The Taylor Swift Interview (2026)

The New York Times Magazine polled more than 250 music insiders and gathered six Times critics to choose the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters. One of the artists who made the list was Taylor Swift. Popcast co-host and Times culture reporter Joe Coscarelli met with Swift in Los Angeles to talk about the craft of songwriting. In this 30-minute interview, she discusses her process, the stories behind some of her biggest hits, her love of a “rant bridge,” and how life in the public eye shapes the stories she tells in her songs.