50 photos that show Taylor Swift's meteoric rise from a Nashville country singer to the most famous musician in the world
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Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," on Friday.
In the 18 years since she released her debut album, Swift has become a billionaire.
Here's a photographic journey through her career, her many eras, and her blockbuster tours.
In the 18 years since Taylor Swift released her first album, she's been a country star, a pop star, and a voice of a generation.
She's a four-time album of the year winner, a billionaire, and the first person with a tour grossing $1 billion. She also rocked the music industry when she decided to re-record her first five albums so she'd own the rights to her own music.
Plus, her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," is set for a massive debut on the charts after it was released on Friday.
But she wasn't always this juggernaut. Here's a look at her impressive career, from her 2006 debut to her 2024 superstardom.
Taylor Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006. At the time, there was no telling that this 16-year-old country singer would become one of the most iconic musicians in history.
But by May 2007, Swift was already playing to large crowds. At the time, her aesthetic consisted of flowy dresses, acoustic guitar, curly hair, and cowboy boots.
Her guitar has been a constant companion from 2007 to 2024.
Swift's debut single was "Tim McGraw," named, of course, after the country star. In May 2007, she performed the song to him and his wife, Faith Hill, at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
An EP, “Beautiful Eyes,” was released in July 2008, just two months after she performed at Stagecoach Music Festival — essentially, country music's Coachella.
Even as her star was rising, Swift made time to take selfies with fans — on digital cameras!
By August 2009, her second album "Fearless" had been released and she was headlining Madison Square Garden.
A turning point in her career came during the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2009, when Kanye West interrupted her acceptance speech to declare Beyoncé deserved the award.
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In December, she performed with one of her then-musical idols, John Mayer. The two would go on to briefly date, inspiring her song "Dear John."
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At the 2010 Grammys, Swift performed with Stevie Nicks — 14 years later, Swift referenced their connection in the song "Clara Bow."
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Later that night, the "You Belong With Me" singer was gobsmacked to win album of the year. She'd later write about this night in "Long Live."
Her third album, "Speak Now," was released in October 2010. The world tour began in February 2011.
It sold over 1 million copies in its first week, the highest single-week sales for a female country artist. She also became the first female artist to have 11 songs on the Hot 100 simultaneously.
Source: Los Angeles Times
She continued to collaborate with musical legends. She brought James Taylor out at her Madison Square Garden show in November 2011.
In 2012, she made her first jump away from country music to more straightforward pop. The cowboy boots were nowhere to be found.
The debut single from her fourth album, "Red," called "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," became her first No. 1 on the Hot 100.
As her musical style changed, so did her style. She traded flowing dresses and cowboy boots for form-fitting dresses and high heels; gone was the curly hair, traded for sleek straight tresses.
The Red Tour grossed $150.2 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour ever when it ended in 2014.
Source: Billboard
She became the first female solo artist in 20 years to perform a stadium tour in Australia. The last female artist to do it was Madonna in 1993.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
In August 2014, she left behind country with the song "Shake It Off," a pure pop song.
Later that year, she performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show beside then-BFF Karlie Kloss.
"1989," Swift's fifth album, remains a high point of her career. It elevated Swift to pop-icon status and spawned three No. 1 hits and two more top-10 singles.
It was also the era of her "squad." People are still captivated by who is in Swift’s inner circle.
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To top off the "1989" era, she won her second album of the year Grammy in February 2016.
Her bleached blonde era — known as "Bleachella," since she debuted it at Coachella in 2016 — showed that people were obsessed with her every move.
But by July 2016, Swift had vanished. Her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West had resurfaced, with many on social media turning against her.
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In 2017, she cleared her social media and told us: "There will be no explanation, just reputation." Her sixth album, "Reputation," was released in November.
"Reputation" brought a new dark and gritty aesthetic. But the old Taylor, who loves interacting with her fans, was still in there.
The Reputation Stadium Tour was her first all-stadium tour. Upon its completion in November 2018, it grossed $345.7 million, making it the highest-grossing North American tour ever.
Source: Forbes
In a savvy move, she reclaimed the snake imagery that had been used against her by critics.
But after her two years of all-black edginess, 2019 brought a complete aesthetic shift.
Her seventh album, "Lover," which was released in August 2019, is full of love songs, pastel rainbows, and bubblegum pop.
"Lover" was her sixth consecutive No. 1 album and the best-selling album of 2019. Her concerts for the album were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2020, Swift surprised fans with her eighth album, "Folklore." It would go on to win album of the year — she was the first woman ever to win three times.
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After a seven-year hiatus, she returned to her country roots. She performed the song "Betty" at the 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards.
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In November 2021, Swift released the 10-minute version of her song "All Too Well" from 2012. She also directed an accompanying short film starring Dylan O'Brien and Sadie Sink.
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"Red (Taylor’s Version)," her re-recorded version of the 2012 album "Red" was a huge hit. "All Too Well (10-Minute Version)" became the longest No. 1 song in the chart's history.
But just re-recording wasn't enough for Swift. In August 2022, she announced her 10th album, "Midnights," which became yet another hit.
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The year 2023 was the year of Swift, as she embarked on her globe-spanning Eras Tour. The setlist pays homage to her career. She brought out the gold fringe for the "Fearless" set.
Since "Lover" never got a tour of its own, it kicks off the show. Four years after its release, Swifties got "Cruel Summer" to the top of the Hot 100.
During her "Speak Now" set, she brings back her koi-fish guitar and the purple dresses.
During the "Red" set, she interacts with some of her youngest fans.
In the "1989" portion, we get taken back in time to when Swift loved a two-piece set.
The "Reputation" era might be long gone, but the snakes are back for this portion of the show.
She also pays homage to the woodsy, cottage-core vibes of "Folklore" and its sister album, "Evermore."
Swift ends the night with the "Midnights" set, which spawned two of her two most recent hits, "Karma" and "Anti-Hero."
The Eras Tour has become a global phenomenon. It's the first tour to ever surpass $1 billion in revenue ... and it's not over yet.
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In February 2024, Swift became the first artist to win album of the year four times when she won for "Midnights." That night, she announced her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department."
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On its release, Swift surprised fans by announcing "TTPD" is a double album, and she dropped 15 more songs. It's set to be, once again, huge.
In 18 years, Swift has released 11 albums, four re-records, won 14 Grammys, had 11 No. 1 hits, become a billionaire, and broken countless records. She's showing no sign of slowing down.
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