I’m going to depart from the curmudgeonly responses to this article. The Swift phenomenon is, to me, a remedy to the polarized, angry dominant culture of nihilism and lack of meaning and purpose. We are witnessing society-wide increased crime, drug addiction, loneliness and despair that has increased chronic illness and clinical anxiety and depressing in all age groups. As trite as it may sound, Taylor Swift brings people together in community; something our culture desperately needs. Kids need something to be optimistic about. Adults do, too.
Thank you Lara. Everyone seems grumpy this morning. It’s a Saturday. We can sip some coffee and enjoy a pleasant read about how a person’s music could have power to bring community/a sense of togetherness to an increasingly polarized society.
I'd like to know more about her. I think. I hear she's very popular, but I couldn't name a single song she's done nor to my knowledge have I ever heard one. Actually, I'm sure I have but didn't recognize it.
Frankly, I'm a bit prejudiced; in my coming-of-age era, at least we had Vietnam protest and anti-establishment songs to give us a sense of purpose: Four Dead in O-Hio, For What It's Worth, White Rabbit, the list goes on. To my eye, other than the Talking Music (Rap - you can't spell CRAP without Rap), the only "coming together" being promulgated by and for yutes is "Let's close our eyes and all get together for bread-and-circus, c'os we can't take stress and if we open them to see, we might get triggered."
my white rabbit story. i was on a small place flying to sfo from phoenix. grace and the crew were on my plane. after we deplaned with the Airplane and picked up our luggage. guess what car picked up Grace. yup. a white rabbit
A few years back I subscribed to a book club that sent me a nicely-bound hardback classic once a month. One of the first was Carroll's "Through The Looking Glass." There is a whole body of knowledge analyzing this book, all its analogies, its metaphors, etc.. If memory serves, he was a mathematician and logician, and the turns, twists, gyres and gimbals in his stories are references to external things. Kind of like knowing a joke on the world. It's certainly over my head.
a lot of Swift music would have fit in perfectly in the late '70s early '80s, it's got a sort new wave feel, kinda like blondie or all those "THE" bands - the cars / the clash / the police / the knack / the pretenders
the sort of english pop thing of the '90s too like Blur kinda
She is talented for sure, but I’m sorry in no way would her music have fit in the late 70’s. Nice article though and amazing the numbers her tour is posting.
nostalgia is cool and but she's right up there with those acts. i bet if you could corner Chrissie Hynde and quiz her about Taylor Swift's songs she's probably a big fan just like we are big fans of Chrissie's amazing catalog
She sells more than those acts did, even adjusted for inflation. She is more popular and famous. She is prolly nicer than all those guys. Spend 5 minutes with Chrissie, she is not nice, she does not want to be. Without the benefit of a single sniff, I can guarantee she smells better, on average, than Joe Strummer ever did one day in his sadly brief life.
I am talking about talent and relevance and maybe only their talent and relevance to me.
I have heard many Taylor Swift songs, the only one I know the name of is "shake it off" and in 5 years I won't remember it. I will remember "London Calling" I will remember "The Guns of Brixton", I will remember "Rock the Casbah"
Tripping balls and incoherent I know every word to "Brass in Pocket"
This is a comment I can relate to. Though I am familiar with her early country music-y songs. I thought she had serious talent and was surprised by some of the harsh criticism. She produced numbers that are now as iconic as the ones you noted.
My kids grew up hearing them. Then she went pop star and I heard less of her music even though she was increasingly more popular. I’ve seen her in a few commercials but didn’t know who she was until my kids pointed her out. I’m happy for her success though I was put off by her buy-in for the leftist narrative. With all the music apps I make playlists for my self that don’t have a single song of hers. Not that I dislike them or her. The last music icon I got fuzzies over was Bono but he became another great traitor to the peasant population by attending WEF meetings.
I’m glad to hear how so many people find some positive solidarity, even if it’s for a glittery super-star. I still think insanely expensive show tickets leave too many fans out of the loop. I’d be really impressive if a person of her obscene wealth were to give a show that had minimally expensive opportunities for folks who can’t really afford to spend the equivalent of a months worth of groceries on them. That would be truly impressive. Otherwise, I think stars today , including Tay-Tay are beyond the pale of self-serving narcissism.
Jim, I don't know your age, but I'm 52. I am intrigued as well, but realize that her music is not speaking directly to us. The same was true for Elvis and the Beatles, Chuck Berry, and Bob Dylan. Institutions and conservatives railed and wrung their hands over these acts. My Holy Grail was Metallica’s first four albums and Guns and Roses. I belatedly discovered punk rock because it was literally kept from me growing up as a fundamentalist Christian.
No I’m not. He was born on July 30, 1956, graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1974, and from Ball State in Muncie in 1978. Finished law school at U of Miami in 1981. We got married in 1982 and celebrated our 40th anniversary last year by taking the kids and their spouses to Canada on a Tauck tour of the Canadian Rockies.
I’m 4 years older than my husband and graduated college in 1974, law school in 1977. We met at work. Now married 41 years with 3 kids in their 30’s. My 67 year old husband is newly retired from being the President and CEO of a financial services agency. As for my musical tastes, I’m a big fan of Sting. Hubby has generously bought me tickets to several Sting concerts. I’m roughly 10 years older than the typical Sting fan.
Some of the songs have deep meaning, and some don't. The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt) performed Neil Young's song "After the Gold Rush" and then asked Neil Young about the meaning of the song. Young's response was something along the lines of, "I have no idea what it means. I was stoned when I wrote it." Kind of like all the insights you and your friends have when you are toasted, which if you write some of them down, look like complete nonsense later.
Yes! This. I wasn't a huge fan, liked a couple of her songs but this article opened my eyes. I agree with you! We need more unification like this. Just pure joy.
Regardless of the quality of Swift’s music, it’s the mass bow to the heavens the writer and the breathless millions who follow, after all, just a singer, treating her every breath, gesture, and act of generosity as divine - that is what is concerning. It reminds me of lemmings falling off the cliff in droves, in search of something they know not of. And after they fall metaphorically, they come back for more, seeking more of that magic elixir. This is not a story of the power of a phenomenon- it’s more of a story of humankind’s impulse to blindly go to where everyone else is going - nothing new here. Only sad.
This largely how I come away from this feeling...sure, we need something to unite on. But are we really, actually united by her? Mmmmmm...nah. I think she's talented for sure but I don't think what we need is another idol.
A remedy is something that solves something. A concert makes a person feel good during the concert, and maybe the next day or so. And then possibly for years, they'll smile for a moment when they think of it.
My 15-year-old daughter saw Taylor Swift in the spring and she’s still talking about it. I waited in the parking lot with the other parents for the show to wrap up, listening to the end of it floating through the air from the stadium. I’ve never seen so many happy kids in my life, all emerging with their sequins and glitter and dresses and armfuls of friendship bracelets.
Swift is an amazing song writer and performer. She’s generous to her crew and fans. Her fans span generations, even my 79-year old dad likes some of her songs. It’s nice to see a positive force at work.
I tried all the songs Evan suggested and to me they were all cringeworthy. To each their own.
I'm on team Albarn, though. He criticized TS for not writing her own songs but was called out as off base. That is correct, as she participates in writing all her songs and her own songwriting put her on the map.
But when you go from "on the map" to number one songs and pop superstardom by "writing your own songs" with production teams that just happen to have already written number ones for Kesha, Pink, and others, to me that is not "writing your own songs".
Songwriting and production are different. In terms of production, people say AC/DC and Def Leppard were largely driven by Mutt Lange which I would agree with; but it can be either a producer, an artist, or both that contributes heavily to the success. Nobody manufactured the Beatles, and groups like Nirvana worked with several great producers but weren't made great by any of them, they were already great. You can argue though that there are artists who clearly were only great with a great producer.
def leppard and ac/dc were manufactured by Mutt Lange as was shania twain; the beatles were manufactured by George Martin; Ginger Rogers was a product of the studio system.
All of that is utter nonsense. You don't stay at the top for decades by being a manufactured product. You work with the best so that you can put out your best work. Ginger shouldn't have starred in a Gershwin show on Broadway and shouldn't have worked with Astaire or Pan Berman. It's nonsensical, sorry
So true. The Beatles were stars before George Martin. They were (are) geniuses. We wouldn't know Martin's name if it weren't for the Beatles. But also, "Eleanor Rigby" wouldn't be a masterpiece if it weren't for George Martin. And so on.
If there's a problem with Taylor Swift -- which isn't a hill I need to die on because I'm just a curmudgeonly time traveler -- it has to do with the phenomenon itself, i.e., the cult-like, obsessive ferocity of the fans and the obscene amount of wealth that Swift spends and earns in selling herself as a brand. Maybe somebody will write a sociological thesis on Taylor Swift, or a marketing primer, and this article will be source material. But really, we've been here before. Elvis was a thing. Beatlemania was a thing. Girls were fainting. Back in the 19th century, ladies fainted when they heard Wagner. Music is powerful stuff.
I listened to the recommended song, "Back to December." I felt soothed and sucked in right away. Her voice has a tiny drop of auto-tune in it, which softens the vocal line, like a touch of face powder. The arrangement sounds full (nice strings, either real or synth). The tune is generic, but with some subtle rhythmic shifts and shortened line breaks that make it a bit unpredictable. (Yes I'm a musician.) And of course, it has the requisite romantic lyrics about regret and nostalgia -- excellent emotions to plumb if you want a hit song. It's catchy, with an emotional hook. It's not "Judy Blue Eyes" or "Pet Sounds," it's what we geezers would call bubblegum music, but it's very well-produced. Does it pass my "repeated listenings test"? No. But maybe if I need a hug...
