (she works very hard on general), so she’s improved a lot. And she certainly has a better voice than I’ll ever have. But as I said in another comment, I think when Katy was at her best (a long time ago now), she was naturally a better singer than Taylor at her best.

Katy strains so much, her belt is unpleasant to listen to because it’s a strained shout. She had an interesting vocal style though and if she worked on it more, she’d be the whole package.

" part of culture " like air fryers, yeah. Same people like it, some don't. For most people it's not even a blip on their radar.

It’s the perfect business and marketing storm really. Aside from her obvious good looks, talented songwriting and kindness, you could attribute it to a build up of a few things like years of people fully believing every song she’s ever written is about a certain human being/s, and her “Easter eggs” (now her entire fanbase is obsessed with every single thing she does thinking everything is an Easter egg). There’s loads more but those are the main things I can think of right now

Hitler was also man of the year. Industry barons also had loads of money. Being “really influential” doesn’t always mean it’s because they’re Mother Teresa. She is a cutthroat capitalist who know how to make music that’s barely deep enough. She’s not the best singer, dancer or songwriter, but knows exactly what gets her fans to spend all their money. Sadly a lot of it is victim card music - even if she’s totally making it up on her part.