8 fascinating insights on Taylor Swift’s American fanbase

8 fascinating insights on Taylor Swift’s American fanbase

Kineree Shah - March 22nd, 2024

Taylor Swift has amassed a vast and diverse fan base but who exactly are they? Let's delve into some fascinating facts from YouGov Profiles on American Swifties.

  1. 29% of Americans hold Taylor Swift in high esteem

Taylor Swift enjoys a ‘strongly positive’ rating from 29% of US adults, a notable increase from 18% in 2017 who said they ‘really like’ the singer.

2. 48% of men like Taylor Swift

Half of the fan base are women (52%), but men are not too far behind at 48%. The demographics reveal a uniform distribution across various age groups, with 34% of Americans aged 18-44 rating her ‘strongly positive’.

3. 38% of Taylor Swift fans are into football

Two in five Taylor Swift fans (38%) are football fans, slightly more than the national average (34%). They also show a stronger interest in soccer (20% Swifties vs. 12%), tennis (15% swifties vs. 10%), swimming (14% Swifties vs. 9%), and wrestling (12% swifties vs. 9%) compared to the general population.

4. 45% Taylor Swift fans like rock music

While pop is the favorite music genre for Swifties (47%), a significant number say their favorites are rock (45%), R&B (33%), and even classical music (30%). This debunks the stereotype that pop music fans only stick to their lane.

5. Three-fifth of the fan base also like Lady Gaga, Adele and Ed Sheeran

A majority of Taylor Swift fans (59%) consider themselves true music lovers, a figure slightly above the national average (55%). Further showcasing their musical tastes, nearly three in five Swifties also express strong admiration for other pop icons such as Lady Gaga (61%), Adele (59%), and Ed Sheeran (57%), ranking them ‘strongly positive’ alongside Taylor Swift.

6. Two in five Taylor Swift fans trust products recommended by influencers

Interestingly, Swifties pay more attention to ads at events (56% versus 38% of the general US population) and trust celebrity and influencer recommendations more (42% Swifties versus 27%). They are also more likely to trust ads seen on posters or billboards than the general population (47% Swifties vs. 30%).

7. Half of Taylor Swift fans prefer buying physical copies of music

In an era dominated by streaming, 54% of Swifties still prefer to buy physical copies of music, higher than the 46% national average.

8. 24% of Taylor Swift fans stream their music most often on Spotify

When it comes to streaming, Spotify is the platform of choice for 24% of Swifties, slightly ahead of the national preference (21%). However, their use of other services like YouTube Music, Amazon Prime Music, and Apple Music is on par with, or slightly above, the general US adult population.

Taylor Swift's fanbase, with its diverse interests, broad musical tastes, and distinct consumer behaviors, showcases the multifaceted appeal of the pop sensation. Swifties are not just about the music; they represent a wide-ranging group with unique habits and preferences, reflecting the broader impact of Taylor Swift's artistry on American culture.

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.