Taylor Swift... what's with the hype / phenomenon?

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by K12144

I think it's simply "right place, right time, right luck." I've no doubt she has talent and is worth listening to, but, she's not the Beatles and people almost seem to act like she is.

I think it's more than luck. She's an astute businesswoman, on top of everything else.

"Swift’s accomplishments as an artist—culturally, critically, and commercially—are so legion that to recount them seems almost beside the point. As a pop star, she sits in rarefied company, alongside Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Madonna; as a songwriter, she has been compared to Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Joni Mitchell. As a businesswoman, she has built an empire worth, by some estimates, over $1 billion. And as a celebrity—who by dint of being a woman is scrutinized for everything from whom she dates to what she wears—she has long commanded constant attention and knows how to use it."

https://time.com/6342806/person-of-t...-taylor-swift/

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by tnff

Marketing. She is hyped by the music machine as the greatest thing, so people think she's the greatest thing. Spend any time on YouTube and you can find as good or better singers that just don't get "discovered" and don't have the marketing magic.

There's been an awful murder down on music row.

This is true for anything in the entertainment world. The video game industry is just as bad, if not worse.

[Upminster-1]

Originally Posted by tnff

Marketing. She is hyped by the music machine as the greatest thing, so people think she's the greatest thing. Spend any time on YouTube and you can find as good or better singers that just don't get "discovered" and don't have the marketing magic.

There's been an awful murder down on music row.

Agree that marketing is part of it. Another part is susceptibility. The "marketing" of Swift does not work on me, and presumably many people. We are simply not susceptible.

Same with any other rich and/or famous. No amount of marketing is going to make me like a certain candidate for office.

So some people like/love what Swift offers, and some don't. We don't have to understand.

Another factor ( IMO ) is that so many people are sheep. They don't think for themselves, they just go with the herd ( peers ). Some of us have depth and are more discriminating.

I like some of the music of some artists. But I am not enamoured with any of them.

[sheena12]

I posted this back in October. Now it is less expensive for an American fan to fly from the US to Paris to see Swift.

Then there is the Private Jet. What a hypocrite.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by rabbit33

It's unthreatening mall music with a great beat, delivered by a beautiful young woman with not too much clothing on, and a cadre of gyrating dancers with even less clothing on; and, she by all accounts is a generally good egg and not a dysfunctional mess or arsehole.

It also stimulates the economy in a generally positive way.

"Unthreatening as mall music" is exactly what a detest about her. My kids (grown) have never fallen for crap think this.

Then there is that "private jet" thing. I would prefer that my children listen to The Velvet Underground.

[stephenMM]

I totally don't get it either. Her songwriting skills are not at all strong, nor is her voice. So it's a mystery to me. I don't understand the fanaticism over her. But she has a powerful marketing department, that's for sure. I grew up listening to Aretha, Billie Holiday, Blondie, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Irma Thomas, Donna Summers, Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee etc. Taylor Swift would not deserve to be anywhere NEAR the same stage w/ those singers.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by stephenMM

I grew up listening to Aretha, Billie Holiday, Blondie, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Irma Thomas, Donna Summers, Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee etc. Taylor Swift would not deserve to be anywhere NEAR the same stage w/ those singers.

How many of these singers wrote their own music and played instruments? And many of them had other baggage: Debbie Harry (Blondie) trashed hotel rooms with her band, Janis Joplin was arrested for vulgar and obscene language and was a heroin user--which killed her at age 27, Patsy Cline was a long term victim of domestic violence, etc. Taylor's squeaky clean image is no doubt part of her appeal.

FWIW, no one could be compared to Aretha Franklin.

[HodgePodge]

Lol, I find it funny that some ppl seem to "hate" her.

Her music is definitely not my taste. But when she was at her height and constantly played in the top 10, I found her songs catchy.

The people who are in the music industry do vouch that Taylor does know how to write lyrics and she certainly has a hard work ethic.

I really think part of Taylor's crazy success is her "look".

Pretty, thin, blonde and white.

She is basically the "ideal" looking young woman according to our society.

Don't believe me?

Look @ Adele.

Remember when she first hit the charts... she was a "large" sized woman.

Now if you look at her, she's probably half the size.

Pressure to compete with the "Taylor's" of the industry?

BTW, Adele has a much better singing voice than Taylor

[Ghobi]

There’s nothing to it. She’s very tween. Back in the day she was noticed for the limits of her live performance, her weak vocals, being flat chested skinny, not sexy in the least. She was innocent, beautiful. Somehow she augmented her body and gained weight because the public didn’t like her lack of appeal..

Now there’s a bunch of soft whisper singers Billie Eilish I thought ugh you don’t need a good voice or singing ability, Taylor somehow managed to do something to improve her voice, auto tune or something. I saw a grown man raving about her. Maybe he’s a tween inside too.

There’s a market for young impressionable girls who need a role model of a wholesome kind. Somehow she managed to market herself powerfully. The fact she’s successful and works hard is enough to admire her success but she’s made enough dough, can’t we retire her and the Madonna’s of the world?

Same with Jlo. People of limited talent still clinging to cash in. It’s worse than nepo baby. What’s a term for multi millionaire, billionaires who won’t go away and don’t give any real artists an honest chance at a career? At some point you’ve done enough and have nothing more to say.

Add Beyonce too, going into country, just go away. I think she’s getting older and cannot be the same type of sex symbol without it looking desperate like Madonna. Somebody told her this was a lucrative direction, just cold business motives. But like lemmings their audience will just follow them around.

[K12144]

Originally Posted by Ghobi

Now there’s a bunch of soft whisper singers Billie Eilish I thought ugh you don’t need a good voice or singing ability, .

A person has never necessarily needed a good singing voice. I mean, Axl Rose? Whoever is the lead singer for Rush? Brian Johnson? Rod Stewart? And as much as I love her, Janis? Etc.