The Real Issue Behind Taylor Swift’s Victoria’s Secret Performance
Tonight in New York City at the Lexington Avenue Armory, Taylor Swift will be the musical headliner for the Victoria’s Secret annual fashion show, set to air on CBS December 10th. No, it’s not likely Swift will be strutting around in any lingerie herself, though she has been known to sample their wares in the past, and previous performer Rihanna did get somewhat risque in her performance last year. But the decision still seems quite curious from Swift who has worked diligently to maintain her squeaky clean, girl next door image throughout her career.
As Yahoo Music points out while calling the Victoria’s Secret fashion show out of Taylor Swift’s “general zone”:
Love or hate her, nobody can deny Swift’s built an image around being a PG-rated role model…A lingerie show doesn’t really seem to jibe with the Swift we know, even the one who gets caught allegedly spending the night at Harry Styles’s hotel. It just seems too risqué for this particular American Sweetheart, whose skimpiest costume of late was a retro polka-dot two-piece worn on vacation with the Kennedys…definitely not the kind of thing you see on the VS runway.
Then Yahoo points out what really seems to be at the heart of Taylor Swift’s Victoria’s Secret performance, saying, “Her appearance at the show, whether fans approve or not, seems to be yet another carefully considered move in her career and personal evolution.”
And this is what really seems to strike at the heart of the matter. It’s not necessarily how much skin will be on display at the show that is so alarming as much as the appearance seems like such a calculated assessment of Swift’s public perception and an attempt to recalculate it towards where they want it to be, instead of where it is. The “girl next door” archetype is not just one of not being flashy or provocative, but also one of being unassuming, honest, and uncaring of popularity or public perception.
The stereotype of pop music is that it wants to appeal to adolescents and teenagers, because they are the drivers of popularity and commercial success for pop music stars. Old people don’t buy albums, as Blake Shelton once famously said. But everywhere you look in the pop world, from Miley Cyrus and her recent VMA Awards antics, to Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, to now Taylor Swift, you see artists wanting to break away from their adolescent audience, and being willing to deal with a public backlash to do so. Is this because they want to grow as artists, or because in the end the adolescent/teenage demographic, however lucrative initially, also enacts a ceiling on an artist’s commercial success because it fulfills such a narrow niche of the market?
The next question is, what artists are replacing Miley Cyrus as she struts around with a foam finger, Justin Bieber as he gets busted from smoking pot, or Swift as she performs for Victoria’s Secret? Is there a new generation of pop stars that are appropriate for adolescents, or are adolescents following their favorite artists into the adult world prematurely? You have to give Taylor Swift credit for subtly at least. Where Miley Cyrus is swinging around naked on a wrecking ball, at least Taylor Swift, like Victoria’s Secret, leaves something to the imagination.
Taylor Swift struck such a nerve with the American public and filled a very underutilized niche in the pop music world by simply being herself. This approach was so refreshing, however calculated it was at the time, and adolescents, teenagers, and their thankful parents flocked to the Taylor Swift camp in droves, seeing her as just a well-meaning girl writing songs in her bedroom with her guitar.
Every woman should have a right, especially when they’re about to turn 24 like Taylor Swift, to explore their sexuality and image without fear of backlash or judgement from an uptight world. But there’s little justification or excuse for not being yourself. And whether it’s enlisting super producers from the pop realm to manufacture her mega hits, or playing the Victoria’s Secret fashion show to reshape her public perception, the continued evolution of Taylor Swift from that girl in her bedroom with a guitar to a mega entertainment franchise where every public move is calculated, is unfortunate.
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**UPDATE (11-16-13): Apparently Saving Country Music and Yahoo Music weren’t the only ones who thought Taylor Swift was like a fish out of water performing at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Australian supermodel Jessica Hart let it be known during the show’s afterparty in New York that Taylor Swift “just didn’t fit.” Swift wore a sparkly silver dress and another outfit made out of the British Flag during two performances during the show.
WWD reports that at Tao Downtown in Manhattan, Jessica Hart said, “I think, you know what, God bless her heart. I think she’s great, but I don’t know, to me, she didn’t fit. I don’t know if I should say that.”
