Time's Person of the Year short list: Taylor Swift, Vladimir Putin, Tim Cook

NEW YORK, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- What does pop singer Taylor Swift and Russian President Vladimir Putin have in common? Not a lot unless you're a Time magazine reader.

Swift and Putin are on the short list of finalists for Time's 2014 Person of the Year recognition. Other nominees are:

The Ferguson protesters The Ebola caregivers Alibaba CEO Jack Ma Apple CEO Tim Cook Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won the reader poll, taking almost 16 percent of the 5 million votes cast.

Time has been naming an annual honoree since 1927. The distinction goes to the person who "most influenced the news this year for better or worse." The 2013 winner was Pope Francis.

The final decision will be announced Wednesday.