Taylor Swift has had quite the year. She has been on a whirlwind world wide tour for her album 1989 where she shared the stage with amazing star studded musicians from across genres and ages demographics. She collected a group of musically talented friends who she would welcome onto the stage at different stops on her tour.
According to an interview she did with Beats 1 Taylor Swift explained why she invited all these guests on stage
"In this generation, I know as I'm walking on stage that a huge percentage of the crowd have already YouTubed the entire show and watched the whole thing online. They know the set list, they know the costumes, they've looked it up. That presented me with an interesting issue. I love the element of surprise… so going into this tour, having people pop on stage that you didn't expect to see — not only musicians, but actors and athletes and models and people in every type of field."
At first it felt absurd. Like she wouldn't be able to keep up with it. But she did. Part of that, I believe, was possible because how she is legitimately talented but more so it would have to do with her as a person. Now I don't know her personally (if only), and realize I'm basing this conclusion from an outside perspective while her PR scrubbed social media accounts, but she seems like a genuinely kind person.
Regardless of how it happened, it did. So here is my ranking of the top 10 guest musicians that shared the stage with her during her tour.
10) Fetty Wap
Whether Swift is one of his Remy boys now is had to say, but him being known for loving the date 1738 it makes sense for him to enjoy being on one of her 1989 tour stops. You can watch them perform his "Trap Queen" below, with footage cut together from a dozen's fans' cell phone cameras.
9) The Weeknd
The Weeknd shared the stage and performed their hit "Can't Feel My Face" with Swift in her East Rutherford stop on the tour. It was a huge crowd, but The Weeknd have played for crowds of the like before when they performed at Lolla this year.
8) Justin Timberlake
Although he isn't the original JT (that would be James Taylor) Timberlake is a hard one not to love. They performed "Mirrors" from his 2013 album The 20/20 Experience in LA at the Staples Center.
7) Haim
The Swift/Haim sisters friendship is well known. They have been pals for quiet a while, even vacationing together. So it makes complete sense that these buds would get up on the stage together. Here they are performing "Hot in Herre" with Nelly at their stop in St. Louis.
6) Avril Lavigne
Taylor and Lavigne did a duet of Lavigne's 2002 hit "Complicated" on the San Diego stop of the 1989 World Tour. That song is so ingrained in those who were in elementary and middle school in 2002 that it has become a classic song for karaoke.
5) Lorde
We loved Lordes' album Pure Heroine so it figures that we would enjoy this collaboration too. When Lorde joined Swift on her D.C stop they sung "Royals" together.
4 & 3 ) Beck & St. Vincent
A duel performance of Beck and St. Vincent with Taylor Swift at an LA stop. Beck won album of the year for his 2014 Morning Phase and St. Vincent's self-titled was in the top 10 albums of 2014 for WIUX. Here they are performing "Dreams" at the Staple Center.
2) Mick Jagger
Jagger and Swift have been in each other's circles for a while, she performed at a Rolling Stone's concert with him in 2013. At the 1989 Nashville show they performed the Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction" which was released in 1965.
1) World Cup-winning US Women's Soccer Team
Not a musician but a special shout out the World Cup-winning US Women's Soccer Team who were invited onstage in East Rutherford. Number one on the field number one in our hearts.