Let them eat cake. Taylor Swift eats cake three times a day. Good for her.
yes. i brought up Ginger Rogers because she was phenomenally popular in the 1930s - 1940s, very similar to how Swift is viewed today but without the modern advantages of marketing and a fully developed industry around her. It was a very primitive situation - the modern celebrity factories didn't really exist yet - but it was Ginger that was receiving standing ovations in stadiums across the country for their films, not Fred Astaire, even though he was allegedly the genius behind the team. But in fact her solo films after she left Astaire were more popular than theirs had been.
The public decides, in the end, who is a star and who isn't. The manufactured stuff flashes and disappears and Swift has been around for a very long time.
I agree that Def Leppard, AC/DC, and Shania were all successful because of Mutt Lange. The effect of producers is too strong to deny and there are too many great producers that, when you look at their career, produced the strongest albums for their top artists and the only thing you've heard from other artists, because the producer was the largest talent behind the success. Lange, Rubin, Neptunes, Blanco, or even O Casek, the story is the same. These days I actually plumb old music by producer discography, not artist by artist.
I was listening to L7 as an antidote to Swift, and, yep, produced by Butch Vig, just as was the breakthrough work for seven other bands.
monetary success is something else. Those producers you mention, in particular, all had the industry behind them with marketing, networking and distribution, advantages which disappeared because the producer took them with him when he moved on. george martin brought the same thing to the Beatles. mick jagger is only one musician that has been quite eloquent on the subject.
artists always want to work with the very best because it brings out their own best.
There's no band that has a successful album with one producer and then goes unsupported by the label with the next; there are plenty of bands that change producers, keep high support and have a big dropoff in both quality and success.
Name a band that lost industry support after a big success. Not even logical.
Swift is a SINGER. There are plenty of great singers who don't write their own material. It what the individual DOES with the song them makes a great SINGER.
Beside the point; I don't KNOW if she writes her own songs; I don't KNOW if they are any good: I DO KNOW she can sing and sing unaccompanied and acoustic. The rest would be cherries onatop; they are unneccessary to being a singing great: that was my point.
Han, you hit on something huge there—Rock n’ roll. Those acts you mentioned were already ascending when Mutt Lange or George Martin came along. The same goes for NWA and Tupac Shakur. The list goes on. Compare those with truly manufactured acts (Backstreet Boys?).
ALL of this is about free speech. Rock n’ roll originated in America under our Constitution. Institutions have battled it at every turn and been rebuffed by the First Amendment.
Swift’s music so far has not ”spoken” to me, personally. Probably because I'm just old enough to be her father. That's the way it works. Musically, I prefer listening to Lady Gaga, as it stands now. However, I feel of all the artists of Swift’s generation, she is the one most likely to drop a Highway 61 Revisited on the world, like Bob Dylan.
Soon You’ll Get Better is a softer, acoustic song about her mom’s cancer battle. There’s a breathe at the 2:40 mark that hits home. I know a couple people that don’t like Swift’s music but connect with that song.
Same here. My 12 year old granddaughter has been Swifty since she was old enough to listen to pop music. Tay Tay is pure fun and it’s been a joy singing those simple girl songs with her in the car all these years. And you’re right- she’s a wonderful songwriter, telling her fans about the boyfriends and the girlfriends and the heartache and the good times in her life. Just like my Motown and Doo Wop in the 50’s and 60’s. And I know how old I am and sound, but it’s really nice to see someone who’s not terribly interested in shocking us with her moves or with her body or what she can do with her tongue. Give her her due and rejoice in the mad love.
O M G!!! The commenters here. Unbelievable! Lighten up!! Geez. This is a very well written, enjoyable to read article about a phenomenon! The power of music. The strength of good. The healing of fun. The love that unites us all. All coming through one person. Celebrate!! Taylor has been around a long time. Something beyond all of us and through all of us is gifting the world with her and through her. Appreciate!
The commenters here are generally an older crowd and I usually agree with them but this morning there is a lot of "get off my lawn" energy here.
If Taylor is making people happy in our increasingly-negative world, I'm all for it. I''m mostly a hard rock fan but her songs are just fun, catchy pop songs and that's okay.
We in the “older crowd” have seen this before. I was just a young kid when the Beatles caused an earthquake in America. My mom, an opera fanatic, bought their albums and me and my five siblings played them often. We saw the footage of women screaming at the top of their lungs in the throes of hysteria at their live performances. I remember thinking at that young age that those people appeared to be unhinged.
At some point I learned the Beatles performed live only briefly and wondered why. I read later that the incessant screaming was so loud the band members couldn’t hear themselves or their monitors which made it difficult to play. So they said screw it. To this day I still don’t understand why anyone would pay to see a band or performer whose music they liked and spend the length of the show screaming to the point of drowning out the music they came to hear much to the chagrin of the thousands of others in the audience. This tells me there is much more than the love of the music going on there. I don’t think Taylor Swift enthusiasm rises to Beatles hysteria level but there is something similar on a much smaller level at play.
And all of the comments about her being a uniting force...c’mon. Of course at her concerts everyone is swinging and swaying to the music, singing along and caught up in the shared experience of unity and togetherness. This happens at almost every concert no matter who the artist.
She’s been at this for a long time, so while she is in no way causing any division let’s not pretend that outside the venues where she performs she has any more of a profound impact on healing divisions in our country or anywhere else than Elvis or the Beatles did in their time.
Estonia, which had endured foreign occupation for centuries, joined its fellow Baltic Republics of Latvia and Lithuania in a nonviolent movement that enabled them to become independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Estonians began taking advantage of their unique and rich cultural tradition, particularly in choral music, to encourage a national reawakening. Estonians gathered in the thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands to celebrate their heritage in song, in what became known as “The Singing Revolution.”
The point is not so much about Taylor. She is the vehicle. It’s about the power of music, the frequency of the power that unites us all. It’s spiritual!! Embrace the spirituality of the creative force shining it’s divine light no matter who it comes through. Resonate. Get out of your heads and into your hearts.
It matters very much who the spiritual comes through. Listening to pop music should not be a spiritual experience, that is creepy. Unifying around a pop artist with this much “devotion” is unhealthy. It’s more like an addiction and an obsession, neither are good. I’ve listened to the lyrics of her music and they aren’t innocent. Feelings lead people astray. Music is powerful, which is why we should be careful with what we listen to and allow into our minds. I see idol worship here and it never leads anywhere good.
No, it doesn’t matter who it comes through. It comes through us all. And it is certainly not creepy. And, we are also not talking about a devotion to any one person. That is the smallness of the human mind and it’s ability to distort. It is the resonance of the frequency that all are feeling and participating. That frequency is divine and cannot be distorted. It speaks for itself.
Seriously! I don't "get" Swifties, but there are things I am just as enthusiastic about. I'm part of the Supernatural TV series fandom--the one that can find a quote meme for literally ANY situation. So I get fandom, even if I'm not in a particular fandom.
I loved the energy and enthusiasm of this essay, even though I'm highly unlikely to add Swift to my (largely 70s and 80s) playlist.
No worries... just an old Jensen Ackles movie that I can't decide if I like or not. It has John Doe of X so that is good, but in a role someone from X should never play. Also features Danneel when she was still "Harris", so presumably Jensen met her on that set.
We've never been able to afford tickets at that level. When we went to see Rush's R40 tour in St. Louis, it was an anniversary trip, so we spent most of our money on a nice hotel room. Nosebleed seats were in the $60 range, and that was good enough for us.
I admit that I'd like to see more unbiased coverage of the serious issues that are impacting us in the United States today. And I wonder whether we're going to hear about some sort of scandal involving Taylor Swift someday.
But in the meantime, it certainly seems like Taylor is the real deal. We've seen that she's actually able to pick up a guitar and sing beautifully without the benefit of a huge back-up band or autotune. She seems like a genuine, decent, but occasionally troubled young woman. In a way that makes her seem more relatable to all of us, because aren't we all occasionally troubled? I'm a crabby old guy in his 60's who has to admit that I enjoy at least some of her music.
I was in Seattle during the weekend that Taylor Swift's concerts took place. The city sidewalks were full of excited fans, primarily young women wearing sparkly dresses. There were lots of moms and daughters, and groups of friends of all shapes and sizes. Due to a case of bad timing on my flight itinerary, I rode with many of them on the Link train as they headed to the concert as I was heading to SeaTac for my flight home. Everyone on the jammed train was polite, friendly, and happy. Strangers were excitedly talking with each other about their outfits, where their seats were, whether they had seen Taylor in concert before, etc. Sure, being stuck on a jammed train was a bother, but in a way it was all kind of surreal and fun - being surrounded by genuinely happy people.
Amen brother man. Never been a giggly fan and I don’t understand the world of fandom but I have an angst-y twenty year old daughter who explains this bold new world when ever I have the time to listen.
I feel like all the TFP articles are about certain obscure or niche topics this week. Talking about Taylor Swift feels very fluffy when I 'm really concerned that MSM is not reporting about the Biden corruption and the Facebook Files censorship. What's going on?
It's Saturday. Not Everything has to be Its The End Of The World, and (insert name here) is to blame. Sometimes you NEED cute puppy videos or Mike Rowe: How to Catch A Prairie Dog (Without LOSING Your Face)
Hey, count me in for puppy and kitten videos. That's the point. They bring more happiness at a lower cost than Taylor Swift. Sadly, this otherwise bright (I'm sure) college student author shows how flimsy even Ivy students are.
I was still a younger child when the Beatles hit America like a tidal wave. I had a teenage cousin though who was a screeching wild fan like the screaming girls you see in old video clips. We thought she was a bit nuts but later seeing Led Zepplin and a few others I began to understand. By then though most of us were too stoned to get very screechy.
