WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK
As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hits London for its second leg this week, the biggest star on the planet is only getting bigger. So what happens next?
Words: Dan Harrison.
In the grand hall of pop 21st-century culture figures, few have achieved the iconic (or indeed ironic) status of Simon Cowell. With his trademark high-waisted trousers and a sneer that could curdle milk, Cowell once bestrode the narrow worlds of reality TV and the mainstream’s caricature of the music industry like a colossus, his perfectly veneered smile beaming across television screens worldwide. Every utterance from his lips seemed to have the power to crush dreams or mint pop stars faster than you could say, “I’m taking it to deadlock”.
As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour returns to Wembley Stadium, it has already secured its place as the must-see event of the decade. Welcome to the Swift economy, where friendship bracelets are currency, and every lyric resonates as a shared secret among millions. In a world where hyperbole is as common as yet another Tory leadership contest, Swift stands as the rare entity that renders exaggeration both required and obsolete.
The Eras Tour defies comprehension in its sheer scale and cultural impact. Somehow, we’ve arrived at a point where a single artist can send economists into a tizzy and convince countless otherwise straight-laced attendees to dress up as different eras of her career with the fervour of Comic Con cosplayers. It’s as if the entire world has collectively decided to live, laugh, love in Swift’s carefully curated universe, and honestly, can you really blame them?
The three-hour-plus extravaganza that spans Swift’s entire career is less a concert and more a quasi-religious experience. It’s a testament to Swift’s Midas touch that she can transform what is essentially a greatest hits tour into a cultural phenomenon, causing even the most cynical critics to involuntarily mouth along to ‘Shake It Off’.
But to truly appreciate the Swift phenomenon, we must rewind to its origins – to the moment a precocious teenager with a gift for fairy tale metaphors burst onto the scene, armed with an alarming ability to make the name ‘Drew’ sound like a betrayal of seismic proportions. Her origin story has become music industry legend – a narrative so pristine it could have been penned by the artist herself. The image of a determined 14-year-old marching into Nashville record labels, guitar in hand, demanding to be heard, seems almost too on-the-nose to be true. Yet, here we are, watching as that same teenager has grown into a cultural behemoth capable of making the entire music industry dance to her tune.
From these quaint beginnings, Swift engineered a career that’s more a meticulously planned domination strategy. While her peers navigated the treacherous waters of teenage stardom, Swift was playing 4D chess, building her empire brick by carefully-placed brick. Her early adoption of social media stands out as particularly prescient. As other artists grappled with the existential crisis of MySpace top friends – a quaint relic of a simpler time – Swift was cultivating an army of devoted fans through direct engagement, turning her online presence into a scavenger hunt, confessional, and masterclass in brand management. The approach has intensified over time, to the point where decoding every element of her Instagram posts has become a full-time occupation for far more people than you could convincingly write off as being a bit too obsessed. Few, if any, have experienced hero worship this intense.
The Swiftie community is a force of nature; their devotion unwavering, their defence of their idol zealous. Like many online fanbases, this fierce loyalty has occasionally tipped into something less positive, with dissenting voices silenced and even mild critique met with ‘swift’ retribution [If they’re not officially calling it that, they should be – Ed]. It’s a dynamic that raises questions about the nature of fandom in the digital age and the blurring lines between artist and audience. Are we witnessing the birth of a new form of para-social relationship, or simply the logical conclusion of capitalism’s relentless commodification of human connection? Either way, it’s either bloody impressive or utterly terrifying, depending on your perspective.
As stan culture evolves, Swift stands at its epicentre, redefining the relationship between artist and audience. The Swiftie community is a cultural force in its own right, capable of mobilising en masse to support or cancel. This level of organised devotion is setting a new template for fan engagement in the digital age, and it can be transformational. Recently, Swifties raised nearly £400,000 for victims of the Southport stabbings, a poignant example of how they come together for a good cause when tragedy strikes close to their shared world.
The influence of Swiftie culture extends far beyond the music industry. It’s reshaping how brands interact with consumers, how political campaigns engage with young voters (see the Brat Summer-ification of the Kamala Harris presidential campaign), and even how social movements gather momentum. The question now is: where does this road lead? As stan culture becomes increasingly intertwined with identity politics and social activism, will we see the rise of fan communities as legitimate political blocs? And what role will Swift play in navigating this new landscape? One thing’s for certain – the days of passive music consumption are long gone, replaced by an era where your playlist is a political statement and your concert wristband is a badge of tribal allegiance.
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Swift’s ability to connect with her audience on a personal level has been key to her longevity. In an industry where careers can sour faster than milk left in a hot car, she’s managed to maintain a degree of relevance that’s nothing short of extraordinary. Part of this is down to her chameleon-like ability to reinvent herself with each album cycle, evolving her musical identity at will. Swift doesn’t so much release albums as she does unleash new personas upon the world, each one more intricately designed than the last.
