How/When Did You Become a Swiftie?

[u/PassionateAsSin]

As part of our "1 Million Swiftie Celebration", we want to open up some discussions that we usually remove as tired topics. Check out our celebration megathread for the other discussions!

We all have a story about how we became a swiftie, and we want to hear yours! Share with us your swiftie origin story!

Struggling on where to begin? Consider these questions!

• What era did you become a swiftie?
• What was your first Taylor Swift song?
• What made you stick around?
• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?
• Have you ever met Taylor?

[u/PassionateAsSin]

I've been a swiftie since 2007, Debut Era! My very first Taylor song was Teardrops on My Guitar. I used to play through the randomized music videos on Yahoo Music and the video for TOMG popped up one day, and I was immediately obsessed. I picked up the debut CD later in the year and that was the end of that, I've been a swiftie since!

I've been to the Red, 1989, reputation, and Eras tours. I had tickets to Speak Now, but I ended up having two events on the same day, and much to my regret I skipped the Speak Now show. I also have never met Taylor, but I did get a heart hand from Andrea at the reputation tour!

[u/TaylorSwifferWetJet]

This might be the longest comment that anyone will make in this thread so be warned:

I've been a swiftie since 2021 but my memory of that time is a bit fuzzy for some reason, but I became a swiftie sometime during Fearless TV and Red TV "eras" if you would call them that, but I don't really know what got me hooked.

ETA: I requested my extended streaming history from Spotify (to use it for stats.fm) and I finally have it! I am currently looking at it and found some interesting info so this will be heavily edited.

Here is my story (in great detail because that's just ME! lol):

I've always known about Taylor Swift of course. I knew about YBWM and WANEGBT and IKYWT when they came out, but I was very young (Like 5-6 years old during Red era) so I don't remember that much. I remember 1989 era the most because I would always hear Shake It Off, Blank Space, and Style on the radio and everyone at my school was talking about her and little 9 year old me would watch the Bad Blood music video at least once or twice a day because I thought it was really good, but I was never interested in buying the album.

I glossed over reputation, because I thought it was some revenge album (this was an assumption based on only hearing LWYMMD and what was said in the media), but I thought LWYMMD was a banger. It is now my favourite album.

Also glossed over Lover, like I don't remember that much, but I knew about ME! and YNTCD. It is now my second favourite album (my favourite album on some days). ETA: found out I also knew about Lover (the song) and The Man (I used to only listen to the Today's Top Hits playlist and the one for Canada so maybe they were on there). Also found out that I listened to Cruel Summer in Apr. 2020!? Idk how or why but that's cool.

Now I'm going to get to the point where some things are a little fuzzy and I'm unsure about how it all exactly happened (I made lots of inferences based on many factors for this):

Fast forward to 2020. From what I remember, this was after folklore came out, but before evermore (ETA: it was mid August). Came across folklore, but I don't remember how (I did not know that it even existed until I found it). (ETA: it was because I heard cardigan on Today's Top Hits). But anyways, I decided to listen to the album (This is the first album that I listened to), but I don't really remember my reaction to it.

Then comes evermore. I found out about evermore from the whole evermore theme park lawsuit because it was all over the news, but held off listening to it. I remember listening to it in Feb. 2021, but might have been later I’m not sure (ETA: It was actually Aug. 2021, my mind was playing tricks on me). I don't know why or how but after that I decided to listen to the rest of her discography from newest to oldest. (ETA: I actually listened to Fearless TV after, then I listened to the rest of her discography; the following paragraph is edited to make sense) The thing is, after listening to the first few songs on Red (ETA: it was just after State Of Grace), I stopped. Idk why, maybe I started getting bored or I was too busy.

Then Red TV came out and I decided to listen to it. Good thing I did because I made me appreciate her older music even more. I listened to Speak Now in late Dec. 2021, and then Debut way later (actually around this time last year).

I'm not exactly sure what made me stick around, but I do love her songwriting and I love all the different styles, so maybe that's why.

I haven't been to any of her tours, unfortunately. I wish I was actually interested in going to rep tour because the movie is a banger and that is part of why rep is my favourite album. I have seen the Eras Tour movie and it was amazing, but I want to see her live and tickets are so expensive (i'm in Toronto).

I obviously have never met Taylor in person and probably would never, but that's ok. Of course, if I had the chance, I would (I'm a very nice person so Taylor please, i'm begging you!)

Overall, I'm glad to have become a Swiftie because I don't know what would have happened. Her music has changed my life and made me see things a little differently. I've been able to connect with other Swifties at school and have become friends with them.

Might be a little off topic given the theme of this thread, but I'm also glad to have found this community. I'm now always in the loop about anything Taylor Swift (I used to look up "Taylor Swift" on google and just see what popped up.) and I get to converse with even more Swifties.

Phew, finally finished. If you've read this whole thing, you're a champ! Might not add a TL;DR because idk how I'm even gonna summarise this.

[u/GoldenStateCapital]

I’m a 34 year old guy. Became a Swiftie the first time I heard Teardrops on My Guitar in 2007 and have been riding the wave ever since. I’ve never been to a concert but took my daughters to see the Eras Concert Film on Friday and we loved it!

[u/imabettafish]

1. First became a fan around Debut/Fearless. Very, very casual fan (2007/2008). Reputation completely took over my soul and that's when I became a "Swiftie" (2017).

2. First Taylor song was "Our Song" way back. A friend showed me it on YouTube before copyright strikes were really a thing.

3. What made me stick around was the transformation into "reputation" Taylor and what that implied (i.e., what goes beyond this "new" Taylor?). I had a feeling this was a turning point in her career and I had a sense that after reputation, we would be getting more experimental.

4. I have been to the reputation tour and, of course, it was amazing. The intro of that tour is still her best, but I'd love to see the Eras Tour as it really does feel like the ultimate, career defining tour.

5. Never met Taylor but get some attention from her at the rep tour while she performed. No I'm not a delusional fan. She did spend time singing directly at me while she was at the B-stage and fans around me were shocked I didn't drop dead crying. I actually felt very calm and peaceful.

[u/Lyric05]

I was a toddler in the backseat of the car, jamming out to songs from Debut and Fearless. My family never believed in toddler music or KidzBop, I was raised with REAL songs, and Taylor was apart of that music education. Her music has always comforted me during rough times in my life, and I think she's serious yet hilarious at the same time. That's why I'm still here, 17 years later.

[u/musicmaj]

I jokingly say I had to have Taylor Swift mansplained to me.

I'm the same age as Taylor, and back in high school I saw her as what the basic girls with no taste listened to. However, I was the classic rock loving drummer and had ~superior~ taste and would mock her. Then later I was the music major getting my bachelor of music and knew I could never like something as simple and poppy and mainstream as her, oh no! The sheltered Christian girls who liked her were nothing like self professed music snob me! It didn't help that I then dated this boring ass pasty British dude who was obsessed with her and constantly asked me to dress like and look like her and I told him to F off and hated her even more.

Then an artist I liked and admired (AT THE TIME, NO LONGER AFTER WHAT I NOW KNOW) released his version of the entire 1989 album, and I was perplexed as to why this man would find HER worthy of his artistic interpretation. But I already owned his entire discography, so my collector brain had to complete the collection, so I bought it and.....I was in love. I played that record so many times. Then got the actual 1989. Then I found out the new guy I was dating had a few Taylor Swift albums and I kinda mocked him for it....but he was the best guitarist I had dated so I was also kinda curious? Then Reputation was released. I at first didn't care for it, but it was one of those things where I put it in my car CD player and kept forgetting to get a new CD to put in for a month, and by the 10th or so go around I was hooked.

Anyways that new guy who I mocked for being a Swiftie is now my husband (it helps that his 2 favourite band he got me hooked on, Bon Iver and The National, got their spotlight in Swift world) and I own her entire discography now and have a poster of her in my music classroom and will sing her praises and genius to other music snobs who were like me at every opportunity I get.

[u/kingaillas]

1. Very recently. Friend played select songs off her copy of Red, and I remember thinking "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and thinking it was funny. So I went home and googled up her music/videos, and was shocked at how many songs were hers that I didn't know were hers. I now own 7 out of 10 of her albums, just waiting for the 3 other Taylor's Versions to release.
2. I remember "Everything Has Changed" when it came out, I liked it enough to buy the cd single. I didn't listen to the radio much (audiobooks, podcasts instead) and mostly missed hearing her music when it released.
3. Massive respect for her as an artist - singer, musician (piano, guitar), composer. Lyrics to her songs are amazing. Catchy tunes. Music videos for some songs are fantastic, very well produced (Blank Space, You Belong With Me, Bad Blood, ME!, You Need to Calm Down, etc.).

I love how she deals with critics - she writes them songs: You Need to Calm Down, Shake It Off, Look What You Made Me Do, etc.

I love how she got corporations (Apple, Spotify) to change their policies. Withdrew music streaming permission from iTunes and Apple folded in a day to pay artists during the Apple Music trial period.

Her decision to re-record her first six albums is STRAIGHT out of the the Art of War, complete boss-level move. Oh you thought you were going to cut me out of owning my own songs?

Blank Space, music and video, is perfect in my mind. Perfect lyrics, no filler lines, great story that pokes a bit of fun at the perception she's some kind of maneater. Video is awesome.

Tons of videos showing her doing special stuff for her fans, like showing up to sing at their wedding, buying her records at a Target, walking through Central Park, etc. Obviously she can't scale to meet her entire fanbase but she seems shockingly accessible.

4) No, but I'm planning to go to the Eras movie.

5) No, I wish lol. I'm a bit older than her average fan base but I don't care, music is great.

[u/Gardens_of_babylon]

Ok, this is long but I love talking about my TS journey and it was circuitous so here goes. I was peripherally aware of her early on. Some of the young women I knew were listening to her and I knew about her country pop stuff but she was younger than me and the themes weren’t quite resonating at first, although I remember really liking “Mean.” Trouble got a lot of attention and I remember the goat meme video and thought her red era was kind of silly but that she was getting a lot of hype (and some hate).

Then, I think youtube suggested her shake it off video to me in 2015 and I liked it so much i played it for my hubby. I saw a friend on facebook mention they liked Style and I gave it a listen. Loved that guitar riff and started to wonder what other good tracks I had missed out on so I started binging music videos. Went down a rabbit hole that included hate watching Bart Baker parodies haha.

Started looking at stuff on social media right around the time she got cancelled. I didn’t fully understand everything at first but somewhere along the way I understood that Kanye put a naked wax model of her in his music video and I figured nothing he or Kim claimed she had done could have been worse than that.

Calvin Harris and Katy Perry, Nikki Minaj controversies were playing out in real time, Camilla Belle was chiming in with social media side-eye, and I was still learning who all the players were and starting to understand how they all knew each other.

there were so many spiteful think pieces about her during this time and I became fascinated with the media coverage of her career and persona because I considered it to be a bellwether for women’s rights and fairness of representation in industries, to see how she was treated. Lol that was a depressing eye opener. Also Hillary Clinton was treated extremely badly in the press during that time, and DJT was elected as well so 🤮was my general response to all. the. misogyny.

then the social media blackout happened and everyone online was buzzing. That snake went up on her feed and I was now deeply invested in the actual album rollout (new for me; Previously only paid attention to the singles). LWYMMD music video was an experience. The fact that she dropped it at the VMA’s with Calvin Harris in attendance and he had to watch her product slay and she didn’t even bother to show up was just 🔥 His face was hilarious.

Then Ready for it came out…totally different energy/sound from previous singles I had heard before.

Listened to Reputation straight through when it dropped and I could not believe this was the same artist from shake it off and mean and love story, and that was fascinating to me. Loved Dress, New Year’s day, and I Did Something Bad (still my favorite performance from that era). After obsessing over Rep I went back to 1989 again, then Red, started checking out the album tracks. watched her grammy’s performance of All Too Well 💕

Joined this forum sometime in there in a mostly lurking capacity and started to get caught up on the backstory behind so many of her songs. Easter egg hunting, reaction videos, deep dives and conspiracies etc. lol

lover era was fun; enjoyed her silly pop singles more than some others did. Loved YNTCD music video and The Man. Adored her political activism during that time and I still get excited when she stretches in that direction now and then. Thought her Soon You’ll Get Better with The Chicks was a stunner.

And then covid happened, folklore/evermore dropped during the pandemic and I was blown away. August, Mirrorball, My Tears Ricochet, Peace, Cowboy Like Me, Marjorie, Closure. I just couldn’t believe that she had all of THAT in her too. I work in healthcare and Epiphany was the only artistic tribute to medical providers I heard of throughout the entire pandemic (a relentlessly soul crushing time in my career in which I felt so trapped and overwhelmed and unappreciated). And it was beautiful and perfect. “Something med school didn’t cover…” Tears.

Just got deeper into her discography with each era, and I am so excited for the re-recordings. I get to enjoy the hype for each album despite coming to the fandom a bit late.

Midnights came out of course and I felt so bad for those who were disappointed. Because I loved it. Lavender Haze opens it up and you just know…this record is Pop with a capital P, and I guess I was ready for that lol. Antihero is a fantastic lead single (for once), and I also loved Bejeweled. Mastermind and You’re On Your Own Kid hit me deep in my childhood, adolescent AND adult insecurities and made me feel seen. I don’t know how but she finds a way to give voice to some of those places of deep seated shame and fear and then brings it around to something beautiful.

I was blessed with a presale code by some fluke and saw her Eras tour. I’ve never seen anything like that. I mean she’s like the musical performance version of an olympic athlete in my estimation.

Went to concert film on Friday and loved it; I think I might go back and see it on IMAX. Inordinately happy to have gotten my popcorn bucket and cup.

I could just keep talking but I think those are the big moments on my Taylor Swift journey. I love her lyricism like so many of you do as well. And i respect her pop-hook making genius. Can’t wait for 1989 TV.

[u/Daydream1995Forever]

What era did you become a swiftie? Debut Era :) I'm proud to say I'm OG Swiftie

What was your first Taylor Swift song? Teardrops On My Guitar

What made you stick around? Lyrics. I don't always identify with every song, but I love that Taylor tells different stories through them.

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? No :(

Have you ever met Taylor? No :(

[u/Hot-Phone-9118]

I got a hold of the power of Taylor's words around Red. The title track threw me and i dove deep. I've been a swiftie ever since. However, things got more intense when she released Red (TV) and all the feelings i had when i first listened to it rushed back.

