Taylor Swift fans, known as Swifties, were thrilled when Billboard ranked the superstar as the second-greatest pop star of the 21st century on Thursday. However, their joy quickly turned to outrage due to a controversial clip included in Billboard’s tribute video.
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The video, shared on Billboard’s social media accounts, celebrated Swift’s achievements with the caption: “@taylorswift takes the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s list of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century.” But fans were outraged by the inclusion of footage from Kanye West’s 2016 music video Famous. The clip showed a wax statue of Taylor Swift lying nude beside Kanye and others, paired with lyrics that suggested he made her famous and they might still “have sex.”
The imagery and lyrics, which sparked backlash when the video was released in 2016, reignited anger among Swift’s fans. Outraged Instagram users demanded accountability. “Apologize publicly to Taylor Swift,” one user wrote. Another called the clip “truly disgusting,” while others accused Billboard of disrespecting Swift, with comments like, “Shameful behavior from a ‘serious’ music portal.”
Swifties were already displeased that Beyoncé topped the list as the greatest pop star of the 21st century, leaving Taylor in second place. The inclusion of the controversial footage only deepened their frustration.
Billboard Responds to Backlash
Within hours, Billboard deleted the video from its social media accounts and issued an apology. A revised version of the tribute, omitting the Famous footage, was uploaded with a caption addressing the controversy.
“We are deeply sorry to Taylor Swift and all of our readers and viewers,” Billboard stated. “In a video celebrating Swift’s achievements, we included a clip that falsely depicted her. We have removed the clip from our video and sincerely regret the harm we caused with this error.”
The apology appeared to appease some fans, but the damage had already been done. The hashtag #BillboardIsOverParty trended online as Swifties expressed their disappointment.
Decade-Long Feud Resurfaces
The controversy brought renewed attention to Swift and Kanye West’s long-standing feud, which dates back to 2009 when Kanye interrupted Taylor’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. The rivalry escalated with the release of Famous and a leaked 2020 phone conversation, which revealed further disputes over the song’s lyrics.
While Kanye ranked seventh on Billboard’s list of greatest pop stars, the decision to include a clip from his Famous video in Taylor’s tribute felt like an insult to her loyal fans.
For now, Swifties are celebrating their idol’s remarkable achievement but remain wary of what they perceive as unfair treatment of their favorite artist. Taylor Swift’s enduring legacy and the passion of her fan base continue to define her as one of the most influential pop stars of the modern era.