Taylor Swift mania is officially sweeping the UK, thanks to her Eras tour landing this side of the Atlantic. Unless you’ve been living under a rock (read: not on the internet), you’ve likely seen growing concern surrounding Eras tour outfits, as well as traffic pandemonium and even restaurant renaming – all in the name of Taylor.
Let’s not forget that the Eras tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, or that tickets sold out within 14 minutes after they went on sale, according to some reports.
But Eras is only an extension of Taylor Swift’s already incredible success, and her particularly loyal fanbase. The tradition of sleuthing into her lyrics and coming up with theories about her relationships went into overdrive following the release of The Tortured Poets Department, for example, but the fascination with Taylor’s genius songwriting long preceded that.
So what’s the secret, Tay Tay? Granted, I’m no hardcore Swiftie (don’t come for me, I know when a bop’s a bop) – so I’m kind of fascinated. Why is Taylor Swift so popular, you ask? Let’s unpick it, with the help of cultural experts and psychologists, of course.
Graham Denholm/TAS24
Taylor Swift creates a sense of community for her fans
A defining feature of Taylor Swift fandom is the overwhelming sense of community shared by her fans. “I think her presence has a huge sense of community associated with it — you only have to look at the trends like friendship bracelet exchange or shared lyric references to see that there’s a sense of inclusion that comes with being a fan,” says therapist Eloise Skinner.
Having a sense of community can benefit our mental health — in other words, being part of a Swiftie community feels good. “We know that feeling like we belong, like we have a sense of our own identity, and that we have a strong community to support us are some of the strongest indicators for good mental health, so it’s not surprising that being a fan in this way can make us feel good about ourselves and about our lives in general,” she says. “While we might associate other artists with an individual preference or personal listening experience, Taylor Swift’s work seems to bring us closer to other people, as well as to ourselves.”
She speaks to common experiences among women
Taylor Swift is often seen as a kind of everywoman. Her music has a unique ability to feel intensely specific purely because it is so universal. She captures the precise feelings that so many of us have had — from the searing pain of that first all-consuming crush to the rush of meeting someone exciting at a party to the complex heartbreak of deciding to part ways with a longterm partner.