Profits of Parasocialism
Taylor Swift performs at Levi’s Stadium in the summer of 2023. Photo by Christina McManus
As the hurricane of a force that is Taylor Swift's new album “The Life of a Showgirl” touched down on October 3, it becomes glaringly apparent how much Taylor Swift benefits from the parasocial way fans view her. A parasocial relationship forms when one person feels an emotional connection to a celebrity who is unaware of their existence. Swift talks about falling in love, growing up, the lives of forgotten historical figures and personal struggles with alcohol;but how did Swift become such an unstoppable force in the music industry?
While other artists release relatable music that moves units, Swift achieves this on an unprecedented level. Her previous studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department” shattered Spotify records becoming the first album to receive over 300 million streams in a single day. Swift also secured 2.61 million album unit sales during opening week according to Billboard, after Forbes declared the era of one million unit debuts over.
The surprise release of the 2021 album “folklore” combined with the commercial success of her re-recorded albums created prime conditions for a greatest hits tour in the form of “The Eras Tour” spanning 2023 to 2024. Swift was rewarded with the coveted title of Time’s Person of the Year in 2023 vastly due to the success and cultural phenomenon that was the Eras Tour, generating $2 billion in ticket sales according to Forbes.
Swift bought the masters to her music catalogue in June of 2025 after the 2019 controversy in which she was not given a chance to purchase her catalogue, leading to a feud with Scooter Braun, but also the re-recording era which brought her lots of success. Swift attributes her ability to buy back the masters to her albums to her fans saying, “the passionate support you showed those albums and the success story you turned ‘The Eras Tour’ into is why I was able to buy back my music.”
Forbes named Taylor Swift the only musician to achieve billionaire status “primarily based on her songs and performances.” While other musicians earn lots of money from music, Swift’s ability to connect with her audience has allowed her to sell her music on a larger scale.On September 30, Swift became the first female artist to surpass 100 million album sales in RIAA—the Recording Industry Association of America—history. Swift’s diehard fans, Swifties, largely contribute to her success. Chart success comes strictly from consumption and does not rely on critical acclaim, so it is possible to obtain one metric of success—sales—without accompanying quality. While Swift's work is typically met with critical acclaim, has she surpassed a threshold of artistic capability where it does not matter what she releases?
Taylor Swift has unlocked a strategy of guaranteed commercial success due to her fanbase’s commitment to supporting her financially. Her songwriting captivates fans because of her ability to make an individual experience feel universal. Not only does Swift produce music that millions can relate to, but she covers a variety of topics spanning from her personal life to much more abstract concepts.
Swift’s fans are often willing to buy multiple versions of the same album before ever hearing it. This is made evident by the record breaking numbers Swift achieves in pre-sales before a lead single is even released. Social media conversations prove that being a Swiftie is about supporting Swift’s work, regardless if you actually enjoy it, as some fans call out ‘fake swifties’ for not enjoying the new album.
The presale phenomenon could be because Swifties know they will enjoy anything Swift releases or because they want to contribute to her opening week sales. Because Swifties feel like they know Taylor Swift based on the one-sided communication through song lyrics, her success might feel like the success of a personal friend.
@Stevensully9 on X responds to speculation of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” possibly debuting with a record shattering 4 million units: “If she hits 4 million I will quite literally never shut up about it,” adding, “I will behave as if it is something I achieved myself.”
Ultimately, Taylor Swift finds her niche with a delicate balance of releasing the art she wants to while also catering to fan experience, acknowledging the parasocial relationship. What if the art Swift aims to produce is not award winning or even high-quality and fan service has become the highest priority? Her career is shifting to prioritize chart success, guaranteed with die-hard fans and making money as her career becomes somewhat infallible.
Does this loophole to success allow Swift to let the quality of her work slip without any commercial sale consequences? If the quality of Swift’s work decreases but she knows she will sell millions of copies, does she have the motivation to produce quality music or would she slide into mass production? While Swift’s fame peaks with commercial success, her legacy as an artist sinks as some fans ponder if she is still hungry for great art. Swift has undeniably influenced a new generation of artists, but with a decrease in quality, I cannot help but wonder how her legacy as THE singer-songwriter is impacted. If Swift achieves this record for best selling opening week for an album will her quest for chart success continue or conclude?