I did. Whilst my peers did Beatles I sat in my dorm discovering the depth and breadth of Beethoven. 55 years later and never once regretting the choice.
Something I have come to realize of late (in spite of them being THE BEATLES!!!) They really were a good tight rock and roll band. Dec. 3 1965 "Rubber Soul", released in the United Kingdom. You listen to this and Its Good,, Pop Music.
BTW IF Beethoven don't git you gitter going, you've got a broken gitter!
"But Chernobyl started me on a new path. When I began to research these old fears to find out what had been said in the past, I discovered several important things. The first is that there’s nothing more sobering than a 30-year-old newspaper. You can’t figure out what the headlines mean, you don’t know who the people are. Theodore Green, John Sparkman, George Reedy, Jack Watson. Who were they? You thumb through page after page of vanished concerns, issues that apparently were important at the time and now don’t matter at all. It’s amazing how many pressing concerns are literally of the moment. They won’t matter in six months, and certainly not in six years, and if they won’t matter then, are they really worth our attention now?
But as David Brinkley once said, the one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news, we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were.
We miss him."
I'm old enough to actually Know and Remember these people. In the 50's-70's they were Important People. Today...A (minor) footnote.
Well, yeah, but....She seems nice enough and if Taylor brings people joy, why not write about the gargantuan scope of it. Remember what it was like to be young and swept up in the delirium? As someone who actually was at the Beatles concert in Shea Stadium, I remember what it was like. Would you prefer that people look up to a young woman who seems genuinely nice and kind (the bonus to her crew bespeaks a sense of true gratitude) or someone like Biden's muse, Cardi B? Maybe lighten up - it's Saturday. In Summer.
This. She gifted all of the truck drivers on her tour $100,000 each - that’s not pocket change to a lot of Americans. She’s made it from 16 to 33 without the public seeing her naked, without an arrest or rehab stint, and she clearly works her ass off. Maybe she was just smart enough to actually listen to the advice of a slew of professional PR handlers but kids will always find some kind of celebrity to look up to. I’d rather it be Taylor Swift any day over the alternatives.
Well said. She is a self made woman however when a billionaire shells out millions in charity it’s not as impressive as regular people who maybe sacrifice a pizza night to give to any charity.
I'm a sour puss. I have a very low opinion of celebrities. I wouldn't cross the street to meet one. maybe it is because most of Hollywood is populated by left wing nut cases.
I'm going to catch flack for this next statement.
It seems to me that females are most affected by celebrity worship. Women at Tom Jones Las Vegas concerts would throw their bras and room keys onto the stage. I've never heard this happening with men. Sure there are men who worship entertainers but not in the numbers of women.
Notice the picture at the middle of the article, all women.
Women are wired for social connections to extent that men are not. So it doesn't surprise me that women tend to be more enthusiastic fans, since that creates a social connection with other fans.
Me, I think it is about getting all your rivals in one place and scoping the competeition so you can do them down on Twitter and around the watercooler the day after. ;-) /s
Well you’re right and while there’s a mountain of psycho-babble to explain why, at the end of it you’ll find verification.
I might be female but I’m not unaware of the differences or afraid to admit there are some. Women have strengths that are different than men and vice versa.
This is by design and meant to compliment one another, not divide.
Bullseye we need a break from the squalor of the Biden clan. I preferred her as a C&W singer, but spreading joy is better than what both our political parties spread. But who can afford these tickets?
According to the article, nearly half of who can afford the tickets are fans with household incomes below $50,000. What else they give up so they can buy the tickets, and the merch, is another question.
Shouldn't we be grateful that they are learning to make sacrifices for what they want? That's something that is all too rarely required of young people these days.
Folk on "the Breadline" all seem to have 60" 4K tellies and $2000 dollar smartphones. I know plenty sleeping under bridges with the latest iPhone. There is no "poverty" as such in the W. I. E. R. D., W. I. E. R. D. West.
I’m not sure about the under the bridge community, but I worked for forty years in Boston’s so-called hood and most the kids had the latest electronics.
Good points…well said. There’s a part of me that wants to be in the Swiftie movement…good clean fun. I was going to use my age as an excuse, but I don’t even think I can do that! She used to bother me with her melodrama and liberal voice, but good for her what she’s done for herself!
I can’t even imagine what seeing the Beatles was like! Lucky you!
Well said. I'm not interested in articles more suited for People magazine regardless if the article is in long form and written by an intern from Brown.
Then don't read it. Many of us like a variety of stories. I like to be informed about our world, whether it's politically, socially, or culturally. I also like hearing from young people (like this intern).
this forum has been around for a year, by now you know you're not going to be getting high quality political articles from the fp.
the chief was invited to the biggest story in American political history by Musk and she didn't cover it. it's a nice middle of the road people magazine forum nothing more nothing less.
I disagree. Bari has posted many deep and disturbing articles on how the radical left is trying to shut down free speech and academic freedom and gender dystopia.
Bari claims to be a moderate Democrat yet she doesn't hesitate to criticize the left.
This is written by a Free Press intern. I think it's about time we got a little cheering up from a fresh, young perspective. A lot of the readers here are older and I think it's always good to shake it off. Then again haters gonna hate.....
Very surprised by the grumpsters here. I don’t know one TS song, but I’m grateful she’s a phenomenon. I’ve got granddaughter’s and a daughter in law who went to the back to back shows in Seattle. Yes, it’s fluff. But it does unite young people without pushing a political agenda. These kids are probably tired of being pushed and pulled ....no mean girls here. What’s wrong with that? Don’t we TFP subscribers just want entertainers to shut up and sing? Read the WSJ or NYT sometime.....they cover the waterfront. I love the variety in TFP. And I love Bari and Nellies message of frank common sense at a time where journalism is without courageous journalists. Lighten up.....it was just a story about a feel good social phenomenon.
But also a story about the huge economic impact that TS has, apparently world wide. Trudeau asking TS to schedule some tour dates in Canada? Because Canada needs the money? When someone or something as “feel good” as Taylor Swift can create a huge positive financial impact on cities, states, or countries, that is a newsworthy event and well worth journalists spending time on it.
The MSM will not report on what is truly happening no matter what TFP writes today, so why not have a little fun. TS is bringing people together in a good way---no diatribes, no rioting, no angst---and that's something to celebrate
America needs movie stars? Jim Caviezel, Sound of Freedom. How about a story on Angel Studios, giving away tickets to this film, so people can know the truth about the new slavery in the world, sex trafficking children. At the end of the film, Caviezel does a monologue to the audience. He says, What Harriett Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) did for slavery in the 1800s, this movie should do for sex trafficking of kids. Based on a real American hero who went from arresting pedophiles to rescuing enslaved children. No dry eyes in the theatre.
Or, we can go on celebrating formula music ensconsed in glitter.
I agrée with you about Sound of Freedom. I’d like to see an article about the negative press and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the movie. But consider that these young girls look up to Swift and she’s a class act, and their attention could be spent in much worse places.
Caviezel said one more thing about Sound of Freedom--it was made 5 yrs ago. The studio had to fight to get it released. Gee, a movie about child sex slavery and pedophiles is met with opposition. I wonder who would be concerned about us knowing this is happening.
Very true. Kids tend to idolize their heroes. Kind of a right-of-passage in every generation.
Tay-Tay may not be Sister Theresa but lots of her peers aren’t very deserving of the idolatry they receive either. In fact society seems to sink further into the void of pure hedonistic, narcissistic self serving perversions with every generation. This was prophesied thousands of years ago.
Bari, please do an article or review on the Sound of Freedom so people will stop talking in the comments every day about how wonderful it is and how every other movie is terrible.
Nobody said every other movie is terrible. Sound of Freedom isn't a great movie. But it is a very decent and necessary clarion call about the scourge of human trafficking.
You are right Bruce oh the first point. It does seem to be a reoccurring comment in the threads since “Barbenheimer” came out though and they chose to right reviews of both of the highly anticipated summer hits and not of the other.
I do also agree that there should be a review of Sound of Freedom in TFP and some discussion around it since we have done the same for the other two. I think I more wanted to point out the not so subtle reader comments about it that keep popping up in other story threads.
Ramesh I’d also appreciate a review. I just wanted to point out we get it do a review already so it stops being a recurring comment in unrelated stories haha
I think, Maureen, we could have two things at once here, i.e., acknowledgement of both Sound of Freedom and Jim Caviezel’s powerful message, and Taylor Swift’s joyful boost to our economy.
That would help. Or maybe not be so cynical about any topic that exposes the wicked underside of child sex trafficking , a clearly harder thing to control/stop with no borders. It might expose those who benefit and well, let’s just note here that most of Epstein’s clients were members of the MSM’s protected class.
Sharing happy stories about Taylor Swift still seems valid without the side by side comparison to todays evils. Good for her.
For those that are apoplectic that the journalistic integrity of TFP is forever lost because they had the audacity to post an article about the highest grossing cultural event of our time - lighten up. It is Saturday. Not all should be doom and gloom. We have been so fragmented as a society and have very few positive shared experiences. We watch shows on demand from countless streaming services. Gone are the days of recapping the NBC Thursday night lineup or the season finale of anything at the office water cooler - I’m working from home in my Lulus. We’re just starting to leave our homes to go to the movies again - why should we, I can stream it at home on opening weekend and the microwave popcorn is a lot cheaper. So the fact that vast swaths of people, young and old, are clamoring to attend a live event in any city they can manage to travel to where a poised and talented woman sings songs that she wrote about themes relatable by all, is a very good thing. I didn’t attend, but I wish I did. And I enjoyed reading about The Intern’s Taylor back story and concert experience while I drank my morning coffee. I have the rest of the day for doom and gloom.
