Taylor

Taylor Swift may be the most rare of all pop artists: one capable of successfully cross the divide between pop and country, conquering the globe. Swift removed herself from the country genre like a second skin, and revealed that she was the most refined pop sensibility in her time. Swift was the only singer/songwriter who knew how to follow the zeitgeist of popular music on the road. Her early songs like the Neotribute for Tim McGraw were a testament to her talents. But, her follow-up album Fearless in 2008 showcased an songwriter discovering her voice and a wider fan base. Fearless wound up having considerable legs not only within the U.S. where it racked up six platinum singles thanks to Top Ten hits Love Story and You Belong with Me but throughout the globe, performing especially well with the U.K. Canada and Australia. Speak Now delivered almost two years later and consolidated this success and moved Swift towards the top of stardom. Her popularity only increased through her subsequent three albums -- Red (2012) 1989 (2014), and Reputation (2017) -- and saw her move confidently into a realm of pop music in which she was already a part. The popularity of her music grew after she altered her plan by releasing 2020's streamlined the folk singer (and Evermore) and stayed at the top of the charts.