How Taylor Swift Became Famous

In country music you rarely see someone do something like sell out a large arena, especially when that large arena is the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and especially when the country music artists is only 19. This is what Taylor Swift did in early February after the announcement of her first headlining tour named after her album called the Taylor Swift Fearless Tour 2009. The store will stretch through nearly 50 dates across the country with a few select dates in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Joining Taylor Swift on tour will be one of her good friends Kellie Pickler as well as the new group Gloriana who just released a single called "Wild at Heart."

The tour dates in the United States will hit nearly every state and major market but unlike many country tours they will go to large venues such as the Staples Center mentioned above as well as a few arena's that only country legends such as Kenny Chesney have been successful in selling out on a regular basis. The tour and Taylor Swift have not come without much criticism as many country music writers and reporters as well as even artists have said that Taylor Swift is not even country but yet is a bubble-gum pop sound that you hear many Disney artists doing. While it is true that she is not your traditional twang country-western artist she has received much criticism that she does not deserve as many people get stuck on a phrase or stereotype but put her style of country/folk/pop up against many of the new age country music artists and you hear the same style. No matter what your feelings are on Taylor Swift there is one thing that many people agree on and that is that she is a top level marketer herself. Most artists you see such as Miley Cyrus or a Carrie Underwood have had large marketing machines behind them from the start coming from popular TV shows and then from there on going to major labels where they receive marketing from a staff of hundreds. This is another way in which Taylor Swift differs as she comes from an independent record label which has a small staff and even though she has major labels distribute her music to stores she sell most of her music online which almost eliminates any need for a major label. The thing that Taylor Swift does best and the reason I feel she is successful is because she treats all of her fans like they are her best friends from staying after concerts to make sure she signs an autograph for everyone to making her MySpace just like a personal page that many people have instead of having a page with all kinds of marketing jargon. Making a personal connection to each and every fan is a large key to her success

Overall in country music it is tough to really break through to the mainstream at times but this is something Taylor Swift did at ease with part help from a smart record label who knows what is going on and a large part a young girl who marketed herself and made persona l connections to fans. As most trends seem to fade after a year or so it seems with her song writing ability that people will be hearing about Taylor Swift in country music and other genres for years to come.