The Threat of Taylor Swift to US Politics

Off the back of a fourteenth Grammy win and the announcement of a brand-new album, few can doubt that Taylor Swift is a powerhouse of talent in today’s musical landscape. But what is the extent of  Swift’s impact on the economic and political landscape  of America? In the wake of political conspiracy and the commencement of a record-breaking world tour, there is much to be said about the power the pop sensation holds - and the furore amongst the far-right proves it.

When tickets for Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated ‘Eras Tour’ first went on sale in November 2022, around 14 million people attempted to buy them (Dellatto, 2022).  Software company QuestionPro estimates the consumer spending of fans to be on average  $93 million per show, taking into account tickets, merchandise, travel, hotels, food and outfits. At the end of the US leg, that is a boost of $5.7 billion to the country’s economy (Bhattarai, 2023). 

But as great as the demand for Taylor Swift is, the contempt is there to rival it, and the economic sphere is not the only place Swift has been making waves. 

Calls for Swift to ‘stay in her lane’ have cropped up in the American football world as the singer-songwriter has been frequenting the games of boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs’ player Travis Kelce. The increased media attention comes with increased backlash, particularly from many right-wing media personalities, who have expressed disdain for the idea of Swift using her ever-growing platform for political influence,  specifically  in regards to the upcoming 2024 presidential election. In the most extreme of conspiracies, some right-wing theorists went as far as accusing the Super Bowl finale of being rigged to ensure Swift’s attendance and allow for her to get on the field to endorse Joe Biden for the 2024 presidency (Daher, 2024).

While that is not what occurred this time around, it is not unjustifiable for conservatives to be threatened by Swift’s political sway. She previously endorsed President Biden in 2020 via Instagram,  a social media platform on which she now has 281.9 million followers (HypeAuditor, 2024).  In September last year, when Swift took to social media again to encourage her predominantly young fan base to remember to vote, Vote.org saw a 115% increase in 18-year-olds registering compared to the previous year (Kight, 2024). 

Swift’s influence was recognised recently when, in December, she was named Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ 2023, becoming the first to be recognised by the magazine for achievements in the arts. The annual issue is said to be dedicated to  “the person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill” and “the person (or people) who wielded the most influence in the previous 12 months” (Time, 2021).  Swift joins the prestigious cohort of influential people to be granted the title, including presidents Barack Obama (in 2008 and 2012), Joe Biden (in 2020) and of course, Donald Trump (in 2016). 

Back in 2019, Swift called out President Trump for his administration’s stance on the Equality Act, a bill for certain protections for LGBTQ Americans against discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity (Daw, 2019). Swift condemned Trump’s refusal to support the act, and created her own petition for the Senate to pass the bill, a petition that has since garnered 851, 393 signatures (Swift, 2024).

Contrary to those who deplore Swift’s outspokenness, other members of the public and Swift’s fan base alike feel as though she could be doing more in terms of shining a light on political matters, and that anyone with such a gross following has a responsibility to use their platform to spread awareness on matters such as intersectional feminism, LGBTQ rights and world conflict. 

Whether or not you believe it is the singer’s place to speak out on political matters, like the presidential election or otherwise, there’s no doubt that  her loyally-devoted,  ever-growing fan base would be listening if she did. 

By Patti Mussard 

Bibliography 

Bhattarai, A. Lerman, R. Sabens E. (2023) ‘The Economy (Taylor’s Version)’. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/13/taylor-swift-eras-tour-money-jobs/ (Accessed 26 Feb. 2024)

Daher, N. (2024) ‘"Stick to singing": MAGA backlash against Taylor Swift gets ugly’. Available at:  https://www.axios.com/2024/01/30/taylor-swift-maga-biden-trump-2024 (Accessed: 25 Feb. 2024 )

Daw, S. (2019) ‘Everything You Need to Know About The Equality Act & Taylor Swift’s Petition to Pass It’. Available at: https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/taylor-swift-equality-act-petition-everything-you-need-to-know-8516181/ (Accessed 26 Feb. 2024)

Dellatto, M. (2022) ‘14 Million People Tried To Buy Taylor Swift Pre-Sale Tickets, Live Nation Chair Says’. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/11/17/14-million-people-tried-to-buy-taylor-swift-pre-sale-tickets-live-nation-chair-says/ (Accessed 24 Feb. 2024)

Kight , S. W. (2024) ‘Taylor Swift snags 35,000 new registered voters’. Available at: https://www.axios.com/2023/09/21/taylor-swift-registered-voters-2024-election (Accessed: 25 Feb. 2024)

Swift, T. (2019) Support the Equality Act. Available at: https://www.change.org/p/support-the-equality-act (Accessed 25 Feb. 2024) 

Time Staff. (2021) ‘Everything You Need to Know About TIME’s Person of the Year’. Available at: https://time.com/4586372/time-person-of-the-year-facts/ (Accessed 24 Feb. 2024)

Via Y Rada, N. Sotomayor, M. (2020) ‘Taylor Swift endorses Joe Biden for President’. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/taylor-swift-endorses-joe-biden-president-n1242483 (Accessed 24 Feb. 2024)