Taylor Swift rules the airwaves! But that’s bad news for music

The ubiquity of the pop superstar speaks to her enormous talent – while also reflecting how narrow and repeтιтive the industry has become

The US may be a republic, but it still has a queen. Her name is Taylor Swift and her reign is only just getting started.

The 33-year-old recently became the first woman, and only the third artist ever, to have four albums in the Top 10 of the US album chart simultaneously. The sun never sets on Swift’s empire: club nights that play only Swift songs have popped up in the UK and Australia, while her Eras tour is on track to be the most lucrative ever; it is expected to crack $1bn in revenue.

But her concerts aren’t putting money into the singer’s pockets alone; they have boosted the hospitality industries in cities across the world, making serious economists pay attention and giving rise to the concept of “Swiftonomics”.