Taylor Swift fans get one last gift before the year’s out thanks to TIME Magazine naming her the Person of the Year 2023! The title is certainly nothing to sneeze at, as it puts Taylor Swift on the level of influence of heads of state and activists alike. Here’s everything to know about TIME’s Person of the Year award and how to celebrate Taylor Swift’s win.
What is TIME’s Person of the Year?
TIME’s Person of the Year is an annual issue of TIME Magazine that recognizes something that has had a wide influence for a given year. Given the name, you might imagine that the Person of the Year designation is given to, well, a person, but it’s also been awarded to groups, objects, and concepts. Recent recipients include Volodomyr Zalenskyy and The Spirit of Ukraine in 2022, Elon Musk in 2021, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020, and Greta Thunberg in 2019.
Who is TIME’s Person of the Year 2023?
TIME Magazine named Taylor Swift Person of the Year for 2023, beating out others who made the Person of the Year short-list including King Charles III, Hollywood strikers, Trump prosecutors, and Barbie. Taylor Swift has been one of the biggest pop stars of the last decade, but this year alone marked the beginning of her highly successful Eras tour and the re-recording of her album ‘1989’ that broke many streaming records. According to TIMEthese major events were factors in the decision to recognize her as the Person of the Year. Other factors included universities offering Taylor Swift-themed classes, cities changing street names to her name, and her success in encouraging fans to register to vote which led to tens of thousands of new voters. Whether intentional or not, she even brought millions of new fans to NFL games.
USA TODAY’s Taylor Swift reporter, Bryan Westsays, “Taylor Swift has always been a star, but 2023 has rocketed her to an entirely different universe. What fans appreciate from her is her genuine transparency and unapologetic authenticity.”
He continues, “In one of her biggest hits for 2023, Swift dubs herself the “Anti-Hero,” but the truth is she is the main character or hero for so many.
Fans believe her pinnacle of Time’s “Person of the Year” has been a long time coming, but it’s only the beginning. She not even halfway done with the Eras Tour. She has, at least, 86 shows left. She has two re-releases left to announce. She’s a powerful engine with a lot of momentum going into 2024.”
Where to buy Taylor Swift merch
First thing’s first: Here’s where to buy the 2023 TIME Person of the Year issue.
Friendship bracelets
If you’re a Taylor Swift fan and haven’t jumped on the trend of wearing a Taylor Swift friendship braceletfirst: what are you doing? Second: commemorating her Person of the Year win is the perfect time to get started. There are many bracelets to choose from to wear and trade with fellow fans including this cool glow-in-the-dark bracelet.
GLOW in the DARK Taylor Swift Eras Tour Stretch Friendship Bracelets
This glow-in-the-dark bracelet is a fun way to complete your look.
A Bluetooth speaker
Whether you’re looking to throw a Taylor Swift listening party or just want to jam by yourself, you’ll want to hear her voice in the best quality possible and it doesn’t get much better than our favorite Bluetooth speakerthe Sonos Roam. Beyond its excellent sound, we love this speaker because it’s rugged and stylish.
Sonos – Roam Smart Portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Speaker
Listen to Taylor Swift on the best Bluetooth speaker.
Headphones
If you prefer listening to your music via headphones, we recommend the best pair we’ve tested, Sony’s WH-1000XM4. These headphones have excellent sound quality, noise cancellation, and are comfortable to wear all day.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones
For another way to listen to Taylor Swift, check out our favorite pair of headphones.
An ornament
If you’re looking to decorate a Christmas tree, why not commemorate Taylor Swift’s win by putting up a cute ornament like this one from Etsy which lists all her albums to date?
The Eras Tour Albums Christmas Ornament
Decorate your tree with this Taylor Swift ornament.
A phone case
Whether you’ve found yourself with a new phone or are just looking to switch things up, these phone cases featuring Taylor Swift lyrics will definitely catch eyes and start conversations. If a non-fan asks about them, you can say that they’re quotes from TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year.
Aesthetic Taylor Phone Case
Get a phone case with your favorite quote from TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year.
An Eras tour t-shirt
Another way to commemorate the win is by wearing a shirt of her Eras concert, as it’s a big reason why 2023 is Swift’s “Moment”.
2023 Taylor The Eras Tour T-shirt
Rock an Eras tour t-shirt.
A 1989 hoodie
For many of us, it’s gotten a bit too cold to wear just a t-shirt out of the house, no matter how cute it is. To show off your Taylor Swift pride while still keeping warm, we recommend wearing this 1989 (Taylor’s Version) hoodie.
Taylor Sweatshirt for Women Oversized Crewneck
Stay warm while rocking Taylor Swift merch.
A 1989 vinyl
Another reason why Taylor has been a big deal in 2023 is because of the re-recording of her album 1989, which has become a pop classic in the 9 years since its debut. If you’d like to give it a listen on vinyl (or just use the admittedly beautiful record as a decoration), check out the many art variations.
Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Listen to Taylor’s latest re-release on vinyl.
Disney+ to stream Taylor
The Eras tour may be Taylor Swift’s most recent concert tour, but she’s had many great concerts over her career, some of which can still be enjoyed via streaming. One such concert you can enjoy by streaming is folklore: the long pond sessions on Disney+. It’s likely that when the Eras tour comes to streamingit’ll be available on Disney+, too.
A mug
You can show off your love of Taylor Swift’s songs by sipping out of this “Welcome to New York” Mug by SilverJayCreations.
Welcome to New York Mug
Sip from a Taylor Swift mug.
