Billboard sparks outrage among Swifties with nude image of Taylor Swift for a tribute

Billboard magazine aimed to honor one of the world’s biggest music icons, Taylor Swift, but instead, it stumbled into controversy, leaving fans furious.

The uproar began with Billboard’s recent list celebrating the most influential artists of the 21st century’s first quarter. Touted as a ranking of those who have “defined pop” in this era, the publication has been gradually revealing the names on the list. Taylor Swift, a global superstar and a dominant force in music, was placed in the #2 spot, with the top position still to be announced.

While many fans already felt Swift deserved the #1 spot, the real outrage erupted when Billboard released a tribute video to commemorate her second-place ranking.

The Problematic Tribute

In the video, Billboard used an image of a nude doll with Taylor Swift’s face—a reference to Kanye West’s 2016 “Famous” music video. For Swifties, this was a shocking and offensive choice. The original “Famous” video from 2016 had infamously featured a wax figure resembling Swift, tied to Kanye West’s claim that he was responsible for her rise to fame. The depiction was widely criticized at the time for being degrading and misogynistic.

Fans Demand Accountability

Swift’s loyal fanbase, known as “Swifties,” quickly took to social media to express their anger. For them, the use of such a controversial and hurtful image was not only disrespectful but completely antithetical to the intended celebration of her legacy.

Billboard’s Apology

After days of backlash, Billboard issued an apology to Taylor Swift’s fans, acknowledging the outrage and admitting their mistake.

“We are deeply sorry to Taylor Swift and all of our readers and viewers that in a video celebrating Swift’s achievements, we included a clip that falsely depicted her,” the magazine wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We have removed the clip from our video and sincerely regret the harm we caused with this error.”

Original article written by Marta Rodríguez Peleteiro, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Greg Heilman.

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