Recapping Taylor Swift's epic year, and looking ahead to 2026
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At the risk of repeating ourselves, Taylor Swift has had a very big year.
Why it matters: Nashville is a city of stars, but Swift continues to shine the brightest. (Who else could make a bench in Centennial Park into a tourist destination?)
▶️ State of play: Swift's epic Eras Tour, which ran from 2023-24, was the stuff of music history. But speculation that she might lie low in 2025 proved to be false.
- Instead, she dropped her 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," in October. It promptly logged the biggest sales week of all time with more than 4 million copies sold.
Fun fact: The album was full-tilt pop, but it still had a nod to Swift's roots at Hendersonville High School. In "Ruin the Friendship," Swift recalled speeding down Gallatin Road, which got a response from the Hendersonville city government.
And then: Later in October, Swift made her first appearance on the ballot for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. If she makes the cut for the class of 2026, she would be the youngest inductee ever.
- She submitted five songs as an encapsulation of her work, including the 10-minute version of "All Too Well," co-written with Music Row pro Liz Rose and the country chart-topper "Love Story," which she wrote on her own.
Oh, yeah: She also announced her engagement to football star Travis Kelce.
The latest: On Friday, the day before her 36th birthday, she is once again dominating pop culture with the launch of a documentary series revisiting her Eras Tour glory.
- The first episodes are streaming now on Disney+, along with a filmed version of the tour's final show.
What we're watching: As always, Swifties are theorizing about what the future holds. And 2026 could get interesting: It marks the first time Swift is eligible for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, 20 years after her self-titled debut album.
Reality check: Even huge stars have to wait many years for their turn to join the elite group. But if anyone skips to the front of the line, it could be Swift, who is one of Nashville's biggest success stories.
- Although Swift crossed over from country to pop years ago, she has maintained her Nashville connections and regularly sends artifacts for display at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
If you go: The museum recently launched a pop-up exhibit with items tied to Swift's latest album. Pieces from the Eras Tour and other parts of her career are also on display.