First of all, I have to say I am so grateful to have lived in the best pop music era of all time, the 80's. Listening to what's out there today just makes my stomach turn sometimes. Like what in the royal hell have we become? Taylor Swift is an enigma to me; it almost reminds me of The Walking Dead and how all the zombies follow a certain sound when they hear it.
I am not sure if it is my old ears or what but every single song of hers sounds the same to me. Not even mention the theme...another bad boy happened to cross her path. After years of hearing these songs all I can gather is that she is a very bad judge of character and cannot keep a relationship for the life of her. And this sells, boy does it sell. We all want to be validated when a man breaks our heart right??? But at what cost? I find her use of this type of information nauseating, honestly. And the fact that she still plays an innocent young girl at the age of 33.
Her originality, if she ever really had any, is gone, I remember the first few songs of her first album, and some were pretty good, but not anymore. Everything has the same old tune and unmistakable sound. I also can't believe how people cannot stop saying what a talented musician she is, which is debatable. I mean if anything she is a good businessperson and knows how to exploit her followers very well.
Reference
Adorno, T. W. (1941). On Popular Music. Studies in Philosophy and Social Science, 9.
Such a thought-provoking post! While I wouldn't claim to be a Swiftie (I'm much too unknowledgeable), I often come across a song or two that I really like. I think for your particular questions it's important to look beyond taste. Everyone has varying preferences and liking the music of Swift is a small percentage of what attracts her audience (even in light of her being a musician and all lol). Because what Swift's brand sells is community and 'girlhood'. Her music and her image are a revisit to our younger selves and an empathetic hug to our hardened, older selves. I think being human can feel like an isolating experience as we all live different lives. So when the slivers of shared experience and community are available it's so wonderful to be a part of. I hope it can be chalked up more to wanting to feel a part of something rather than a lack of critical thinking. I think the two can coexist together. While I'm sure there are blind followers, I hope the majority are critical, thoughtful consumers and participants.
ReplyDeleteIs that sisterhood of collective men hatred that I highly dislike. Just like anyone in a bad spot, it is very easy to rally up haters to a certain cause. Nothing causes more "sisterhood" than sharing adverse love experiences, but to what degree? If she is always the common denominator then maybe she is the problem...but that, of course, does not sell.
DeleteI'm living for this post and comments right now. I love the different views on Swift. What makes her so great in my opinion (and I do love her music) is how she manages her brand. You say that maybe the "problem is her" well, she actually wrote a song about that. In her song "Anti-Hero" she literally says "It's me, hi. I'm the problem, it's me." There isn't an angle you can some at Swift that she hasn't already thought of and used to her advantage. It's just so amazing that a woman has stood up to the haters and used the platform they gave her to rise. I think that's the big difference in music today, it's not enough to be a good artist, you have to be great at everything else too. Great post Silvina!
DeleteAdorno's claims of songs mimicking each other does have validity, and when it comes to Taylor Swift, I would expect her songs to have similar elements and sounds as they are all from her. I do think that when it comes to Swift specifically, it is that similarity and familiarity that her fans love. As a mom of three Swifties (and as one who respects her as a person and artist and relates to many of her songs), I listen to my daughters dissect her lyrics and blend it with the story behind the song. Yes, she does have songs about breakups (so many artists do too!), but she also sings about her grandmother, her mom, being in love, loving yourself, and pushing through the negativity that comes with being a famous female, etc. I think her music is popular because it's so relatable and represents so many aspects of what her listeners experience. As far as what it says about those who reject this type of music, I think we can all select music we like for one reason or another and just let others enjoy listening to what they like. Perhaps some people like classic rock, while others are into disco or country, and others have an eclectic taste in music. Music draws us in on an emotional level most likely related to our own lived experience.
ReplyDelete