Taylor Swift is Time's 2023 Person of the Year

It's time for Time's Person of the Year for 2023. Watch Taylor Swift named Time’s 2023 Person of the Year on TODAY.

In a TODAY exclusive, Time editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs reveals their selection for the 2023 Person of the Year. "I don't think there's anyone who's moved so many people so well as Taylor Swift did," he says of the selection.

I chose that for the preview image, but it also served as a good explanation of why Time chose Swift. I guess Time can't be all DOOM all the time, either.

Sam Jacobs switched studios while staying at 30 Rock when he appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe to explain Why Time chose Taylor Swift as its Person of the Year.

Time's Sam Jacobs joins Morning Joe to discuss why the magazine chose Taylor Swift as its 2023 Person of the Year.

Jacobs said of the other contenders for Person of the Year that they personified "what this year showed...the costs and limits of hard power, which is why we selected someone who really demonstrates significant soft power..."* As examples of that soft power, Time's own video, Taylor Swift is TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year, showed the effect she has on her fans.

Since 1927, TIME has chosen a Person of the Year, the editors’ assessment of the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse.

As a tradition, Person of the Year springs from the Great Man Theory of history, a belief that individuals have the power to transform society. The selections over the years have tended to follow certain patterns. The person chosen has typically been a ruler over traditional domains of power. He—and yes, usually it has been a “he”—is very often a politician or a titan of industry. Fourteen U.S. Presidents, five leaders of Russia or the Soviet Union, and three Popes have all been recognized.

And yet the person whose singular influence was revealed throughout 2023 has held none of these roles—or anything remotely similar. Every year contains light and dark; 2023 was a year with significant shares of darkness. In a divided world, where too many institutions are failing, Taylor Swift found a way to transcend borders and be a source of light. No one else on the planet today can move so many people so well. Achieving this feat is something we often chalk up to the alignments of planets and fates, but giving too much credit to the stars ignores her skill and her power.

Taylor Swift is TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year.

I found all of these fan experiences moving and good examples of her soft power.

Congratulations to Swift for being named Person of the Year, but she's not done winning awards. Follow over the jump for Swift's Grammy nominations.



Just as I did in 'Barbie' leads nominations in music for visual media at the Grammy Awards, I'm quoting the relevant passages from The Recording Academy's press release.

Taylor Swift, for example, became the first songwriter to receive seven nominations in the Song Of The Year category. Along with her current nomination for "Anti-Hero," she was previously nominated for "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)," "cardigan," "Lover," "Blank Space," "Shake It Off," and "You Belong With Me." And she could be making even more history at the 2024 GRAMMYs — but more on that later.
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As Swifties know, Taylor Swift is no stranger to making GRAMMY history. In 2021, she made history as the first female artist to win Album Of The Year three times — but in 2024, she could become the artist with the most wins in the category ever.

That's right: If Swift's Midnights takes home the golden gramophone for Album Of The Year, she'll have a record-breaking four wins in the category, passing Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.

Even if she doesn't win, Swift has already tied a GRAMMY record. With her nomination for Midnights, Swift now ties Barbra Streisand for most nominations by a female artist for Album Of The Year, with six nominations in the category each.

In addition to Song of the Year, "Anti-Hero" earned nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, while Midnights earned nominations for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical and Best Pop Vocal Album along with Album of the Year. I'm embedding Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero (Official Music Video) to represent both the song and the album.

Official music video for “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift from the album ‘Midnights’.

That's probably the best song that explores "wherever you go, there you are" that I've heard and definitely the best music video with that theme I've watched. Gold Derby's editors think that Swift has excellent chances at winning Album, Record, and Song of the Year. Ten of eleven editors have picked Swift to win Album of the Year. Record of the Year looks closer with six editors picking Swift while five chose Miley Cyrus for "Flowers." Six editors have also selected Swift to win Song of the Year. Four picked Cyrus for "Flowers" and one has SZA's "Kill Bill" as her choice. That editor is Joyce Eng, which means I have to take the possibility seriously.

One more song by Swift from Midnights earned a nomination, Taylor Swift ft. Ice Spice - Karma (Official Music Video), for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.


Gold Derby's editors didn't make any choices for this category, but they did for Best New Artist, and they think Ice Spice is the overwhelming favorite with ten of eleven picking her to win. Good luck to both Swift and Ice Spice, not that I think either of them need it!

Stay tuned for an early celebration of Nobel Prize Day.

*Here is the screen capture showing the rest of the candidates for 2023's Person of the Year.


At least one of them, Sam Altman, has won another accolade for CEO of the Year. I'm waiting to see if any of the others earn consolation prizes.

Previous posts about the Grammy Awards

• 'Barbie' leads nominations in music for visual media at the Grammy Awards