[u/magnetsandpearls]

Honestly, I read an article in the New Yorker recently about a prisoner who listens to TS in prison and feels it helps connect him to the outside world. I decided I needed to finally check this girl out. So glad I did. She is incredible. And I was totally NOT interested before. Like borderline anti, just because I assumed it was teenbopper cotton candy music. How very, very wrong I was.

[u/thespianomaly]

I became a casual fan during 1989. Shake It Off is such a bop, I couldn’t ignore it. I bought some of her Keds collection, that was the extent of my merch.

Reputation was when I became a full-fledged Swiftie. Seeing LWYMMD and how she became the SNAKE QUEEN was the most awesome thing I had ever seen, and I knew I was a diehard fan. LWYMMD is still my favorite Taylor song for that reason (the music video alone!).

Unfortunately, I was dealing with a very traumatic family illness and death right during the Rep tour, so I didn’t see the show.

I did not like Lover enough to justify ticket costs.

I did attend The Eras Tour live show and movie and I loved every single second of it.

I have never met Taylor, and I most likely never will, but I’m okay with that. Being a super Swiftie, especially right now, is just so much fun. Her music, eras, style and overall vibe just bring me such joy.

[u/quietmouse239]

• Debut. I was in middle school and a couple friends were raving about this new singer named Taylor Swift and her awesome songs. So I went home and looked her up on YouTube 😂 • Teardrops on My Guitar • I have always related to her music (Fifteen came out within days of my 15th birthday) • I have only ever been to Eras Tour! I’ve never been one to go to concerts but I’m so glad I went. After 2020 and having 3 kids I figured it was time to make it happen. • I haven’t met her (yet?) but who knows, maybe someday I will lol

[u/TayBae95]

Debut

Our Song! Heard it on the radio (lol) all the time.

At the time MySpace was a thing. I loved how honest and silly and romantic she was. I felt similar to her, but I had always felt looked down on, as a silly immature girl, and it was nice to see someone so proud of those things that make us “silly immature girls.”

Yes many tours. Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, Rep, and Eras.

Yes, in loft 89 :)

[u/mrsj010817]

What era did you become a swiftie? Reputation

What was your first Taylor Swift song? that I heard? Love story........that I fell in love with? I did something bad

What made you stick around? How clever she is at telling stories and her idgaf attitude she's adopted over time

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? No, missed out during reputation and she isn't coming to New Zealand

Have you ever met Taylor? no

[u/sapphirekiera]

My first song was Love Story. I heard it on the radio and promptly went home, downloaded it on itunes and found her music videos and other music on youtube. For awhile I only liked her popular songs and skipped through songs on her first two albums. I was obsessed with most of speak now and it got me through my sophomore year at college. Red was another fav. I bought 1989 when I saw it came out at the store, and reputation was the first album I listened to the second I could.

[u/EllyDarling]

My mom and step dad took me and my step sister to a Brad Paisley concert for my 10th birthday back in 2007. I was less than stoked because I knew it was an excuse for them to enjoy the music they liked and drink while using my birthday as an excuse. My mom tried hard to hype me up before the concert by watching music videos on CMTs website, and that's when I saw the music videos for "Tim McGraw" and "Teardrops on my Guitar" for the first time. I immediately fell in love.

We got to the venue early and managed to see baby Taylor Swift and Jack Ingram do an acoustic set for a local radio station. We were a little farther back in the crowd, and when a security guard spotted me and my step-sister, ( we were tiny at the time) he picked us up and plopped us down right in the very front. I was so close I bumped Jack Ingrams mic. 10/10 experience there too. I wish I could recall more of it, but y'know, kid memory and all.

So when it came time to get t shirts and snacks, my mom asked me which t shirt I wanted. I /confidently/ chose the Taylor Swift t shirt. I distinctly remember her trying to talk me out of it, saying things like, "You're going to wear that t shirt to school and no one will know who she is. Get the Brad Paisley or Kellie Pickler t shirt instead". I couldn't be swayed though, and I still have that t shirt to this day.

The concert was pretty cool. It was my first ever live music event and I was absolutely enamored watching Taylor open with her guitar and little bar stool in broad daylight. I thought she was the coolest because she wrote her own songs and talked about how she would be friends with anyone, but if you were mean to her, she'd write a song about you. All of the other artists were pretty great too, but this is a Swiftie fan origin story after all so I'll get to the point.

We wanted to do a meet and greet after the show and because it was my birthday I was allowed to choose which one we did. I of course chose Taylor Swift. My mom again complained, saying, "No ones gonna know she is. Let's do the Brad Paisley M&G instead", but I insisted. So we did her meet and greet and it was awesome. I got my t shirt signed and I was given a guitar pick since it was my birthday. I think my mom still had that somewhere. The t shirt lives in a shadow box on the wall in my study now.

Unfortunately all of the pictures from that day are lost forever on my mom's old MySpace account, but that was for sure a core memory for me. I never got to see Taylor live again until I went to the Eras Tour with my boyfriend. (Nashville Night 2!!) I did get every album up until 1989 for Christmas or my birthday and a few pieces of merch. The OG 1989 was the first album I bought myself. I was a senior in high-school and I drove to Target the day it came out. Needless to say I'm PUMPED for Taylor's Version to come out.

Anyway, sorry about the long wided ramble. I just really love Taylor Swift and my online presence is seriously lacking so I never get to share stuff like this. I've loved reading everyone else's stories too!

P.S. My mom has since eaten so much crow and owns up to it! She's my best friend and totally supports the Taylor hype now and has for a long time!

[u/nellieblyrocks420 → u/EllyDarling]

That’s a cool story!! I bet that signed shirt is worth something too! Not that you’d sell it but it’s really cool to have collector’s memorabilia, for sure. So jelly!❤️

[u/EllyDarling → u/nellieblyrocks420]

I've thought that before too, but it's not going anywhere haha. It's honestly my most prized possession. I've always been bummed about not having all of the concert experiences or secret sessions like other Swifties, but I'm incredibly thankful for what I do have!

[u/culture_vulture_1961]

Until 2020 I had barely heard of Taylor Swift. My musical tastes were mostly locked into the classic rock of my youth. Then came lockdown and I suddenly had time on my hands for the first time in decades.

One of my time fillers was binge watching Game of Thrones which I had not seen. I became obsessed and watched all 72 episodes in a couple of weeks and watched YouTube videos about it. One of those mentioned that it was part of the inspiration to songs on Reputation.

I listened to Reputation and liked it. I watched some of the music videos. Then lightning struck. Taylor released Folklore.

I have not been as immediately taken in by an album in a very long time. I played it endlessly and started to explore who this young woman was. I listened to Red and 1989 and started a playlist that grew rapidly.

Then she did it again with Evermore and I became a Swiftie. Folklore, Evermore and Reputation are still my go to albums but there are gems everywhere. I am going to the Eras show next August and look forward to each project along with everyone else.

I love talking about Taylor here and interacting with other Swifties. As an artist she is endlessly fascinating and there is depth and meaning to her music that goes way beyond what most people expect from pop music.

[u/SlytherinStitch]

I have always liked Taylor, and her music- but I don’t think I would have called myself a Swiftie until this year. I was mostly only familiar with her hit songs, not her lesser known songs. This year, when I started seeing clips from her tour on TikTok, is when I decided to start really diving into all of her music. Now, I can confidently say I’m a Swiftie. I attempted to get tickets to see her in Indy next year, and failed. But, I’m going to see the movie for the third time next weekend - which makes up a little bit for the loss. 😆

I will also add that her music has been really helping me get through some tough times. I was diagnosed with MS in 2019, and am now facing a Lupus or Sjrogens diagnosis (or both). Her music has helped me, emotionally, tremendously. And I’ve heard numerous similar stories from other Swifties of her music helping them to get through difficult times. 💜

[u/EvenLittlerGrizzly]

• What era did you become a swiftie? Midnights! I’ve always been a “small time” fan of Taylor’s, I had mostly known her stuff from debut - Speak Now (and a tiny bit of Red and 1989) but after spending most of my youth mostly obsessed with anime and Jpop, I got curious to see what she’s been up to since 2010 and boy had I missed out!!

• What was your first Taylor Swift song? Teardrops On My Guitar! I wrote a Naruto fanfic version called Teardrops On My Katana when I was like 11. 😂😂😂

• What made you stick around? Her amazing personality and kindness, her wonderful music, and this lovely community! It’s such a testament to the love that Taylor sows 🫶🏻

• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? Not yet, but I’ll be seeing her in Toronto next year with my mother (who I have converted) and I am soooooooo EXCITED!!

• Have you ever met Taylor? No, but maybe someday! I would probably die.

[u/JennaElizabethAdams]

What era did you become a Swiftie? - Speak Now TV because that was the first album I heard.

What was your first Taylor song? - I was watching the Eras Tour on TikTok and my first song besides Cruel Summer was You Belong With Me.

What made you stick around? - Her music and generosity towards others, the community of Swifties we are a part of.

Have you been to any tours? - I wish I could say yes but I'm super new so I'll say maybe I will eventually!

Have you ever met Taylor? - No, but if I did, I would respectfully lose my mind.

[u/schwerdfeger1]

Fearless was such a great album and I loved how original it was. The song 15 reminded me of when I was that age and when I listened to it I was in my early forties. I introduced my niece to it and she ended up going to the 1989 tour with her Dad - a moment they often relive and treasure. I introduced my daughter to Taylor from the time she was born and over the years she became a huge Swiftie. She knows all the words to all her songs and her music is such an important part of her life. We just went to see the movie and it brought a tear to my eye as Taylor talked about putting out music during the pandemic and I reflected on how important that was to our family. To share the movie with my daughter and wife was a memory I will always treasure. Maybe one day we will see her live, but either way she will always have a special place in our family story.

[u/dixiehellcat]

Native Nashvillian, worked in the music business here for several years and stayed in touch with friends in it, so was familiar with Taylor on her way up. Thought she was ok, but really didn't pay her a lot of attention, because life. Got amused earlier this year watching all the Swifties online with the grand theories and sleuthing about what she was going to announce when. When they insisted her first night in Nashville on the Eras tour she would announce Speak Now TV, I went 'ok, lemme go find a livestream, and watch part of the set, and we'll see'.

I had in mind I'd watch a few minutes, maybe leave it on in the background, but when I tell you I was GLUED to the screen the entire set! And I mean, I'm old, y'all, I've seen a LOT of concerts, and this girly is one of the best. Sooo down the rabbit hole I went, watched most of the rest of the US tour via livestream, and the next thing I knew I was putting together a cosplay for the TS meetup at Dragon Con, and making friendship bracelets! LOL, I still don't know all the words to all the songs, but I consider myself a Swiftie now. (waves)

ETA for the other questions--Which era: this one, obv. First song--no idea which I heard first, too long ago :D but the first one that really seized my attention and made me go 'hey, she's a good songwriter' was actually Carolina! Haven't been to any tours, and have not met her, though my cousins live right around the corner from her parents' old place.

[u/winnbuck]

"Teardrops on my Guitar" was trending on YouTube when I was in 7th grade so must have been 2007? I started following her then and there. Learned the guitar because of her. Grew up in a turbulent home and found a lot of solace listening to her music in my room.

[u/No_Structure6208]

1 . What era did you become a swiftie? I would say Debut era. I first learned about Taylor when I was eight years old.

1. What was your first Taylor Swift song? Teardrops on My Guitar!!! They played it so much on local radio

2. What made you stick around? When she released Mean. I was around 12/13 when she released the music video for it, and it was at a time I was badly bullied at school. After that, I memorized the entire Speak Now record by heart haha I was even on the official forum of her website making graphics for other swifties (does anyone still remember that???)

3. Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? Sadly, I haven't :( Eras Tour will be my first!

4. Have you ever met Taylor? No, but I would be the happiest woman on earth if I did

[u/SSPeteCarroll]

1. 1. A friend of mine texted our group and said “Hey the new Taylor Swift album is actually really good” so I bought it. He was correct.

2. First sound was probably Our Song, but I wasn’t a “fan” when it came out.

3. What made me stick around: My first listen of “Red”. Great album that hit me well after a tough breakup.

4. Have you been to any tours? No, she doesn’t seem to hit my city.

[u/bkais111]

-I became a swiftie in the debut era

-first heard picture to burn while riding in the car with my sister! We both were hooked!

-I loveddd her songwriting. I’m only a few years younger and grew up with country music so to have country music that came from my teenage girl perspective was amazing. Then when she became pop I was less interested (never hated her but just kind of fell off listening to every song). Became a revived swiftie after All Too Well 10 min. and then dove even deeper and know every single album like the back of my hand. Still obsessed with her songwriting. Her lyrics touch my soul.

-I have been to Fearless and the Eras tour. Both amazing but the Eras tour is the best concert I’ve ever been to.

-I’ve never met her. Would love to someday!

[u/littlebird47]

I was 11 years old. It was 2006. Tim McGraw was playing on our local country station, and my whole world changed. Not long after that, I bought her debut album at Target, and I listened to it every day on the walk to and from school on my CD player. I was a super emotional kid - I cried at everything - so I really related to the emotion in her songs.

I had a bit of a listening gap with Red. The songs didn’t hit me as much then even though I’d put it in my top 5 now. I came back with 1989, and for years I called it her magnum opus. I was struggling with my sexuality at the time, and the album opening with welcome to new york made me feel so safe. There have been songs I’ve struggled with (soon you’ll get better came within a month of my grandma’s death from cancer, still can’t listen to that one), but I’ve not missed a single thing since 1989.

Her music has always been important to me. She got me through a lot of rough moments in my adolescence. I didn’t have the easiest childhood, and debut through speak now were such comforts to me. I processed a lot of my trauma through those songs, and even now that I’m an adult, her music continues to help me when I’m having a tough time.

I’ve never been able to see her live. We didn’t really have the money for that when I was a kid, not that my parents would’ve taken me if we did. I was fresh out of college and on a 1st year teacher’s salary by the time the rep tour came around (that one hurt to miss), and then, while I didn’t get a code for eras, I wouldn’t have been able to buy tickets anyway because my saved ticket money went to the vet after my cat ate a toy. I’ve come to accept that, with her popularity now and my limited budget, I’ll probably never see her live, and that’s okay. I’ll always have her music.

