Few individuals have immersed themselves in Taylor Swift’s music as deeply as Rob Sheffield, the celebrated Rolling Stone journalist and author behind Dreaming the Beatles and On Bowie. Known for blending memoir with music criticism, Sheffield has devoted his latest work to tracing the cultural impact of the pop sensation in Heartbreak Is the National Anthem, a book that reflects on Swift’s monumental influence on the music world.
In this new release, Sheffield embarks on a personal exploration of Swift’s career, detailing his experiences with her music, as well as his encounters with the star herself. The book, which hit shelves on November 12, chronicles Swift’s rise from country ingénue to global pop powerhouse, capturing how her artistry and cultural presence have radically reshaped the music industry.
“She’s completely transformed music,” says Sheffield in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “When you look back at the landscape before Taylor Swift, it’s wild to see how much things have changed since she first came onto the scene. I wanted to show readers that before Taylor, pop music looked very different. And after her, it’s a whole new world.”
Sheffield’s analysis spans all 29 chapters, delving into Swift’s prolific discography and deepening his examination of her artistry. From her haunting “Sad Beautiful Tragic” to the innovative world of folklore and evermore, Sheffield highlights Swift’s enduring capacity to evolve while retaining her distinctive voice.
“It’s funny,” Sheffield remarks, “my previous books were about icons like The Beatles and David Bowie. To me, Taylor belongs in that same pantheon of greats. She’s right up there.”
In the interview, Sheffield shares insights into Swift’s songwriting process, her lasting legacy in pop music, and her unapologetic embrace of personal storytelling. But perhaps the most intriguing part of his book is the parallel he draws between Swift and The Beatles—a comparison that speaks to the larger shifts in the music industry.
Sheffield believes that Swift’s career arc closely mirrors that of The Beatles. “The Beatles were the closest thing to Taylor Swift we’ve had in music history,” he explains. “Like the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, Taylor showed the world what was possible. She came in with just a guitar and her songs, challenging the norms, and proving that a country girl could succeed in the pop world without compromising her voice.”
The Beatles revolutionized the music industry in the 1960s by turning rock ‘n’ roll into an art form, and Swift has done something equally transformative for pop music. Early in her career, she, too, faced skepticism, but her songwriting and drive proved naysayers wrong. As Sheffield points out, her success opened the door for a new wave of artists, from Sabrina Carpenter to Olivia Rodrigo, all of whom have been able to carve out their own unique identities in pop music because Swift showed that it was possible.
In his book, Sheffield also recalls a fascinating encounter with Swift, in which she introduced him to Alan Aldridge, a figure well-known in Beatles lore for his illustrations of the band’s songs. Sheffield is struck by how deeply embedded Swift is in the history of music and how much she genuinely understands and appreciates the legacies of artists like The Beatles.
But it’s not just the music that links Swift to The Beatles—it’s her playful approach to hidden messages, which Sheffield dives into in the book. Taylor’s habit of embedding secret codes in her lyrics and album artwork is an homage to the cryptic nature of the Beatles’ work, particularly their White Album.
One of the most charming stories Sheffield recounts involves a 16-year-old Swift revealing a secret message hidden within the capitalized letters of her album’s lyrics. It’s a subtle nod to the Beatles’ own playful messages embedded in their records, and it showcases Swift’s depth as an artist even from the very beginning.
Beyond the music, Sheffield offers a fascinating look into Swift’s career and the personal stories behind her lyrics. Throughout the book, he connects dots between her songs, exploring recurring themes and motifs, such as the references to pirates in both “The Best Day” and “Seven.” These subtle callbacks show how Swift constructs a cohesive body of work that rewards her most dedicated fans.
And while many have speculated on where Swift’s career will go next, Sheffield imagines that the possibilities are endless. “What I’d love to see is a punk rock album from her. I’ve seen glimpses of that energy in her performances, and I’m confident she could pull it off,” he shares. “She listens to everything, and whatever she does next, it’s going to be different. We know that for sure.”
As Sheffield wraps up his thoughts on Swift’s impact, he reflects on the monumental changes she’s brought to the music industry, much like The Beatles did in their heyday. “Taylor has not just carved her own path,” he concludes, “she’s changed the entire industry for the next generation of artists. Maybe one day someone will break all her records, but she’s made it possible for future artists to aim that high. That’s a legacy.”
For Sheffield, Taylor Swift’s place in pop history is undeniable—she’s a force of nature, a true artist, and one of the most impactful figures in modern music, much like The Beatles before her.
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