From the wide-eyed country ingénue of her self-titled debut to the vengeful pop princess of ‘Reputation’, the lovestruck optimist of ‘Lover’ to the introspective storyteller of ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, Swift has taken her audience on a journey through not just her own personal growth, but the collective coming-of-age of entire generations. It’s no wonder that her fans feel such a deep, almost proprietary connection to her music – they’ve quite literally grown up alongside her, with Swift’s lyrics serving as the soundtrack to their own triumphs, heartbreaks, and moments of self-discovery. Future historians might well study Swift’s discography to understand the emotional landscape of the early 21st century. “And here we see the Great Scarf Incident of 2012, a pivotal moment in the Swift chronology…”
But Swift’s influence extends far beyond the realm of music. She’s become a societal lodestone, a lightning rod for discussions about everything from feminism and body image to the intricacies of copyright law and power dynamics. Her very existence seems to demand a stance – you’re either a Swiftie or you’re not, and God help you if you find yourself on the wrong side of that divide at a dinner party. Picture heated debates breaking out over cheese boards, friendships ending over disagreements about the best ‘1989’-era track. “I’m sorry, Debs, but if you think ‘Welcome to New York’ is better than ‘New Romantics’, I’m afraid I can’t be your maid of honour anymore.”
It’s this ability to spark conversation, to make herself the centre of the cultural narrative, that has elevated Swift from mere pop star to bona fide cultural icon. Whether she’s calling out double standards in the music industry, using her platform to encourage young people to vote, or engaging in a simmering feud that feels like it should be taught in foreign policy classes, Swift has a knack for inserting herself into the zeitgeist in a way that feels both calculated and completely organic. It’s as if she’s mastered a complex game while the rest of us are still trying to find the rule book.
Swift’s career trajectory is fundamentally altering our understanding of what a global megastar can be in the 21st century. She’s not merely a musician but a cultural institution, a brand, and a business model unto herself. Future pop stars won’t just be judged on their musical output, but on their ability to create immersive universes for their fans, to navigate complex social issues, and to maintain relevance across multiple platforms and media. It’s enough to make one wonder if the next generation of musicians will need degrees in social media management, political science, and interpretive dance just to keep up.
Swift’s new template for stardom comes with its own set of challenges and responsibilities. As her influence grows, so too does the weight of her every word and action. A single tweet from Swift can influence stock prices, spark movements, or reshape public discourse. Its level of power raises questions about accountability and the role of celebrities in shaping our cultural and political landscape. Are we comfortable with pop stars wielding the kind of influence traditionally reserved for world leaders and media moguls? Or indeed, should we expect those with influence to actively wield that power for good?
As Swift continues to expand her cultural footprint, she’s altering the very fabric of popular culture. Her approach to storytelling, both in her music and in her public persona, is influencing everything from marketing strategies to political campaigns. The “Swift effect” can be seen in the way public figures manage their images, and even in how we, as a society, consume and interact with media.
This cultural shift is perhaps most evident in the way Swift has transformed the album release from a mere product launch into a global event. The anticipation, the Easter egg hunts, the fan theories – all of these have become part of the cultural discourse, extending far beyond Swift’s fan base. And even when she decided to move away from that, with the surprise, almost-instantaneous release of ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, the speculation simply shifted to evidence of a third album. It’s a model that’s being adopted across industries, changing how we engage with not just music, but film, television, and even consumer products.
Take, for example, her decision to re-record her first six albums after the sale of her master recordings. In the hands of a lesser artist, this could have been a footnote, a bitter dispute between millionaires that would interest only the most dedicated of music industry anoraks. But Swift, with her unerring instinct for turning personal setbacks into public triumphs, transformed it into a cause célèbre, an underdog story for the streaming age. Suddenly, buying the “Taylor’s Version” of an album you already own became an act of moral righteousness, a way to stick it to The Man while also adding slightly different versions of songs you’ve already heard a thousand times – plus a few new extras – to your playlist. It’s a level of marketing genius that would make Don Draper weep into his whisky before promptly signing Swift as a client and retiring to count his money.
The ‘Taylor’s Version’ project is, without doubt, a masterstroke — both a reclaiming of artistic control and a way of re-engaging fans with her earlier work. Yet, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s also a business manoeuvre of staggering effectiveness, one that plays directly into the current cultural obsession with nostalgia. Swift has turned revisiting the past into a highly lucrative venture, repackaging our collective memories and selling them back to us in a way that’s both familiar and refreshingly new. It’s also a not-so-subtle flex, a demonstration of Swift’s power and influence. After all, how many artists could not only convince their fans to re-purchase albums they already own, but make them feel like they’re participating in an act of empowerment by doing so?
This brings us to the Eras Tour, the ultimate manifestation of Swift’s career-long strategy of making her audience feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. The tour has become a modern-day pilgrimage, a rite of passage, a communal experience that verges on the spiritual. Fans don’t just attend; they prepare for months in advance, crafting elaborate costumes, making bracelets to trade with fellow Swifties, and engaging in the kind of frenzied speculation about setlists and surprise songs that would put espionage experts to shame. It’s a travelling carnival of Swift-themed madness, a roving band of sequin-clad devotees leaving a trail of shimmering debris in their wake.