It is a truism that if you write other than what the other 90% are writing, that essay will stand out and the rest of your application will get a closer read. It doesn't matter the material, you are swimming against the tide and might be someone it worthwhile to teach. You aren't by the numbers.
I disagree with the comments that this article is not newsworthy. If you want to read about Hunter Biden, there are plenty of other sources for you to do so. I appreciate reading something that makes me aware of something going on in America that is outside of my usual focus. I know who Taylor Swift is, but I couldn't name a single one of her songs.
Not sure what is going on with TFP lately, but between the weekly bashing of DeSantis on TGIF, Suzy Weiss recommending the most asinine Washington Post article attacking masculinity, to now having Taylor Swift(!!!???) as the main topic of an article... Really unpleasantly surprised... Bari, seems like it is time that you put order here...
Lighten up, man. People say they want more "positive" news in their feeds. But when they actually get some they cry "the media is trying to distract us from the important issues!"
Mate - Glad you like Taylor Swift... I just say that if I wanted to read about her, I’d go to Hello, TMZ or other outlets... Absolutely loved Olivia Reingold’s piece this week, Bari’s Honestly with Colin Campbell on Thursday and look forward to all of Douglas Murray’s “Things Worth Remembering” every Sunday... but the most recent stuff has been (well) below expectations... Sorry, but if I come to a 3 star Michelin Star restaurant, I don’t want to be served a McDonalds Happy Meal...
Deidre's - In today's society, as much as it is being pushed that we need to shut up and toe the party line, I am entitled to express my opinion. Perfectly fine if this young person has a cultural experience that enriches him... I am pointing out a pattern I've noticed in TFP and I personally don't like...
Maybe you see a pattern but I, a moderate, see a variety of stories that reflect a diverse group of people. Not every story appeals to me but... that's life.
A writer who only wants praise should stick to his private family Facebook account. The author wanted attention, as all writers do, and apparently not everyone is impressed. That's life. And its certainly journalism.
Personally I subscribed to TFP for being an unbiased, top news source... Maybe you think it is 1.5 Michelin star restaurant... still way better than McDonalds...
Thanks Steven. Not sure how I'm "literally taking candy from five year old girls" by expressing my opinion, but happy not to do so if you put some context in your reply.
TFP is not a right-wing Fox inspired site. If you want the same ol' stuff, 'change the channel.' I like the variety of opinions and the nuance of TFP. It is a place where both sides can come together. And believe it or not, there are some excellent stories in the Washington Post.
Exactly because TFP "is not a right-wing Fox inspired site" or a left-wing MSNBC/CNN inspired site, I expect it to publish well researched stories. As I said on my original post, there might be stories I don't agree with, which is perfectly OK... The issue is when I see a pattern... And sure, WaPo has some excellent stories... Just the one that Suzie Weiss pointed out just ain't.
Jesus Christ.......just when I was beginning to think TFP wasn't going straight in the sh*tter, you guys publish this piece. If you all need help on finding stories that are actually impacting American lives, feel free to DM me.
I'm not even talking about politics.......we could fill a notebook with stories most of us would like to see them cover that are really impacting Americans right now.
Sounds like someone should have slept in a little and enjoyed his Saturday. Or maybe needs a vacation (I’m currently enjoying mine in Mexico). I’m 38 and also spent a large portion of my life listening to T Swift. So did each of my 5 siblings who range in age form 20-35 and are are on sides of the political and religious spectrum. Music can be a be a force that brings people together and spreads a little joy in a time of increasing polarization and constant “doom/gloom the world will end tomorrow” 24/7 news headlines. The article is very relevant. Maybe you just need to sit back, relax for once, eat your Wheaties and “Shake it Off”. You can read about the horrors of the world tomorrow.
I love music and agree it brings people together. I'm headed out next saturday to see Tyler Childers in Charleston SC. I get it. You've clearly missed the point I was trying to make, but no worries......sounds like you've got your Wheaties and TS downloads, so enjoy Mexico. :-)
I just looked at some comments about how this is a niche or obscure topic, but when someone is grossing a Billion dollars for a tour, and there is a youth movement going on, this is something one should know about. Why are so many people spending 650 dollars on bubble gum rock?
These movements are reflections of our society. This is mainly a movement of young women who are worked into a frenzy. We have had Elvis, the Beatles, Bee Gees, Micheal Jackson, and Taylor Swift. This cult-like following is nothing new. What is new is all of the other eras had greatness around them; in this one, Taylor Swift is alone. Our cultural institutions are not producing things people want to see. The movies could be better, is any good music?, and most TV shows are built for small niches, not mass audiences.
Taylor Swift is a symptom of voters. Many of us that are political animals think everyone else is following what we want; they are not. Everyone buying tickets and singing Taylor Swift songs are voters. If and when the wheels come off the economy, whatever leader has to lead a large slice of the population who sings substantive songs like this bubble gum rock.
These articles might seem frivolous, but our culture is becoming frivolous, which does not bode well for the future.
Goethe's 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' created a social contagion phenomenon way back in the late 1770s. Some towns literally BANNED dressing in the style of Werther because there was a rash of suicides that copied the character's suicide in the book.
A wonderfully written and enjoyable read. Thank you. It appears the comment section is full of those who are incapable of engaging for even a moment with content outside of the usual 2-3 topics. Don’t listen to them.
A couple or three points to make. I remembered when Prince died, and I could not believe the people crying in the streets with grief. Then I thought, oh wait a minute old man, you cried when John Lennon was killed so maybe cut those people some slack. It made me realize each generation has their icons whether I like them or not. Secondly, I just listened to the three songs the writer suggested in the article. Taylor's writing is phenomenal! It's penetrating, and haunting, and very personal and interesting. I just became a Swiftie.
I’m going to depart from the curmudgeonly responses to this article. The Swift phenomenon is, to me, a remedy to the polarized, angry dominant culture of nihilism and lack of meaning and purpose. We are witnessing society-wide increased crime, drug addiction, loneliness and despair that has increased chronic illness and clinical anxiety and depressing in all age groups. As trite as it may sound, Taylor Swift brings people together in community; something our culture desperately needs. Kids need something to be optimistic about. Adults do, too.
Thank you Lara. Everyone seems grumpy this morning. It’s a Saturday. We can sip some coffee and enjoy a pleasant read about how a person’s music could have power to bring community/a sense of togetherness to an increasingly polarized society.
I'd like to know more about her. I think. I hear she's very popular, but I couldn't name a single song she's done nor to my knowledge have I ever heard one. Actually, I'm sure I have but didn't recognize it.
Frankly, I'm a bit prejudiced; in my coming-of-age era, at least we had Vietnam protest and anti-establishment songs to give us a sense of purpose: Four Dead in O-Hio, For What It's Worth, White Rabbit, the list goes on. To my eye, other than the Talking Music (Rap - you can't spell CRAP without Rap), the only "coming together" being promulgated by and for yutes is "Let's close our eyes and all get together for bread-and-circus, c'os we can't take stress and if we open them to see, we might get triggered."
The Airplane's "White Rabbit" - THE song of my lifetime!
my white rabbit story. i was on a small place flying to sfo from phoenix. grace and the crew were on my plane. after we deplaned with the Airplane and picked up our luggage. guess what car picked up Grace. yup. a white rabbit
A few years back I subscribed to a book club that sent me a nicely-bound hardback classic once a month. One of the first was Carroll's "Through The Looking Glass." There is a whole body of knowledge analyzing this book, all its analogies, its metaphors, etc.. If memory serves, he was a mathematician and logician, and the turns, twists, gyres and gimbals in his stories are references to external things. Kind of like knowing a joke on the world. It's certainly over my head.
and therefore....?
a lot of Swift music would have fit in perfectly in the late '70s early '80s, it's got a sort new wave feel, kinda like blondie or all those "THE" bands - the cars / the clash / the police / the knack / the pretenders
the sort of english pop thing of the '90s too like Blur kinda
"Kinda like Blondie... The Clash..." R U MAD? 🤣 🤣 🤣
no not really at all.
blondie and the clash don't sound like the cars or the police do they? yet they were all new wave. it's more subtle than a clone
Whoooshh!
She is talented for sure, but I’m sorry in no way would her music have fit in the late 70’s. Nice article though and amazing the numbers her tour is posting.
I was there in the late 70's early 70's too. If she had been around then we would see her selling sheets on Fox News today.
we can disagree about that and still have a great day!
Absolutely! Nice to take a break and discuss something like this.
Her name does not belong in the same sentence as Clash or the Pretenders, come on man!
lol hey i'm just telling it like it is.
nostalgia is cool and but she's right up there with those acts. i bet if you could corner Chrissie Hynde and quiz her about Taylor Swift's songs she's probably a big fan just like we are big fans of Chrissie's amazing catalog
She sells more than those acts did, even adjusted for inflation. She is more popular and famous. She is prolly nicer than all those guys. Spend 5 minutes with Chrissie, she is not nice, she does not want to be. Without the benefit of a single sniff, I can guarantee she smells better, on average, than Joe Strummer ever did one day in his sadly brief life.
I am talking about talent and relevance and maybe only their talent and relevance to me.
I have heard many Taylor Swift songs, the only one I know the name of is "shake it off" and in 5 years I won't remember it. I will remember "London Calling" I will remember "The Guns of Brixton", I will remember "Rock the Casbah"
Tripping balls and incoherent I know every word to "Brass in Pocket"
that's nostalgia right there, powerful as raw grain alcohol straight out of the bottle
Elroy Wilson, cool operator.
This is a comment I can relate to. Though I am familiar with her early country music-y songs. I thought she had serious talent and was surprised by some of the harsh criticism. She produced numbers that are now as iconic as the ones you noted.