Later it was reported that Victoria’s Secret chief marketing officer Edward Razek said Jessica Hart was “wildly misrepresented,” but didn’t offer any clarifications on what she meant, or what she said.
November 13, 2013 @ 1:26 pm
If she starts “twerking” with those match stick legs of hers, she’s liable to catch fire!
November 13, 2013 @ 1:32 pm
Why conclude that she is not “being herself” with this performance? As the Yahoo article mentioned, this is also a sign of “personal evolution”.
November 13, 2013 @ 1:34 pm
I think these performers mainly want to break out of their adolescent demographic because they want to be taken “seriously” as artists. Kids, as we all know, tend to showboat from object to object based only on what’s popular at any given time. Adults, seeing this trend and feeling that their adolescent times are behind them, think of these artists as below their current pay-grade because they’re older and too “mature” for such trivial things. This automatically casts a shadow over these artists and other entertainment ventures that are seemingly geared towards children or teenagers. For some reason, entertainment that has a target audience that isn’t middle-aged is viewed as shallow. Take video games, for instance: it still amazes me when you hear about a parent getting offended at the content of the newest title on the market and screaming for censorship. These people seem to take no mind of the huge MATURE rating on the box, instead using their own “logic” that video games are for kids and thus shallow and lacking objectionable content. Take “Grand Theft Auto V” as an example: I don’t have to watch the news to know that somewhere, SOME parent is mad at the developers because they were too ignorant to research the game before buying it for their 10-year-old son. While the content restrictions don’t apply in quite the same way for music, I feel that your average parent or adult is equally quick to dismiss Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and the rest simply because of the average age of their fans, which causes a bit of backlash from the performer in the form of fabricated controversy. They want to show that they’re “mature” enough for an older audience, but the majority of these individuals confuse maturity with obscenity or a lack of taste, such as Cyrus. That’s my 2 cents, anyway. Interesting article.
November 13, 2013 @ 2:12 pm
I totally agree with your premise, but I’m not sure if it holds up when you actually look at the music of these artists. What did we hear about Taylor Swift all throughout the adolescent phase of her career? That she should be praised for writing her own songs, that her songwriting had surprising depth if you actually took the time and listened, and that she was so appealing because moms and daughters could listen to her songs together.
Now you can make the case that Taylor Swift is putting out the most shallow singles of her career with songs like “We Are Never Ever…,” “22” etc. that are total bubblegum anthems. If she was releasing Carly Simon-type caliber material, I would agree, and in fairness to Taylor, she has those songs, it’s just not what is being featured.
If you want to court a more mature audience and be respected for your artistic integrity, your lead single is not “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Like…ever.
November 13, 2013 @ 5:44 pm
Ha. I agree, but I never said that her music was shallow, then or now (regardless of whether it might be or not). I’ve always felt that she was a strong songwriter, I was referring to the general perception that is formed about artists such as Taylor that have younger demographics. The actual facts of the case have less to do with perception, a la my video games example. As an opposite example, you could refer to the fact that many teenagers and young adults don’t care for music, movies, etc. that were created before their time, simply because the demographic is “old people”. Crap, I even remember the time when I was a kid listening to some classic rock and my sister told me that I “shouldn’t be listening to that music because it’s for adults and not cool”. Does that mean the music was/wasn’t shallow? No, that’s just the facts, Jack.
Back on Taylor Swift, even though her material is family-friendly and frequently of substance, that doesn’t necessarily alter her perceived target audience. I’ve asked several of my co-workers if they like her music and most of them say no, purely because they can’t relate to it, given that they think her songs are all about teenagers with teenage problems. The actual truth of the matter is that, with the exception of a few songs that explicitly reference teenage activities like sneaking out, etc., quite a few of her songs have the capacity to transcend age, but due to the demographic, my co-workers interpret all of her singles as kiddie music. On that note, however, you’re completely right about “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”; not only is the song shallow, but it reeks of 13-year-old angst. Regardless, that’s a recent negative example in a career of mostly positive songwriting (if not necessarily music or COUNTRY music).
