Her singing is no better than a karaoke regular. Her songs could be knocked out by any halfway competent 12-year-old. I don't get it.
We've always had pop trash, and that's fine. But people are writing about this rather unspectacular woman like she's some kind of towering, generational talent to stand alongside Kate Bush or Stevie Nicks. And her deranged cult of "swifties" are truly unbearable.
The U.S. is so watered down it's come to this sad situation.
She's the best of all the other trash out there. The U.S. is so watered down it's come to this.
The truly sad thing is that so many female singers copy her style exactly. It has become a tedious joke. And they get contracts, and airplay, and she approves of them. Unironically.
shareHer singing is no better than a karaoke regular. Her songs could be knocked out by any halfway competent 12-year-old. I don't get it."
Her music appeals to Gen Z, ala, 12 to 28 Years old and they simply love her, they claim she writes all of her songs, despite many other rock bands and groups in general writing their own songs back in the day, but whatever.. My Question is: When does all this hype blow up in her face and comes crashing down like Hulk Hogan's theme music??
My Question is: When does all this hype blow up in her face and comes crashing down like Hulk Hogan's theme music??
Lmao, is there a more lame, juvenile term than "hater"? Questioning the merits of someone's art does not equate to "hating", you cretin.
shareI don't hate her by any stretch of any rational person's imagination. However, I do question the merits of her "art". Twenty-first century pop music is a very low bar.
shareHer music appeals to more people than you realize. From Forbes:
Some 53% of U.S. adults said they were fans of Swift, and 16% identified themselves as “avid” fans of the star.
Some 45% of avid fans are millennials, people between the ages of 27 and 42, while 23% are baby boomers, 21% are Gen Xers and just 11% are members of Gen Z—those 26 and under.
Her fanbase is evenly split across genders: 48% is male, and 52% is female, according to the survey.
A lot of people like her, so you'd better get on the bandwagon and like her, too, or be left out!
shareThe devil is strong.
shareHow pathetic. Whiney-ass, grown men feeling threatened by a pop star.
You'd better hope she doesn't decide to go into politics.
"Threatened"? Hmm no, I just think her music sucks. And you assumed my gender, lefty. Disgusting!
As for feeling threatened, you're the one running around these boards in a tailspin of terror, trying to convince yourself that Trump isn't taking the next election.
The decline of culture is a serious issue. Mediocrity has always had a spotlight, but now mediocrity is the best that the music industry has to offer and that’s sad.
sharePretty sure every generation has said this about the next generation's music. Those that came before us had similar thoughts about the music we obsessed over in our youth.
shareThis is different. I checked out of popular music as a kid, in the early 2000s; my closest friends did too. Everything on the radio and MTV seemed sterile and vastly inferior to what had been in the ether from the 60s to the 90s. The bands we went to see live were holdovers from the 80s and 90s, since the leading modern bands plain sucked. Coldplay were just a watered-down, castrated Radiohead. The Killers were a lame parody of bands like OMD and New Order. Arctic Monkeys were a ball-less retread of the post-punk scene. And so on...
Seriously, watch the videos for "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and "We Are the World". Observe the kind of immense talent that was relevant in the 80s. Then there were the people who didn't even participate, like Queen, Kate Bush, the Cure, the Smiths, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, and so on. I cannot, through any lens, see today's counterparts.
You can't see them because you're too old. You are locked into your generation's music, just like the old people at that time said could not, through any lens, see today's counterparts, to the real talent like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat Cole, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Guy Lombardo, Glenn Miller, etc. In 40 years, people will wonder how kids can listen to music that is so clearly inferior to that of Taylor Swift. That's how getting old works.
shareYou can't see them because you're too old. You are locked into your generation's music.
This is different. I checked out of popular music as a kid, in the early 2000s; my closest friends did too. Everything on the radio and MTV seemed sterile and vastly inferior to what had been in the ether from the 60s to the 90s.
Most all teens/tweens love music from well before their time. That's the norm. We all grow up hearing oldies, either because of our parents or older siblings, or because the songs are omnipresent in our society. Many teens eschew modern music, deeming it not as good as what came before-- in my opinion they do so not because they dislike the catchy, fun music, for they actually do like it, but because they want to dislike it, and won't admit to liking it, much the same as Shakespeare's love that dare not speak its name, but that's an entirely different topic-- while most embrace the new with the old.
As people age, they nearly never embrace the music that is popular once they hit 40 or 50 and beyond, just as you are doing now. It isn't that music today is any worse than the music in, say, the 1970s, it's simply different, and you are too old to appreciate the difference.
I read Darren's posts, and found them simplistic and uninformed. There are always changes in the industry. The constant is that old folks think the young folks' music is garbage.
As people age, they nearly never embrace the music that is popular once they hit 40 or 50 and beyond, just as you are doing now... you are too old.
You fit it perfectly, whether you want to admit it or not.
shareLmao, sure. I'm "40 or 50 and beyond" (actually early 30s, but don't let it spoil your narrative), and "locked into [my] generation's music", even though I clearly stated that I despised the early 2000s music I came of age with. You're determined to "win" here, but you've just made far too many mistakes.
shareThe point is that you are well past the age of listening to modern music, and already ensconced in an attitude of "the past was better!" The age is not really the factor at work here. I specified 40s and 50s because many people in their 30s are still living as if their in their teens.