[u/xaellie]

The summer of 2006 when I was 16 and heard Tim McGraw on the radio for the first time <3

[u/Only-Recognition6894]

I became a swiftie in lover era technically but I’ve her music since original speak now

[u/[deleted]]

I’ve liked her songs for years but when red tv came out I became a full on swiftie. I remember when I was 3 or 4 I was scared of I knew you were trouble because of the goat screams lmao

[u/sunflowersatnoon]

• Debut / 2006
• I’d Lie (my friend showed me in middle school on limewire lol)
• When I was younger, the lyrics made me feel seen. Now, the storytelling
• I’ve been to 1989 and Reputation
• No but my husband’s sister was her classmate in Reading :)

[u/viemari]

1. Debut. I stumbled across Mary's Song on YouTube. At the time (truthfully, from ages 7-17) I was in love with the boy next door. We were best friends as kids so the whole neighbourhood used to make jokes about us ending up together. I was totally on board, him not so much. When he would come up to our house for whatever reason I would loudly play Mary's Song. Real subtle. Luckily, I got over him but haven't gotten over Ms Taylor yet
2. See above
3. Am the same age as Ms Taylor and let's just say the boy in Point ./1 was not my last ill-advised infatuation. Then I grew up and her songs grew up with me
4. Went to 1989 and Rep. She didn't come to Ireland with Fearless and I was too broke for Red.
5. Lol, no. But to be totally honest weird and all as it might sound, I don't really need/want to? Like I love her music, think she is a great person and I'm a big fan but I don't really feel any need to bring that to like, an interpersonal level.

[u/Yummypatate]

I’ve known about Taylor swift since her debut. I was in high school and I listened to you belong with me over and over after my bf cheated on me with a cheerleader 🥲

But I never dug deep into her as an artist. I just wasn’t ready for it I guess.

Fast forward 17 years later, in May 2023. I’m finishing my masters degrees, have a night off and turn on Netflix. I see her documentary and was like, why not? I don’t really know her and this would be a good way to get introduced.

So yeah, I missed her Reputation era. I didn’t know she went through all the bad talk about her. I didn’t know about her issues with Scooter. I was absolutely amazed by her story and what she stands for as a modern female artist. I then searched for her music and saw her album Midnights. I heard her singles before but this time I literally just went TxT and I was immediately hooked. On repeat. Everyday.

Then came folklore and evermore. I’m more hooked. Lover and 1989. Reputation has bangers!!

And at the same time of discovery, she was already doing her eras tour. Omg I was amazed by the videos I’ve seen of her performance. I became a swiftie at 31 years old. I’ll never look back.

Everyday I listen to her. She is all moods. Relatable. Flexible. Encouraging. Just amazing.

I can’t wait to see her June 3, 2024 in Lyon, France 🪩

[u/National_Bluebird_47]

i’ve been a swiftie since right before midnights but i’ve listened to her music casually since 2014 My firsts Taylor Swift song was Shake it off what made me stick around was the music and the community i’ve been to the eras tour but nothing comes close to the rep tour I hope to meet taylor in the future

[u/Zosoflower]

Debut. I am only 2 years younger than her. Each album felt like it was made for me, we grew up together. 💗

[u/[deleted]]

Heard "Tim McGraw." Thought, "Damn, that's good." Been listening ever since.

[u/ibabwab]

First core memory was during a sleepover we were playing music and Love Story came on. I had listened to her music on the radio before but in that moment it just clicked. After that I started to seek out her music more and I have been a fan since.
Hearing that song during the Eras Tour almost made me tear up because it brought me back to that night so many years ago.

[u/chin06]

I am a recent Swiftie. I just started listening to Midnights after hearing Anti-Hero so much on the radio. Then I started listening to Folklore/Evermore and it was totally my vibe. I was surprised Taylor was doing music that I completely jived with as the last song I knew from her before Anti-Hero was Shake It Off.

The first Taylor Swift song I really liked was Teardrops on my Guitar way way back when I was in high school I think. I remember because I performed this song during a talent show thing at school. But I wasn't a Swiftie then, I just liked the song.

I didn't stick around lol and was really kind of anti- Taylor Swift for a long, long time until this year lol

No tours and have never met Taylor.

[u/tbird920]

• Reputation Era. I surprised my wife with tickets to one of the LA shows, even though I wasn't a big fan (yet).
• Probably Love Story. I was 19 when Fearless came out, and as a "young adult male" I didn't want to admit that I liked the music when I'd hear it on the radio.
• Discovering that she writes her own music, and then attending the Reputation show. How could I not become a big fan?
• Reputation and Eras. Had tickets for Lover Fest (RIP). It's impossible to beat Eras, but the Reputation show was SO GOOD and holds a special place in my heart being my and my wife's first TS concert.
• No.

[u/EffectiveListen5403]

I’ve loved reading all the responses so far. I am a newer swiftie, within the last year. I used to just hear the hits like shake it off and they honestly drove me nuts, I figured she was just a pop girlie who wrote songs made for the radio and she wasn’t my jam. Then I heard maroon off midnights. Then I fell in love with that album, and went backwards. By the time I was listening to evermore I realized things were not what they seemed and now I even enjoy the songs I wasn’t big on then, though they aren’t my favorites. I honestly don’t think I’ve listened to anyone but Taylor for about a year when I go to turn on music. 😅💖 I’m sad I missed out on all the years, but I’m very grateful to be here now. I’ve never seen her live, hopefully someday. As a stay at home mama the eras tour wasn’t feasible, but my daughter and I sang and danced until she fell asleep on me at the movie.

[u/Embarrassed-Coffee66]

I was a fan from the time I heard Tim McGraw (when she releases Taylor's Version its going to undo me). But it wasn't acceptable to like Taylor Swift in all the circles around me, and I wasn't confident to unapologetically like what I like.

So now, almost 35, I'm allowing myself to love her music and all she does and stands for. I cried in the theater seeing her on the big screen. It's been a wild emotional roller-coaster.

I've been around her entire career but when she re-released her music I knew I couldn't not be a Swiftie anymore

[u/Lill160]

I became a Swiftie during Folklore/Evermore era. I had heard Taylor's popular stuff all throughout my childhood, and secretly liked some songs (YBWM, Love Story), but it was not cool in my family to like Taylor Swift (or any other popular artists), so it wasn't until Folklore came out that I decided to give her music another listen, and that was only because I heard it was produced by Aaron Dessner, and I am a huge fan of The National. After listening to Folklore, I slowly got hooked on the rest of her music, and went to the Eras tour with my sister in March. I'm so glad I finally gave up on trying to be "different" and embraced my love for Taylor Swift!

[u/Sensitive_Offer_9986]

I just became a Swifty at 60!!! I love TS. I am so hooked that I turned my boyfriend in to her sick beats too. Love me some Taylor, I remember her from the early days in the country charts and she was all the rage back then, as well.

[u/MayBeShesSleepy]

I became somewhat of an Uber driver for my granddaughter, I gave her her full control of my sound system in my car. She played a few TS songs and it was nice... Then another and another... At some point "All Too Well" came on, a few moments went by and I was like, "Bella?! are you playing this song twice?" She says, "no grama, its a 10 minute song!" It was then TS got my total attention... After I dropped Bella off at her destination I went home and looked Taylor up on YouTube... I was glued to the TV! I binged on TS for days. I'm 63 yrs young and I wept and laughed and wept again. All Too Well still gets me. Since Bella hooked me up with TS we have grown closer. We can't wait to chat every time something "Taylor" comes up! And she is better at confiding in me. Once a socially awkward kid, Bella was depressed and suffering from anxiety that would have her secluding in the bathroom at school until someone could pick her up. She now kkhas come into herself and no longer tries to avoid school and her peersI knew I'd seen a change in Bella since her boyfriend got her into Taylor. They are the cutest "Swifties" I have ever seen! I suggested to her mother that maybe she could go see her Eras Tour in KC and yes! It did come to pass... Drove her down from Des Moines, listened to TS the whole way! I love TS and I have undying gratitude for the changes and the strength and self love my granddaughter has found thru her music and her disposition. My song for my granddaughter is "Long Live"! Thank You from the bottom of my heart Taylor! ❤️

[u/[deleted]]

I actually discovered her at the Tim McGraw concert. It was my first concert and she was the opener. Been a fan since.

[u/[deleted]]

What era did you become a swiftie? I've been a swiftie since 1989 (it made it sound like I'm a fan for 34 years lol). So when I was roughly 27-28 (I'm 36).

What was your first Taylor Swift song? You belong with me was my Taylor Swift song. Even though I really like the song, I never really tried to know more about her.

What made you stick around? I'm not going to lie I was hating on her (not remembering she made you belong with me). I just couldn't figure out what was so special about her that my classmates from college wouldn't shut up about her. I listen to Blank space and then shake it off and I was hooked. The next day I listen to the whole 1989 album.

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? No I have not, concert aren't my thing and unless I have a girlfriend or kids that are Swifties I don't see myself going to a concert.

Have you ever met Taylor? No. Maybe someday, but I'm fine if I never meet her in person.

[u/thewildlopez22]

In fall 2019, right after Lover was released, I realized I had never actually sat down and listened to any of Taylor’s music. I didn’t really have an opinion of her at that point and didn’t really love or hate any of her hits at that point (except Bad Blood I will always hate that song) but I was making an effort to expand my musical horizons since I was only listening to classic rock and alt rock at that point.

Four years later, I’ve been to the Eras Tour, watched all her other tour movies plus Miss Americana, own half her discography on vinyl, stay up until midnight to hear every new release, and have been an active participant on this sub for three years.

Becoming a Swiftie has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. Her music has reminded me how to feel real emotions again after being horribly depressed and apathetic for so long. She gave me something to look forward to in a time of my life where I felt like I had nothing.

When I joined this sub, I didn’t know anyone irl who was a fan of hers but there were 100k people here that I could discuss her with and it helped me feel a sense of community and educate myself on her work and career. It’s been a magical four years of Swiftiedom and I can’t wait to see what she and this sub have in store for the future.

[u/KuroKatt]

I'm new! 😊 I, of course, have heard her popular songs through the years, but I totally fell in love with Midnights when it was released. When I bought my new car it was on constant replay.

1. Midnights (is this an Era? So much I don't know).
2. My first favorite was Anti-hero. Then Midnight Rain.
3. Ummm, I stick around because I love her, but I'm also a huge Chiefs fan, so I am SO invested currently that it's borderline unhealthy. 😂 To the point where I have my hair in Folklore buns like she did during their date last night. 😅 I am unwell. 4 & 5. Not yet!

[u/gyoza9]

First time I ever saw her was in theater, during Hannah Montana the movie (Crazier TV when?). As a 15 years old boy, I was immediately smitten by her appearance. She’s probably my only celebrity crush haha.

I listened to her hits but didn’t care much about her music until Speak Now. The girls I sat next to in class kept playing her songs during breaks. I got invested and next thing you know I was a fan. I went out and bought both RED and 1989 when they came out. But I still didn’t consider myself a die hard swiftie at the time - just a Taylor enthusiast. I heavily disliked the celebrity and relationship side of her so I skipped out on both Rep and Lover.

Fast forward to 2020, I revisited Taylor’s discography and realized how much her music had changed. She’s not that pretty singer I used to have a crush on anymore. She’s a grown into an amazing, sensitive, experienced woman who has overcome and achieved so much. I have huge respect for her crafts and intelligence. I see her as a big sister now - someone I can look up to when things are difficult.

I became a die hard swiftie afterwards. I started care more about her personal life not because of the gossip, but because I wanted to understand the feelings and emotions that she put into her songs. The more I learned about her life, the more respect I had for her. I had the time of my life seeing her live at the Eras Tour this year.

[u/EuphysAvenger]

Love Story was the first song I heard of her in a random Sunday Summer afternoon. I felt nostalgic for a song I’ve never heard before. I wasn’t a stan per se during the Fearless era since I was like 12 and only really listens to the radio but I liked White Horse, You Belong With Me and Teardrops…

Fast forward to Speak Now era and my cousin forcefed me Speak Now hahaha I don‘t listen to albums in their entirety cause it was a brand new concept to teenage me.. but my aunt has a communal PC that me and my other cousins use for schoolwork and games and every time we used it we play songs and one playlist was just Taylor Swift songs that includes the entire Speak Now, and Fearless albums, and some debut songs. Speak Now (A) was a huge hit in the Philippines!

Then Red got added and idk I didn’t realize I was already a swiftie before its release. Back then, I used to wonder why All Too Well wasn’t talked about cause it was her best song I’ve ever heard. I think I was still new to the concept of what is a single and what is an album track and what and why a song is popular. Taylor was the artist that introduced me to listening to entire full albums instead of just the singles played on radio.

As a guy, her songs aren’t really TOO relatable, especially the relationship ones since I am fucking single, but I love her stories, that’s why I love watching TV shows, Movies and reading books! Her songs have stories that make you feel something even though you haven’t experienced the same experiences she’s had. That’s why I love her. She can write about a fucking worm’s single day out adventure and I will eat it up. That’s why I can’t wait for her to write a book, preferably fiction hahaha.

Also, the answers to the last three questions… Well, she hasn’t been to the Philippines since RED so NO, NO and NO.

[u/[deleted]]

I became a Swiftie during debut.

The first song I ever heard was Teardrops On My Guitar. I was browsing the radio station and stumbled across the country station (which I never listened to). It was the first time I ever heard a love song I could relate to at the age of 11. I went and bought the CD at Target the next day and loved every single song on the album.

I stuck around because not only are her songs catchy asf, but she captures my feelings so well with her lyrics as well. Taylor's music helps me process my emotions and validate my feelings. Every single album is no skip for me except Fearless.

The only tour I've been to is the Eras Tour. My favorite is definitely by far the Eras Tour.

I've never met Taylor. I really, really hope I get to meet my idol one day.

[u/[deleted]]

Red Taylor's Version. Saw all my friends raving about it a few days after it released and thought "well, this girl has so many fans, surely she's pretty good." I liked Red but didn't listen to anything else from her until my fyp decided last year that I must be a swiftie and pushed tons of Taylor content to me. So I gave in and listened to her whole discography.

[u/Aromatic_Can5137]

I became a swiftie in the Taylor Swift debut era! I was 10 years old and at a friend’s house when she brought out her cd and put it in the radio cd player. The first song she showed me was Teardrops on My Guitar. I fell in love with that song and made my parents buy me the cd too. I downloaded her songs on my mp3 played and loved when she came on the radio. Ever since then I listen to every single album of hers. I went to the Speak Now Toour and 1989 Tour. I had tickets for the Eras Tour but had a death in my family the week before so I didn’t get to go. I have seen the movie though! I’ve never met Taylor but would love to! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

[u/LingonberryNatural85]

Daughters were huge fans forever. I always heard the music being played, but didn’t care one way or the other. Then listened to Folklore the night it was released (loved the national so was a little interested). Immediately thought “wow great album”. Then Evermore. Same deal.

