Mrs. Americana's Crazy Fandom
There are many talented musicians around the world. Although, one of the most beloved artists of our time is Taylor Alison Swift. In fact, studies have shown that over half of United States, adults are fans of Swift (Delltto). Her diverse music genres, relatability, and love for cats make her irresistible to fans all over the world.
Though Swift has many fans throughout the United States, they have developed a stereotype. Studies have shown that nearly three-fourths of avid Taylor Swift fans are white. Additionally, half of her fan base are millennials, live in the suburbs, and are registered as Democratic. Although, when gender comes in, it is almost an even split. 48% of Swift's fans identify as male, compared to 52% that identify as female (Delltto).
Forbes states that Swifties are one of the most “dedicated fan bases in the industry.” This is partially due to their high attention to detail. Swift is known for creating ‘Easter eggs’ to hint towards new releases and surprises. Thus, her fans are known for analyzing everything Swift does, down to the color she paints her nails. One example of these easter eggs can be found in the “Me!” music video. As seen in the picture to the right, she put up a sign titled “Lover” at 1:56. Her next album would be released on August 23, 2019, and be titled, Lover.
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| "Me!" Music Video |
Though Swift doesn’t only hint at the titles of songs and albums, she also gives her fans hints about release dates. Swift is known for releasing on dates that add up to her lucky number, 13. For example, the Lover release date is eight plus two plus three, which equals thirteen. Thus, fans are always engaging in numerology, trying to figure out what Swift's next move is. Below is a hyperlink to a video further exploring this Swiftie world of decoding Swift’s Easter eggs.
This fan base is also very quick to come to Swift’s defense. After releasing “All Too Well (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” which is rumored to be about Jake Gyllenhaal, the actor had to turn his comments off on social media. This was due to Swift fans bombarding his comments with hate and references to Swift. Her fans are known for doing this to anyone who wrongs Swift. John Mayer and Karlie Kloss have also fallen victim to the angered Swifties.
Furthermore, Swift’s fans are quick to support her in her current Eras Tour. In fact, so many of her fans signed up for pre-sale in an attempt to get tickets that Ticketmaster crashed due to the high demand. People are now selling Swift’s tickets for extremely high prices. Tickets that were originally $49 are now selling for over a thousand (Lewis). Though, the fans that were fortunate enough to get tickets are certainly making the most of their experience. The fans are doing so by dressing up in different eras of the superstar. The picture to the left shows that this fan is dressed as Swift’s hit song “Mirrorball.” Another fan, as seen to the right is dressed as Swift’s 2019 American Music Awards look, where she accepted her Artist Of The Decade award (Lewis).
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| Fans "Mirrorball" look |
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| Fan's 2019 AMA's look |
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| Swift at the 2019 AMA's |
Although, these fans are not only quick to support Swift. They are also quick to support each other. After the star's concert in Houston, a twenty-year-old fan leaving the concert was hit and killed by a drunk driver. Since the incident, over 8,000 Swifties have donated to his GoFundMe, creating over $125,000 to support the family of the lost fan (Smart).
Overall, Swifties are a very dedicated group of fans. Their large support for both Swift and others in the Swift community makes them an extremely recognizable fandom. Their iconic Era's Tours outfits, Easter egg hunts, and social media harassment separate them from the rest.
Works Cited:
Dellatto, M. (2023, March 15). More than half of U.S. adults say they're Taylor Swift fans, survey finds. Forbes. from https://www.forbes.com
Lewis, R. (2023, March 18). Taylor Swift Eras Tour: All the incredible fan outfits from Lover to Midnights and speak now. HELLO! https://www.hellomagazine.com
Smart, S. (2023, April 26). Taylor Swift fans show support for a fan killed by a drunken driver after Houston Concert. CNN. from https://www.cnn.com
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