Happy Birthday Taylor Swift: 5 Things TS Did That Changed Pop Culture

Today is Friday, December 13th. This day is noteworthy not only for its spooky significance but also because on this day 35 years ago, Taylor Alison Swift was born. The prolific songwriter, the prophecy-seeing dreamer, the physical manifestation of girlhood herself, yes. That Taylor Swift. So, in honor of Taylor Swift turning 35 today, here are 5 things she popularized that revolutionized not only the music industry but pop culture as a whole. 

1. Deleting All Social Media

Taylor Swift’s Instagram August 2017.

Following a fabricated leaked video released on Kim Kardashians' Snapchat, and an exhaustingly persistent years-long drama with Kanye West, in 2016 Taylor Swift all but vanished from the public eye. As the now-memed saying goes, “Nobody physically saw me for a year”. And when she was set to return, with her besmirched Reputation in hand, Swift made a brash move. One no one had really done before. On August 17th, 2017, Taylor Swift deleted every post on her Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and ever the millennial, her Tumblr as well. Leaving her entire social media presence a stark reminder of why we can’t have nice things.

Safe to say, it was a legendary publicity stunt promoting her next album, Reputation (2017), which was all about the drama. Since 2017 the act of deleting one's social media posts has been used again and again as a way to tease new eras, projects, or just be a little messy. With its popularity reaching a level of normalcy it’s almost hard to remember this was a once earth-shattering move made by none other than Taylor Swift herself. 

2. Double Albums

A surprise announcement at 2 AM!

Now listen, I’m not going to sit here and pretend double albums have never been done before. All the greats have them, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and now, Taylor Swift. And no, this is not referring to the sister albums evermore and folklore that were released within months of each other during the pandemic. I’m talking about a tried and true double album, all connected and consistent, released at the same time. Well, shortly after the iconic announcement of Taylor Swift's eleventh studio album, The Torturted Poets Department (2024), on the Grammy’s stage, on April 19th TTPD was released. Then two hours later the full The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology was also released, making TTPD Swift's first official double album. 31 songs deep, an hour and five minutes long, and in the brink of a crinkling eye it was all devoured by Swifties. 

I’m not saying Taylor Swift is the first one to do it, or even the first to start the trend (there seem to be a lot of double albums happening in the 70s and 80s), but she may have been the one to bring them back. The reception from fans was overwhelmingly positive, with Swift remaining number one on the Billboard charts for 16 weeks. In the months that followed, and the significant releases that were had from artists like Sabrina Carpenter, twenty one pilots, and Billie Eilish, artists couldn’t escape the double album speculations. And that my friends is all thanks to Taylor Swift. 

3. Friendship Bracelets

“So make the friendship bracelets…”

In the fan-favorite song “You’re On You’re Own, Kid” from Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights (2022), Swift sings, “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, you’ve got no reason to be afraid.” And in the record-breaking Era’s Tour that began just a few months later, fans took this message to heart. Making and trading friendship bracelets in every single show across 19 different countries, spanning 21 months, and over 10 million attendees. Fans created friendship bracelets with inside jokes, references to songs, outfits, blunders, and mishaps. In fact, this one line is the only reason Taylor Swift and her now boyfriend Travis Kelce met. It inspired him to make his own friendship bracelet, and though he couldn’t give it to her at her show, he talked about it on his podcast, and well…the rest is history. 

Nowadays, you can’t walk into a craft store without the aisles stacked to the ceiling with friendship bracelet kits or an unrelated event without people wanting to trade bracelets. Heck, American Girl’s 2025 Girl of The Year is even wearing friendship bracelets. And that, dear Ribbon readers, is a real fucking legacy to leave. 

4. The Music Landscape As A Whole

Writer girlies rise!

When Taylor Swift was a teenager, freshly introduced to the public and still dawning that adorable faux accent, her songwriting ability was seen as a novelty. It was…cute. Endearing even. However, the music industry didn’t necessarily value the idea of a teenage girl writing her own narrative. They wanted to create an identity for her. Most pop stars that predated Swift, had to play the game. They were given pre-made cookie-cutter songs, and as they rose in the ranks they received more agency with what they created. Taylor refused.

It’s not to say that songwriting is something that wasn’t done before her, but it certainly wasn’t how pop stars were created. Simply put, it was not what the music landscape valued. But Taylor Swift resonated with young women from an early point in her career. They related to her music, identified with her story, they too had liked a cute boy in class just like in “Teardrops on my Guitar” or had been misled like in the heartbreaking song “Fifteen”. As Taylor Swift’s popularity grew into dominance, she began to carve out her own path. And young women, inspired by Swift’s success, started following in her footsteps. Taylor Swift’s career would not be what it is without the strength of musicians like The Chicks or Alanis Morissette, but through her career she shifted the pop landscape forever. Think about the musicians that are popular today. Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan. All women writing about their own lives, carving out their own paths. And there wouldn’t be them, if there hadn’t been Taylor. 

5. Re-Recordings

Taylor Swift Announcing 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

This one is obvious but should serve as a reminder of simply how influential Taylor Swift is. In 2019, Taylor Swift’s masters for her first six studio albums were sold from Big Machine Records, Swift’s original label, to Scooter Brauns when he gained ownership of the label. Swift was not aware of this, nor did she consent to this as Braun had antagonized Swift for years. She also has stated multiple times she was at a point in her career where she had wanted to purchase these masters herself. Now anytime anyone streamed a song of hers, he would gain profit. Her lack of ownership and her anger at this 300 million dollar injustice led her to re-record the entirety of the six stolen albums. 

When we look back at this now, it’s easy to assume it was always going to be a success. But it cannot be understated what a risk this was. Prior to this, some artists had done re-records but it was only for a handful of songs. There was a chance these songs wouldn’t sound the same, that they wouldn’t hit the same, that fans would just stream the original regardless. Swift put her trust into her fans and worked tirelessly to recreate the sounds and experiences they loved. Now, in 2024 four of the six re-recorded albums, Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989, have been released to record-breaking success. By Swift standing up for her own music and what is right, she has once again irrevocably shifted the music landscape. Because of her, labels are introducing re-recording clauses, new artists are more inspired than ever to take a stand for their music, and that glass ceiling has been pushed a little further out. And that, like everything above, showcases just how fearless Taylor Swift really is. 

The stars aligned once again for Swift on this Friday the 13th, and as she spends the day winding down from visiting children in the hospital or reminiscing on the just-ended Era’s Tour, Ribbon Magazine is wishing this Gorgeous queen a happy birthday!