Can someone explain to me what makes Taylor Swift so popular?
I don't get it. Her music is sometimes catchy but otherwise unremarkable, from the songs I've heard. How does she break all these records and accumulate so much fame and wealth?
She's pretty, but a lot of singer songwriters are, especially those with makeup and costume people, a support staff.
Is there something else to her that people like?
I'm confused about what makes her so apparently unique or phenomenal.
Update: there are so many things that make swift unique or phenomenal.
I've received tons of great answers from people that have helped me understand, like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, many factors that makes swift different and consequently more successful than her peers.
Clever lyrics, top-tier production, sharing autobiographical and emotional points in her life very directly, apparent honesty with few or no public blemishes, creating a community of fans through Easter eggs and house parties and unconventional, but always personal methods, an early start supported by wealthy parents, she keeps winning against abusers, and her music itself is popular and fun.
Those are just a few of the puzzle pieces contributed here, and a dive into this post is a pretty good explanation of many of the factors that must be contributing to her phenomenal success and recognition, that set her apart from other pop stars, even pop stars who were phenoms in their own right.
This is a very educational post, thank you to everyone who has contributed.
It's probably closer to why people like trump only the swifties are probably less inclined to kill people that don't like Taylor swift.
Or people really found her whiny breakup song phase relatable. That's probably what got the ball rolling. Then it's just like the Beatles or something but with objectively worse music.
I really don't like any of her songs that I have heard. To be fair I can't recall ever liking any songs that were ever on the radio during the time I have been alive at least.
In their time, the Beatles also weren't considered very good by the non-fans. Also, subjectively, I don't think "love me do" is a great song. I don't think Taylor Swift writes really bad songs, I'm just not into the music/ singing style.
This is a great cover though. And, objectively, it shows her song writing is fine.
Fine, but boring. I want to have some bit of surprise in my music I actively consume.
She is a super solid, consistent pop writer and performer, but she still has not had more than a couple of songs that have grabbed me.
I’m not going to be pissed people enjoy her, though.