( CNN ) -- It did n't seem like Taylor Swift could get any bigger . She 's got massive success in the music industry , millions of devoted fans and a permanent place in pop culture history , the latter thanks to an incident that the world will never , ever allow Kanye West to forget . But clearly , that was n't enough for the ( literally ) towering singer . In one week , she became the second-biggest selling act of 2014 and the only solo platinum-selling artist of the year -- all with the debut of her new album , `` 1989 . '' She pulled her music off Spotify , the most popular streaming site in the world , and managed to get pulled into a political controversy thanks to a remark during the U.S. Senate race in Iowa . You just could n't get away from her . Morning shows ? There was Swift performing on `` Good Morning America . '' Prime time ? Look , it 's Swift on `` The Voice . '' Online ? Between her tweets , `` 1989 '' -related photos and a countdown clock , she was ubiquitous . For all we know , she 's even boosted the sales of tap shorts . `` Taylor Swift is basically the biggest musician in the world this week , and that means she 's in the rare position of being able to do whatever she wants , '' wrote Jacob Kastrenakes of The Verge . It 's the next step in the evolution of the singer who launched her career in country music at the age of 16 . Now 24 , she has weathered critics who have kept a tally of some of her alleged celebrity sins : Her music was n't country enough , her wide-eyed `` Gosh , I really won '' awards acceptance speeches were n't genuine , and her relationships were mostly fodder for publicity and potential song material . Taylor Swift 's '1989 ' has biggest sales week since 2002 . So what does Swift do ? She releases her first fully pop album , designates `` Shake It Off '' -- an ode to her haters -- as the first single and declares herself happily single . `` I really like my life right now , '' Swift recently told Rolling Stone . `` I have friends around me all the time . I 've started painting more . I 've been working out a lot . I 've started to really take pride in being strong . I love the album I made . I love that I moved to New York . So in terms of being happy , I 've never been closer to that . '' It would seem Swift has long been on the path to world domination . Big Kenny of the country duo `` Big and Rich '' said the singer displayed that she had what it took even as a teen at the annual Country Radio Seminar held in Nashville . `` She just had a charge in her that was twice her age really , '' he said of the then-15-year-old . `` From the get-go . '' Singer-songwriter Frankie Ballard toured with her and said Swift is n't one of those stars who mails it in . `` She was plugged in . She was there every day , '' he said of his tour mate . `` She was the captain of the ship . '' Protected by 'Swifties ' Swift gets that if this were high school , she would be the annoying straight-A student who is gorgeous , is friends with the other cool kids ( Swift is BFFs with the likes of actress Selena Gomez and singer Lorde ) , volunteers after school and dates the cutest boys . But she 's running for homecoming queen and is courting your vote -- hard . Not that she does n't already have plenty of admirers . Her fans , known as `` Swifties , '' are equal parts adoring and protective of her . Come for Taylor Swift on Twitter , and you are sure to encounter her army . They are paying her back in part for being one of the most accessible music artists in the business . She does meet-and-greets , surprises them at their bridal showers , stalks their timelines and Instagram feeds , and even made them part of her newest project . Before the world ever heard a note from `` 1989 , '' Swift handpicked fans who had really , really wanted to meet her and invited them to her homes around the world for a listening party . They got hours to hang with their idol , taking Polaroids and delving into the new album . The fans were allowed to share their experiences and asked only to keep details about the new songs under wraps . 5 reasons you love Taylor Swift ... even if you do n't want to . Swift told NPR that not only did they honor her request , but her fans stood guard when the album was leaked online two days before its October 27 release date . `` Anytime they 'd see an illegal post of it , they 'd comment , 'Why are you doing this ? Why do n't you respect the value of art ? ' `` Swift said. `` 'Do n't do this . We do n't believe in this . This is illegal . This is n't fair . This is n't right . ' And it was wild seeing that happen . '' She needs that support in face of New Yorkers disliking the fact that she 's been named Global Welcome Ambassador for Tourism of the Big Apple . The choice of the Reading , Pennsylvania , native to represent New York has been less than popular , despite her move to Tribeca and her new single `` Welcome to New York . '' `` I 'm incensed ! It 's insulting , '' Twisted Sister frontman and Queens , New York , native Dee Snider told the New York Daily News . `` She does n't have any life experience here or connection to the town . '' Taylor Swift : Dating is last thing on my mind . Center of controversy . It 's not just New York . Swift also became part of the debate in Iowa during the waning days of the 2014 campaign . Tom Harkin , the state 's retiring U.S. senator , entangled Swift in a bit of political negativity when he invoked her name while discussing Republican Joni Ernst , who was vying for his seat . `` Well , I ( got to ) thinking about that . I do n't care if she 's as good looking as Taylor Swift or as nice as Mr. Rogers , but if she votes like Michele Bachmann , she 's wrong for the state of Iowa , '' Harkin said . He later apologized and said , `` I should n't have said those things , '' but Ernst made some hay from the comment and won election . Swift has also ended up as part of the debate about Internet music streaming . On November 3 , she pulled her catalog from Spotify , leaving its 40 million users bereft of her five albums . Spotify quickly courted her return with a playlist filled with songs like `` Taylor '' by Jack Johnson and `` You 're Amazing '' by Epic Connection . `` We hope she 'll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone , '' Spotify said in a statement . `` We believe fans should be able to listen to music wherever and whenever they want . '' Swift told Yahoo Music that the decision was her own . `` I can say is that music is changing so quickly , and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly , that everything new , like Spotify , all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment , '' she said . `` And I 'm not wiling to contribute my life 's work to an experiment that I do n't feel fairly compensates the writers , producers , artists and creators of this music . '' Never underestimate Taylor Swift . Right now , she 's standing very tall . Why Taylor Swift is everything to the music industry .
Taylor Swift is music 's biggest star right now . She can do no wrong with her music . Swift is using her power and changing the industry .