My kids grew up hearing them. Then she went pop star and I heard less of her music even though she was increasingly more popular. I’ve seen her in a few commercials but didn’t know who she was until my kids pointed her out. I’m happy for her success though I was put off by her buy-in for the leftist narrative. With all the music apps I make playlists for my self that don’t have a single song of hers. Not that I dislike them or her. The last music icon I got fuzzies over was Bono but he became another great traitor to the peasant population by attending WEF meetings.
I’m glad to hear how so many people find some positive solidarity, even if it’s for a glittery super-star. I still think insanely expensive show tickets leave too many fans out of the loop. I’d be really impressive if a person of her obscene wealth were to give a show that had minimally expensive opportunities for folks who can’t really afford to spend the equivalent of a months worth of groceries on them. That would be truly impressive. Otherwise, I think stars today , including Tay-Tay are beyond the pale of self-serving narcissism.
Jim, I don't know your age, but I'm 52. I am intrigued as well, but realize that her music is not speaking directly to us. The same was true for Elvis and the Beatles, Chuck Berry, and Bob Dylan. Institutions and conservatives railed and wrung their hands over these acts. My Holy Grail was Metallica’s first four albums and Guns and Roses. I belatedly discovered punk rock because it was literally kept from me growing up as a fundamentalist Christian.
My husband is 67 and he loves Taylor Swift. He’s been a fan of hers since she started and owns a lot of her CDs.
You're lying about his age.
No I’m not. He was born on July 30, 1956, graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1974, and from Ball State in Muncie in 1978. Finished law school at U of Miami in 1981. We got married in 1982 and celebrated our 40th anniversary last year by taking the kids and their spouses to Canada on a Tauck tour of the Canadian Rockies.
I’m 4 years older than my husband and graduated college in 1974, law school in 1977. We met at work. Now married 41 years with 3 kids in their 30’s. My 67 year old husband is newly retired from being the President and CEO of a financial services agency. As for my musical tastes, I’m a big fan of Sting. Hubby has generously bought me tickets to several Sting concerts. I’m roughly 10 years older than the typical Sting fan.
You are one crabby curmudgeon.
Disagreeing with someone on a type of music generally for kids does not make one a curmudgeon.
Sorry. I was teasing!
Some of the songs have deep meaning, and some don't. The Trio (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt) performed Neil Young's song "After the Gold Rush" and then asked Neil Young about the meaning of the song. Young's response was something along the lines of, "I have no idea what it means. I was stoned when I wrote it." Kind of like all the insights you and your friends have when you are toasted, which if you write some of them down, look like complete nonsense later.
Yes! This. I wasn't a huge fan, liked a couple of her songs but this article opened my eyes. I agree with you! We need more unification like this. Just pure joy.
Regardless of the quality of Swift’s music, it’s the mass bow to the heavens the writer and the breathless millions who follow, after all, just a singer, treating her every breath, gesture, and act of generosity as divine - that is what is concerning. It reminds me of lemmings falling off the cliff in droves, in search of something they know not of. And after they fall metaphorically, they come back for more, seeking more of that magic elixir. This is not a story of the power of a phenomenon- it’s more of a story of humankind’s impulse to blindly go to where everyone else is going - nothing new here. Only sad.
This largely how I come away from this feeling...sure, we need something to unite on. But are we really, actually united by her? Mmmmmm...nah. I think she's talented for sure but I don't think what we need is another idol.
Agreed.
Sort of like college graduates today. Trained in the Progressive Faith to think only sanctified thoughts.
Walking in goose step.
A remedy is something that solves something. A concert makes a person feel good during the concert, and maybe the next day or so. And then possibly for years, they'll smile for a moment when they think of it.
That is not a remedy.
I wholeheartedly agree. In the extremely polarized world we live in, it's good to have one thing we can all agree on.
My 15-year-old daughter saw Taylor Swift in the spring and she’s still talking about it. I waited in the parking lot with the other parents for the show to wrap up, listening to the end of it floating through the air from the stadium. I’ve never seen so many happy kids in my life, all emerging with their sequins and glitter and dresses and armfuls of friendship bracelets.
Swift is an amazing song writer and performer. She’s generous to her crew and fans. Her fans span generations, even my 79-year old dad likes some of her songs. It’s nice to see a positive force at work.
I tried all the songs Evan suggested and to me they were all cringeworthy. To each their own.
I'm on team Albarn, though. He criticized TS for not writing her own songs but was called out as off base. That is correct, as she participates in writing all her songs and her own songwriting put her on the map.
But when you go from "on the map" to number one songs and pop superstardom by "writing your own songs" with production teams that just happen to have already written number ones for Kesha, Pink, and others, to me that is not "writing your own songs".
Songwriting and production are different. In terms of production, people say AC/DC and Def Leppard were largely driven by Mutt Lange which I would agree with; but it can be either a producer, an artist, or both that contributes heavily to the success. Nobody manufactured the Beatles, and groups like Nirvana worked with several great producers but weren't made great by any of them, they were already great. You can argue though that there are artists who clearly were only great with a great producer.
def leppard and ac/dc were manufactured by Mutt Lange as was shania twain; the beatles were manufactured by George Martin; Ginger Rogers was a product of the studio system.
All of that is utter nonsense. You don't stay at the top for decades by being a manufactured product. You work with the best so that you can put out your best work. Ginger shouldn't have starred in a Gershwin show on Broadway and shouldn't have worked with Astaire or Pan Berman. It's nonsensical, sorry
So true. The Beatles were stars before George Martin. They were (are) geniuses. We wouldn't know Martin's name if it weren't for the Beatles. But also, "Eleanor Rigby" wouldn't be a masterpiece if it weren't for George Martin. And so on.
If there's a problem with Taylor Swift -- which isn't a hill I need to die on because I'm just a curmudgeonly time traveler -- it has to do with the phenomenon itself, i.e., the cult-like, obsessive ferocity of the fans and the obscene amount of wealth that Swift spends and earns in selling herself as a brand. Maybe somebody will write a sociological thesis on Taylor Swift, or a marketing primer, and this article will be source material. But really, we've been here before. Elvis was a thing. Beatlemania was a thing. Girls were fainting. Back in the 19th century, ladies fainted when they heard Wagner. Music is powerful stuff.
I listened to the recommended song, "Back to December." I felt soothed and sucked in right away. Her voice has a tiny drop of auto-tune in it, which softens the vocal line, like a touch of face powder. The arrangement sounds full (nice strings, either real or synth). The tune is generic, but with some subtle rhythmic shifts and shortened line breaks that make it a bit unpredictable. (Yes I'm a musician.) And of course, it has the requisite romantic lyrics about regret and nostalgia -- excellent emotions to plumb if you want a hit song. It's catchy, with an emotional hook. It's not "Judy Blue Eyes" or "Pet Sounds," it's what we geezers would call bubblegum music, but it's very well-produced. Does it pass my "repeated listenings test"? No. But maybe if I need a hug...
Let them eat cake. Taylor Swift eats cake three times a day. Good for her.
yes. i brought up Ginger Rogers because she was phenomenally popular in the 1930s - 1940s, very similar to how Swift is viewed today but without the modern advantages of marketing and a fully developed industry around her. It was a very primitive situation - the modern celebrity factories didn't really exist yet - but it was Ginger that was receiving standing ovations in stadiums across the country for their films, not Fred Astaire, even though he was allegedly the genius behind the team. But in fact her solo films after she left Astaire were more popular than theirs had been.
The public decides, in the end, who is a star and who isn't. The manufactured stuff flashes and disappears and Swift has been around for a very long time.
I agree that Def Leppard, AC/DC, and Shania were all successful because of Mutt Lange. The effect of producers is too strong to deny and there are too many great producers that, when you look at their career, produced the strongest albums for their top artists and the only thing you've heard from other artists, because the producer was the largest talent behind the success. Lange, Rubin, Neptunes, Blanco, or even O Casek, the story is the same. These days I actually plumb old music by producer discography, not artist by artist.
I was listening to L7 as an antidote to Swift, and, yep, produced by Butch Vig, just as was the breakthrough work for seven other bands.
monetary success is something else. Those producers you mention, in particular, all had the industry behind them with marketing, networking and distribution, advantages which disappeared because the producer took them with him when he moved on. george martin brought the same thing to the Beatles. mick jagger is only one musician that has been quite eloquent on the subject.
artists always want to work with the very best because it brings out their own best.
There's no band that has a successful album with one producer and then goes unsupported by the label with the next; there are plenty of bands that change producers, keep high support and have a big dropoff in both quality and success.
Name a band that lost industry support after a big success. Not even logical.
oh gosh yes there have been lots of them. the money moves around with the producer it's a common occurrence.
Swift is a SINGER. There are plenty of great singers who don't write their own material. It what the individual DOES with the song them makes a great SINGER.
She would be offended that you said that, honestly. She definitely wants to be considered a singer-songwriter.
Beside the point; I don't KNOW if she writes her own songs; I don't KNOW if they are any good: I DO KNOW she can sing and sing unaccompanied and acoustic. The rest would be cherries onatop; they are unneccessary to being a singing great: that was my point.
Great point maybe you can find a thread for it rather than the one about whether or not she's a songwriter
Han, you hit on something huge there—Rock n’ roll. Those acts you mentioned were already ascending when Mutt Lange or George Martin came along. The same goes for NWA and Tupac Shakur. The list goes on. Compare those with truly manufactured acts (Backstreet Boys?).
ALL of this is about free speech. Rock n’ roll originated in America under our Constitution. Institutions have battled it at every turn and been rebuffed by the First Amendment.
Swift’s music so far has not ”spoken” to me, personally. Probably because I'm just old enough to be her father. That's the way it works. Musically, I prefer listening to Lady Gaga, as it stands now. However, I feel of all the artists of Swift’s generation, she is the one most likely to drop a Highway 61 Revisited on the world, like Bob Dylan.
