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Taylor Swiftlaunched theMidnightsera at an awards show, announcing her tenth album during the 2022 VMAs.
Heres how Swift pulled it off.
She wasnt just successful she gave the music industry hope.
As the music industry became even more resigned to streamings dominance, there was Swift, doing the impossible.
For good measure, she did it again with1989 (Taylors Version)last fall.
It was always going to take a massive release for Swift to win her fourth AOTY.
Shes an albums artist.
But at the end of the day,Midnightstrumped it (andthe post-committee Academyjust doesnt do sweeps anymore).
Since she won her first AOTY forFearless, Swift has made capital-A albums, cohesive musical thoughts.
(Midnights AOTY was only her 14th Grammy, but half of those have been album awards.)
In other words,Midnightsfit older voters expectations of what an albumoughtto be, too.
She held on to her newfolklorefans.
In such a plural Academy, your own genre alone cant carry you to AOTY.
Midnightsis a return to much more straightforward pop for Swift, and she isnt working with Dessner anymore.
But I assume she still earned sizable support from rock, alternative, and country voters.
She had key technical voters support.
This is where a competitor like SZA came up short.
Shes Taylor Swift.
Whenever Swift attends an awards show these days, her peers turn into fans.
Shes like the music worlds Meryl Streep even when Streep is also in the room.
And whileSwift had quality AOTY competition, she still towers over it as a star.
Does this mean were entering an era when every new Swift album will be an AOTY lock?
I continue to be wrong about her Grammy prospects, but still Im not sure.
(Frank Sinatra did in 1966 and 67, Stevie Wonder in 1974 and 75.)
If anyone can overcome more impossible odds to make more Grammys history, though, itll be Swift.
