Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is that rarest of pop phenomena: a superstar who managed to completely cross over from country to the mainstream, becoming an enduring pop culture icon and conquering the world in the process. Swift shed her country roots like a second skin, revealing that she was perhaps the savviest populist singer/songwriter of her generation. She could harness the zeitgeist, make it personal, and, just as impressively, perform the reverse. These skills were evident on early hits like "Tim McGraw," but her second album, 2008's Fearless, showcased a songwriter discovering hersel...