November 14, 2013 @ 1:47 pm
One of the realities of business is that re-branding is hard. Taylor is known to the public as a singer who records kiddie music. One critic had put it more bluntly, “Taylor Swift makes training bra music” (see: http://updates.deadspin.com/post/34701719969/deadspin-classic-the-haters-guide-to-taylor-swift).
To expand her target audience she would need to change her brand. At the minimum that would require a new breakthrough hit, a song that connects as strongly with adult listeners as “You Belong With Me” did with teen girls. The demographic groups outside her core audience that might be more receptive include
1) Single women in their 20s: A good example to look at would be Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway”. Not that Taylor has the same voice, or should have the same sound. The point here is that Kelly was initially defined by American Idol, and she was successful in re-branding her musical identity on her second album.
2) Moms: Some of them sort of like Taylor, but the challenge here is convincing them that her music is for them and not just for their daughters. She might be able to win over the soccer mom demographic if she were to have a breakthrough hit along the same lines as Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance”.
A riskier, but perhaps more authentic, option would be to go in a folk or bluegrass direction. e.g. Try to write lyrics on more mature themes, and become the pop version of Alison Krauss. Or get some ideas from other multiplatinum albums that did not conform to the top 40 pop sound, such as Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me” (certified diamond), the Dixie Chicks’ “Home” (6x platinum), or the soundtrack for “O Brother” (8x platinum).
November 15, 2013 @ 4:40 pm
Here’s my suggestion. I think MTV should air a Taylor Swift marathon tying in to Taylor Swift’s 24th birthday. The MTV marathon includes all Taylor Swift music videos. That’s right, every Taylor Swift music video (not the live performance videos, the official music videos). Seriously, I want to see a special airing of her first music video for Tim McGraw on the upcoming MTV marathon just in time for her 24th birthday. Plus, the MTV marathon for Taylor Swift music videos should include a Highway Don’t Care music video (which was aired on CMT and GAC) as a special presentation. That would be awesome. I will turn 24 6 days before Taylor Swift turns 24 just to let you know. I want special airings of Taylor Swift’s country music videos that doesn’t have a crossover appeal on MTV and MTV Hits. This would be a perfect gift to her 24th birthday. I think Taylor Swift should retire country music by next year and bring her entire country music department with her to the pop music department so that way, Taylor Swift can show her country music to her pop music audiences. Of course, I’m a Swiftie just to let you know and I prefer her country music. But I think Taylor Swift should make her fifth album that contains no country music. All of her fifth album songs should be alternative rock/pop rock and no plain big budget pop. Her fifth album will take longer to make so I was expecting to see Taylor Swift’s fifth album slated for a 2015 release. I hope you like my comments, Trigger.
November 13, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
“The next question is, what artists are replacing Miley Cyrus as she struts around with a foam finger, Justin Bieber as he gets busted from smoking pot, or Swift as she performs for Victoria”™s Secret?”
One of these three does not belong. One of these three actions represents art, while the other two represent shock value.
November 13, 2013 @ 2:31 pm
There is no “art” to Victoria’s Secret. Maybe there is art in fashion design and presentation in general, but by the time it gets to Victoria’s Secret all that’s left is an ugly, massive corporate brand that perpetuates a fantasy of female image that is repulsive and dangerous in how it presents an unattainable ideal of female beauty. When I watched some clips of last year’s show all I could think of is that there’s thousands of people being slaughtered in Syria, 100,000 bodies being piled up in the Philippines, and thousands dying of starvation all across the world and even right here in the US, and we live in such a decadent culture we make a spectacle out of selling underwear. I don’t mean to get on a soap box a preach, but good gosh have we reached so low that basically a glorified infomercial for undies is now considered “art”? I know you may be talking about Taylor Swift’s music specifically, but in my opinion, it is guilty by association.
November 13, 2013 @ 4:26 pm
What does Victoria’s Secret have to do with people suffering around the world? If human suffering means that nobody should enjoy entertainment, then isn’t writing about music also a distraction from the important things in life? I do not see how the axis of entertainment and fashion and the axis of human suffering are even in the same dimension.
