Taylor Swift has capped off an extraordinary 2023 by being named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, joining the ranks of influential figures like Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg. The accolade comes in the wake of her immensely successful Eras tour, which not only shattered box office records but also prompted an inquiry into Ticketmaster’s sales practices. In an interview with Time, Swift expressed that she is currently “the proudest and happiest” she’s ever felt.
Swift’s achievements in 2023 are nothing short of remarkable. In addition to breaking concert movie records and releasing the biggest-selling album of the year, the re-recording of her decade-old album “1989,” she holds the second and third biggest-selling records in America with “Midnights” and “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” The Eras tour film became the highest-grossing concert movie globally, earning $249 million at the box office.
The pop icon also set numerous chart records, including becoming the first living artist with five albums simultaneously in the US Top 10. Swift broke the record for the most number one albums by a woman in US chart history, achieving a total of 13, surpassing Barbara Streisand. Her accomplishments extend to the streaming realm, where she was named the most-streamed female artist in the history of Spotify and Apple Music.
Swift’s billionaire status, recently declared by Bloomberg, distinguishes her as the first musician to achieve this milestone solely through music-related endeavors. Notably, she is on a break before embarking on the Asian and Australian legs of her Eras tour in February. The tour, which already includes a record-breaking stint at Wembley Stadium, reinforces Swift’s unparalleled impact on the music industry.
In a discussion with Time, Swift touched on her decision to re-record her first six albums, emphasizing her response to loss and pain. The interview also touched upon her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, shedding light on the public’s perception of their connection and their deliberate approach to privacy.