For nearly 20 years now, Taylor Swift has been among the most beloved pop stars on the planet. Her tours sell out arenas, her albums top charts time after time, and her fanbase grows more robust by the day.
It’s even pulling in the youths, something many artists struggle to do as they leave their own childhoods behind. Swift is still relatively young herself — she’s only 34 — but she’s by no means prepubescent. She’s got plenty of fans in the age range, however, and a charming TikTok underlines just how much staying power Swift truly boasts.
It’s been more than 15 years since Swift’s second studio album, Fearless, introduced the world to one of her most enduringly popular songs: “Love Story.” The charming track leans on classic literature to tell a modern tale of lovelorn adolescence, and it connects as much with today’s youth as it did with those of us who grew up on it. That much is made evident by TikToker @baniganartistry’s upload, which shows as a handful of second graders create cherished childhood memories right in front of our eyes. A gaggle of little ones swing from a swing-set in disjointed waves, but sing in perfect unison, belting out the lyrics to a song nearly a decade older than they are.
The video is an utterly heartwarming and charming reminder that music topples barriers to connect us all, even across generations. Some of us were right around Taylor’s age when she released that song, and it became a high school anthem as we navigated first loves and teenage hurdles. It clearly continues to serve as a connecting force, and it’s really no surprise from one of the biggest artists the world has ever seen.
Swift effortlessly breaks records left and right with nearly every fresh album release, and Fearless helped harken in that future of musical supremacy. In the years since, Swift has shattered numerous records, situating herself as the only woman to ever win four Album of the Year Grammy Awards, the first artist to ever gross more than $1 billion on a tour, and the highest-grossing female musician in history. That’s among dozens of other stunning accomplishments, all of which establish exactly why her music has such longevity.
Those are facts and figures, but the truth of the matter is far better delivered via tiny voices singing in (almost) perfect harmony. Swift’s legacy was already impressive, but it’s the effect she has on her fans that really matters. Her music brings joy to millions, no matter how old or young, and that’s easily the greatest accomplishment of her career.