I’d recommend two different songs. The Great War is an amazing relationship ballad.
And Ronen, about a boy who died from cancer is a real tear jerker.
I tried really hard not to be a swiftie, but without success
Soon You’ll Get Better is a softer, acoustic song about her mom’s cancer battle. There’s a breathe at the 2:40 mark that hits home. I know a couple people that don’t like Swift’s music but connect with that song.
So you’re saying it was worth the $853 bucks you paid for the ticket
We got ours through Ticketrom and paid $175 each. I’d only pay over $800/ticket for Elvis.
I’d only pay that to see Jesus.
No one else would ever be that important.
My first laugh of the day. Thanks!
Same here. My 12 year old granddaughter has been Swifty since she was old enough to listen to pop music. Tay Tay is pure fun and it’s been a joy singing those simple girl songs with her in the car all these years. And you’re right- she’s a wonderful songwriter, telling her fans about the boyfriends and the girlfriends and the heartache and the good times in her life. Just like my Motown and Doo Wop in the 50’s and 60’s. And I know how old I am and sound, but it’s really nice to see someone who’s not terribly interested in shocking us with her moves or with her body or what she can do with her tongue. Give her her due and rejoice in the mad love.
O M G!!! The commenters here. Unbelievable! Lighten up!! Geez. This is a very well written, enjoyable to read article about a phenomenon! The power of music. The strength of good. The healing of fun. The love that unites us all. All coming through one person. Celebrate!! Taylor has been around a long time. Something beyond all of us and through all of us is gifting the world with her and through her. Appreciate!
The commenters here are generally an older crowd and I usually agree with them but this morning there is a lot of "get off my lawn" energy here.
If Taylor is making people happy in our increasingly-negative world, I'm all for it. I''m mostly a hard rock fan but her songs are just fun, catchy pop songs and that's okay.
We in the “older crowd” have seen this before. I was just a young kid when the Beatles caused an earthquake in America. My mom, an opera fanatic, bought their albums and me and my five siblings played them often. We saw the footage of women screaming at the top of their lungs in the throes of hysteria at their live performances. I remember thinking at that young age that those people appeared to be unhinged.
At some point I learned the Beatles performed live only briefly and wondered why. I read later that the incessant screaming was so loud the band members couldn’t hear themselves or their monitors which made it difficult to play. So they said screw it. To this day I still don’t understand why anyone would pay to see a band or performer whose music they liked and spend the length of the show screaming to the point of drowning out the music they came to hear much to the chagrin of the thousands of others in the audience. This tells me there is much more than the love of the music going on there. I don’t think Taylor Swift enthusiasm rises to Beatles hysteria level but there is something similar on a much smaller level at play.
And all of the comments about her being a uniting force...c’mon. Of course at her concerts everyone is swinging and swaying to the music, singing along and caught up in the shared experience of unity and togetherness. This happens at almost every concert no matter who the artist.
She’s been at this for a long time, so while she is in no way causing any division let’s not pretend that outside the venues where she performs she has any more of a profound impact on healing divisions in our country or anywhere else than Elvis or the Beatles did in their time.
Have you heard of the singing revolution in Estonia?
https://youtu.be/4njksFKyycY
Estonia, which had endured foreign occupation for centuries, joined its fellow Baltic Republics of Latvia and Lithuania in a nonviolent movement that enabled them to become independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Estonians began taking advantage of their unique and rich cultural tradition, particularly in choral music, to encourage a national reawakening. Estonians gathered in the thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands to celebrate their heritage in song, in what became known as “The Singing Revolution.”
https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/estonias-singing-revolution-1986-1991/
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/estonia-singing-revolution
The point is not so much about Taylor. She is the vehicle. It’s about the power of music, the frequency of the power that unites us all. It’s spiritual!! Embrace the spirituality of the creative force shining it’s divine light no matter who it comes through. Resonate. Get out of your heads and into your hearts.
It matters very much who the spiritual comes through. Listening to pop music should not be a spiritual experience, that is creepy. Unifying around a pop artist with this much “devotion” is unhealthy. It’s more like an addiction and an obsession, neither are good. I’ve listened to the lyrics of her music and they aren’t innocent. Feelings lead people astray. Music is powerful, which is why we should be careful with what we listen to and allow into our minds. I see idol worship here and it never leads anywhere good.
No, it doesn’t matter who it comes through. It comes through us all. And it is certainly not creepy. And, we are also not talking about a devotion to any one person. That is the smallness of the human mind and it’s ability to distort. It is the resonance of the frequency that all are feeling and participating. That frequency is divine and cannot be distorted. It speaks for itself.
Seriously! I don't "get" Swifties, but there are things I am just as enthusiastic about. I'm part of the Supernatural TV series fandom--the one that can find a quote meme for literally ANY situation. So I get fandom, even if I'm not in a particular fandom.
I loved the energy and enthusiasm of this essay, even though I'm highly unlikely to add Swift to my (largely 70s and 80s) playlist.
I’m with you all the way, sista!
Have you watched Ten Inch Hero?
I've never heard of it.
No worries... just an old Jensen Ackles movie that I can't decide if I like or not. It has John Doe of X so that is good, but in a role someone from X should never play. Also features Danneel when she was still "Harris", so presumably Jensen met her on that set.
Well said. But I have to stop short of worshipping at the altar of any one. Spending that kind of money on show tickets is obscene.
We've never been able to afford tickets at that level. When we went to see Rush's R40 tour in St. Louis, it was an anniversary trip, so we spent most of our money on a nice hotel room. Nosebleed seats were in the $60 range, and that was good enough for us.
I admit that I'd like to see more unbiased coverage of the serious issues that are impacting us in the United States today. And I wonder whether we're going to hear about some sort of scandal involving Taylor Swift someday.
But in the meantime, it certainly seems like Taylor is the real deal. We've seen that she's actually able to pick up a guitar and sing beautifully without the benefit of a huge back-up band or autotune. She seems like a genuine, decent, but occasionally troubled young woman. In a way that makes her seem more relatable to all of us, because aren't we all occasionally troubled? I'm a crabby old guy in his 60's who has to admit that I enjoy at least some of her music.
I was in Seattle during the weekend that Taylor Swift's concerts took place. The city sidewalks were full of excited fans, primarily young women wearing sparkly dresses. There were lots of moms and daughters, and groups of friends of all shapes and sizes. Due to a case of bad timing on my flight itinerary, I rode with many of them on the Link train as they headed to the concert as I was heading to SeaTac for my flight home. Everyone on the jammed train was polite, friendly, and happy. Strangers were excitedly talking with each other about their outfits, where their seats were, whether they had seen Taylor in concert before, etc. Sure, being stuck on a jammed train was a bother, but in a way it was all kind of surreal and fun - being surrounded by genuinely happy people.
Probably saved your life. A trainload of teeny-boppers going to a concert is surely a lot safer than riding with the usual Seattle "patrons."
Amen brother man. Never been a giggly fan and I don’t understand the world of fandom but I have an angst-y twenty year old daughter who explains this bold new world when ever I have the time to listen.
I feel like all the TFP articles are about certain obscure or niche topics this week. Talking about Taylor Swift feels very fluffy when I 'm really concerned that MSM is not reporting about the Biden corruption and the Facebook Files censorship. What's going on?
It's Saturday. Not Everything has to be Its The End Of The World, and (insert name here) is to blame. Sometimes you NEED cute puppy videos or Mike Rowe: How to Catch A Prairie Dog (Without LOSING Your Face)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJD-01oYJ5A
Which is a 20 minute *waste of time, but FUN (*if Biden corruption and the Facebook Files censorship. s the be all and end all of you life)
If I may quote The Fabulous Minnesota Barking Ducks
"Nothing Beats Fun For Having A Good Time."
Hey, count me in for puppy and kitten videos. That's the point. They bring more happiness at a lower cost than Taylor Swift. Sadly, this otherwise bright (I'm sure) college student author shows how flimsy even Ivy students are.
Would you have said the same about the Beatles back in the day?
Probably. Kauffman seems more grumpy and curmudgeonly than I AM. Which I thought was impossible.
I was still a younger child when the Beatles hit America like a tidal wave. I had a teenage cousin though who was a screeching wild fan like the screaming girls you see in old video clips. We thought she was a bit nuts but later seeing Led Zepplin and a few others I began to understand. By then though most of us were too stoned to get very screechy.
LOL!
I did. Whilst my peers did Beatles I sat in my dorm discovering the depth and breadth of Beethoven. 55 years later and never once regretting the choice.
Something I have come to realize of late (in spite of them being THE BEATLES!!!) They really were a good tight rock and roll band. Dec. 3 1965 "Rubber Soul", released in the United Kingdom. You listen to this and Its Good,, Pop Music.
BTW IF Beethoven don't git you gitter going, you've got a broken gitter!
As I've said many times: Whilst my peers were busily Beatling, I was discovering Beethoven. Never doubted that I got the better deal.
That is completely legit.
Thank you Steve. If I knew you I’d invite you to brunch for light and pleasant conversation.
You should know while I may be Easy I am not Cheap. :-)
I am a political Junkie. And I obsess on Hard News.
That said. An Evening with Michael Crichton
November 15, 2005
https://www.independent.org/events/transcript.asp?id=111#2
(Snip)
"But Chernobyl started me on a new path. When I began to research these old fears to find out what had been said in the past, I discovered several important things. The first is that there’s nothing more sobering than a 30-year-old newspaper. You can’t figure out what the headlines mean, you don’t know who the people are. Theodore Green, John Sparkman, George Reedy, Jack Watson. Who were they? You thumb through page after page of vanished concerns, issues that apparently were important at the time and now don’t matter at all. It’s amazing how many pressing concerns are literally of the moment. They won’t matter in six months, and certainly not in six years, and if they won’t matter then, are they really worth our attention now?