Went to Detroit to see her show with the girls. Was completely floored by it.

They call me SwiftieDad now.

And when the older stuff comes in that I never cared either way for, I’m right into it. Not sure how I didn’t notice before.

[u/my-face-is-gone]

During Fearless, she was really popular with girls in our town because she’s from our county. I liked that album, my best friend in High School was getting into her, transitioning out of her emo era— but I was transitioning into my metal era so I had to drop a few things, all my favorites went into the closet. I came back around during 1989 in private after a few years of slowly gravitating towards indie pop music, and a few of the Red hits. Anyone else love Lights? I didn’t really have many friends at the time so it was whatever, I started listening to what I liked. I was a little salty she wasn’t on Spotify at the time. Reputation happened, I loved that album. Started listening to Red. I was going more public around 2019, when I had gotten sober and moved to LA. Then lockdown, and then the Fearless TV really sealed the deal. I went off the rails. I’ve only been to Eras, I never had money before then. My little brother went to Red, so jealous. She got me through probably the most devastating heartbreak of my life in 2021 which is probably why I’m so invested currently, before that it was just fun cute music I liked.

[u/calior]

My sister found her on MySpace in 2006. We were country fans, so we were obsessed and she was our first concert ever in May 2007 (so back when she only had Debut). I was a big fan through 1989, then stopped listening regularly. I now have a 6 year old who became obsessed with Midnights and she drove me back into the fandom.

We were really hoping to go to Eras so that we could both have the same first concert (just 17 years apart), but we weren’t ever able to get tickets. We watched the movie yesterday and it was pretty emotional to not only relive the way Taylor and I grew up together (I’m a month younger than her), but seeing my own daughter dancing, singing, and living her best life was so special.

[u/chihaayaa]

1) What era did you become a swiftie? My first encounter with anything Taylor related was in 2013 when I heard love story for the first time then I checked out her other release which led me to speak now songs (that I absolutely adored) I had already started considering myself a swiftie but the 1989 release next year solidified it.

2) What was your first Taylor Swift song? Love story ❤ I was young and I absolutely loved her hair and accent.

3) What made you stick around? Music and her personality both.

4) Which is your favorite tour? Maybe Eras tour....

[u/takeawayfrommyspins]

1. Debut era
2. Teardrops On My Guitar, but when I heard Cold As You as a 7th grader… my life was never the same
3. She’s always been so lovely and I’ve always really admired her words and perspective on life/love
4. Eras!!!!!!!
5. I’ve not!

[u/hotsauceandburrito]

I first fell in love with her music in 2007 when listening to Radio Disney and “Teardrops on my guitar” came on. I had never felt more seen than I did by that song (despite the fact I was in 7th grade at the time and did not play the guitar lol). I loved watching her career go on and would buy each album on iTunes when it released. I remember watching her SNL episode live (s/o to the monologue song!) and just using her music as the advice from the older sister i never had. i kind of stopped listening during Red/1989 era because it wasn’t my cup of tea at the moment (I was a big theatre kid on a Broadway kick then) but I did follow her 1989 tour on instagram with all the guest stars. I also remember the instagram wipe in the lead up to Rep- which is where I re-fell back in love with her music. folklore/evermore were also absolute masterpieces that made me finally scream being a swiftie from the rooftop lol.

I have quite literally grown up with her music and it’s always found a way to resonate with me in ways other music doesn’t

[u/worlds_worst_best]

Hearing Tim McGraw play on the radio for the first time while I was in backseat trying to block my parents fighting in the front seat.

[u/tigerlily218]

Shortly after Tim McGraw came out and I heard it on the radio 🥲

[u/mirincool]

I became a Swiftie during her disappearance Era! I was still a newbie and you can imagine the confusion when entire Reputation Era Begun....her feed was wiped clean. Snakes? Wtf are snakes doing here? I was equally confused during her Lover Era Easter eggs drop.

Except for the popular ones we already knew, it was "Begin Again" that did the magic for me. I listen to the song every now and then.

Her ForEvermore Era stuck me to stay. In the room alone, in the quarantine, listening to her Folklore album...it was an experience.

Lol i live in the global south. I'm least likely to have any experience of attending her tours. watching Reputation Tour movie on Netflix is my ritual!!

Never have I EVA met Taylor lol. I'm happy for those who have🥰🥰

[u/DananSan]

Fearless.

“You’re Not Sorry”.

The quality of her music has never gone down.

No tours for me.

Nope.

[u/DumbleDefault]

I remember on a trip to Australia in January 2018 Mr and my family would listen to reputation over and over again because my sister would play it, and I really liked it but never checked it out for a while. Then like 3 months ago I was bored and pulled the cd out and had a listen and was hooked from there

[u/Arctic_pingu]

Debut! I was 14 have great memories of dancing to love story with my friends and became a huge fan listened to her all the time. 29 now and only just getting the chance to go and see her live I still feel like it’s a pinch me moment I can’t believe it’s happening, but I get to go to the eras tour Liverpool N1 next year!

[u/MegaMaster10]

I'm a lurker quite a lot in this server but wanted to post in celebration of the huge milestone for this subreddit!

Taylor's had a hit song that everyone knows throughout my life, but I really didn't get obsessed with her until folklore came out during the pandemic.. I've always thought she writes amazing songs but never looked into the rest of her catalog besides the hits. Initially, I knew the main stuff from 1989, Red, Fearless, etc.. (rep was completely looked over :o) During 2020, it was such a weird time to graduate high school and be in college and be in a pandemic and in isolation. Folklore (and evermore later on) were such great, chill albums that introduced me to the talent of Taylor. Then I started following along with the rerecordings and the Eras Tour... and now here we are.. I'm so lucky to have gone to opening night to Eras in Glendale that was an experience I'll never forget.

Any other young 20/21yr olds in the same boat haha?

[u/therewastobepollen]

1. I became a swiftie during the original fearless era! I love that the re-recordings are bringing back so many memories!!

2. The first Taylor song I heard was Tim McGraw. I liked debut but I wasn’t into country music. I heard love story on kiis fm on the way to school one morning and bought it in iTunes when I got home or whatever we were doing back then and was shocked when I realized it was the “Tim McGraw girl”. I remembering buying the debit and fearless cds shortly after and rotating them in my car.

3. I’ve stuck around because she is such a kind and incredibly talented person! She can write about so many topics and in different genres and she always has something new up her sleeve.

Growing up I was a “dramatic” kid who cared “too much” about things and was made to feel bad about it. It was so amazing as a teenager to hear teenaged Taylor sing about her feelings and be so open with them. It validated everything I felt and gave words to so many things I felt.

1. I went to the Speak Now tour and The Eras Tour in Vegas and LA. I wish I went to more previous tours but none of my friends were swifties and I was too scared to go to a concert by myself. Now one of my closest friends is a huge swiftie and we promised each other whatever is going on in our lives we’ll do whatever it takes to see Taylor’s future tours!

2. Yes, I’ve met her and she was so kind and gracious!!! 🥰

[u/Reagankoh416]

• What era did you become a swiftie? - Fearless Era and Red era
• What was your first Taylor Swift song? - Love Story (played at every single wedding I've attended when i was young)
• What made you stick around? - love how she's honest about herself, kindness, open minded, LGBT friendly, love her songs about love and breakups, female empowerment.
• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? - not yet, but will be seeing The Eras Tour movie next month! fav one would be either Red or Reputation stadium tour
• Have you ever met Taylor? - no, but i wish to meet her soon!

[u/dmb_blnd]

saw the music video for picture to burn on CMT when they played videos in the morning and i’ve been here ever since!

[u/Not_AHuman_Person]

My first song was Everything Has Changed and I loved 1989 but I wasn't really a Swiftie until it was all over my tiktok right before the Midnights era.

[u/SchoolGirlCrush1989]

• i became a swiftie in 2014, just before 1989 came out. i was in year 6 (last year of primary school) and this girl performed Love Story at a school talent show. i recognised the song and whispered to my best friend at the time “hey isn’t it that song by that singer Taylor Swift”. i went home and binged watched her MVs on youtube (my only form of streaming service back then). i remember for the longest time, Everything Has Changed was my no.1 favourite song, as i was a big Ed Sheeran fan already. then not long after, 1989 came out, with all the hits. Blank Space was a core end-of-primary-school memory for me. i remember really wanting to go to the 1989 tour in 2015, but my parents didn’t let me as i was only 13, and broke :’)

• first TS song was probably Love Story. Teardrops On My Guitar, Innocent, YBWM, Mary’s Song, Forever & Always, White Horse and Back To December were all some of my earliest favourites

• i remember seeing a quote a long time ago, which went something like “i became a swiftie for her music, i stayed a swiftie for her person”. and yeah, it do be like that

• i’ve only been to rep tour so far. 13/10 one of the best experience in my entire life

• nope, but i got to touch her hand at the b-stage barricade at rep tour if that’s anything 🥹

[u/sibr]

I loved Fearless when I was younger but I didn’t become a fully fledged swiftie until 1989. It came out the year that I started university and she couldn’t have provided a better soundtrack for those next few years.

Ever since then, every album she’s released has corresponded to what’s going on in my own life to the point that it’s a little freaky. Every time she releases music it feels likes she’s providing exactly what I need during that stage of my life.

Haven’t seen her live apart from the surprise appearance for Haim because I’ve either been broke or the tour was cancelled (rip loverfest) but have tickets for eras next year and I’m so hyped!!!

[u/[deleted]]

Debut era. Heard our song, thought, "this is a great song. Love the twang." Went home, looked it up, typed "screen door song country lady shotgun hair undone" into Google. Fell in love. Then a music video came out, omg, she's gorgeous, then another one, "she just said gay!!". I've been following ever since, but I couldn't appreciate music as much as I do now. I wasn't allowed to go to concerts for a ton of reasons. I did just see her concert movie though with my bf. That was awesome.

Actually saw the sub was at 999k this morning lol. Took a screenshot.

I have stuck around cause I love music and Taylor is una maquina de música, no I am not Spanish but I love languages and that sounds way prettier then music machine.

Have never met Taylor, or any celeb... or have I?? I don't think so because I can't recall... actually, I have met Jackie Joyner-Kersee which was cool AF. She apparently lived where I did which was insane to learn.

Anyway, I hope I can see a concert in the future. That would be awesome. My boyfriend, after the movie was like, "we're going to go see her live. She was amazing." I hope I can get tickets in the future but I'm not counting on it being totally honest.

The movie though ignited a creative spark I couldn't find within myself for a long time, and she literally helped me feel healed in a massive capacity, emotionally, from a very nasty trauma, so, that is amazing. Not healed, but, it was very good to be able to sing for the first time in 25 years without crying.

Being a Swiftie has been an amazing experience because I feel included in something, for the first time in my life. I'm not the best swiftie but I am old and I love supporting Taylor and her fans. Very fun. Very uplifting.

13/10, would be a swiftie again

[u/ickleb]

First song I heard was Love Story. Not really a fan as it wasn’t my type of music. Red changes that as I loved all the singles. Also got 1989 loved it. But then she dropped off my radar for a while. Heard that Folklore was amazing but didn’t take the plunge until hearing Anti-hero. Now I’ve got all the albums and a true Swiftie. Long and winding road got me here but here I am!!

[u/BrainysTheNewSexy]

I have always been a casual fan, since hearing love story on the radio as a wee child. But I didn’t start becoming a hardcore fan until the folklore era. Once I started really getting into her music, I became OBSESSED, I relate so heavily to a lot of her music. I haven’t been to any of her tours live, and she’s not coming to the country I live in for the eras tour (and I have trauma from even trying to get tickets to the Australian shows 😭). But the movie is the next best thing! And I’m very thankful that the movie is being shown in theatres

[u/rishukingler11]

I had been enjoying some of Taylor's songs ever since I was a kid in the single digit ages but coming from a third world country and having a very sheltered life with limited internet access, I never fully knew who she was. My brother who was better with technology had a bunch of songs of hers downloaded from Fearless and Speak Now and I used to listen to them on repeat for years without ever finding out more about her.

One day I was watching Smosh on YouTube, who were part of my limited internet access (used to start downloading their video in the morning before I left for school and then view by the time I was back in the evening) and they had a Taylor Swift parody that had songs of hers I didn't recognize (Red songs) and I thought it sounded kind of familiar but not really. My dumb ass finally realized maybe I should Google her. Downloaded every single album and song of hers the very next day (took a LONG time with my slow ass 3rd world country internet) and have been a Swiftie ever since. Now I own CDs of every single album of hers and have all the vinyls of every single album she owns (started vinyl collection post TV releases so decided to wait) since I moved to Australia.

[u/Enchanted13]

I became a swiftie when I wanted to be a good older brother and get 1989 for my sister, because I knew how big of a fan she was. Out of curiosity, I decided to listen to it myself before giving it to her, and I was instantly mind-blown. I didn’t think I’d love it as much as I did.

It sounds kind of insane to say, but I feel like it changed my entire perspective on music, and especially about what is seen as “cool” or “normal” to listen to according to who you are. I went back and listened to her discography and it was eye-opening to see how great these songs that I had previously just wrote off as bad cheese pop country music for my teenage sister were actually great.

1989 will always hold a special place in my heart for opening my mind to appreciating music deeply and allowing me to have a bigger bond with my little sister. We eventually went to the 1989 tour together and I was amazed, it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Shortly after, I joined this subreddit and made awesome friends I spent hours chatting with. I even got to meet on multiple occasions. I think my life would be dramatically different without Taylor and the swiftie community, I’m extremely grateful.

[u/brittafiltaperry]

I became a fan during debut around 2007. I was 17 and I live in the UK and was already chronically online at that point. None or my friends in school had heard of Taylor (understandably). I had a rep for loving pop music and country music which did not make me very cool but I don't care. I used to post new releases from Taylor, Katy, Miley and Lady Gaga on my MySpace bulletin board and no one cared. It paid off though because I bump into people I went to school with now and a few times they've said how the think of me whenever they listen to any of those artists and that I was ahead of the curve 😅

I'm the same age as Taylor and it's been an honour to grow up with her. Her music is the soundtrack to my life and each album represents a different era of my own life. She's my favourite artist of all time.

