Taylor Swift could have a new title to add to her abundance of accolades.

The 14-time Grammy Award winner will be eligible for the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Modern Era category in 2026, since it will mark 20 years since she “achieved national prominence,” an eligibility requirement listed on the organization’s website.

Swift, 35, released her self-titled debut album in October 2006, which contains hits like “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “Our Song.” The album’s success helped put her on the country music map.

In November 2008, the Pennsylvania native dropped her second studio album, Fearless, which attained massive success and brought the country music world songs like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.”

Although the “Fortnight” singer made the switch to pop with the October 2014 release of her fifth studio album, 1989, there’s no denying the impact she’s had on country music. Country stars like Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, and Megan Moroney have all spoken about Swift’s influence.

“Taylor Swift is a pop singer. But she really helped country music. When she hit, I was thinking, ‘Thank God Taylor’s out there to show people we’re not cheesy,’” Lambert, 41, said in a 2012 interview with W Magazine.

“Some people still think that country music is twangy and cheesy, and they pigeonhole us. But I thought if they’re looking for Taylor’s videos or songs, they might see or hear other people they like. If her fans are watching for her, they might like me too.”

In an April 2025 interview with Variety, Ballerini, 31, called the “All Too Well” singer her “North Star” and spoke about finding her individuality after being compared to Swift by a record executive at a young age.

“He looked at me and said, ‘Well, there’s already a Taylor Swift.’ And he was right. There weren’t a lot of young female singer-songwriter girls in country music to look up to—Taylor was the North Star for me, and still is in a lot of ways. I had to grow into my own identity as an artist and a songwriter and learn to differentiate myself.”

Moroney, 27, shared a beautiful rendition of Swift’s song “The Black Dog” in an April 2024 TikTok video, writing “Taylor Swift there will never be another you.”

Although Swift hasn’t released a new country album since 2012’s Red, she’s attended multiple Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards since her transition to pop, including the 50th and 55th ceremonies in 2015 and 2020.

The megastar has also revisited her country roots with her uber-successful re-recordings. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) dropped in April 2021, followed by Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021 and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July 2023.

When Swift purchased the rights to her first six master recordings in May 2025, she addressed her fans in a letter and revealed some news about her first album.

“I’ve already completely re-recorded my entire debut album, and I really like how it sounds now.”

Also referring to her sixth studio album, Reputation, Swift said, “Those 2 albums can still have their moments to re-emerge when the time is right if that would be something you guys would be excited about.

“But if it happens, it won’t be from a place of sadness and longing for what I wish I could have. It will just be a celebration now.”

Swift’s eighth and ninth studio albums, Folklore and Evermore—released in 2020 and classified as alternative—arguably include some country flair with songs like “Betty,” “No Body, No Crime,” and “Cowboy Like Me.” Between this and the re-recordings, it doesn’t seem that the superstar has fully left her country roots behind.

While it is still unknown if the pop powerhouse will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, it certainly is a possibility. In addition to the Modern Era category, Swift could be inducted as a Songwriter—the rotating category for 2026.

The legendary musician is widely regarded as a songwriting icon, potentially making her a very strong candidate for this category, though fans will have to wait until 2026 to know the results.