Why Did Taylor Swift Skip the Grammys? An Analysis

The singer received zero nominations for her album, Reputation.

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When Taylor Swift (one of the biggest artists in music) didn't attend the 2018 Grammy Awards (the biggest night in music), fans began to speculate whether the 28-year-old singer would ever return to an award show again...or perhaps an event outside of her own concerts (okay, and SNL).

On Sunday night, Swift was nominated for three Grammy awards in the "Best Country Song" and "Best Country Duo/Group Performance" category for the song "Better Man" that she wrote for country group Little Big Town as well as "Song Written for Visual Media" for her and Zayn's song, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever." Despite the nominations (and a win for "Better Man" in the Best Country Duo category), Swift still didn't attend the show—perhaps because her newest album, Reputation, didn't receive a single nomination.

Before you're all like, WHAT?! Taylor didn't get nominated? There's a reason behind the album's absence on the Grammy nominations list. According to the Grammys, in order to be eligible for a nomination this year, albums "must be released between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Recordings must also be available for sale from any date within the eligibility period through at least the date of the current year’s voting deadline (final ballot)."

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Swift alongside Ed Sheeran (left) and Selena Gomez (right) at the 2016 Grammy Awards.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Swift's first single for her album, "Look What You Made Me Do," was released on August 24, 2017 followed by her second single, "...Ready for It?" on September 3, 2017, which means they were *technically* eligible for a nomination. However, the album itself, Reputation, was not released until November 10, 2017—making it ineligible for any Grammy nominations.

Though we likely won't ever know the real reason behind Swift's absence, it looks like we'll have to wait another 365 days to see if Swift will add more trophies to her 10-winning collection.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

What Taylor Should Have Addressed on 'Reputation'

Rachel Epstein
Rachel Epstein

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.