Dogsinplastic
avuncular to no one
I feel like I should tell you to lighten up, but I agree on too many levels.
I'll allow it.
Is Taylor Swift the New Eddie Van Halen?
- Thread starter Modern Saint
- Start date
I feel like I should tell you to lighten up, but I agree on too many levels.
I'll allow it.
BlockInlay
Octavate.band
I feel like I should tell you to lighten up, but I agree on too many levels.
I'll allow it.
Yeah i know i should, but TS has always bugged me for being such a blatantly manufactured pop star. Sure there are others and maybe i should ease up on her, but it frustrates me for whatever reason.
Peen Simmons
Let’s Get Obtuse!
Seems like misplaced anger given that T Swift is the notable pop sensation who clearly has significant creative input on her content/brand. Her image is the product of calculation, sure...but she's not a creation of the Disney hive mind.
She's the rare former teeny popper who made her name as a writer moreso than as a singer/dancer/kiddie sitcom personality.
BlockInlay
Octavate.band
FIFY
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
Is it weird that I agree with all of the points of view above?
She does write her own music which puts her in a different category compared to the Disney manufactured pseudo stars.... but the calculated PR image and that glosses her saccharine suite high-school romance songs is a bit annoying.
If we're talking "Pop" stars, my favorites are definitely Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran. They appeal to the female pop crowd but their musicality is undeniable.
She does write her own music which puts her in a different category compared to the Disney manufactured pseudo stars.... but the calculated PR image and that glosses her saccharine suite high-school romance songs is a bit annoying.
If we're talking "Pop" stars, my favorites are definitely Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran. They appeal to the female pop crowd but their musicality is undeniable.
Peen Simmons
Let’s Get Obtuse!
A lot of it is her own calculation. Not unlike guys like Bowie and Dylan (although her strengthts are probably more in line with those of a Bolan or a Springsteen).
shoeless
Riffin'
Well...she's no Selena Gomez...that's for sure.
BlockInlay
Octavate.band
It's like I don't even know who you are anymore.
Gary Blanchard
beloved, local musician
Interesting point. There are a lot of males who carefully crafted their image and career; we tend not to vilify them like we do women like Madonna and Taylor Swift. Hmmmm.
Peen Simmons
Let’s Get Obtuse!
I'm not saying that Swift deserves the Nobel Prize or anything, but her career arc isn't unlike that of the dudes I mentioned.
I mean, the Springsteen-Landau partnership is clearly a co-creative effort in calculation and brand building.
I think it's kind of a shame that Miley and not Taylor ate the brown acid. Miley is a genial enough pop personality, but I think a freaked out Taylor Swift could do some pretty wild stuff in an outsized southern fried glam rock power mope mode. Get her a stack of schlocky b-movies about vampires, the Big Star discography, an assorted bag of pills, and plunk her in New Orleans for a couple months. Of course this shit would tank commercially and completely ruin the synergy and co-branding partnerships. But I think it could be fun to see.
shoeless
Riffin'
I don't think it's a sex thing...it's a quality of music thing. Will Taylor's songs be as iconic some of Dylan's and Bowie's offerings? Will Taylor be nominated for a Nobel prize in 20 years? Possible, but doubtful.
sonik
Motor City Madman
Gary Blanchard
beloved, local musician
I tend to disagree. It is not for me to say that one is better quality than the other, that is up to individuals to decide. But I do notice that women are more vilified for behaviors we admire in men.
It is hard to say what will stand the test of time. Disco-era Bee-Gees still get a lot of airplay.
BlockInlay
Octavate.band
Jesus Christ, now I'm being labelled a misogynist because I don't like Taylor Swift? Give me a fucking break @Gary Blanchard and @Peen Simmons
Done with this thread.
Done with this thread.
Peen Simmons
Let’s Get Obtuse!
Dylan and Bowie are twin pet interests of mine, and those dudes were icy cold theives who brazenly manufactured their images. Interviews with people who knew them before they became stars tend to be one big eye roll.
Peen Simmons
Let’s Get Obtuse!
He will never ever ever type another letter...in this thread.
baimun
Funkasaurus Rex
It's not so much that the women are being held to a double standard as marketing opportunities are so much easier for the pretty people. Even a Justin Timberlake or Adam Levin.
Put 10 more years and 15 more pounds on any of them, and it becomes a bit more of an uphill climb. Us old, chubby dudes have to scrape by on our meager talents alone. No throngs of fans lining up to buy merch with our faces on it.
Flamencology
You don't deserve koa.
I don't think that she's a great writer, singer, guitarist, or piano.
But put her alone on a bare stage with no flashing lights, and she can connect with an audience of thousands and can hold their attention for an extended period. That's a skill that many musicians tend to undervalue; they haven't given it much thought so they falsely believe that it's easy.
Anyway.
Yeah, I do think that there's a ton of sexism in the TS discussions that I've read. Especially the "even the co-written stuff is ghost-written!" rhetoric; I don't think I've seen that applied to a male singer-songwriter, not ever.
But put her alone on a bare stage with no flashing lights, and she can connect with an audience of thousands and can hold their attention for an extended period. That's a skill that many musicians tend to undervalue; they haven't given it much thought so they falsely believe that it's easy.
Anyway.
Yeah, I do think that there's a ton of sexism in the TS discussions that I've read. Especially the "even the co-written stuff is ghost-written!" rhetoric; I don't think I've seen that applied to a male singer-songwriter, not ever.
Dogsinplastic
avuncular to no one
There have been stories that I haven't seen in a few years that said that her input into songwriting was greatly exaggerated, that some of the those solely credited to her were at least collaboration, if not bought outright from others and her name put down as the writer. The less arguable part is that each album has more "collaborative" writing with people that are more known for writing songs that are then shopped to artists, making input less likely. Selecting tunes that fit the image/perception of who the artists is different than really a part of the process.
As her star has brightened, everyone wants their due credit (piece of the pie). So it's hard to tell how much input she's ever had. Similar with Katy Perry, who was lauded as songwriter, but most of her biggest hits have been (again) collaborations or written by other writers.
Then there's that weird area related to song writing and lyric writing. Not to take away from lyrics, but the music Elton wrote with Bernie was spectacular and Taupin's lyrics were icing or gravy. The music would stand on its own, the lyrics less so (and there were some stellar lyrics from that collaboration). So whether it's Taylor, Katy, Christina, Rihanna, or others (including many, many men) adding a few words here or there, that's only one aspect of songwriting and the credit should be distributed fairly based on amount of input. So hopefully she's getting a share based on the level/amount/extent of her contribution. The more famous she's gotten, the less likely she is to get anything less than half (if not more).
Undoubtedly.
As her star has brightened, everyone wants their due credit (piece of the pie). So it's hard to tell how much input she's ever had. Similar with Katy Perry, who was lauded as songwriter, but most of her biggest hits have been (again) collaborations or written by other writers.
Then there's that weird area related to song writing and lyric writing. Not to take away from lyrics, but the music Elton wrote with Bernie was spectacular and Taupin's lyrics were icing or gravy. The music would stand on its own, the lyrics less so (and there were some stellar lyrics from that collaboration). So whether it's Taylor, Katy, Christina, Rihanna, or others (including many, many men) adding a few words here or there, that's only one aspect of songwriting and the credit should be distributed fairly based on amount of input. So hopefully she's getting a share based on the level/amount/extent of her contribution. The more famous she's gotten, the less likely she is to get anything less than half (if not more).
Undoubtedly.