Taylor Swift.

Is she the greatest artist of our generation?

I don’t remember the exact moment my awareness of Taylor Swift turned into appreciation. Around the time we started The Hundreds, Taylor became the youngest artist to be signed in Sony’s history at the age of 14. The Pennsylvania native was embraced by the country music scene, but I think she really caught my attention — not when Kanye interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV awards — but when she transitioned to pop. "I leave the genre labeling to other people," she expressed when the Nashville industry came for her head. She held fast to her convictions and won.

Ten albums later, she has continued to defy musical categories and expectations and has been rewarded with transcendence. In 2023, Taylor Swift is the most streamed female artist on Spotify and as of this week, her Eras concert series is looking to be the biggest tour of all time. In the background, she is setting historical precedent by reclaiming her masters and owning her legacy. I don’t think it’s much of a hot take, but when you consider her repertoire, hits catalog, songwriting abilities, fandom, and ongoing legacy, she is this generation’s Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, and Elton John rolled into one.

So, when tickets went on sale for her Los Angeles dates a year ago, I pounced on them. I had to see her for myself…