This isn't about anyone winning or losing, either. It's a simple fact: for as long as there has been music, old people have claimed that the music of the past was better than the music of the present-day.
You're a walking, talking stereotype, but refuse to admit it.
You're asking this when her competition is K-Pop, Cardi B and whatever. It's all just fodder and will be out the window in a few years and replaced with more of the same. Kate Bush and Stevie Nicks can breathe a sigh of relief.
share[deleted]
I liked her a lot more when she was country. Her songs had some kind of deeper meaning to them. Honestly, she's a decent song writer but her singing skills leave much to be desired. However, she is a good guitar player.
In fact, here's a video of a top rated guitarist explaining why TS is a better guitar player than you are....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF1tx9KyhPc
I've played guitar for over 40 years now. There's really nothing in the video to indicate musical virtuosity or mastery of the instrument. Swift can play guitar (I'm not disputing that), but at a mostly elementary level and to accompany herself (which is perfectly fine).
To be frank, I really haven't heard a lot of Swift's music. What I have heard, hasn't impressed me that much (But I'm not her targeted audience either). There have been so many talented female musicians over the years...artists like Karen Carpenter, Nancy Wilson ("Crazy On You"), Carole King, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman, Aimee Mann, et.al. What I've heard from Swift doesn't compare to them, IMO.
I do think she does a good job working on her "brand/image" and she seems to treat her fans well. At least she's not mostly naked on stage singing and acting vulgarly. However, our American society has been "dumbed down" so much over the years and she's kind of the "poster child" for that. Her popularity and fame is way beyond the scope of her musical talent, IMO.
I've been playing for years too and while I agree that she's not an expert, she is good at what she does. Try playing through one of her songs without making a mistake, see if you can do it....
I would never say she's on the level of Chet Atkins (another country guitar player), Steve Vai, Andrés Segovia, Greg Howe, etc...etc... but then again, she doesn't need to be as good as those players but surprisingly enough, GuitarWorld magazine (.com) speaks rather highly of her and compared her to Eddie Van Halen. lol...
Not sure I would have written an article like this but it's an interesting take on how much influence she has on girls to take up the guitar like Eddie did in the 80s.
https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/taylor-swift-new-eddie-van-halen
Oh, I'm sure I'd make at least one mistake playing through one of her songs...that's what I do! 😃 I prefer to take the Bob Ross route and call them "happy accidents," though! 😃
I love all those players you mentioned and would never compare her to them. However, I do compare her to artists like Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman, et.al. I just haven't heard anything from Swift that compares to, say, ""Anticipation," "Both Sides Now," "So Far Away," "Luka," "Fast Car," etc. Like I said before, I really haven't listened to a lot of her music, so maybe she has one. But, if she does, then I haven't heard it.
Finally, I read the article and do get the Eddie Van Halen comparison. It's funny...Eddie Van Halen was the primary person who inspired me to pick up a guitar and try to play (except I found out back then that it wasn't easy to play like he did 😃). Someone else who inspired me...John Cougar Mellencamp, of all people. I thought he looked cool with a guitar. Elvis, The Beatles, EVH, Taylor Swift...whatever makes a person play guitar!
lol @ the Bob Ross reference...
I like all the ladies you listed, for female guitarists, I really like Nancy Wilson (Heart) and Orianthi. I think it's too early to say just how well her music will do against the test of time. The ones you listed are hall of famers and quite good at what they do.
However...
Watch these two live performances from Swift... I play decent guitar but I really don't think I could do this without messing it up pretty bad. It's not so much that they're technical marvels but combined with singing, it's some skilled playing. I would have to say she's at least on the level of an Ed Sheeran or Eric Clapton, when he's not soloing of course. I doubt Swift could sit down and play Van Halen/Clapton/Hendrix solos. lol... but then again, you don't have to be able to do this to be a talented player...
Anyhow.... here's the links...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3aXpa1rQEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oQHdXqskSo
Thank you for the links. I think you sell yourself short a bit as a guitar player with respect to Swift. 😃
For the first song ("The Man"), it looks like she's playing F-some form of G-C-Am. The second song ("Cornelia Street")...that sounds so much like Howie Day's great song "Collide." Capo 4th fret, G-D/F# bass-Em(7)-C.
I'll be honest...the songs aren't bad. I admire artists who can play solo with just an acoustic guitar like that. Her fans were into them for sure! I'll tell you who she kind of reminds me of is Garth Brooks. I think "Friends In Low Places" is one awesome song...but, other than that, I never really got the hype around him either. But they treat their fans well and manage their image well...and their fans go absolutely nuts for them. It's interesting to see it.
I can play guitar, I never said I was good at it. 😆
I know what you mean about players that can go unplugged, sorta speak. Ed Sheeran did an entire concert like that. It was just him and his guitar. It was an impressive thing to watch. I'm not sure if Swift did the entire Paris show like this but I might have to investigate to find out.
I think her song writing is better than her guitar playing but then again, it's more important to be good at writing songs than being a good guitar player. At least, I think it is.
And honestly, I'm fairly certain that Garth Brooks and Shania Twain saved country music. Country was dying fast when they hit the scene, these two turned it around. Thunder Rolls is my favorite Garth song. Garth is surprisingly a pretty good country guitarist, but Shania is/was one of the best ever... I would put her up against any similar artist.
But there probably wouldn't be a Taylor Swift without these two artists.