Person of the Year FILE PHOTO: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Swift was name Time's Person of the Year for 2023. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Time has announced its Person of the Year for 2023.
Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift has been chosen as being the most influential person of 2023. The publication will have several covers marking Swift’s achievement.
The year 2023 has been the year of Swift, between her “Eras Tour,” the release of her film documenting her concerts and her domination of the NFL thanks to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
This is the second time Swift will appear on the Person of the Year cover. She was featured in 2017 as part of the “Silence Breakers” who spoke out about sexual misconduct, Time said.
This time it is all about Swift — her music, her concerts, her film, her vast fortune and, of course, her romantic life.
Time admits that not all will agree with the decision to name Swift as the Person of the Year, but the writers put it this way:
“If you’re skeptical, consider it: How many conversations did you have about Taylor Swift this year? How many times did you see a photo of her while scrolling on your phone? Were you one of the people who made a pilgrimage to a city where she played? Did you buy a ticket to her concert film? Did you double-tap an Instagram post, or laugh at a tweet, or click on a headline about her? Did you find yourself humming ‘Cruel Summer’ while waiting in line at the grocery store? Did a friend confess that they watched clips of the Eras Tour night after night on TikTok? Or did you?”
The article and three covers are available online and will hit newsstands next week.
The publication started the tradition of naming a Person of the Year in 1927, naming the person or group with the most influence, for better or worse, over 12 months.
Previous selections include American presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump; international leaders such as Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky; tech titans such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg and finally groups like “The Silence Breakers,” “The Ebola Fighters,” “The Protestor” and “The Good Samaritans,” CBS News reported.
Swift beat out others who were on the 2023 shortlist announced earlier this week:
Hollywood strikers
Writers and actors walked the picket lines this year, causing television and movie production to come to a halt, Time said. Both the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild both came to agreements and are getting back to work.
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping has already been part of Time’s 100 list, which honors the most influential people worldwide, 10 times. Xi was also a runner-up for Person of the Year in 2017.
Sam Altman
Sam Altman was the founder and CEO of OpenAI, the maker ChatGPT, and he was recently fired and subsequently rehired by the company. Time has honored him twice for his groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence — on the inaugural Time 100 AI list and the 2023 Time 100 list.
Barbie
The year 2023 came coated in Barbie pink. The live-action “Barbie” movie became the highest-grossing film of 2023, earning $1.4 billion.
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is in its second year. He also held strong against a rebellion by the leader of the mercenary Wagner group, which was ended when a deal was hammered out by Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko. The leader of the mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash. Putin has been on Time’s 100 list several times and was the publication’s Person of the Year in 2007.
King Charles III
The year marked the coronation of King Charles III after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. His mother was named Person of the Year in 1952 when she took the throne.
Jerome Powell
Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell has been trying to curb inflation by raising interest rates slowly so as to not cause a recession. He has been on the Time 100 list twice.
Trump Prosecutors
Former President Donald Trump is facing four separate legal cases in Florida, Georgia, New York and Washington, D.C., and more than 90 charges in those cases alleging election interference, illegally keeping classified documents and falsifying his business records.
Time's 2023 Person of the Year winner LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Swift was named the 2023 Person of the Year for Time. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist According to Time, U.S. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell has been trying to curb inflation by raising interest rates slowly so as to not cause a recession. He has been on the Time 100 list twice. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist Margot Robbie attends a photocall on July 13, 2023 in London, England. The year 2023 came coated in Barbie pink. The live-action “Barbie” movie became the highest-grossing film of 2023, earning $1.4 billion. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist King Charles III, wearing the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State. The year marked the coronation of King Charles III after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. His mother was named Person of the Year in 1952 when she took the throne.(Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images) (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist Former President Donald Trump is facing four separate legal cases in Florida, Georgia, New York and Washington, D.C., and more than 90 charges in those cases alleging election interference, illegally keeping classified documents and falsifying his business records. Special Council Jack Smith (L), New York Attorney General Letitia James (C) and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis the prosecutors leading the various cases.
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the APEC Leaders Retreat on the last day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week at Moscone Center on November, 17, 2023 in San Francisco, California. The Chinese President has already been part of Time’s 100 list, which honors the most influential people worldwide, 10 times. Xi was also a runner-up for Person of the Year in 2017. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 17: Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum on October 17, 2023 in Beijing, China. Putin has been on Time’s 100 list several times and was the publication’s Person of the Year in 2007. (Pool/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 16: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman looks on during the APEC CEO Summit at Moscone West on November 16, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Time has honored him twice for his groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence — on the inaugural Time 100 AI list and the 2023 Time 100 list. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Time's 2023 Person of the Year shortlist LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: Striking SAG-AFTRA members and supporters picket outside Disney Studios on day 95 of their strike against the Hollywood studios on October 16, 2023 in Burbank, California. The SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes brought the entertainment industry to a halt over the summer. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years Here are some memorable photos of Taylor Swift through the years. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2006: Country singer Taylor Swift arrives at the 41st annual Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 23, 2006, in Las Vegas. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2007: Music artist Taylor Swift performs during the Academy of Country Music New Artists' Party for a Cause show at the MGM Grand Conference Center on May 14, 2007, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2008: Singer Taylor Swift arrives at the 50th annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 10, 2008, in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2009: Kanye West (left) jumps onstage after Taylor Swift (center) won the "Best Female Video" award during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on September 13, 2009, in New York City. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2010: Musicians Kary Perry and Taylor Swift during the 52nd annual Grammy Awards Salute to Icons Honoring Doug Morris held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 30, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2011: Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez perform onstage during the "Speak Now World Tour" at Madison Square Garden on November 22, 2011, in New York City. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2012: Taylor Swift performs onstage during the MTV EMA's 2012 at Festhalle Frankfurt on November 11, 2012, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for MTV)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2013: Taylor Swift arrives at the 55th annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2014: Musician Taylor Swift attends the "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2015: Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attend the 57th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 8, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2016: Recording artist Taylor Swift attends the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 28, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2017: Musician Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Super Saturday Night Concert at Club Nomadic on February 4, 2017, in Houston. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images for DIRECTV)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2018: Taylor Swift attends the 2018 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on October 9, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2019: Taylor Swift performs during the TIME 100 Gala 2019 Dinner at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2019, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2020: Taylor Swift attends the 2020 Sundance Film Festival "Miss Americana" Premiere at Eccles Center Theatre on January 23, 2020, in Park City, Utah. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2021: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner accept the Album of the Year award for "Folklore" onstage during the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2021: Taylor Swift attends the "All Too Well" New York Premiere on November 12, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) (DIMITRIOS.KAMBOURIS@GETTYIMAGES.COM/Getty Images)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2021: Writer-director Taylor Swift attends a premiere for the short film "All Too Well" at AMC Lincoln Square 13 on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2022: Taylor Swift speaks during a graduation ceremony for New York University at Yankee Stadium in New York, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig/AP)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years 2022: Taylor Swift waves to graduates as she participates in a graduation ceremony for New York University at Yankee Stadium in New York, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (Seth Wenig/AP)
Photos: Taylor Swift through the years Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management) (Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Mana)