The Eras Tour is a blueprint for the future of live entertainment – or at least something it will aspire to. Her approach is likely to influence how other artists structure their tours and how the live music industry evolves in the coming years. Though obviously the ‘greatest hits’ eras have been done before, this is something much bigger. We may see more artists embracing their entire catalogues in a more immersive form, creating career-spanning shows that cater to both die-hard fans and casual listeners. Before long, we might find ourselves at the Styles Stages tour or the Lipa Lifetime experience, each more elaborate and self-referential than the last. Whether other artists can pull of what Taylor can remains dubious at best, but you can be sure a hungry music industry will strongarm them into trying.
The economic impact of the tour has been remarkable. Cities hosting Swift have reported hotel occupancy rates rivalling those of major sporting events, with restaurants, bars, and local businesses all experiencing a significant uptick in revenue. The phenomenon has been dubbed “Swiftonomics” by economists, who seem torn between admiration for Swift’s ability to single-handedly boost local economies and a creeping existential dread at the realisation that a pop star might have more influence over global markets than most government policies. Not to mention, if news reports are to be believed, Swift has ensured significant financial reward for her hard-working crew.
Moreover, the tour’s economic impact underscores the growing influence of fan communities on local and global economies, prompting economists and policymakers to reconsider the role of cultural events in economic planning. Could we see cities bidding for tour dates the way they compete for major sporting events? Will “fan tourism” become a recognised sector of the travel industry? Are we set for a dystopian future where cities compete for the honour of hosting Swift, offering increasingly elaborate tributes in the hope of being blessed by her economic bounty? “And here we see the Taylor Swift Memorial Stadium, built entirely of the tears of scolded ex-lovers…”
Photo credit: Frances Beach
As Swift prepares to take the stage at Wembley again, the anticipation in London is palpable. The city, no stranger to hosting global superstars, seems to be holding its breath, bracing itself for the tidal wave that’s about to hit. It’s also worth noting the sobering reality check that preceded these London shows. The recent cancellation of Swift’s Austria concerts due to a credible terror threat serves as a stark reminder of the world we live in. It’s – in a roundabout way – testament to Swift’s social significance that her shows would be targeted so specifically, but also a grim reality check on the pressures of modern stardom. In true Swift fashion, the show will go on, with London authorities assuring fans that all necessary precautions are in place.
But beyond the economic impact and the fan frenzy, what does the Eras Tour really represent? At its core, it’s a celebration of resilience, of an artist who has not just survived but thrived in an industry that’s notoriously unkind to women who dare to age past 25. It’s a testament to Swift’s ability to connect with her audience, to make each of her eras feel universal even as they remain deeply personal. And perhaps most importantly, it’s a reminder of the power of storytelling, of how a well-crafted song can capture a moment in time and make it eternal. In a world that often feels fractured and chaotic, there’s something almost radical about Swift’s ability to create moments of shared joy and connection on such a massive scale.
Swift occupies a unique position in pop culture – part star, part CEO, part cultural commentator, and part mythical figure. She’s a culture, a zeitgeist with perfect pitch and a penchant for ruby-red lipstick, a one-woman stimulus package capable of sending stock prices soaring with a single Instagram post. Her business acumen is the stuff of legend, a combination of intuitive understanding of her audience and a strategic mind that would make Machiavelli weep with envy. In an era where surprise drops and minimal promotion have become the norm, Swift zigged where others zagged, turning each album release into a discourse-dominating event. The lead-up to a new Taylor Swift album is a masterclass in building anticipation, a meticulously orchestrated performance of cryptic clues and social media breadcrumbs that keeps fans in a state of perpetual excitement. She’s weaponised FOMO on a global scale.
But what’s next for Taylor Swift? Having redefined what it means to be a pop star in the 21st century, where does she go from here? The possibilities seem endless – and the speed at which she released ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ following ‘Midnights’ while on a world tour – does not point to her slowing down any time soon. Musically, she can and probably will continue to explore new avenues, sure, but Swift’s future moves are likely to extend far beyond her discography.
Will we see Swift leveraging her business acumen to reshape the music industry from the inside out? Perhaps her own label, one that prioritises artist ownership and fair compensation? Or she might set her sights on the tech world, addressing the concerns she’s raised about artist royalties and music ownership.
Given her growing political influence, a more overt move into activism or even politics isn’t out of the question – though would probably need her to be more forthright and engaged with issues that could be divisive amongst such a large fanbase. Until now, she’s wielded her platform with a level of guarded savvy that would make most politicians green with envy. When Swift does choose to speak – less often than some might like, it should be added – people listen. And more importantly, they act. Her Instagram post encouraging young people to register to vote in 2018 led to a spike in registrations that had political analysts scrambling to recalibrate their models. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Swift has the power to sway elections, a fact that’s simultaneously thrilling and mildly terrifying, as much for the times she doesn’t use it as the times she could. Could we see Swift using her platform to become a major player in future elections? Will she be more direct in her thoughts as we approach the end of 2024? If she isn’t, that will be a point of discussion in itself.
Whatever her next move, one thing is certain: Taylor Swift will continue to shape and reshape the cultural landscape. She’s already woven herself into the very fabric of our collective experience. Too big to fail, too driven to stop – it’s Taylor’s world now. The rest of us are just living in it.
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