Swift's first country album, Taylor Swift, was released on October 24, 2006, when she was 16. It broke numerous records for a country music debut, and made her the first female country artist to write or co-write every song on her debut album. Her subsequent country albums, Fearless (2008) and Speak Now (2010), were met with similar commercial and critical success.
With the release of her fourth album, Red (2012), Swift began experimenting with pop music, which she continued with her fifth album, 1989 (2014). Both albums were critical and commercial successes, and helped Swift establish herself as one of the most prominent figures in pop music.
Swift's sixth studio album, Reputation (2017), marked a departure from her previous work, exploring themes of revenge, media scrutiny, and self-reformation. The album was a commercial success, but received mixed reviews from critics. Swift's seventh album, Lover (2019), returned to a more pop-oriented sound, and received positive reviews from critics. Her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020), was a surprise release during the COVID-19 pandemic, and received critical acclaim for its introspective and acoustic sound.
Swift's music has been praised for its personal and emotional storytelling, as well as its catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. She has won numerous awards and honors for her work, including 10 Grammy Awards, 32 American Music Awards, and 40 Billboard Music Awards. She has also been ranked by Forbes as one of the world's highest-earning celebrities, and was named the "Artist of the Decade" by Billboard in 2019.