But as David Brinkley once said, the one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news, we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were.
We miss him."
I'm old enough to actually Know and Remember these people. In the 50's-70's they were Important People. Today...A (minor) footnote.
Michael Crichton, what a talent. What a loss. He died too young.
He was a genius and a visionary. Even better - a very entertaining one.
I like the cut of your jib, matey. I'm to the right of Genghiz Khan myself! :-)
Thanks for the intro to Mike Rowe. There was me thinking American telly was crap!
May I just say Thank You to those who Liked this.
Well, yeah, but....She seems nice enough and if Taylor brings people joy, why not write about the gargantuan scope of it. Remember what it was like to be young and swept up in the delirium? As someone who actually was at the Beatles concert in Shea Stadium, I remember what it was like. Would you prefer that people look up to a young woman who seems genuinely nice and kind (the bonus to her crew bespeaks a sense of true gratitude) or someone like Biden's muse, Cardi B? Maybe lighten up - it's Saturday. In Summer.
This. She gifted all of the truck drivers on her tour $100,000 each - that’s not pocket change to a lot of Americans. She’s made it from 16 to 33 without the public seeing her naked, without an arrest or rehab stint, and she clearly works her ass off. Maybe she was just smart enough to actually listen to the advice of a slew of professional PR handlers but kids will always find some kind of celebrity to look up to. I’d rather it be Taylor Swift any day over the alternatives.
She is indeed a very impressive young artist. Young women could have worse role models.
Well said. She is a self made woman however when a billionaire shells out millions in charity it’s not as impressive as regular people who maybe sacrifice a pizza night to give to any charity.
I'm a sour puss. I have a very low opinion of celebrities. I wouldn't cross the street to meet one. maybe it is because most of Hollywood is populated by left wing nut cases.
I'm going to catch flack for this next statement.
It seems to me that females are most affected by celebrity worship. Women at Tom Jones Las Vegas concerts would throw their bras and room keys onto the stage. I've never heard this happening with men. Sure there are men who worship entertainers but not in the numbers of women.
Notice the picture at the middle of the article, all women.
I've never understood it.
Women are wired for social connections to extent that men are not. So it doesn't surprise me that women tend to be more enthusiastic fans, since that creates a social connection with other fans.
I hadn't thought of that. I think you are right.
Me, I think it is about getting all your rivals in one place and scoping the competeition so you can do them down on Twitter and around the watercooler the day after. ;-) /s
When I came of concert age in the 70’s the main draw were only Male dominated groups. I am glad to see young girls “ fainting” over a woman musician.
Well you’re right and while there’s a mountain of psycho-babble to explain why, at the end of it you’ll find verification.
I might be female but I’m not unaware of the differences or afraid to admit there are some. Women have strengths that are different than men and vice versa.
This is by design and meant to compliment one another, not divide.
I agree.
What do you think would happen if you or I threw our boxers or room keys at Taylor Swift's stage? lol
We'd be arrested.
At best!
Maybe. When men act in ths fashion it’s called perverted; when females do it’s called hysterical.
Neither is a good look.
I think a lot of the women who throw underwear at entertainers are paid to do it. It has been a marketing tactic at least since Elvis.
I don't think so. Most of the screaming Beatles fans were brained teenage girls that trait carried over to adulthood.
Back then it was called a target rich environment.
Bullseye we need a break from the squalor of the Biden clan. I preferred her as a C&W singer, but spreading joy is better than what both our political parties spread. But who can afford these tickets?
According to the article, nearly half of who can afford the tickets are fans with household incomes below $50,000. What else they give up so they can buy the tickets, and the merch, is another question.
Shouldn't we be grateful that they are learning to make sacrifices for what they want? That's something that is all too rarely required of young people these days.
Folk on "the Breadline" all seem to have 60" 4K tellies and $2000 dollar smartphones. I know plenty sleeping under bridges with the latest iPhone. There is no "poverty" as such in the W. I. E. R. D., W. I. E. R. D. West.
I’m not sure about the under the bridge community, but I worked for forty years in Boston’s so-called hood and most the kids had the latest electronics.
I get that you’re exaggerating to make a point, but you do not, personally, know plenty of people sleeping under bridges with the latest iPhone. Lol
Actually, I do.
Good points…well said. There’s a part of me that wants to be in the Swiftie movement…good clean fun. I was going to use my age as an excuse, but I don’t even think I can do that! She used to bother me with her melodrama and liberal voice, but good for her what she’s done for herself!
I can’t even imagine what seeing the Beatles was like! Lucky you!
Well said. I'm not interested in articles more suited for People magazine regardless if the article is in long form and written by an intern from Brown.
Then don't read it. Many of us like a variety of stories. I like to be informed about our world, whether it's politically, socially, or culturally. I also like hearing from young people (like this intern).
this forum has been around for a year, by now you know you're not going to be getting high quality political articles from the fp.
the chief was invited to the biggest story in American political history by Musk and she didn't cover it. it's a nice middle of the road people magazine forum nothing more nothing less.
I disagree. Bari has posted many deep and disturbing articles on how the radical left is trying to shut down free speech and academic freedom and gender dystopia.
Bari claims to be a moderate Democrat yet she doesn't hesitate to criticize the left.
Fair enough, LP
Yeah....those radical leftists are going wild in FL.
Moderate Democrat? LOL!!!!!!!
The only thing keeping Bari off Fox/Newsmax is that she's gay.
nobody watches cable tv allegedprof but looking at the web that doesn't bother greenwald or rubin, they're both on there fairly regular
Fascinating....really....
Yep, radical leftists are going wild in FL!!
Nah. They're not there regularly. Not Fox commentators or host. Rubin has his own show. Nice try, though.
I feel the EXACT same way! This was a very (let’s talk about everything else that probably doesn’t matter) this week
This is written by a Free Press intern. I think it's about time we got a little cheering up from a fresh, young perspective. A lot of the readers here are older and I think it's always good to shake it off. Then again haters gonna hate.....
Nuance, Exactly!
Very surprised by the grumpsters here. I don’t know one TS song, but I’m grateful she’s a phenomenon. I’ve got granddaughter’s and a daughter in law who went to the back to back shows in Seattle. Yes, it’s fluff. But it does unite young people without pushing a political agenda. These kids are probably tired of being pushed and pulled ....no mean girls here. What’s wrong with that? Don’t we TFP subscribers just want entertainers to shut up and sing? Read the WSJ or NYT sometime.....they cover the waterfront. I love the variety in TFP. And I love Bari and Nellies message of frank common sense at a time where journalism is without courageous journalists. Lighten up.....it was just a story about a feel good social phenomenon.
But also a story about the huge economic impact that TS has, apparently world wide. Trudeau asking TS to schedule some tour dates in Canada? Because Canada needs the money? When someone or something as “feel good” as Taylor Swift can create a huge positive financial impact on cities, states, or countries, that is a newsworthy event and well worth journalists spending time on it.
Yes, the financial impact in Seattle dwarfed anything else ever held here and repeats everywhere she plays. That’s news.
Taylor puts a smile on peoples faces. I'd rather smile than be attentive 24/7 to the drivel of The Narrative.
People's Magazine is available at your local news stand and online.
Grow up. You tool.
Ding ding ding
“And get off my lawn!”
The MSM will not report on what is truly happening no matter what TFP writes today, so why not have a little fun. TS is bringing people together in a good way---no diatribes, no rioting, no angst---and that's something to celebrate
America needs movie stars? Jim Caviezel, Sound of Freedom. How about a story on Angel Studios, giving away tickets to this film, so people can know the truth about the new slavery in the world, sex trafficking children. At the end of the film, Caviezel does a monologue to the audience. He says, What Harriett Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) did for slavery in the 1800s, this movie should do for sex trafficking of kids. Based on a real American hero who went from arresting pedophiles to rescuing enslaved children. No dry eyes in the theatre.
Or, we can go on celebrating formula music ensconsed in glitter.
I agrée with you about Sound of Freedom. I’d like to see an article about the negative press and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the movie. But consider that these young girls look up to Swift and she’s a class act, and their attention could be spent in much worse places.
Caviezel said one more thing about Sound of Freedom--it was made 5 yrs ago. The studio had to fight to get it released. Gee, a movie about child sex slavery and pedophiles is met with opposition. I wonder who would be concerned about us knowing this is happening.
Very true. Kids tend to idolize their heroes. Kind of a right-of-passage in every generation.
Tay-Tay may not be Sister Theresa but lots of her peers aren’t very deserving of the idolatry they receive either. In fact society seems to sink further into the void of pure hedonistic, narcissistic self serving perversions with every generation. This was prophesied thousands of years ago.
Read the Book.
I think we can have both
Sound of Freedom deserves all the accolades and none of the criticism it's getting.
Bari, please do an article or review on the Sound of Freedom so people will stop talking in the comments every day about how wonderful it is and how every other movie is terrible.
Nobody said every other movie is terrible. Sound of Freedom isn't a great movie. But it is a very decent and necessary clarion call about the scourge of human trafficking.
You are right Bruce oh the first point. It does seem to be a reoccurring comment in the threads since “Barbenheimer” came out though and they chose to right reviews of both of the highly anticipated summer hits and not of the other.
I do also agree that there should be a review of Sound of Freedom in TFP and some discussion around it since we have done the same for the other two. I think I more wanted to point out the not so subtle reader comments about it that keep popping up in other story threads.
Brett - Lol!
Personally I probably won’t watch the movie because the topic is really hard to stomach but I’d appreciate a solid review.
Don't worry - they don't show anything that's not PG-13. You'll be glad you saw it if you go.