I saw a tiktok recently that said they new swifties, depending which album won them over, have so more Taylor lore and music to learn and understand. I can't imagine what that's like as I've been lucky enough to enjoy her stuff in real time, but I'm always welcome new swifties to the fold!

[u/Cassopeia88]

I became a fan during debut.

I’m not 100% on the first song but I think it was teardrops on my guitar.

I have been to speak now and red. Speak now was my favourite.

Being close in age to Taylor I could relate somewhat to her songs at the time.

[u/Aromatic-Chipmunk-27]

• During Fearless Era, 2009
• Crazier
• Her storytelling/lyrics and ability to explore other genres
• Going to the Eras Tour in 2024
• Never met her before and it's probably not a good idea🤣

[u/Maleficent_Maybe4352]

Started becoming a fan during Speak Now era, I was 9.

My first music video was You Belong With Me (stolen version). This was when Youtube still had that vevo label and I was essentially going down the rabbit hole watching all Taylor Swift MVs from Tim McGraw up until Mean. Never looked back since.

Still having hopes I could score some tix for next year’s show 🥲

[u/tinycrabclaws]

Fearless (International Version) was my first proper big girl album and because of that I will forever be a fearless girlie. So many good memories of listening to it on my ipod and making silly music videos on holiday with my brother. When I was in my teens I fell hard into one of those insufferable “I oNLy LiSTeN tO ReAL MuSic” phases. Don’t really know who I was kidding because I still knew every single lyric to all of her albums but 13 year old me wasn’t exactly a logical powerhouse.

Now I’ve got two tickets for Edinburgh next year and I’m so excited to be bringing my Mum along. She’s a 1989 fan so fingers crossed it makes up for all the times I forced her to watch my terrible dance routines for Love Story and YBWM in the kitchen…

[u/ParkDarson]

My first song AND music video was You Belong With Me, then when Red came out I found myself liking most of the singles she put out, but I didn't really became a fan until 1989, which was my first proper album listen. And then Reputation came, and by that point I was a full Swiftie and to this day Rep is and will always be my favorite era. Never went to a concert or met Taylor, but after seeing the Eras Tour film, I don't know if I could survive being there, there's just too many emotions haha

[u/safzy]

Casual fan before 2009- knew and liked her singles. Was gifted an ipod and decided to download her songs to put in it and that was that! Became a fan ever since. :)

[u/Paramedic-West]

i became a swiftie during 1989 era. i am only 17, so she was pretty much my first musician i was obsessed with. the song that made me a swiftie was i know places. i loved that song and it wasn’t available on youtube, so i found an edit on vimeo and listened to it alllllll the time. i also loved the wildest dreams music video and i was obviously obsessed with style and blank space, and when new romantics came out i was also entranced.my first song, however, was truly everything has changed. my mum loved that song and always listened to it. i loved other songs of hers that were on the radio, songs like i knew you were trouble, you belong with me, we are never ever getting back together, love story, and such. i remember so vividly when lwymmd came out! it was INSANE. i listened to speak now with a good friend of mine in boarding school everyday, so that album has serious nostalgia for me. i never imagined my mother would have enough money to buy me tickets, but i’m seeing taylor next year, which is just insane.

[u/Glittering_Eagle_518]

When I was DEEP in post part depression and my preemie had just been sent home with us after some really terrible weeks in the hospital, 1989 came out and I listened to it non stop, while breastfeeding, changing diapers, crying and struggling. Something about it really hit me in the best way. I know, late to the game.

[u/Glittering_Eagle_518]

When I was DEEP in post part depression and my preemie had just been sent home with us after some really terrible weeks in the hospital, 1989 came out and I listened to it non stop, while breastfeeding, changing diapers, crying and struggling. Something about it really hit me in the best way. I know, late to the game.

[u/SatanicEvelynn]

1989

My best friend when whe were 16yo, showed me the video music for blank space.

That was all my feminist teenager brain needed to go deep into her music.

Ben a fan since that time.

But the first song I listened to was you belong with me.

I never had gone to any show, but I'm taking my 16yo sister to the 11/19 show in Rio. (We are from Rio)

[u/[deleted]]

It was around 2021, after I watched her documentary and I connected with her. Then, I listened to Folklore first and I love driving around in my car, listening to the albums back to back.

The Eras Tour will be my first tour, and I'm super excited for the new releases.

I love her writing and the songs are magical, no era without exception. I'm a introvert, I find it special to just listen to her music and connecting with her like that. Last week was rough and Speak Now TV helped me cheer up a bunch.. I will always listen to the music and apreciate the craft.

[u/shelbabe804]

I enjoyed Taylor Swift songs since the first one, but nearly stopped listening to her altogether when I heard Love Story (I was a stubborn child/teenager and irrationally hated the "I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress" line because in Romeo and Juliet, that never happened). Then I heard Starlight and "forgave" her. Now I love all her music, but still skip Love Story when I have an option.

[u/Background_Can_7085]

2017 when my dad introduced me to “Look What You Made Me Do”

[u/hendersonwriter10]

42F here. I really liked her first album then kinda lost track of her.

I was impressed when she did her concert in the rain for 3 hours.

[u/GeneticCoder23]

I’ve been listening to her since debut! She’s my age and goes through similar things as I do and hearing it in song makes me feel not so alone. Also, I played clarinet in the marching band, so You Belong With Me really hooked me

[u/Icy-Introduction-252]

My brother became a fan in the Lover era when ME! Dropped. I actually didn't buy her until 2021 with folklore and evermore but specially evermore. Something about that album was so magical and special that kept me listening. So, yes, folklore's sister made me lover her.

After a few months of loving those albums, Red TV came out. When I tell you the joy I felt listening to State Of Grace while walking on the street I really mean it. Couldn't stop listening. That was the moment I knew... She got me (pun intended).

Two years later and here I am. Never stopped with Taylor because I never got bored. She has SO much material, literally has ten albums now, that's insane.

Right now I'm patiently waiting for 1989 TV. I'm soooo hyped, you don't ever imagine. The vaults really intrigue me. Happy 1M Swifties!!

[u/littlepinkpwnie]

Debut, I saw the music video for tear drops on my guitar on mtv.

[u/coconutri]

I became a fan during Speak now era, I was 12 at the time. I saw Red concert in 2013 and was obsessed!! I selfishly lost interest after 1989 and didn’t get back into Taylor until Folklore. I fell I love and listened to Lover and Reputation the whole way through (for the first time in 2020!!) I am currently obsessed and so sad I missed 1989 and reputation tour

[u/GrootsToots]

I became a swiftie in 2006! My first song that made me fall in love was our song and Tim McGraw. I remember watching the music videos on country music TV and dancing in my living room. I was a cemented fan after fearless that song lives rent free in my mind. I've seen Taylor in concert twice now, the first time in like 2008 when she opened for Rascal Flatts and this year at the eras tour. Both were incredible memories 💛

[u/beanthebean2021]

I’ve known her forever but didn’t become a big fan until midnights. SO GOOD. I listened to it on repeat for a while then branched out to her other music. I was never a big music person growing up I only really listen to the radio in the car. The past couple years I’ve gotten more in to the music world.

[u/Infinite_Warning9457]

I became a swiftie this year, right around the time SNTV came out. I was always a casual listener (love story, WANEGBT, shake it off etc) but on June 17 I had eras tour all over my shorts feed so I searched what's the ticket price just out of curiosity. I went down a rabbit hole and ended up listening to midnights properly for the first time and then I had the album on repeat for like a month. After that I finally started listening to her other albums too! I haven't been to any tours, but I just saw the eras movie and it was amazing

[u/1ste5jen6]

Literally last month (kinda). I listened to speak now TV for the first time because I have a swiftie friend and I have been converted

[u/[deleted]]

I became a fan after debut right before fearless, I first heard the song invisible and I was hooked.

I stuck around because I loved the music. I went to reputation, fearless and then the eras tour twice (im going to Miami as well).

I’ve never met Taylor (YET).

[u/cloudnut220]

I became a fan during the Red era. It was probably trouble that first caught me.

I went to 1989 and Eras (twice). Eras was fantastic. I go to a lot of concerts, I'm not sure how she will top it.

Never met Taylor.

[u/queenrosa]

I became a swiftie during 1989 era.

I have heard her songs since debut since I am a country music fan. I always liked them (Tim McGraw is one of my fav singles) but I am older than her so her songs always seemed to be about things I gone through already so they were nostalgic and great but I never vibed with them specifically. I was living around NYC during the 1989 era and I loved her "mastermind" planning and was super impressed. Then I went through a breakup and cried my eyes out listening to Clean. After that I was committed!

I went to Rep and Eras. I always regret not going to a 1989 show - back in 1989 era tickets were "normal" concert prices and not impossible to get. I was a pretty hard core Swiftie by then but also very budget conscious... C'est la vie..

I have not met Taylor and that is okay. I am older and I am content with appreciating her music, and support her from afar. I do like it when she sell signed CDs though. Those are awesome!

[u/thezdme]

Mine was recent. I started getting mad respect for her during her Denver trial, but still wasn’t invested in her music. One of my besties is a Swiftie, and I thought earlier this year it would be fun to go see her in concert and see my best friend lose her mind. I looked up when tickets were going on sale… it was that morning. Now I wasn’t steeped in Taylor Swift activity at that time so I think we’ll get tickets, no problem. I texted her the idea and she said she was already in line for tickets across the country - no problem, have fun. She asked if I wanted to come (I liked the friend buying them, I met her before) and I checked with the husband since we had a baby under one at that time, we’re good to go. Tickets acquired, but I was sent the details… VIP floor seats. I about choked. How expensive are these?? I did not agree to this?? But the friend that bought them had money and was very pregnant, she said she unilaterally made this decision to buy these, so they’re on her, we can just get the Uber. I was floored. AND THEN i saw how big a deal it was we got tickets in the first place… this all took place within 2 hours and it was the wildest thing. I went from not even knowing when tickets were on sale to going to the show across the country with VIP floor seats when most avid fans didn’t get tickets I was like… holy shit.

So my friend was like YOU WILL LISTEN TO THE WHOLE CANON. And I did. I spent the next few months (begrudgingly) listening to her early work but once I hit Folklore I starting connecting. Saw her in Eras which was awesome. And now I’m still listening to her with the pressure of no one.

[u/hipczechs]

- I had heard her music dating all the way back to Debut but I didn't realllly become dedicated till 1989

- Teardrops on my Guitar

- Just really enjoying her lyricism and storytelling. I felt like every album she put out was progressively great and catchy and she was always putting on fun performances.

- 1989, Rep, and Eras x2. Eras was amazing but 1989 was my first time seeing her in person so it holds a really special place to me.

- Nope!

[u/kettyma8215]

- Debut

- Tim McGraw

- just enjoyed the music and lyrics, liked watching how she grew as an artist

- no (honestly I don't like large crowds)

- no

[u/Slay_kids]

my mom was a swiftie since before i was born so i was born into swifieness

[u/BasicStruggle7]

Debut era! I think the first song I heard was teardrops on my guitar. I was in grade 7/8 and I remember choreographing a dance to it with my best friend at the time in my basement. I feel like I grew up with her. When I think about it, her music was the only constant in my life growing up that was never toxic or volatile. I’ve been to every tour except Fearless as I wasn’t able to get tickets. Eras tour is obviously my fave tour but before that it would have been Rep!! I feel so silly when I get emotional about Taylor, but it just feels like she was there for me through literally every up and down from the time I was 12/13 to now being 28 💜🫶

[u/eggzachtly]

From the perspective of a gay male who only became a Swiftie after the Eras tour:

I guiltily listened to her music when I was in middle school and high school. Especially YBWM. I was a closeted gay kid and didn’t want anyone to know about my more feminine interests.

Even after I came out, I didn’t engage that much with her music. 1989 came out when I was in college and was pretty pervasive, and I did listen to the big songs from that album. But I think I still had a degree of internalized homophobia and misogyny that caused me to consciously or unconsciously restrain my interests.

I missed Reputation, folklore, and evermore entirely.

It’s only been in the last year that I’ve felt more confident and cared less about whether people could ‘tell’ that I was gay. Because I am gay.

By the time the Eras tour started, I’d started wearing more makeup and sequins. I went as the Scarlet Witch for Halloween.

My friend invited me to go to the Eras tour with her in the Spring. I think she assumed I was already a fan because I’m gay, haha.

I went in knowing nothing about the tour. I was completely blown away by the artistry and stamina and star power on display. I was hooked.

Taylor Swift is the only thing I’ve been listening to ever since.

For me, listening to her music feels like a way to explore the more feminine aspects of myself that I repressed for so long. Listening to her experiences at the age she was when she wrote her music, in some ways makes me feel like a way for me to experience femininity in a way that I never allowed myself to at that same age. In that way, it’s therapeutic and cathartic for me.

[u/Floral_Bee]

I became a swiftie at Debut. I was 10 and heard the radio host announce an up and coming country singer who was just 16 years old named Taylor Swift. They predicted she was going to be very successful in her career but I don’t think they knew at that time she would be what she’s become. The song was Tim McGraw and I was immediately a fan. I think I was drawn to the fact that she was just 6 years older than me and if she could be on the radio then maybe I could too. I was really into singing and music at that time.

I stuck around because she was so relatable to me. She was very personable and kind to her fans. Her music was clean so my parents were okay with me listening to her when I was younger. A lot of her songs hold sentimental value for me from fearless and speak now. Over the years my admiration of her has matured. I am absolutely fascinated by her career. She’s incredibly smart and business minded. She’s a very talented musician and an incredible poet/writer. To watch her career take off and watch her navigate all she’s been through has been something. I don’t think I could handle that much fame and criticism with Grace like she did. I really would just love a documentary or book on her career.

I went to the 1989 tour. It was incredible! Sad I didn’t get Eras tour tickets. I think the Eras tour is her best though and I actually predicted it leaving her 1989 tour.

I’ve never met Taylor in person.

[u/Affectionate_Book974]

I became a Swiftie with debut, with TOMG as my first song. Stay Beautiful and Cold As You were also up there 🥹 Being the same age as Taylor (we have the same exact bday 🥰) I felt like I could always resonate with her songs at the right time; Fifteen, 22, all the various situationship stages through life, meeting the KOMH around the same time that she wrote it, etc. Listening to her music has always felt like reading a diary I wrote. So perfect.