November 13, 2013 @ 11:37 pm
I don’t think Taylor is a good fit for the Victoria’s Secret event. She is not sexy and will never epitomize sex appeal no matter how hard she tries. She doesn’t have the goods, nor is there much sex appeal in her personality.
November 13, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
Reaching to to the stars. Nobody is gonna be naked, Taylor is most likely fully clothed. She shops at VS. So maybe she just wants to support them and did not wanna say no to their offer. Because it is a big and prestigious event. Most people would be honored. Seeing models wearing bras at the age of 24. Horror.
November 13, 2013 @ 2:15 pm
I think a major problem people fall into is thinking they know who celebrities are. How do we know that she has been ‘being herself’ all along? Maybe that was just a very clever marketing strategy by her and her management to fill the niche of a somewhat wholesome role model. Maybe I’m just too cynical but I have a hard time making judgments on who any celebrity really is. That being said this looks like a somewhat safe way to break from her earlier image and I would be willing to bet her next album cycle will see much more of this edgier type stuff both lyrically/musically and publically.
November 13, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
I think in the case of Taylor Swift 1.0, being herself was truly who she was, AND her marketing strategy. Now what I see is a girl slowly trying to change into a pop diva and sex object, but it looks awkward and out-of-place because it’s not who she is, regardless if its who she wants to be, or what the suits are telling here to be. Taylor Swift is dorky cute, not sexy hot. She’s said many times about herself that she’s not graceful, and that deep down she’s just the unpopular girl from High School.
But I generally agree with the premise that you rarely know who these big celebrities, politicians, and other public figures truly are.
November 13, 2013 @ 3:10 pm
Yeah maybe that is who she is I don’t know.
As for going forward I think she needs to be very careful because she is going to have to sex it up A LOT if she is going to compete in the pop diva world. The dorky girl thing will not play for a mid to late 20s pop star. Even the most tame (image and music wise) divas like Katy Perry have a far far sexier image than Swift. If she attempts this transition and is not convincing she will be rejected by that market. Then what? Make an attempt to return to her early more country base? Will they take her back? Her long term career will in many ways be determined by what happens in this next cycle.
November 13, 2013 @ 2:47 pm
Trigger, but the question has to be asked “Is this really what Taylor wants?” I mean, she works under one of the most money-hungry Presidents/CEOs in the business. When she works by herself and co-produces, she gives us some of the best modern pop songs in music today, i.e. “State of Grace,” “Holy Ground,” “Begin Again,” “Last Kiss.” However, when she’s forced to work with MM & SB, she comes out with these, as you say it (and I somewhat agree), “shallow” pop songs (I do not classify IKYWT. as one of these, because it actually has meaning and energy, unlike the two other MM songs on RED). To me, it’s obvious that Taylor needs to work by herself on this next record, and figure out who she truly wants to be as an artist. Here’s to hoping that she walks away from Scotty in the coming years as well!
P.S.: Are you a fan of Taylor? You criticize her often, but you also give her some subtle praise… giving me mixed signals.. So?
November 13, 2013 @ 3:19 pm
The possibilities of Taylor working by herself on her next album appear slim to none. She’s already said that Max Martin and Shellback was her dream collaboration, and that she looks forward to collaborating with others.
In the beginning I was probably one of Taylor Swift’s biggest detractors, but near the tail end of the “Speak Now” album cycle, I became a Taylor Swift apologist. Not a fan, but an apologist.
Here’s a better explanation:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/cma-2011-preview-we-were-wrong-about-taylor-swift
But then I was burned on “Red” with the Max Martin/Shellback collaborations, and since then I have been on a crusade to try and get Taylor Swift to refocus back on her own voice, and to tap into what makes her original and unique. This is all I want from any artist, to find their true original expression, and you will see it as a theme throughout this site. It came up in a review I wrote for Kellie Pickler’s album just this morning.
