Since signing her first recording contract at just sixteen, Taylor Swift has gone from a well-regarded country singer to a global pop phenomenon. Dubbed the 'world's biggest pop star, ' she is the first woman to have four albums in the Billboard chart's top ten at the same time, and as of 2023, thanks to her Eras Tour, the first live music billionaire.

Beyond music, her cultural impact is vast, with her life dominating column inches like no other celebrity this century. The 'Taylor Swift factor' influences everything from regional economies through her ticket sales and tours, to guitar sales to women, and inspiring 65,000 people to register for voting ahead of the 2020 US elections.

With stunning images and insightful text, The Essential...Taylor Swift details the key to her phenomenal success; from her bestselling song- writing talent to her business acumen and 'big sister' personality, and how she shifted from country to pop and dominated the music industry, while facing down misogyny and the haters.