Another day with yet another milestone achievement for the beloved record-breaking singer-songwriter who has been recognized for her musical versatility, artistic reinventions, and influence on the music industry, making her a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century with a career that began two decades ago.
In a year filled with chart-topping hits and captivating musical prowess shown by the pop icon on her highest-grossing The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has once again proven her undeniable reign in the music industry. This time around, with her unwavering dedication to her craft, it comes as no surprise that Apple Music has bestowed upon her the prestigious title of Artist of the Year.
The “You Belong with Me” singer’s ability to connect with millions of fans across the globe through her heartfelt storytelling is a testament to her unmatched talent and unwavering influence in shaping her as a trendsetter in the industry with a vast music catalog that has resonated with fans of all ages, cementing her as a voice for a generation and many years to come.
The announcement comes after the platform unveiled its year-end charts ranking 2023’s top songs, top Shazams, and, for the first time, the songs music fans sang along to the most using Apple Music Sing. This data ranked Swift as the most listened-to artist by Apple Music subscribers, simultaneously setting a new all-time record for the most listeners for any artist in a single year on Apple Music.
“In the first 10 months of 2023, she saw 65 songs reach Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 — more than any other artist,” said the service in the official press release.
“Taylor Swift’s impact on music is absolutely undeniable — not just this record-breaking year, but throughout her entire career,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “She is a generation-defining artist and a true change agent in the music industry, and there is no doubt that her impact and influence will be felt for years to come. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate her achievements.”
In addition to this, Swift 33 will also receive a physical award featuring Apple’s custom silicon wafer suspended between a polished sheet of glass and a machined and anodized aluminum body. Upon winning this year’s artist title, the singer has also acknowledged the extraordinary award by stating:
“I am so honoured to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year.”
Swift further added, “Thank you to every single one of you for making this year the most incredible, joyful, celebratory year ever. From streaming the music nonstop to screaming it together in real life at the shows, dancing chaotically in movie theatres, none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much.”
According to Apple Music, the singer-songwriter’s journey leading up to this historic year includes:
- Swift saw enormous success when the tour kicked off in March, with streams growing 61 percent globally. She continued to see double-digit growth in monthly streams throughout the summer.
- Set List: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was the No. 1 most-streamed set list of the year and among the top 40 editorial playlists of the year.
- “Bad Blood,” “Blank Space,” “Style,” “Shake It Off,” “Wildest Dreams,” and “All Of The Girls You Loved Before” all reached the Apple Music charts for the first time in 2023.
- “Cruel Summer,” from Swift’s 2019 album Lover, became one of the biggest songs of the summer on Apple Music worldwide. The song re-entered the Global Daily Top 100 in April after four years.
- Midnights is still the biggest album of all time by a female artist in Apple Music history by first-day and first-week streams worldwide.
- Swift is the No. 1 most-streamed female artist in Apple Music history and is also the female artist with the most songs to reach Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100.
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Most recently, Swift has wrapped up all her concert performances for the 2023 lineup of the ongoing The Eras Tour, which resumes next year on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, with a four-night stand at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Moreover, after becoming this year’s highest-grossing concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour documents Swift’s 2023–2024 concert tour in support of her discography and is all set to release on the special occasion of the “All Too Well” singer’s 34th birthday on, December 13, 2023.
As of November 2023, the tour has grossed $178.2 million in the United States and Canada and $71.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $250 million. It became the “highest-grossing concert or performance film at the global box office” of all time—a feat recognized in the 2023 Guinness World Records.
Lastly, the release will be accompanied by three additional songs, “Wildest Dreams,” “The Archer,” and “Long Live,” which were not included in the theatrical release. The official Instagram post shared by the singer also includes a short teaser of the concert film, captioned as follows:
“Hi! Well, so, basically I have a birthday coming up and I was thinking a fun way to celebrate the year we’ve had together would be to make The Eras Tour Concert Film available for you to watch at home! Very happy to be able to tell you that the extended version of the film including “Wildest Dreams,” “The Archer” and “Long Live” will be available to rent on demand in the US, Canada & additional countries to be announced soon starting on … you guessed it, December 13 🫶💋”
Take a look at the official announcement with the teaser below:
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