I catch a lot of flack for “hating” on Taylor. But in my opinion, I’m fighting for her, fighting for her right to be able to express herself, and wrestle her creative freedom from the corporate structure that has surrounded and suffocated her. She has plenty of money, enough to set up her family, children, and great grandchildren. But the problem with money is that you can always have more of it. This has corrupted Taylor, and made her lose sight of how she was an inspiring story of how and why to be yourself in the beginning. This happened at some point in the production of “Red,” when Scott Borchetta (affectionately known around here as the “Country Music Anti-Christ”) stepped into the process.
This Victoria’s Secret stuff is just the latest symptom. This really has little to do with Taylor’s music. I’ve got plenty of other music to listen to. But as the biggest pop star on the planet, Taylor Swift has the unique ability to inspire millions…or teach them how to prioritize popularity over substance. I think this is a very important matter, and that’s why I continue to write about it, regardless of how it couches me as a hater to some Swift fans, or has others criticizing me for focusing to much on a pop star. Taylor Swift right now is the nexus of the culture war, and so it is important.
November 13, 2013 @ 4:32 pm
“But the problem with money is that you can always have more of it. This has corrupted Taylor”
This is your assumption. I would argue that Taylor is far more motivated by fame and a desire to be liked than by money. That might be the reason that she consistently dates famous men (or men from famous families), for example.
I also would not discount the possibility that Taylor’s tastes have fundamentally changed over the last few years.
November 13, 2013 @ 6:59 pm
“I have been on a crusade to try and get Taylor Swift to refocus back on her own voice, and to tap into what makes her original and unique.”
Whether you believe it or not, there’s a small chunk from Taylor fans who are actually trying to do the same.
To be honest, I find the producers on RED actually complimented her sound, except Max Martin. His production is perfect by theory, hit all the right notes, but at the same time, it’s incredibly basic. For example, will always laugh at the basic strumming on “Trouble”‘s intro, can’t he used an effect pedal at least? For those kind of lyrics, yet he gave it some kind of Playdoll commercial rip-off. And it’s on his own words, as a producer, HE has to drive the whole song, decides what’s to be cut and what not (will always a little pissed for the atrocious, 2nd rate production for “22” and one of her better written bridge that he cut and replaced with repeating the chorus.) — When the live mix (which was produced by herself and her band) is actually MILES better than the studio version, one wondered how come she still hasn’t realised that she doesn’t need Max Martin to do some Pure Pop tracks.
I don’t mind that much of Taylor working with others. She’s young, it’s time to play around and try new stuffs. But NOT here for completely changing stuffs just to appeal to a broader audience and chasing short-term success. Is her agreeing on whatever Scotty Bee told her to do, partly because she wants to be *the* most popular artist on the scene? Has she learnt nothing? If short-term success is the that important for her, then why talking about “longevity” all the time?
I love her, a lot. Her music was a big part of some important moments in my life (sorry if a little cheesy, but yah…) But girl, sit down, we need to have a talk.
Scotty Bee needs her more than she needs him. That by trying so hard to be popular, she’s actually just driving more ppl away. I hope she realises this soon. Before she turns to be Avril Lavigne 2.0 or Rod Stewart 2.0. That would be a total shame.
Also being witty is great, but the middle-school level of humour that is WANEGBT? Child….
PS: We often calls Borchetta as Scotty Bee because of his habit of typing in all caps and acting like a 12 yo fan girl on twitter. Cute, right? The other is Borshitta.
November 13, 2013 @ 7:35 pm
For the record, I’m not against Taylor Swift working with others. I think collaboration is a vital part of music. Things can swing the other way, like what we’ve been seeing from Hank3 lately where the lack of feedback and collaboration can result in a stale sound. But the point of any collaboration should be to foster and nurture the original expression of the artist or artists, and I feel like that did not happen with the Max Martin collaborations specifically. It doesn’t mean it will happen with every Taylor Swift collaboration, or even with every Taylor Swift / Max Martin collaboration.
