Billboard recently issued an apology to Taylor Swift and her fans after including a controversial clip in a tribute video celebrating her career. On 26 November, the magazine ranked Swift, 34, as the number two artist on its list of “25 of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century.” However, the highlight reel intended to commemorate her achievements sparked outrage when fans noticed a brief snippet from Kanye West’s 2016 music video Famous.
The Famous video, infamous for depicting a wax figure of Swift naked without her consent, has long been associated with the years-long feud between West and Swift. Many fans expressed their disgust over its inclusion, calling it disrespectful to Swift. On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #BillboardIsOverParty and #BillboardApologizeToTaylor quickly began trending.
In response to the backlash, Billboard removed the video and uploaded an edited version on Instagram, along with an apology.
“We are deeply sorry to Taylor Swift and all of our readers and viewers that in a video celebrating Swift’s achievements, we included a clip that falsely depicted her. We have removed the clip from our video and sincerely regret the harm we caused with this error,” the statement read.
Despite the apology, fans questioned how such a clip was included in the first place. One user commented, “An error is a misspelling, but to edit a clip and add it into a video is not an error. Just telling you, karma will come.” Another fan wrote, “We all saw it. Stop trying to hide the fact.”
The Famous controversy, which reignited a feud that began with West interrupting Swift’s 2009 VMA speech, has been a recurring point of pain for the singer. West’s lyrics in Famous claimed he “made [Swift] famous,” a sentiment she publicly condemned for its “strong misogynistic message.”
Following the song’s release, Kim Kardashian, West’s then-wife, released edited clips of a phone call in which Swift appeared to approve the lyrics. This led to widespread online harassment of Swift, with the snake emoji becoming a symbol of criticism against her.
However, in 2020, an unedited version of the call surfaced, proving Swift never consented to being called a “b****” or to the claim that West made her famous. In a 2023 Time interview, Swift reflected on the toll the incident took on her mental health:
“Make no mistake — my career was taken away from me. Kim Kardashian edited [it] and put [it] out to say I was a liar. That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”
Fans continue to express outrage over the mishap, with one quipping, “She’s gonna add another vault song to Reputation (Taylor’s Version) just for y’all.” Many are now speculating that Swift’s re-recorded Reputation album will include new material addressing her experiences during that time.
For now, it seems Taylor Swift’s fans are standing firmly by her side, ensuring that moments like these only add to her legacy as one of the most resilient and celebrated pop stars of the 21st century.
