The National Times - Taylor Swift wins Album of the Year Grammy, breaking record

With her record-breaking triumph, the 34-year-old surpassed music icons Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder with the most wins of the top Grammy.

Swift bested a stacked slate of artists including Lana Del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo, Grammys darling Jon Batiste and top nominee SZA to take home the major award.

The honor was but another feather in the cap of Swift, the toast of the music world whose monumental Eras Tour became the world’s first billion-dollar tour.

Swift, who took her producer Jack Antonoff and fellow nominee Lana Del Rey with her onstage, said the moment was wonderful, but was comparable to many moments in her work from "rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show."

"For me, the award is the work," Swift said. "I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too."

"Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to do what I 100 percent love so much! Mind blown!"

"Midnights," her 10th studio album, debuted at the top of the Billboard charts when it came out in October 2022, and made Swift the first artist to simultaneously nab all 10 spots on the US top songs chart.

Swift came into Sunday's gala with six chances at Grammy gold, including the coveted awards for best song, which celebrates songwriting, and best record.

She scored one other prize, for Best Pop Vocal Album.

In accepting that award, she also delighted fans by announcing she would release a new studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," on April 19.

Her previous three Album of the Year wins were for "Fearless," "1989" and "Folklore."

Along with her new work, Swift has found resounding success as she makes good on her vow to re-record her first six albums so she can control their rights.

A.M.James--TNT