In 2023, Taylor Swift reached a level of global superstardom that only comes around a few times a generation. In addition to her history-making tour, rerecorded albums and box office-saving concert film, she revived the friendship bracelet-making industry, boosted NFL ratings and continuously broke her own records.
It’s hard to narrow it down, but here’s a look at memorable moments from Taylor’s 2023:
— On March 17, The Eras Tour kicked off in Glendale, Arizona. This marked the start of what Billboard estimates to be the most successful global tour of all time. After a North American run that had Swifties cursing Ticketmaster and panic-buying a highly coveted navy crewneck, Taylor added international dates to the roster on June 20. In November, Taylor performed her 66th and final tour stop of 2023. And she’s not stopping anytime soon — she’s already scheduled 85 shows throughout 2024.
— On July 7, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was released. Taylor announced the rerecording during the secret song acoustic set of her first Nashville, Tennessee, Eras Tour show on May 5. It arrived with six “From The Vault” tracks, including “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault),” which spawned a music video starring her ex-boyfriend Taylor Lautner and the star of the original era’s “Mean” music video, Joey King.
— On September 24, Taylor attended her first Kansas City Chiefs football game to support her new boyfriend, Travis Kelce. The pair left Arrowhead Stadium in Travis’ convertible, which he later referred to as their “getaway car.” The two carried on a very public relationship for the rest of the year — Taylor even changed the lyrics of “Karma” at the Eras Tour show he attended in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to reference him. “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs/ Coming straight home to me,” Taylor sang.
— On October 13, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour concert film was released. Taylor bypassed the studio system entirely by working directly with AMC Theatres. It became the highest-grossing concert film of all time within its first three days of release.
— On October 23, “Cruel Summer” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 four years after its initial release on Lover, making it Taylor’s 10th chart-topper. Taylor and Jack Antonoff celebrated in an Instagram video, with Taylor joking, “It’s not even summer anymore – it’s deep fall, I’m wearing a sweater.”
— On October 27, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was released. Taylor announced the rerecording August 9 at her final LA Eras Tour date and celebrated by dressing in all-new blue versions of the outfits she’d sported throughout the tour. The album’s “From The Vault” track “Is it Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)” became Taylor’s 11th Billboard number one, replacing her own song “Cruel Summer” at the top of the Hot 100.
— On November 10, Taylor received six Grammy nominations. She broke the record for the most nods in the Song of the Year category, with seven career nods. If she wins Album of the Year for Midnights, she’ll become the first artist to win that award four times.
— On December 2, Taylor became the first living artist to have five albums simultaneously in the top 10 since the modern Billboard 200 chart began in August 1963.
— On December 6, Taylor was named TIME‘s Person of the Year, the first individual in the arts to receive the title based on her work as an entertainer. “This is the proudest and happiest I’ve ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I’ve ever been,” she said.
— On December 11, Taylor’s Eras Tour concert film received a Golden Globe nomination in the category of Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
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