Whatever you think about Taylor Swift, there is no denying that she is currently the most popular and ubiquitous musician in the nation, possibly the world. The recent downward spiral for album sales, even for established artists with impressive past sales figures? Didn‰’t affect Taylor Swift. Her latest album Red sold 1.2 million copies in its first week. At one point in the days following the album‰’s release, every single one of the album‰’s 16 songs was in the top 50 on the iTunes sales charts. In recent months, Taylor has promoted the album on dozens of TV programs, co-hosted the Grammy Nominations concert and ushered in the new year with Ryan Seacrest on ABC. Up next? The Grammys and a tour.

Does Taylor Swift‰’s music justify this comprehensive media blitz? No, but frankly, what could? Nevertheless, Red is a terrific album, an expansion of the artist‰’s well-established strengths and an evolution into new territories. Swift‰’s songwriting skills and commercial savvy have only sharpened in the years since her timid but appealing self-titled debut. The eye-popping album sales are evidence that her extensive collection of loyal fans (representing all ages and genders) will take her music however they can get it, eating up the preview singles and still shelling out for the full collection.

It‰’s easy to resent Taylor Swift for all of this success. What did she really do to deserve it? Write a bunch of songs about her ex-boyfriends? Act cute and wear pretty dresses? Well, yes and yes, but Taylor Swift has earned her success with genuine quality and innovation across the boundaries between country and pop music.

To some, Taylor comes across as whiny and petty, but she has always been transparent about her intentions in revealing the male subjects of her songs. This tendency to capitalize on what she perceives as emotional wrongdoing has been a point of contention for Swift haters, but I don‰’t understand this argument. We complain quite often that modern pop music is too artificial and impersonal. Does anyone really have a sense of Rihanna‰’s personality from her music? How about Flo Rida? Carly Rae Jepsen? Taylor Swift‰’s music is always defined by a consistent, sometimes brutally honest point of view. Sure, she takes advantage of the celebrity factor in hiding clues about her famous boyfriends in the liner notes. At least her music reflects her own life, though. The same can‰’t be said for most of today‰’s pop titans. Along those lines, pointing out Taylor Swift‰’s vocal shortcomings is not an entirely valid criticism. She doesn‰’t aspire to the technical proficiency of Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson. Her music creates a consistent persona that doesn‰’t require vocal acrobatics to convey its message.

Taylor Swift has also become a positive role model for her younger fans. While I understand the temptation to accuse Swift of encouraging rash decisions and unrealistic fantasies about romantic relationships, her fans seem more interested in her enviable ability to maintain her humanity and decency despite unfathomable success. If recent public appearances are any indication, her friendly, appreciative personality offsets the arguably vindictive nature of her accusatory songwriting. She‰’s pretty but not exclusive. Her teenage fans can aspire to look like her without alienating their parents or resorting to abject levels of promiscuity. Kids and adults alike see something of themselves in her, a kind of universality that few artists can claim for both demographics.

Do you remember when Taylor Swift sang country music? Those days have long passed, if you‰’re defining “country music‰” as “what country radio stations play.‰” Both “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together‰” and “I Knew You Were Trouble‰” are impossibly catchy, lyrically clever anthems that belong nowhere near a country radio dial. Nonetheless, Taylor Swift‰’s brand of music as confession. The album Red marries the storytelling power of country with the showmanship of pop, most successfully on “Holy Ground‰” and “Starlight.‰” Once the culture‰’s obsession with genre labels fades away, appreciating Taylor Swift‰’s music for what it is, not what it once was, will be easier.

I am not here to argue that Taylor Swift is perfect or infallible. Her duet with Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, “The Last Time,‰” is pallid and underwhelming. Some of her recent live performances have been rather weak in the vocal department, even by her standards. At a certain point, she needs to make an album that minimizes the breakup drama and fairytale romance. For now, the formula seems to be more successful than she ever could have conceived as an aspiring star. And if she keeps evolving her sound and expanding her ambitions, Taylor Swift will grow up with her fans and make new ones in the process. Gutsy prediction: Taylor Swift is not yet at the height of her popularity OR quality.