Taylor Swift

Stepping off Music Row and into the small but stylish lobby of Big Machine Records, a visitor quickly realizes it’s not just the walls that reveal the story of Taylor Swift’s meteoric rise to stardom. Even the floors have a tale to tell. With much of the vertical real estate already claimed by industry awards, framed national magazine covers, and gold and platinum records, the staff has adopted the tactic of neatly stacking the continuous stream of accolades and achievements along the baseboards. All that’s needed is a break in a busy intern’s schedule to grab a hammer, a few nails and search out any open wall space.

The photo most often found framed inside with all that precious metal is certainly a familiar one to millions of her fans: the cover of her first album, 2006’s Taylor Swift. Knowing what we know now about Taylor, it’s a striking image. Gazing back at us are the calm yet intense eyes of a sixteen-year-old girl who knows she has much to say, but isn’t really sure if anyone will want to listen.

"It’s crazy, the first time making an album, not knowing if people are going to care what I write in a song," Swift admits. "And then the second time around ... knowing that there are people who are going to know the lyrics that mean so much to me. It makes it all worthwhile."

A second time around. It’s hard to believe it’s already time for Taylor to follow up her triple platinum debut. Especially considering that, two years after its release, it is still near the top of the country charts.