Savvy Swift makes most powerful list
Singer and songwriter Taylor Swift has been named one of the most powerful women in the world after making her first appearance on the Forbes Power Women List this year.
The Shake It Off singer, whose fans refer to themselves as Swifties and has a cult following among millions, is ranked 64 and is also the youngest on the list.
Swift, 25, has sold millions of records and cemented herself as one of the world’s bestselling stars after her album, 1989, came out in October last year. It was 2014’s first album to go platinum and between its release on October 27 and November 2, 1989 made up 22 per cent of all albums sold in the US.
Swift is one of the most followed celebrities on Twitter with 58 million followers. Forbes estimates her earnings last year were US$64 million ($88 million) and there were rumours her legs were insured for US$40 million.
On the list of 100 women Forbes magazine produces annually, German chancellor Angela Merkel came out on top for the fifth time in a row.
The 100 women are chosen by the magazine’s editors, and women from across the political, economic and media industries feature on the list.
Hillary Clinton, who could become the world’s most powerful leader in 2016, moved from sixth last year to second place this year. Last year’s second, US Federal Reserve head Janet Yellen, comes in fourth. Melinda Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with her husband, remains in third place.
The Queen dropped six places to 41 but there are more British women on the list, including Nemat Shafik, who is Bank of England deputy governor (No 66) and Guardian editor-inchief from July this year, Katharine Viner (No 80).