Taylor Swift's 14 Power Plays That Reshaped The Music Business

Publish date: 2024-05-07

Taylor Swift has demonstrated her generosity so often that it's become a hallmark of her personality. It all started back in 2011, when she donated 6,000 books — $70,000 worth — to a library in her hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. A few years later, she sent out "Swiftmas" presents to fans, even sending one $1,989 (in honor of her "1989" album) to help with student loans. Then, upon moving to New York City in 2015, she donated $50,000 from the proceeds of her single "Welcome to New York" to NYC schools. 

As Swift's success grew, so too did the measure of her philanthropy. In 2016, she donated $1 million to help the victims of flooding in Louisiana. She also donated another $1 million to relief efforts after a devastating tornado in Tennessee. She's helped individuals in times of need with personal donations, ranging from a woman struggling to pay tuition to a mother of five who'd recently lost her husband to COVID-19.

She's also an exceedingly generous employer. During her Eras tour, Swift gave a $100,000 bonus to each of the 50 or so truck drivers working on the tour — an estimated $5 million. In addition, reports circulated that she also handed out bonuses to others on the tour, including dancers, members of her band, sound and lighting technicians, catering staff, and more. Another benefactor of the Eras tour has been food banks, with Swift donating to local organizations in each city in which she's performed.

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