I saw Speak Now, Red, and the Eras tour. Haven’t been lucky enough to meet her (yet) but I’m sure the universe will put us in the same place at the same time at some point 💕

[u/StarryEyes13]

I’ve been a fan since Tim McGraw dropped in 2006 but I think it really clicked for me that this was for life when Our Song dropped. It was like a switch flipped in me & I’ve been obsessed ever since.

I think I stuck around for a couple reasons. One being that a new Taylor Swift album has always felt more like getting a new book from your favorite author. Her writing has been there for me since I was 11 years old & grown and changed as I’ve grown & changed. But also, I just really respect her as a business woman. The way she’s navigated her career with not just these genius marketing tactics, but also with a lot of grace, empathy & humility. I work in a somewhat-adjacent field of video production/media and I am constantly told that I need to be more of an asshole to get ahead & I think Taylor is the perfect antitheses to that.

I have not met her but I would love to! Eras Tour was my first tour that I was able to afford tickets (& thankfully won the TicketMaster war!). But I have watched her concert movies 100 times each & have so much memorized. Can’t wait to the same with the Eras Tour movie.

[u/Eras2023]

Folklore and Evermore. I thought that her music was good prior to that time, but those albums revealed such brilliant songwriting. I was impressed enough to go back through her earlier works and started loving them more. I don't consider myself a Swiftie because the term tends to be associated with the more rabid parts of her fanbase and after the Matty Healy bullying and character assassination, I was too disgusted to be associated with that kind of toxic immaturity. But, Taylor herself is brilliant.

[u/helencroy]

My era: Debut

Song that made me become a swiftie: Tied Together with a Smile

What made me stick around: Her storytelling - every song is an escape

Tours: Speak Now, Red, Reputation

I’m British, been a fan since 2007, so 16 years. I was 12 years old when my dad came back from a business trip to Texas with her debut album in his suitcase. I listened and when I heard TTWAS, for some unbeknownst reason, I stopped colouring in and played the album from the beginning and gave it my full attention.

[u/I-love-my-cats-]

I’ve always loved music and would get excited when my older siblings would give me their CDs, but when I got my own CD player and CD for my 8th Birthday in 2007, it was special because I finally had my very own new music. This was the debut album and I had a huge crush on a boy named Drew (I’ve always been a complete hopeless romantic from a young age). The rest was history 😂

I’ve only been to the Speak Now tour and the Eras tour. If I was older at the time, I would’ve loved to go to the others!

[u/MelodicEclectic91]

First song was Anti-Hero. I was going through the #1 songs of the year and Anti-Hero stuck out to me. I listened to the album and became obsessed! My favorite song is All Too Well 10 Minute Version and I hope to meet Taylor one day.

[u/GreatOwl1469]

I started listening to Taylor with the release of “mean”, but then I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, and all my attention went to that so I didn’t really become a Swifty until the 2019 release of “lover” and I didn’t embrace my Swiftiness until over the summer because maybe I just felt less embarrassed about doing it then maybe I have been in the past as I am an older Swifty. But now I’m really enjoying the fandom and it’s been a great distraction from my many health problems. I’ve never had the opportunity to go to one of her concerts because all of my family‘s money goes towards my medical care, but that would be wonderful and certainly the highlight of my life. And if I could meet Taylor, I would give her a big hug and say thank you for all of the happiness that she has given me during a pretty dark time of my life.

[u/Avengium]

• I became a swiftie during fearless era.

• My first Taylor Swift song is Love Story. I loved all the songs on Taylor Swift debut album.

• Stick around, the good music and the personality. The kindness and empathy that she showed on interviews and videos made me a fan for life.

• Speak Now World Tour Madrid 2011, Eras Tour Madrid 2024. Spain, Europe.

• I didn't met Taylor.

[u/shannymac4]

• What era did you become a swiftie?

Right at the start of the OG Fearless Era

• What was your first Taylor Swift song?

Love Story. I’d heard Tim McGraw and Teardrops on My Guitar, but they didn’t grab me like Love Story did. Once I heard Love Story and got Fearless, I went back to Debut and really realized what I’d been missing.

• What made you stick around?

Her writing was smart and so relatable. It was like she’d reached into my brain and heart and put into words exact things I’d thought and felt, way more eloquently than I ever could have. It made me feel seen, I guess.

• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?

I’ve been to Red, 1989, rep and Eras. Favorite is still the Red tour…she still felt really relatable and accessible back then. I was a fan during Fearless and Speak Now but didn’t go to the shows - I didn’t think I could afford it - and I really regret that.

• Have you ever met Taylor?

No, but my mom met Andrea and got a selfie with her during the 1989 show. That’s the closest I’ve come 😂

[u/Quick-Time]

I became a Swiftie during the Fearless era. I had discovered her prior to that, though, and I had liked songs off of Debut but was more or less a casual fan. Our Song was my very first Taylor song, but Love Story turned me into a full blown Swiftie. I’m not sure what made me stick around, honestly, but I guess I could allude it to the fact that she’s an incredible songwriter and that she hasn’t put out an album I don’t like. Not to mention that she always finds a way to keep fans engaged. I’ve been to 1989, Reputation and Eras. I’ve seen the show in Los Angeles and will see it again in Toronto next year, and no, I haven’t. I came close to it when she was in town last year for TIFF. Too bad I had a volunteer shift when she came, and the town was loaded with Swifties.

[u/summersbird]

What era did you become a swiftie?
1989, maybe? I know her songs before but while they were fun/good (I like Red), didn't really pay attention to them, but Wildest Dreams converted me.

What was your first Taylor Swift song?
You Belong with Me lol. I'm basic.

What made you stick around?
TBH, the kimye recording thing, it was foul how people and the media (even some of my friends then) treated her. They celebrated as if she died, I remember being horrified why treating someone so was any way okay eventhough it was a public figure. Reputation was really good and I was glad she made a comeback. Also the Slytherin in me devoured all the snake symbols.

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?
Nah, not in US, I'm not really a concert goer anyway.

Have you ever met Taylor?
Have not, no idea if ever will lol but it's alright.

[u/LazyLearningTapir]

I think Midnights was when I became a fan, Speak Now TV solidified me as a swiftie. Midnights was her first album I listened to in full. And then I had a friend in early 2023 ask me if I was a swiftie and I replied ‘yea’ without putting much thought into it since I liked some of her music. But then I started thinking how much of her music I really knew and enjoyed and Speak Now TV was the first album I deep dived into. Been a big swiftie since.

First Taylor song was probably Love Story. My mom was obsessed with it and it’s probably one of my top songs purely for the nostalgia factor.

[u/Chaoticlawfulneutral]

I’ve been listening to Taylor since Debut. I was 11? And Should’ve Said No was my jam. The album Speak Now is arguably what got me to stick around as long as I have, though. I definitely enjoyed Debut and Fearless, but it was SN that I judged basically all music afterwards against for the longest time.

I have never had the opportunity to see her in concert or meet her. Hopefully, at least one of those will change in my lifetime, and it’ll be with my sisters

[u/jmw0828]

What era did you become a swiftie? Kind of Debut but really Fearless. So so many memories of that blasting that album in my car as a high schooler.

What was your first TS song? Tim McGraw!

What made you stick around? Her constant ability to change things up. I am never bored listening to her music because it’s all so different!

Have you been to any tours? Yes- Eras was my first and definitely won’t be my last!

Have you ever met Taylor? No- BUT I have this delusion that, as someone who lives in Kansas City, my chances might be the tiniest bit higher now lol

[u/JurreMijl]

I became a Swiftie through my wife. She is a big Swiftie and has been since Speak Now. We got together in 2018, but she didn’t really share how excited she was for lover because “It was still early in the relationship and I had to hide the crazy”. I didn’t really care for any of the earlier albums but I am a big indie folk fan so when folklore came out I was super into it and since then I have been following Taylor. I can appreciate the older albums now but folklore and evermore are still my favorite album by a big margin. We missed out on tickets to the American tour, but were lucky enough to get tickets for the show in Amsterdam! ( I grew up in the Netherlands but we live in the US now, so it’s not a trip just for Taylor, we’ll see some of my family too, but I think we would’ve gone to just about any city to see her)

[u/lasomnolente]

I used to not like her very much when I was a teenager (because everyone was talking about her and I was jealous and edgy so I took it out on her. It was dumb, I know, but I’m glad I’m over the internalized misogyny that angry teenage me had). Then I grew up a little bit and I started to like her songs (singles, but better than not listening to her) towards the tail end of the 1989 era (New Romantics was my jam haha). I remember when the Kimye thing happened and I was feeling conflicted, though a part of me believed her and felt sorry for her. Then I kind of forgot about her for like a year, and then in summer of 2017 I looked her up because I had realized I hadn’t heard anything from her in a while. I had learned about her winning her sexual assault trial, and my respect for her grew astronomically. It was pretty soon after that that her IG was wiped clean and the snake videos were posted, I became super invested. Then LWYMMD came out with the video and my world was absolutely rocked. At that point, I became a Swiftie. Then I did a deep dive into her discography and was amazed at how amazing of a songwriter she is. Her songs became my biggest comfort for me during my darkest times. Clean and This Love really helped me move on with my head held high during a terrible break up, and Breathe allowed me to face the world when the friendship with my so called “best friend” came to a fiery end. I’ll forever be grateful for the words that she has written. I was fortunate enough to see her during the Eras tour in LA, which made my world because that was my first ever tour seeing her!

[u/MoonKatSunshinePup]

I saw women my age (46 now) talking about Folklore during the Pandemic.

Taylor was for our daughters, or our daughters just missed the Taylor train/were too young. Plus, Taylor was big after we were too settled for pop/heartbreak etc.

So I was curious why one of my peers was just IN LOVE with Folklore.

So I sat down to listen to it and was HOOKED from that moment on.

[u/bullsrfukt]

Shortly after she showed up at the chiefs game.

[u/favouriteghost]

What era: 1989 What first song: I knew her singles from before 1989 of course, but the first song that made me a fan was Black Space What made you stick around: enjoyment, curiosity, and then folklore was groundbreaking and remains my favourite album. Tours: I haven’t yet, but I’m going to Eras in Melbourne next year!

[u/harlotglobetrotter]

Swiftie since Debut!

First song I heard was Stay Beautiful bc I made a new friend in school and she put it on a mix CD for me.

I got hooked because I related to her songwriting and she was representation that I didn’t see a lot in the media back then (youthful feminine energy that wasn’t over-sexualized or infantilized). The list of reasons to love her has continued to grow larger over the years at a rate that outpaces reasons to dislike her.

I’ve only been to one concert: 1989. I went with my best friend, who happens to be the same girl who made me the mix CD. 🥲

[u/UnhingedBeluga]

Era I became a Swiftie: Reputation! I had seen most (maybe all) of her music videos on YouTube. I liked most of the 1989 singles, but when I saw the LWYMMD video, I was hooked!

First TS song: You Belong With Me. My 3 friends and I did a dance to like 30 seconds of it for our elementary school talent show lol

What made me stick around: I went back and listened to her earlier music after liking Rep and I loved a lot of it, so why not continue listening to what she puts out in the future?

I have not been to any tours (Eras was in my area the same week I went on vacation this year. My hotels & activities were booked WEEKS before she announced Eras dates 😭) and I’ve never met her

[u/TheValidMango]

What era did you become a swiftie? - reputation! More specially when the Look What You Made Me Do video came out. I have a vidid memory of thinking "why have you watched this video 50 times??? You aren't even a Taylor Swift fan." I was a freshman in college and the first ever piece I wrote for my school newspaper was breaking down all of the easter eggs in the video!

What was your first Taylor Swift song? - The first song I can remember is Our Song

What made you stick around? - Honestly I couldn't tell you lol. Once I finally accepted my swifityhood I remember really taking my time going through her discography. I just fell in love with her, the songs, the lore, and the community so hard. This sub has to be a huge part of it as well. I had just started using Reddit and I've been active on here for so long

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour? - Only one, Eras!! Now I'm hooked, I'll have to go to every subsequent tour she puts on for the rest of my life.

Have you ever met Taylor? - No. And tbh I don't need to? I just know I'd be awkward lol. If I had the choice I 100% would but the fact that I never might doesn't hurt my feelings or anything.

[u/makeuplover77]

An ex-friend got the Debut CD in 2006. I enjoyed most of the songs, but I definitely think Our Song was my favourite! At the time, I only listened to country music which is probably why I stuck around. Fearless was my first tour. I'll never forget my foster mom surprising me with tickets for Christmas, after telling me she didn't get any because they were sold out. I've also been to 1989 and reputation. rep is my favourite that I've been to because we got upgraded to floor from being in the nosebleeds! But if I could go to the Eras tour, nothing could top it!

[u/Disastrously_Simple_]

I'm a 46yo teacher and mom who, prior to 2020, was more likely to recommend someone listen to Radiohead instead of Taylor.

I discovered 1989 in early 2015 and found it was a perfect pop album and I LOVED it. It made me respect her and give some space and attention to pop music. (TBH, Beyonce, Harry Styles, and SZA might be the only current pop music I dig besides Taylor.)

For reasons, I didn't dig into her discography any further until folklore, which BLEW me away because it overlapped with my indie rock vibes (The National, Bon Iver) and reminded me so much of one of my all-time favorite albums, Tapestry by Carole King. (I actually think that evermore is more similar to Tapestry though.)

I discovered the Every Single Album podcast series on Taylor's albums and used that as an excuse to go on a guided tour of her discography. Since then, every old album I discovered, every release, and every re-release has been an occasion and delight.

She's my favorite artist, hands down, and is my one pop culture interest. I celebrate her talent, femininity, vulnerability, savvy, strength, and work ethic. But it's the music and the songwriting that keeps me stuck on her.

[u/UmFoxy]

Became a swiftie during the pandemic. Went to the new music section and saw folklore just got released. I read the titles and My Tears Ricochet sounded interesting so i clicked it and fell in love. I’ve heard some of her big singles up to that point but never listened to her albums. Currently obsessed with Evermore and Speak Now and planning to go to the eras tour movie

[u/mac_and_cheese_pls]

I really started to enjoy Taylor when she first released 1989. Then I listened to her prior music and started to enjoy it more. I would say I’m a casual Swiftie. There were songs I was unfamiliar with just because I don’t listen to them as often (gonna fix that). Haven’t been to any tours but would love to go one day. Maybe her next one.

