This Monday marks the return of the annual iHeart Radio Music Awards, but it's also a notable anniversary in the Swiftie fandom. The date also celebrates two years since the first show in Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, which began in Glendale, Arizona in March 2023.
And how are these two things related? I'm glad you asked. Not only will Swift be honored with iHeart Radio's Tour of the Century, but the show will also feature a taped performance from the first-ever Eras Tour concert. So Swift won't be performing live, but fans will still get to see her perform. Everyone wins ... sort of.
Of course, Taylor Swift isn't just getting one notable mention at the awards. She is nominated in 10 different categories, from Artist of the Year to Best Music Video (for "Fortnight") and even Favorite Tour Tradition. No true Swiftie is going to argue that the 22 hat doesn't deserve its own award. Raise your hats if you have them! (I wish.)
That's really not the worst way to celebrate her tour-iversary. Over 100 shows and over a year and a half of performing her ever-shifting Eras setlist, Swift deserves to be acknowledged for her accomplishments even after the tour itself has ended. Whether you want the music industry to keep talking about her or not (there are valid arguments on both sides), there's a reason she's an artist fans and non-Swifties alike keep coming back to.
There may be nothing like The Eras Tour ever again -- not from Swift or any other artist for that matter, though some of them will certainly try. The tour worked as well as it did in large part because of the longevity of Swift's career. She keeps evolving as time passes. Each new album is something different than the last. And that's probably never going to change.
You can catch the iHeart Radio Music Awards Monday, March 17 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Fox.