Since her debut in 2006, Taylor Swift has taken the world by storm and has risen to a level of fame only some have been able to reach. Swift is not only making killer music, but is also producing groundbreaking revenue for the United States economy.
In 2023, Swift began her Eras Tour, a three and a half hour performance that traveled through her multiple albums, or as her and her fans call them, “eras.” Despite generating millions of dollars for Swift and her team alone, the Eras Tour also generated close to five billion dollars in consumer spending within just the United States.
It is estimated that $1300-$1500 are spent per fan on travel, hotels, and outfits. This of course has a large impact on the local economy and small businesses in the area, so much so the Illinois governor credits Swift with restoring Illinois tourism.
Within local business, there has been bead and sequin shortages (fans use them to make exchangeable friendship bracelets). For the stadiums that she performs at, she is having a larger impact than the Super Bowl. Each weekend of her tour, she generates the equivalent of two-to-three Super Bowls. Funny enough, this isn’t the only impact on the NFL that she has had.
As of the last couple months, relationship rumors surrounding Swift and Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, have boosted the NFL viewership by millions. At the first game that she attended, the Chiefs vs. Jets game, her appearance drew 27 million viewers, making it the most watched Sunday football since the Super Bowl. The viewership among teenage girls has increased by 53%, with two million new female viewers in general for the NFL. Swift’s public relationship with Kelce has also increased his jersey sales by 400%, bumping him from 19th most sold to now being in the top 5.
But with the dramatic increases in jersey or the thousands of dollars spent on merely getting to Swift’s tours, why does she have such a large impact? As Swift has reinvented herself with each of her different era’s for each album since she was sixteen, her discography contains numerous types of music ranging from strict country to folksy pop. Along with the numerous different genres of music, there is a strong appeal to her considering that she has released music regarding her own experiences since she was very young. Having music about so many different experiences draws in people from numerous different backgrounds that can all find something within her discography that they feel resonates with them. In even further addition, many fans have seen and grown up with Swift, sharing similar experiences at the same time, which could also contribute to her exceedingly loyal fanbase.
Audrey Danz ’25, a Taylor Swift fan, also noted how she is a role model for younger girls with saying “She is not only an empowering singer, but she is able to be a fantastic role model for young girls and teens.” Although Swift is occasionally a very private person, she does share parts of her life that people could really connect to, such as her sexual assault trial in 2017. Danz stated “This was just one of the times that she shared something very intimate but many people could relate, it makes her seem like more of a person than just a large pop star. it adds even more appeal to her as people see their own experiences reflected in such a large star.”
With her appeal to people of all ages, music preferences and backgrounds, Swift continues to appeal to anyone that listens to pop music and connects to young girls all over the world. Her large and loyal fanbase makes her one of the most influential people of all time as she continues to leave a lasting impact on the music industry and world.
