There was a time when Taylor Swift got rejected from every record label she approached. Today, there would be a billion-dollar bidding war to get the chance to work with her. So how did she get here?

This is part one of the complete timeline of Taylor Swift’s career, from her beginnings as a small town girl in Pennsylvania to her rise to the top of the charts. We’ll uncover how she crafted one of the most remarkable careers in modern music, and how she used storytelling to get there.

We’ll discuss her fresh-faced country debut with her self-titled album, the bold and glittering fairytale of Fearless, her first concept album Speak Now, the heartbreaking tracks of Red, the pop-minded 1989, and her post-cancellation comeback (and most iconic album), reputation.

Through her eras we’ll uncover how she built the Swiftie fandom brick by brick, what made her unique in the pop music landscape, and how her songwriting has changed from album to album.

This is the story of Taylor Swift, from one carefully crafted era to the next.

Please note: in this episode, like in all of my work, I don’t discuss Taylor Swift’s personal or private life. My focus is on the art and how the artist creates it, and while her muses do matter in some contexts, I prefer to study her storytelling craft and professional endeavors.

Check out the full TS 101 Lesson Series at SwiftlySungStories.com

Video Episodes: YouTube

Audio-Only Podcast

TikTok: @SwiftlySungStories