Ramesh I’d also appreciate a review. I just wanted to point out we get it do a review already so it stops being a recurring comment in unrelated stories haha
I think, Maureen, we could have two things at once here, i.e., acknowledgement of both Sound of Freedom and Jim Caviezel’s powerful message, and Taylor Swift’s joyful boost to our economy.
We can have two things at once if the media reported equally on two things at once.
That would help. Or maybe not be so cynical about any topic that exposes the wicked underside of child sex trafficking , a clearly harder thing to control/stop with no borders. It might expose those who benefit and well, let’s just note here that most of Epstein’s clients were members of the MSM’s protected class.
Sharing happy stories about Taylor Swift still seems valid without the side by side comparison to todays evils. Good for her.
For those that are apoplectic that the journalistic integrity of TFP is forever lost because they had the audacity to post an article about the highest grossing cultural event of our time - lighten up. It is Saturday. Not all should be doom and gloom. We have been so fragmented as a society and have very few positive shared experiences. We watch shows on demand from countless streaming services. Gone are the days of recapping the NBC Thursday night lineup or the season finale of anything at the office water cooler - I’m working from home in my Lulus. We’re just starting to leave our homes to go to the movies again - why should we, I can stream it at home on opening weekend and the microwave popcorn is a lot cheaper. So the fact that vast swaths of people, young and old, are clamoring to attend a live event in any city they can manage to travel to where a poised and talented woman sings songs that she wrote about themes relatable by all, is a very good thing. I didn’t attend, but I wish I did. And I enjoyed reading about The Intern’s Taylor back story and concert experience while I drank my morning coffee. I have the rest of the day for doom and gloom.
Amber-- yes!
Second FP article in as many days where the writer manages to tell us they are Ivy League right out of the box in Paragraph One.
It is more than a little off putting.
That part about half of her fan base making under 50k was too.
Or that singing a Taylor Swift song is what got them in, yawn.
It is a truism that if you write other than what the other 90% are writing, that essay will stand out and the rest of your application will get a closer read. It doesn't matter the material, you are swimming against the tide and might be someone it worthwhile to teach. You aren't by the numbers.
Q: how do you know someone is Ivy League, or atheist, or vegan?
A: he’ll tell you. ;)
I disagree with the comments that this article is not newsworthy. If you want to read about Hunter Biden, there are plenty of other sources for you to do so. I appreciate reading something that makes me aware of something going on in America that is outside of my usual focus. I know who Taylor Swift is, but I couldn't name a single one of her songs.
“ This is the essence of Swift’s stardom: she flawlessly straddles the line between the accessible and the divine.”
Well at least you’re not in denial about worshipping (pop) idols…
But seriously y’all need to get to real church! I hear tix don’t even cost that much on stub hub…
Not sure what is going on with TFP lately, but between the weekly bashing of DeSantis on TGIF, Suzy Weiss recommending the most asinine Washington Post article attacking masculinity, to now having Taylor Swift(!!!???) as the main topic of an article... Really unpleasantly surprised... Bari, seems like it is time that you put order here...
Lighten up, man. People say they want more "positive" news in their feeds. But when they actually get some they cry "the media is trying to distract us from the important issues!"
Mate - Glad you like Taylor Swift... I just say that if I wanted to read about her, I’d go to Hello, TMZ or other outlets... Absolutely loved Olivia Reingold’s piece this week, Bari’s Honestly with Colin Campbell on Thursday and look forward to all of Douglas Murray’s “Things Worth Remembering” every Sunday... but the most recent stuff has been (well) below expectations... Sorry, but if I come to a 3 star Michelin Star restaurant, I don’t want to be served a McDonalds Happy Meal...
FGH, This is an article written by a young person about a cultural experience. What's wrong with that? Don't read it if it offends your sensibilities.
Deidre's - In today's society, as much as it is being pushed that we need to shut up and toe the party line, I am entitled to express my opinion. Perfectly fine if this young person has a cultural experience that enriches him... I am pointing out a pattern I've noticed in TFP and I personally don't like...
Maybe you see a pattern but I, a moderate, see a variety of stories that reflect a diverse group of people. Not every story appeals to me but... that's life.
And I will always support your right to express your opinion, even if we disagree
A writer who only wants praise should stick to his private family Facebook account. The author wanted attention, as all writers do, and apparently not everyone is impressed. That's life. And its certainly journalism.
This is not a 3 star Michelin restaurant of journalism by half
Personally I subscribed to TFP for being an unbiased, top news source... Maybe you think it is 1.5 Michelin star restaurant... still way better than McDonalds...
I agree with your point; but you are literally taking candy from five year old girls. Kindly do one.
Thanks Steven. Not sure how I'm "literally taking candy from five year old girls" by expressing my opinion, but happy not to do so if you put some context in your reply.
TFP is not a right-wing Fox inspired site. If you want the same ol' stuff, 'change the channel.' I like the variety of opinions and the nuance of TFP. It is a place where both sides can come together. And believe it or not, there are some excellent stories in the Washington Post.
Exactly because TFP "is not a right-wing Fox inspired site" or a left-wing MSNBC/CNN inspired site, I expect it to publish well researched stories. As I said on my original post, there might be stories I don't agree with, which is perfectly OK... The issue is when I see a pattern... And sure, WaPo has some excellent stories... Just the one that Suzie Weiss pointed out just ain't.
Jesus Christ.......just when I was beginning to think TFP wasn't going straight in the sh*tter, you guys publish this piece. If you all need help on finding stories that are actually impacting American lives, feel free to DM me.
Actually she IS, impacting American lives (Right now. 3 years from now...who knows).
There is more to life than Politics.
I'm not even talking about politics.......we could fill a notebook with stories most of us would like to see them cover that are really impacting Americans right now.
Start Your Own Substack, then. I'll subscribe.
Sounds like someone should have slept in a little and enjoyed his Saturday. Or maybe needs a vacation (I’m currently enjoying mine in Mexico). I’m 38 and also spent a large portion of my life listening to T Swift. So did each of my 5 siblings who range in age form 20-35 and are are on sides of the political and religious spectrum. Music can be a be a force that brings people together and spreads a little joy in a time of increasing polarization and constant “doom/gloom the world will end tomorrow” 24/7 news headlines. The article is very relevant. Maybe you just need to sit back, relax for once, eat your Wheaties and “Shake it Off”. You can read about the horrors of the world tomorrow.
I love music and agree it brings people together. I'm headed out next saturday to see Tyler Childers in Charleston SC. I get it. You've clearly missed the point I was trying to make, but no worries......sounds like you've got your Wheaties and TS downloads, so enjoy Mexico. :-)
I am glad we can agree on our love of music and I do hope you enjoy your concert this next weekend. I had an omelette and not Wheaties :)
Thanks man. Have a great weekend!
If your comment hadn't gone "Whoosh!", Brett wouldn't have made his point, but just pressed like. So there is that.
When I was deployed to the Texas border I offered to send more pics/offer a first-hand account. They didn’t take me up on it.
I don’t blame them, though. It’s hard to tell what is legit from BS when someone offers a “first-hand” perspective on something.
Hahaha second this! I’m available as well! 🙋🏾♂️
I just looked at some comments about how this is a niche or obscure topic, but when someone is grossing a Billion dollars for a tour, and there is a youth movement going on, this is something one should know about. Why are so many people spending 650 dollars on bubble gum rock?
These movements are reflections of our society. This is mainly a movement of young women who are worked into a frenzy. We have had Elvis, the Beatles, Bee Gees, Micheal Jackson, and Taylor Swift. This cult-like following is nothing new. What is new is all of the other eras had greatness around them; in this one, Taylor Swift is alone. Our cultural institutions are not producing things people want to see. The movies could be better, is any good music?, and most TV shows are built for small niches, not mass audiences.
Taylor Swift is a symptom of voters. Many of us that are political animals think everyone else is following what we want; they are not. Everyone buying tickets and singing Taylor Swift songs are voters. If and when the wheels come off the economy, whatever leader has to lead a large slice of the population who sings substantive songs like this bubble gum rock.
These articles might seem frivolous, but our culture is becoming frivolous, which does not bode well for the future.
I think it is called "social contagion."
When tickets cost $650, it’s definitely not a youth movement. TS started in country; now she is a phenomenon of, by, and for the elites.
Finally, an article about things that unite us! I welcome more about events in arts and sciences any time. For a change.
You know what, I actually like this idea and we should focus more on the arts as that is becoming a lost fabric of our reality.
Does Taylor swift (and other forms of ENTERTAINMENT) classify as the arts....?
I think that maybe up for a good intellectual discussion 😊
When asked. "What is art?" An artist friend answered, "Art is what you need it to be." I don't need Taylor Swift.
If a pop music performer is an "artist," why isn't a circus clown?
Joseph Grimaldi. Now STFU.
Hey Franz Liszt was a "rock star" in his time.
Goethe's 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' created a social contagion phenomenon way back in the late 1770s. Some towns literally BANNED dressing in the style of Werther because there was a rash of suicides that copied the character's suicide in the book.
In other words, fandom is not a new phenomenon.
The eyes and ears of the beholder, and all that.
A wonderfully written and enjoyable read. Thank you. It appears the comment section is full of those who are incapable of engaging for even a moment with content outside of the usual 2-3 topics. Don’t listen to them.
A couple or three points to make. I remembered when Prince died, and I could not believe the people crying in the streets with grief. Then I thought, oh wait a minute old man, you cried when John Lennon was killed so maybe cut those people some slack. It made me realize each generation has their icons whether I like them or not. Secondly, I just listened to the three songs the writer suggested in the article. Taylor's writing is phenomenal! It's penetrating, and haunting, and very personal and interesting. I just became a Swiftie.