Taylor Swift added another remarkable achievement to her career on Monday, March 17, as she received the Tour of the Century award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards for her record-shattering Eras Tour. The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, recognized the biggest names in music, with Swift taking home a total of eight awards, including Artist of the Year.
Virtual Acceptance Speech
Although she did not attend the event in person, Swift expressed her gratitude in a heartfelt pre-recorded speech, thanking her team and fans. She reflected on the two-year-long journey of the Eras Tour, which began in March 2023, describing it as “the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
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“I really can’t tell you how much this means to me, because this, on behalf of my tour mates, all my fellow performers, my band, everyone who toured with us, our crew—this is actually the two-year anniversary of the first show of the Eras Tour, so I’ve been doing a lot of processing since I’ve been off the road these last few months.” Swift acknowledged the physical and emotional toll of performing a 3.5-hour show over 149 concerts across 22 countries, but emphasized that the challenge was also one of the most gratifying experiences of her career.
Fans’ Role in the Tour’s Success
The I Can Do It With a Broken Heart singer dedicated her win to her fans, recognizing their “passion and generosity” in traveling across the world to see her perform. “You made these songs for the last couple of decades into what they became, so that we could do a three-and-a-half-hour setlist. It blows my mind. I’m never going to stop being grateful for it,” she said. As a tribute, the awards show aired a special performance clip of Swift singing “Mirrorball” from the opening night of the Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona, in March 2023.
Record-Breaking Eras Tour
Swift’s Eras Tour has set unprecedented records in the music industry. By December 2023, the tour had officially become the highest-grossing music tour of all time, pulling in over $1 billion in revenue, according to Pollstar. The final figures, reported by Taylor Swift Touring, indicate that the tour grossed more than $2 billion, with over 10 million fans in attendance.
Comedian Nikki Glaser, who attended 22 Eras Tour shows, introduced Swift’s award with high praise:
“We have 75 years left in the century, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, no one’s topping this.’”
Swift’s iHeartRadio Legacy
Swift has a long history with the iHeartRadio Music Awards, having won 19 awards and received 50 nominations over the years. In addition to Tour of the Century and Artist of the Year, she won multiple awards this year, including:
- Best Tour Tradition – for her unique surprise songs at every show
- Best Lyrics – for Fortnight
- Favorite Tour Style
- Best Music Video – for Fortnight
- Favorite Surprise Guest – for her viral moment with boyfriend Travis Kelce, who picked her up onstage during her London show
Star-Studded Night at the iHeartRadio Awards
Hosted by LL Cool J, the iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrated some of the biggest artists in the industry. Other major winners included Billie Eilish and Finneas, who won Pop Album of the Year for Hit Me Hard and Soft, as well as Benson Boone, SZA, GloRilla, and Green Day.
Special honors were given to:
- Mariah Carey – Icon Award
- Lady Gaga – Innovator Award
- Nelly – Landmark Award
- Gracie Abrams – Breakthrough Artist of the Year
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Fans had hoped for a surprise announcement from Swift at the awards show, but her absence left them speculating about what’s next. With The Tortured Poets Department set to release in April, Swift’s focus now seems to be on her next musical chapter. As the Eras Tour goes down in history, Taylor Swift has proven once again why she is one of the most influential artists of our time.