In a recent challenge from Drumeo's First Time series, Portnoy created his own drum parts for Swift's hit song 'Shake It Off' after hearing it for the first time.

After playing along with 'Shake It Off', Portnoy expressed surprise at Swift's immense popularity, referring to her as 'the biggest artist on Earth'.

Initially, Portnoy described 'Shake It Off' as sounding like something from Disneyland in Japan, completely unaware that it was performed by Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift recently wrapped up her highly successful Eras World Tour on December 8, 2024, which not only became the highest-grossing tour of the year but also set a record for the highest-grossing tour of all time, earning an astounding $2.2 billion.

In 2024, Swift's album 'The Tortured Poets Department' achieved remarkable success, becoming the best-selling vinyl in the UK for the third consecutive year.

The Eras World Tour's success has further solidified Swift's status as a leading figure in the music industry, outpacing other major artists like Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen.

Swift celebrated her birthday at an 'Eras' tour-themed party, which was organized by her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce.

In the music world, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater is set to release a new album titled 'Parasomnia' on February 7, 2025, marking his first collaboration with the band since rejoining in late 2023.

Portnoy humorously apologized to Swift, stating that while he would still play with her, he wouldn't use the drum pattern he created for the song.

The challenge of creating a drum part for Swift's song was particularly difficult for Portnoy, who likened it to Bob Dylan's style, noting the consistent verses and lack of key changes.

The Drumeo challenge required musicians to create parts for songs they had never listened to before, adding an element of spontaneity to the process.