Taylor Swift was just a teenage girl with big dreams when she released her self-titled debut album on Oct. 24, 2006.
Swift was just 16 years old when she scored a recording contract with Big Machine Label Group. The talented newcomer already displayed the songwriting ability that would later see her become one of her generation’s most acclaimed writers in country music and beyond. Swift wrote or co-wrote all 11 of the tracks on Taylor Swift, often working with Liz Rose, with whom she would co-write many subsequent hits.
Taylor Swift scored five back-to-back hit singles beginning with Swift’s debut single, “Tim McGraw,” which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart. “Teardrops on My Guitar” peaked at No. 2, while Swift’s third single, “Our Song,” gave her her first No. 1 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. “Picture to Burn” hit No. 3, and the final single from the album, “Should’ve Said No,” gave Swift her second chart-topping hit.
Taylor Swift was an enormous commercial success, topping Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart for 24 non-consecutive weeks and selling more than 7 million copies. Swift promoted the album by touring extensively, opening shows in major arenas for artists including Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
Swift’s success built so rapidly that by the time she released her sophomore album, Fearless, in November of 2008, she had already graduated to headliner status. She launched her Fearless Tour on April 23, 2009, with a concert in Evansville, Ind. Swift gravitated more and more toward a blend of country and pop on her next two albums before ultimately going completely pop with the release of 1989 in 2014. She has since gone on to become one of the biggest stars across all genres of music.
Taylor Swift’s 11 Best Country Collaborations, Ranked
It’s no surprise that Taylor Swift’s voice works so well in a country setting — it is her home genre, after all! From the Chicks to Chris Stapleton to Tim McGraw, Swift’s country collaborations keep the genre close to her heart, no matter where else music takes her.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
PICTURES: See Opening Night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside Taylor Swift’s Luxurious Childhood Home
Taylor Swift’s luxurious childhood home is for sale for just under a million dollars, and pictures show a well-appointed residence that’s a fitting home for a future superstar. The 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom, 3,560-square-foot Georgian Colonial in suburban Reading, Pa., has been completely renovated, and it features a sweeping staircase, a formal dining room, a study with a fireplace and a formal living room with a fireplace and French doors that open onto a side porch.
There’s also a gourmet kitchen, a large master bedroom with an attached master bathroom, a bonus room, a separate laundry room and a detached garage.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside Taylor Swift’s Stunning Manhattan Apartment
Taylor Swift’s spectacular luxury apartment in Manhattan is currently for rent, and pictures show a property that is a lavish mix of historic and very modern.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.