Taylor Swift Surpasses Ed Sheeran as Most Followed Artist on Spotify

The Taylor Swift phenomenon is showing no signs of fading, with the pop icon achieving yet another milestone. On July 3, the X account @spotify_data tweeted, “@taylorswift13 is now the most followed artist on Spotify with 114.6 million followers. She surpassed @edsheeran.” The question remains: how many more accolades can America’s beloved star collect? The answer: as many as she desires.

Kudos to Ed Sheeran for holding the top spot for so long. Despite not releasing an album or single since 2023, Sheeran maintained a significant following. Meanwhile, Swift has been on an unstoppable trajectory, touring, enjoying high-profile friendships, and more. It seemed only a matter of time before she claimed his Spotify crown.

Swift has plenty of reasons to celebrate, especially while she’s rocking her Eras Tour overseas. Rumors are buzzing about her appearing in the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine movie. This speculation gained traction when Ryan Reynolds recreated her Evermore album cover dressed as Deadpool and shared it on his Instagram stories.

One X user aptly noted, “She’s collecting records like infinity stones.” Indeed, Swift’s triumphs keep piling up.

Swift’s 2022 album, “Midnights,” sustained its momentum well into 2023, churning out several hit singles. “Anti-Hero” and “Lavender Haze” enjoyed considerable streaming success and radio play. The album’s achievements reaffirmed Swift’s ability to evolve musically while maintaining her lyrical integrity.

In 2023, Swift made headlines again with the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” a re-recording of her 2010 album. This endeavor, part of her mission to reclaim her masters, reaped huge rewards. The re-recorded album not only debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 but also shattered multiple streaming records. Fans and critics lauded the refreshed production and the inclusion of “From the Vault” tracks.

The 2024 Grammy Awards underscored Swift’s enduring mastery of the music industry. She nabbed several awards, including Album of the Year for “Midnights,” bolstering her already formidable collection of Grammy trophies. Her performances at various award shows were equally applauded, with standout moments that trended widely on social media.

Swift’s record-breaking didn’t stop there. She shattered several streaming records on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. In 2023, she became the first artist to exceed 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify, showcasing her sustained popularity. Her clever use of social media, from surprise announcements to interactive content, kept fans captivated and drove these streaming milestones.

Realistically, the only obstacles to Swift’s ascent are her own decisions or potential controversies. The latter seems highly unlikely, and the former is perhaps what her detractors are hoping for.

Taylor Swift proves time and again that she’s a mainstay in the realms of music and entertainment, showing no intentions of slowing down.

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