She's an incredibly talented, hardworking, and versatile songwriter who is very often written off by Dudebros in particular and society at large because her music was originally enjoyed by and marketed to teenage girls — a group that is largely considered vapid, stupid, and lacking taste, and as a result is never taken seriously. As one of (if not the) predominant musicians associated with teenage girls and women, she's very often written off or made the butt of jokes by men and by Not-Like-Other-Girls women.
Her work is so rich with motifs and themes that a high school English teacher could spend a semester on only discussing and analyzing her discography. Really, really fascinating for critical analysis. Doubly so when you analyze it with a queer lens. She's also a master of memory, imagery, and storytelling (one tumblr user put together an excellent slide deck likening her work to that of Marcel Proust).
It doesn't help that many of her best tracks are not singles and don't tend to get radio play while some of her worst tracks are made singles — for example, she released the cringe fest that is "You Need To Calm Down" as a single while doing absolutely nothing with the queer masterpiece and guttural, devastating bop Cruel Summer she co-wrote with St. Vincent.
So it's a huge red flag to me when some hipster bro won't even humor a conversation about, say, the song coney island (ft. The National) and the ways in which it is very clearly written to be a collaboration with The National, expertly blending their style with hers and highlighting the tremendous amount of thematic overlap between them and her.
Like it's totally ok for people to not like Taylor Swift's music, but the way that they dismiss it — often without having listened to much/any of it at all, much less closely enough to actually form an opinion about it — is very telling about their attitudes towards women in my experience.
I'd start with Cruel Summer (linked above), if you like the sound of that move on to Getaway Car, otherwise (or after that) check out some tracks from Folklore/Evermore
I agree with you for the most part - and don't know that much about her music, other than it's catchy and brings back some good camp memories - but Taylor gets shit on so hard, and it's very obviously incredibly gendered critique. She has a richer discography than a lot of pop stars. I listened to the songs you suggested and coney island is a pretty good tune.
Though I just can't leave this out; as someone who's reading Proust, the comparison you posted comes off like an early high school project, and makes the relevant point hard to take seriously.
Though I just can’t leave this out; as someone who’s reading Proust, the comparison you posted comes off like an early high school project, and makes the relevant point hard to take seriously.
I mean, it's a semi-serious shitpost by a lit major, but does still highlight a lot of the skill and nuance in her songwriting. Half the point is that it irritates Scholór(tm) dudes that take themselves too seriously, like the sort of guy that would interrupt you reading some book with a picture on the title to neg you for not reading Hemingway instead
her best tracks are not singles and don’t tend to get radio play while some of her worst tracks are made singles
also notice the lack of ME! in the linked slide deck
besides I'm p sure making ME! a lead single with that video in particular was just an excuse to post shit to Instagram with the caption "Me! 🌈 Out now!" on lesbian visibility day lmao
stop putting words in my mouth, you're literally being the person I was describing and acting like the be-all end-all authority on "good" music while refusing to have an actual fucking discussion
Iirc that was after she'd been signed, and it was a small amount of shares in the very small label that signed her (a couple % at most), and mostly as a means of making sure she wasn't getting abused as is all too common with children in entertainment.
The reality of the arts under capitalism is that the vast majority of artists who "make it" have some degree of a wealth-based or nepotism-based boost. But you never hear people talking about how Arcade Fire comes from oil money or how the members of The Strokes all met at elite boarding schools as a means of attempting to discredit their artistry. Like, sure, it takes a certain amount of money for your family to move to Nashville when you're a teen so you can pursue music, but it's not even in the realm of "my dad owns a major modeling agency" of wealth and connections.
She's an incredibly talented, hardworking, and versatile songwriter who is very often written off by Dudebros in particular and society at large because her music was originally enjoyed by and marketed to teenage girls — a group that is largely considered vapid, stupid, and lacking taste, and as a result is never taken seriously. As one of (if not the) predominant musicians associated with teenage girls and women, she's very often written off or made the butt of jokes by men and by Not-Like-Other-Girls women.
Her work is so rich with motifs and themes that a high school English teacher could spend a semester on only discussing and analyzing her discography. Really, really fascinating for critical analysis. Doubly so when you analyze it with a queer lens. She's also a master of memory, imagery, and storytelling (one tumblr user put together an excellent slide deck likening her work to that of Marcel Proust).
It doesn't help that many of her best tracks are not singles and don't tend to get radio play while some of her worst tracks are made singles — for example, she released the cringe fest that is "You Need To Calm Down" as a single while doing absolutely nothing with the queer masterpiece and guttural, devastating bop Cruel Summer she co-wrote with St. Vincent.
So it's a huge red flag to me when some hipster bro won't even humor a conversation about, say, the song coney island (ft. The National) and the ways in which it is very clearly written to be a collaboration with The National, expertly blending their style with hers and highlighting the tremendous amount of thematic overlap between them and her.
Like it's totally ok for people to not like Taylor Swift's music, but the way that they dismiss it — often without having listened to much/any of it at all, much less closely enough to actually form an opinion about it — is very telling about their attitudes towards women in my experience.
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I'd start with Cruel Summer (linked above), if you like the sound of that move on to Getaway Car, otherwise (or after that) check out some tracks from Folklore/Evermore
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:rosa-salute: thanks for asking, I haven't had an opportunity to infodump about Taylor Swift in a long time
Hope you enjoy, but even if not I appreciate your openmindedness!
I agree with you for the most part - and don't know that much about her music, other than it's catchy and brings back some good camp memories - but Taylor gets shit on so hard, and it's very obviously incredibly gendered critique. She has a richer discography than a lot of pop stars. I listened to the songs you suggested and coney island is a pretty good tune.
Though I just can't leave this out; as someone who's reading Proust, the comparison you posted comes off like an early high school project, and makes the relevant point hard to take seriously.
I mean, it's a semi-serious shitpost by a lit major, but does still highlight a lot of the skill and nuance in her songwriting. Half the point is that it irritates Scholór(tm) dudes that take themselves too seriously, like the sort of guy that would interrupt you reading some book with a picture on the title to neg you for not reading Hemingway instead
Ok that half of the point is fair enough.
poptimism was a mistake lol
also notice the lack of ME! in the linked slide deck
besides I'm p sure making ME! a lead single with that video in particular was just an excuse to post shit to Instagram with the caption "Me! 🌈 Out now!" on lesbian visibility day lmao
in a spirit of comradery and fraternity, i'll offer you that 2/3s of shake it off is a perfect pop song
dog, when she takes a scott walker or kanye turn, i'll be all ears
stop putting words in my mouth, you're literally being the person I was describing and acting like the be-all end-all authority on "good" music while refusing to have an actual fucking discussion
i retract my peace offering assertion, that shake it off is nearly a perfect pop song; the rapping sucks and does not remind me of proust.
it's a little embarrassing how you think I give a fuck about your opinions
The French in the beginning of that is truly painful to hear
She's definitely talented af, but didn't her dad give her a career jump start by owning stakes in a music label?
Iirc that was after she'd been signed, and it was a small amount of shares in the very small label that signed her (a couple % at most), and mostly as a means of making sure she wasn't getting abused as is all too common with children in entertainment.
The reality of the arts under capitalism is that the vast majority of artists who "make it" have some degree of a wealth-based or nepotism-based boost. But you never hear people talking about how Arcade Fire comes from oil money or how the members of The Strokes all met at elite boarding schools as a means of attempting to discredit their artistry. Like, sure, it takes a certain amount of money for your family to move to Nashville when you're a teen so you can pursue music, but it's not even in the realm of "my dad owns a major modeling agency" of wealth and connections.