Billboard magazine has issued a formal apology to Taylor Swift after a controversial clip was included in a tribute video celebrating her achievements. The video was part of a feature in which the 34-year-old singer was ranked second on Billboard’s list of the best pop stars of the 21st century.
The special video, produced to honor Swift’s success, included a segment that sparked widespread criticism. In response to the backlash, Billboard removed the clip and apologized for the error. The magazine released a statement saying, “We sincerely apologize to Taylor Swift and our readers and viewers for including a clip that inaccurately portrayed her. The offending segment has been removed from the video, and we deeply regret the harm caused by this mistake.”
Billboard also expressed its commitment to preventing such errors in the future.
Footage from Kanye West’s 2016 music video for ‘Famous’ where Taylor Swift’s wax figure is shown alongside other nude celebrity figures. Billboard eventually acknowledged the clip was inappropriate and stated, ‘We are deeply sorry to Taylor Swift and all of our readers and viewers that in a video celebrating Taylor Swift’s achievements, we included a clip that falsely depicted her’.
The inclusion of the clip eventually sparked outrage among Taylor Swift’s fans, who viewed it as a cruel reminder of how women’s bodies are often objectified, asserted Huffpost. Writer Sarah Manavis severely criticized the video as ‘repulsive’ while arguing that it undermined the intent to celebrate Taylor Swift by humiliating her instead.