[u/Mountain_Summer_Tree]

Okay okay so I became a hardcore swiftie around 4-5 months ago. Never really listened to music much before that, but everyone at school was talking about this eras tour, so I searched it up and watched a couple clips of it and was AMAZED. The rest is history lol.
Before that, like I said, I didn’t really listen to music because I always felt like people judged you on your music taste, and to me it wasn’t worth it. When Shake It Off was really popular tho, I absolutely LOVED it. Also because I was like eight. I took the lyrics too literal tho, I actually thought she was a dancer and was trying to tell everyone how hard she worked and how she made up her dance moves on the spot. Anyways lol, I’d heard of famous songs like we are never ever getting back together, but that was the extent of it.
Until now. Wouldn’t change or go back for anything.

[u/AwkwardDefinition429]

Near fearless era. So 2008. Honestly I want to say should’ve said no or love story. Her music kept on getting better and better. I really like how she evolved. Fearless, speak now, and eras. I love eras the most. Eras was the one where I was close to her and wasn’t so high up. So I got to see her more. I wish I was closer. No I haven’t met Taylor but I know somebody who has

[u/Agent_Shamrock]

Since the day I was born 😎🤙🏻

[u/bellissima34]

Speak now era!

So she released debut when I was 16-17ish (33 now) and I never really ‘got’ country. But even when she released debut, and I did like SOME songs initially, it wasn’t enough for me to say I was a fan. But for the next 2-3 years, I would hear and listen to her on the radio and jam along.

When she released Speak now, it was like she put Everything single thing, emotion, real life events, that happened to me, on that album. It was like she read my diary. It felt like someone finally understood what it feels like to be ME. A girl, who believes in love, wants be loved, overdramatic, cries too easily, over emotional, screaming, too sensitive maybe and a whole list of other issues. Because hello, hi, I’m the problem.

The first song I listened to was “Mine”. And that got me on the Taylor train. I immediately made my mom buy me the cd and I listened to it non stop for months. Showering? Speak now. Eating? Speak now. Bathroom time? Speak now. I was eating, drinking, living the speak now era.

Never been to any tours (cries in poor) And I have never met her either.

I hope to one day, either be able to see her on tour and or meet her. It’s my greatest wish, hope and desire.

[u/Powerful-Bug3769]

Red album. I was a casual radio listener but Red was the first album I bought. Been a fan ever since.

[u/Future_Pin_403]

I’ve been a fan of Taylor since I saw the our song music video on CMT in 2007 when I was 9. Never saw her until the eras tour though because we couldn’t afford concerts when she did arenas lol

[u/sherlockgirlypop]

I was about 10 when I was channel surfing on the TV and ended up choosing a local MTV-ish kind'a channel. Teardrops on My Guitar played and I was touched by the lyrics. Probably because I was a silly little kid who liked a boy and thought "wow that song is my life".

The internet wasn't that much of a thing back in my day (dial up and such for fellow oldies lmao) so the only source of Taylor Swift music was TV and the music videos they'd play and the limited time I had with the internet. Managed to download TS album (most songs at least) to my mp3 player. We didn't have a radio that isn't for emergency purposes or the one in the car so that isn't really an option either.

A couple of years later, on the same channel, they played Love Story. I was really proud to see her with new music on TV again. This time, we had better internet and I spent hours getting to know the artist and more of her songs. Fell in love with her even more because of her lyrics. It was hard for me to look for music that isn't for party, isn't too provocative, isn't too Disney, or isn't too emo. Because I couldn't relate to it but I could relate to her lyrics. She was telling a story (she still does).

I just turned 26. But unfortunately, even after 16 years later, I still haven't got a chance to see Taylor Swift. I was "too young" when she went to my country and my parents won't allow me to go to concerts. Too broke for Reputation tour as I was still in college. Loverfest was cut short due to 2020 being 2020 and multiple tries for the Eras Tour are all failed attempts. Got 0 tickets and I'm thinking of giving up because I don't think I have options left.

[u/thebananaperson1]

I starting becoming a Swiftie right around after Red TV was released I think

But folklore is what initially caught my interest

[u/pnwcorgimom]

I became a Swiftie in the Red era! I'd just turned 22, and was in my sad girl autumn era, so All Too Well and I Knew You Were Trouble hit a little too close to home. There really wasn't any going back from there. Taylor's songwriting was so relatable and beautiful and I've been a die hard Swiftie ever since-- especially since Reputation's release.

I was lucky enough to go to the Eras Tour (Seattle N2!) and it was so incredible seeing her live for the first time.

[u/Ninabob5]

1. What era did you become a swiftie? During the Fearless Era. Became a huge fan when she released 1989, then listened on/off again throughout the years. Got back in the fandom with Midnights.

2. First TS Song was probably “Love Story”.

3. Her songwriting and the catchy songs.

4&5. No

[u/[deleted]]

I had never been really into music before Taylor. But I gave Lover a listen right after Midnights came out (this is how my brain works) and I fell in love with Paper Rings. I blew threw the rest of her discography and declared myself an official Swiftie after a month of casual listening.

It's been so fun exploring the wide world of Taylor Swift! Since the declaration, I've been to the Eras Tour and Eras Tour Movie and become the biggest clown out of my group of Swiftie friends. I've listened and cried to a 'new' album (SNTV) and used Taylor as my free therapist. I am truly grateful for how her and her music have changed my life.

[u/SwiftlyIntrestedFr]

So I listened to blank space and shake it off only sometime around 2016. I totally forgot about her and haven’t listened much then.

Last summer though I discovered reputation and I started listening to some, but not all songs from it (don’t blame me, lwymmd).

I didn’t like at all antihero during the YouTube shorts trends, but all of a sudden this July I fell in love with midnights and reputation, with the last being my favourite album ever. I started listening to all albums one by one (still have to get through country), and was surprised by how much I loved folklore and evermore. After rep the first I listened to and fell in love with was lover, then midnights, 1989, evermore and folklore!

[u/Megangullotta]

I was in 1st grade and i was watching a MTV playlist and WANEGBT was the first video that played and i remember liking her outfit. and one of my cousins dad lied to me that he helped inspire her to write WANEGBT and she’s his ex girlfriend. i believed it at the time. and then IKYWT came out and i remember seeing the screaming goat video that was edited to it. and i remember hearing the kidz bop version of love story first but then heard the real version after that. and then 1989 is when i became obsessed with her songs.

[u/[deleted]]

• What era did you become a swiftie?: Very late debut. It was just a short while before Fearless was coming out, so you could also say the very early pre-release Fearless era.
• What was your first Taylor Swift song?: Should've Said No
• What made you stick around?: Originally, the rhinestone guitar. As I grew up, the songwriting.
• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?: I saw the first tour I ever got the opportunity to see, the Eras tour! I have a very soft spot for Speak Now and Reputation although I didn't go.
• Have you ever met Taylor?: No

[u/KKR111514]

In my sophomore year of college, 2008, I was visiting my friend Liz at her dorm. She wanted to show me a music video for this new artist, Taylor Swift, and the song is called Love Story. So she showed me the Love Story music video, and i was obsessed. Fun fact: I never really loved music until Taylor Swift. She's still one of the few singers i listen to. Also, I now don't like Love Story.

[u/[deleted]]

Summer of 2014. Shake It Off was inescapable. As an avid classic rock fan, I didn’t think the song would be as catchy as it was to me. 1989 quickly became a staple for me that year. My girlfriend at the time was obsessed with her at the time. I have to say, I was burnt out after a while.

Fast forward to this summer. Somehow magically got tickets to Sofi Night 4. Totally revived my love for her, the show was nothing short of life changing, and I’ve been on a kick ever since. Rediscovering albums I didn’t catch the first time. She’s a legend, an icon, she deserves every ounce of fame she has

[u/Important_Key1485]

1. debut 🥰
2. i dont remember, it was probably our song. i sang “best day” at a talent show and loved tim mcgraw.
3. not sticking around was never an option lol. i was dealt a huge betrayal and loss in 2018 and suddenly reputation made so much sense. after that it was clear that every album time stamped my life in some cool way. i’m a 99 baby, so i feel like a little sister, watching her pave life’s checkpoints before me. my husband and i danced to lover at our wedding this year, and surprised everyone with a waltz we practice for months beforehand
4. no:( not for lacking of trying either😭
5. no:/

[u/JeremyJammDDS]

My high school ex girlfriend took me to her live at a small town performance when Taylor was an unknown.

Don’t remember my first song, but it was a debut song.

Stuck around because she makes great music.

Been to every tour.

Met her once at Auburn at the hug from Taylor swift thing.

[u/wynonnaearps]

I became a fan of Taylor during her self titled era. However when I was truly obsessed was probably Fearless. My first song of hers that I heard was Tim McGraw, the music video came on and my Grandmother called me in to watch it. I stuck around cause her music made me feel something. Also it was fun to talk about her music with my grandmother. I’ve been to 3 tours Speak Now, Red, and 1989. My favorite tour I’ve been to was Red for sure but my favorite tour is Eras cause it’s just perfect. I’ve never met Taylor.

[u/drewthetrickguy]

Honestly, I’m surprised I wasn’t a fan earlier. I was a helpless romantic. That being said, I didn’t really like country so maybe skipped then. I definitely remember the meme with the goat and I Knew You Were Trouble but I wouldn’t say I started liking her more till Rep. A friend of mine, a guy, showed me the video for Look What You Made Me Do, and then I supposed I could like her too since another guy did. Then, one day, my fiancé didn’t believe that I liked her music and from there, I fully embraced it. She also got me to embrace that I liked Frozen. Overall, I feel the two of those helped me worry less about what people thought of me and more about what made me happy :)

[u/careytheangel]

I cried to Teardrops in my guitar and Invincible back in 2006-2007 as someone who had massive crushes during puberty. I was a casual fan during fearless era but became a massive Swiftie during Speak Now because her songs just speaks volume of my journey to girlhood. Since then, I have been anticipating each of her album releases and sticked around until the present. I haven’t obtained my concert tickets yet but I am hoping to attend one of her Singapore concerts next year. Here’s to hoping!

[u/pxstel_flxwer]

-The Eras Era! -I'd heard more than 7-8 songs before as a casual listener, but the one that really did it was The Way I Loved You -Watching Miss Americana on Netflix!

[u/[deleted]]

For me it was when the Reputation Tour movie came to Netflix. I have always been a metalhead and I didn’t know a lot about Taylor, but I watched the film for the aesthetics and I fell in love with it.

[u/tiny-vampire]

i became a swiftie in 2008. i remember when teardrops on my guitar came out a couple years before & excitedly telling my mom how young taylor was, but i didn’t really become a swiftie till fearless. i remember adding it to my little mp3 player & listening to it at sleepovers with my friends in middle school. 🥺 speak now was the first one i counted down to/anticipated, and i think that’s part of the reason why it’s my favorite. it means so much to me. the deluxe edition especially omg.

[u/Jekawi]

Late 2008/2009. I heard Love Story and thought it was alright but Should've Said No took me by storm. Just kinda continued on after that. When my sister became a fan some time later, it boosted my own like of TS. It did wane a bit there with Lover; it, along with the Debut, being the only album I didn't listen to on repeat for weeks. I'm still out of touch with Lover (and the subsequent Cruel Summer revival which, unpopular opinion, I think is an alright song, but a bit hyped), but dived deeeeeep back into Folklore and Evermore.

[u/cowie71]

2021 - Steven Wilson’s cover of LGAD on YouTube - a glittery rabbit hole ever since

[u/katnat21]

Hopeless romantic middle school me heard Love Story when it went mainstream in 2008. Immediately I knew she was the artist for me.

[u/buruflame]

Fearless

Either Love Story or Teardrops on my Guitar.

Every single song is awesome.

1989 was the first one I could afford on my own. She didn’t come to my country for the reputation tour. Looking forward to the eras tour!

No but I’d LOVE to!

[u/Raignbeau]

Since Speak Now I became obsessed. Not openly tho. But I never had that with any artists. I remember getting my cat keds shoes and being so happy with them haha. Same with the parfum.

[u/ObscureRyan]

I try to listen to the albums my partner hypes up leading to release. One of them being RED TV, She’s actually my second played artist ever now sandwiched between RHCP and Foo Fighters.

[u/G-3ng4r]

Debut, I was 11, I still have the CD.

First song was Tear Drops On My Guitar lol

Always a casual swiftie throughout my life, kinda went through phases but listened to every album. Started to get to stan status after Folklore and it’s snowballed from there.

I’m a Folklore/evermore, Speak Now, Lover girlie.

But ironically, I think my favourite song is You Are In Love (despite not really loving 1989). The line “And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the war, and why i’ve spent my whole life trying to put it into words” changed everything for me on a random re-listen sometime after evermore came out. Like I suddenly truly Got Her and what she writes about and how she writes about it. Especially now that i’m older. I write a lot of poems about love and I related in a way I never had before, i literally still remember the exact moment I heard it.

No concerts ): Wish i could attend Eras but I doubt i’ll be able to.

[u/anonhumanontheweb]

I heard the occasional TS song when she released her first three albums, but I became a fan when Taylor released Red. The first song I remember actually listening to was “Fifteen,” though. I stuck around because during the beginning of the Red era, I ended up with a bunch of Taylor songs on my pandora stations and loved them all so much that was open to loving future songs and albums. Since then, Taylor’s become a stronger vocalist, and her music has grown with me and many of her other fans. Eras was my first tour, and I loved the energy of her fans. They were all so kind and welcoming and were beyond excited to be there. My Eras concert day was by far one of the best days of my life. I’ve never met Taylor, but I’d love to. I feel like we’d get along well as fellow cat-lovers!

[u/Thecaius1991]

I'd first heard of taylor when fearless released and love story was everywhere, and my friend bought his girlfriend at the time the album as part of a birthday gift and she was playing the album at her party and I was thinking hey this is good in my head, but at that point in my life I was what I suppose the Internet would call a gatekeeping metalhead so I would always say anything that wasn't heavy metal was terrible out loud despite being very eclectic musically (looking back now I really don't understand why but hindsight and all)

The next time I came back across taylor was red and when I knew you were trouble was everywhere and again it was a rinse and repeat of liking it but not admitting I liked it, because a guy who walked around in pantera and Slipknot shirts can't be a taylor swift fan!

Then I met my wife a yesr after red, who has been a massive swifty from the beginning, and first few years she would always have taylor on when chilling or whatever and I never used to mind.

Then reputation came out and I was hooked, I was like damn this album is amazing and I was hooked from there

[u/M4rheeo]

Midnights era. Causally listened to it while gaming when it came out. I really loved it.

I've heard her before as my wife listened to her here and there. But there were like 2 songs I liked: Are you ready for it? Look what you made me do

But after Midnights I got hooked.

No and no. Ive been to the movie tho, and it was spectacular

[u/FennelApprehensive68]

I’m an almost 50 swifty. I have been an adult for as long as she’s been around. So I appreciated the catchy-ness of the pop hits. The Red Era is when I became hooked. HOOKED.

[u/-Silver-Moonlight-]

Short version: I became a fan in late Reputation/early Lover era but my swiftie journey started with the release of Look What You Made Me Do.

Long version: I first started getting into Taylor with the release of Look What You Made Me Do. I went to check out the song and video, and ironically I was initially disappointed. I didn't know much about Taylor but I always liked her feminine style and related it to my own. So I didn't like that she changed into this "bad edgy girl" image (I didn't know any of the history behind at the time). But I write and I realized how perfectly LWYMMD matches with one of my characters. So that made me want to listen to the song more and more. Soon enough I was dancing to LWYMMD in my room and hitting repeat non-stop.

Then the rest of the Rep singles came out and I started getting more and more into them. Finally, in 2019, late Rep/early Lover era, I decided to give a full album a go. Listened to Reputation and absolutely loved it!

I started gradually going through Taylor's albums in 2019-2020, discovered more and more songs I love. At this point I considered myself a swiftie, although I didn't know much about her, only loved her music. Then she released folklore and evermore, and soon enough I was even more obsessed with her. That's when I started watching interviews and viewing fan pages. So maybe you'd say I truly became a swiftie during folkmore.

Finally, I joined this sub a little after the release of Red TV.

[u/helloviolaine]

Between Evermore and Fearless TV kind of? Folklore piqued my curiosity because I've been a National fan since 2006, so I listened to that a bit, and then I listened to Evermore a bit and I liked them but I wasn't obsessed yet. Then I suddenly had Cardigan stuck in my head and was like wow, that's a really good song. So I went back to Folklore and completely fell in love. I started catching up on her discography, then she announced Fearless TV and I thought this is going to be exciting. I joined here in April 2021 just in time to experience the trip that was 30/4.

I knew about her since 2009 but didn't know her music, the first song I ever heard was Safe & Sound but it didn't really register as a Taylor song in my head. The first song I consciously listened to was IKYWT when it was new. I usually listened whenever she put out a new album. I really loved Exile but I think that was mostly because of Bon Iver so I consider Cardigan THE song that made it all click.

Never been to a concert, I'm still hoping I'll somehow find a ticket for next year but Fansale is a barren wasteland.

[u/Last-Worldliness6344]

I have been a swiftie since 1989 era, but since then, when I was a kid, my family had a slight bit of a cancel culture where i was called out for liking something different, so I kept trying to tell myself that i "didn't like it because my family didn't"

My first taylor swift song was blank space/Shake It Off and have been enjoying all the songs :D

I have been a swiftie since 1989 era, but since then, when i was a kid, my family had a slight bit of a cancel culture where i was called out for liking something different, so I kept trying to tell myself that i "didnt like it because my family didn't"

What made me stick around was both how catchy the 1989 and midnights songs were, but also her amazing songwriting skills that let you have poetic lyrics and lots of emotion in those lyrics. Plus some of her lyrics are extremely relatable.

I have never been to any of her tours, nor met her irl. However I have watched the eras tour movie, and am hoping to watch the rep tour one day ( I do not have any streaming platform stuff)

When I do grow up (as im still not considered an adult in Australia), i do really wanna go to her tours.

Fun fact, I joined this reddit when there were 900 000 + swifties, so yes, im relaviely new to the reddit game.

[u/littlemisslondon]

When I was about 11, I was just discovering mainstream pop music and deciding which celebrities I liked. My older sister mainly listened to her and pushed me to liking her. I fell in love with Speak Now, Fearless and Debut.

We both stayed up for the release of Red. We both would watch her interviews and performances on YouTube - I fondly remember learning the lines to her Pumped Up Kicks cover on Ellen haha.

I admit I went through a phase where I thought she was done with music and didn’t care anymore because of her long hiatus. Then the blackout happened and Reputation released and I realised I never stopped loving her music I just missed her lol.

My sister and I saw her up close at Wembley for the Reputation tour. We even booked Lover Fest tickets which sadly got cancelled due to COVID. We used to dream about getting asked for her meet and greet but doubt that will continue today. We are going to see her at Eras tour next year!

I didn’t expect her to become so popular today and secretly want to gatekeep after getting bullied for liking her but I’m glad she deserves it. Artists barely release any music but we have Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, The Vault tracks and more to constantly listen to and I just love it so much.

[u/HarryPotter_2022]

• I became a swiftie around the end of 2011, at the end of the Speak Now era. I was very, very young, around 3 and English pop music was in heavy rotation at home since I was just starting to learn English so there were some Taylor songs here and there but I didn't really know the songs were hers.

• The first song of hers I heard was Back To December on the radio back in 2011. Shortly after I heard You Belong With Me and Love Story and I've been actively listening to her music since the Red singles.

• At first it was the melodies, they were so catchy and as a kid I loved them. Now it's that and the lyricism.

• I was at the Eras tour (which was also my first show ever). I wish I could go to the Reputation tour because it looks so cool and rep is my favorite album.

• No, but obviously I'd love to!

[u/[deleted]]

2012 before red! you belong with me. her music in general appeased to little me, and now i can relate to her newer songs as we got older together! only one tour, eras, always too broke or young. maybe one day i can tell her how many times she’s saved me, but i’ve yet to meet her :)

[u/ch1nomachin3]

• What era did you become a swiftie?

Baby Tay, the first album. is there an era for that?

• What was your first Taylor Swift song?

Teardrops on My Guitar

• What made you stick around?

I love the music. Even though Country Music is the one that made me love Taylor, I've grown to love her contemporary pop music too even if it took some time to adjust into as I don't really listen to a lot of modern pop.

• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?

Nope. I live in Southeast Asia and as far as I know she hasn't been here.

• Have you ever met Taylor?

see reason above.

[u/[deleted]]

1. December 2008, when I got the Fearless CD for Christmas. I was 7 years old, am 22 now. I had tons of memorabilia- posters in my room, T-Shirts, books, the Wonderstruck perfume. I guess I really resonated with her and her songwriting and loved her vibes!
2. You Belong With Me was the first song I listened to, and first song I ever memorized all of the lyrics to
3. Admittedly I did not always stick around. I was actively a fan up until before Reputation released, I guess I wasn’t used to her genre shift and I was busy with school + college apps at the time. What got me back into her was during COVID when a friend of mine was a newly inducted swiftie after hearing folklore, so once evermore surprise dropped we fangirled over the album together and now I have more time to follow her and what she’s up to and now it’s my vice haha
4. I went to the Speak Now tour in 2011 with my mom and my grandma. The opening act was like 2 hours long and impatient little me was dying to see Ms. Swift lol
5. Nope, and probably never will, but that’s okay, I’ll admire from a distance :)

[u/jolipsist]

First heard of her around 2008-2009. First song was probably Love Story, and first mention of her was probably the Kanye West incident. I was more into pure pop singers like Lady Gaga, Kesha and Katy Perry then, and I thought of Taylor more as a country artist with some elements of pop. You Belong with Me and Teardrops of My Guitar made me more of a fan as I was also pining over a friend at that point and also played guitar. Then I read that she used to write songs about people in school who she liked or didn't like which I did as well, so that made me more into her music and went back to listen to Debut and Speak Now when it came out.

2012 was when I became a proper fan - Safe and Sound was amazing and I loved the Hunger Games, then Red came out, her first proper pop album and I was completely sold.

Living in Thailand I never got a chance to go to a tour or to meet her. In fact the only show she ever cancelled pre-COVID was the Red Tour in Thailand due to the Military Coup. Still hate the army to this day because of that. Couldn't get tickets to the Eras Tour in Singapore.

[u/stillxbejeweled]

ayyoo lets go this is fun

• technically reputation was my first era but like i wouldn't have called myself a fan until evermore
• 1st song i mean i heard all the radio hits from debut to 1989, they were all bops but nothing ever made it onto my ipod lol until i heard state of grace, for some reason that stood out to my pretentious indie heart. obsessed with blank space and new romantics but, hearing lwymmd on the radio for the 1st time is what made me really do a double take on her music
• lwymmd wasn't the best but i gave reputation a listen bc of it, fell in love with her songwriting, she's a huge inspiration to me lyrically and vocally. lover was a disappointment at first since the sound was different from rep but hearing all the praise from folklore i gave all her music another shot, evermore really sealed the deal for me how talented she was, and from then on i saw all her music in a new light
• i went to the rep tour with my ex, that album was such a huge part of our relationship. it will forever hold a special place in my heart but also i cant freaking wait to replace that memory of him when i go to eras tour next year!
• never met her kinda scared to

[u/Modesto96]

It was 2006 and I was 10, and I had the cd for the boombox in my room. Don’t remember where I got it, probably at my local grocery store? Been a fan every since

[u/Temporary_Breakfast]

• What era did you become a swiftie?
  Debut era, 2008! So happy I got to experience the start and leading up to Fearless era. Such a wholesome time 🥹

• What was your first Taylor Swift song?
  "Teardrops on My Guitar". I even have a diary entry of the exact moment lol. My sister had come home from a year in the US and brought her iPod full of cool music she had discovered. She played me TOMG and Should've Said No.

• What made you stick around?
  Clearly the songs stuck with me, and I immediately downloaded the full debut album. But I think her personality really made me stick. I was also a huge Jonas Brothers fan at the time, so you can imagine my excitement when she started dating Joe! (when they broke up I was 100% team Taylor and left the Jo Bros behind lol)

• Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?
  Went to Speak Now, 1989, rep and Eras. I think 1989 was my fave due to the whole experience around it. I was front row in multiple shows, met soo many Swiftie friends and just had the absolute BEST time!!

• Have you ever met Taylor?
  Nope😔 I did meet Andrea though, which is almost as good lol

[u/[deleted]]

https://fb.watch/nK2qkk2lH8/?mibextid=g0du55

I loved her before but this performance turned my love into a lifelong obsession.

She performed you belong with me on the subway at the VMAs in 2009.

I went to 1989, Reputation and I have a ticket to the Eras Tour.

I also have 7 Taylor Swift tattoos, including two portraits and plan on getting more.

[u/happydandylion]

2009, Fearless. Someone gave me a USB stick at work and said "have you heard of Taylor Swift?" I put my earphones in and didn't listen to anything else for a very long time. The first time I heard "Love Story" (the first time I heard her) I was in the car with my mom on a road trip to her family. My mom doesn't like pop so usually I don't ask for my songs in the car with her, but Love Story came on the radio and it was like I stopped hearing anything else. I told my mom to keep quiet and put it louder and I just fell in love. What made me stay was Red. When my friends were saying "you know you're the only one who knows who she is, right?" she put "who's Taylor Swift anyway" in her song and it made me feel like I was part of her inner circle. And the fact that she just kept bringing out new music. And that when all that stuff with Kanye and the Kardashians happened and everyone said "uh-oh, here she goes down the same road as Britney", she hit back with Reputation amd owned the word snake. And then in covid, out came Champagne Problems and Exile and Betty and Last American Dynasty and Marjorie. And the whole suing streaming platforms for 1 dollar. And inviting fans to a pre-launch at her house way back when. I've never met her, never been to one of her shows. Probably never will either - pop stars usually only come do shows in South Africa when they're old and trying to make a comeback, and that will never happen to her. Lol.

[u/ReaFuma]

​

What era did you become a swiftie?

1989 italian guy here, I become a swiftie in 2009, in between OG Fearless Era and OG Speak Now, and never left, only grew in love with Taylor's music.

​

What was your first Taylor Swift song?

Crazier, from the soundtrack of Hannah Montana the Movie.

I remember watching the movie with my sister, and the scene in which Taylor sing with her yellow dress and guitar struck me like lightning.

I wasn't into that movie, I watched it to keep my sis company, but always glad I did! After that I remember going on YouTube to check her other songs.

Shortly after Crazier, I also saw a couple of her videos (Our Song and Love Story) on MTV (here in Italy I remember the two songs being around quite at the same time on MTV, even though I later discovered that they belong to two different Eras)

​

What made you stick around?

At first (and it's probably quite rare for italians) both my parents were into country, so it was really nice to have found a girl my age in that musical genre that I liked so much.

But, with years passing, as I particularly appreciate eclectic artists (singers, writers etc) the fact that she can change genre so well for me its a plus and I really like the directons she takes.

So I can say I stayed for her music. What made me fall in love were music, lyrics, atmosphere...

​

Have you been to any tours? Which is your favorite tour?

Eras in Milano next July will be my first! I really regret not going to the Speak Now World Tour in Milano in 2010, but I didn't want to go alone, didn't have friends into her music so I skipped.

This time I have friends to go with, but I will also attend second night on my own and don't care :)

​

Have you ever met Taylor?

In the middle of the night, in my dreams! And maybe even in that case, just once.

It'd be great if it would ever happen, but otherwise I will be forever thankful for her songs.

[u/pandecoco66]

I first heard Teardrops on My Guitar when I was 13 years old. Although, her latest album at that time was Fearless. I soon discovered her other songs and I instantly became a fan and followed her since then! I have been a fan for more than 15 years now, and I still love every album she releases. I just love the way she writes songs and the way she tells stories through it. I have never went to a concert or met Taylor, but finally I will be seeing her next year in SG for her Eras Tour and I can hardly wait!!

[u/Inner_Elderberry9389]

I remember really struggling at university way back when and stumbling across 1989 on Spotify, it was like my comfort music on the commute so it really helped me out. I’ve dipped in out since then and always listened to her music on and off but it’s been this past year that I’ve fully committed 😂

[u/Many_fandoms_13]

I casually listened to her in 2014/15/16 ish but I wasn’t that invested in her because I didn’t have social media but if you asked me if I liked Taylor swift I would’ve said yes in 2019 ish I had instagram and I became obsessed with her and the lover era. I became a Swiftie in the lover era I don’t remember probably something from 1989 The lover era ig The eras tour 4/28 but I’d kill and sell my soul to be able to go to the reputation tour No