November 15, 2013 @ 4:47 pm
I love Avril Lavigne. Her music from 2002 like I’m With You is amazing. But she went downhill when she released her second album, Under My Skin. I hate Under My Skin. I know Avril Lavigne fans loved Under My Skin. But I hate 2004 Avril Lavigne like 2004 Avril Lavigne songs such as My Happy Ending. Then her career started slipping when her third album came out and ruined Avril Lavigne. Ugh, I hate 2004-2013 Avril Lavigne like Under My Skin, RCA and Epic Records. 2004-2013 Avril Lavigne ruined Avril Lavigne. 2002 Avril Lavigne like Let Go is the best.
November 16, 2013 @ 5:31 am
As a Punk purist, imo, Avril & Punk should never be in the same sentence. Avril had some cute songs, but that’s it. She’s too much of a try-hard as well these days.
November 14, 2013 @ 9:12 pm
Trigger, Taylor’s idol was Shania Twain. It would not be surprising if she were aiming for Shania’s sales numbers, or at least for a diamond album. Sure, the conventional wisdom is that the music industry has changed and there are no diamond albums anymore, except for the inconvenient fact that Adele had one recently. And Shania’s “Come On Over” is still the best selling crossover album. And how did it get to be 20x platinum?
Well, she had a famous producer from the pop/rock world. The songs were not introspective. Many of the songs were catchy but shallow. And she was oh so sexy.
What I’m saying here is, if Taylor were to try to become the next Shania, I would expect her to do many of the things she has done over the past two years. The road to 20x platinum involved a lot of sex appeal and average music, rather than substance and authenticity. Now not every top selling singer gets there via the same path, but “Come On Over” was the best example of maximizing album sales in the country-pop crossover space.
On a different note it is quite ironic to see ads for Shania’s show in Las Vegas on the home page for Saving Country Music.
November 14, 2013 @ 10:55 pm
I think you can argue Taylor has already become the next Shania, if not bigger than Shania. I understand that Shania sold more albums, but selling music is a new paradigm in Taylor’s era, and by the time to adjust for the deflationary trend of physical media, Taylor may have already surpassed Shania.
Also, the reason you are seeing an ad for Shania is because you just typed her name. I don’t choose the ads, Google does, and I don’t complain because my server bill alone has now stretched into the 3 figure range. If I see an ad I feel is inappropriate, I ban it. But I don’t always see the same ones readers do.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:27 am
Trigger, I would have to disagree, my distaste for Shania’s music notwithstanding.
Shania’s fan base was larger than Taylor’s. She also had a big following with teen girls, and in addition she had girl power songs that were popular with single women in their 20s, and ballads that appealed to couples. I know the economics of the music industry have changed since 1997, but if I had to guess I think “Come On Over” would be a 8-10x platinum album by today’s sales standards.
An unfortunate reality of the mainstream music market is that female country pop crossover stars are often rewarded for portraying themselves as bimbo’s. Top selling crossover albums, like Shania’s “Come On Over” and Faith Hill’s “Breathe” combined sexy videos with superficial, “lowest common denominator” songs. Unfortunately I think this reflects prejudices that mainstream audiences have towards the country genre. There is a popular stereotype of the female country crossover star as the ditzy cheerleader with the hot body, and record sales and airplay charts have shown that this stereotype sells.
November 13, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
Apparently this thing is going down as we speak.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BY-5svJIgAA3Vyn.jpg:large
November 13, 2013 @ 3:50 pm
I mean look at her. She is putting actual supermodels to shame. No wonder they wanted her.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/4d48940ecfdc2424fcc22ae4800c2df7/tumblr_mw81jaMoNq1qb86xno1_500.jpg
November 13, 2013 @ 4:00 pm
Can we get an article a week on Jason Isbell instead of Taylor Swift?
November 14, 2013 @ 9:25 am
I don’t choose to write about a certain artist, and then hope there’s a story that is engaging or topical enough to write about. I write about stories that are topical or relevant regardless of who the artist is, as long as it fits however loosely in the country realm, and is something that hits an a broader, or topical theme. I have written extensively about Jason Isbell, and believe I’ve shown that if there is a topical story about him, I will write about it. Brow beating my readers about him or any other artist may enlist fewer critical comments like this, but won’t necessarily result in more engaging content, or more Jason Isbell fans.
It is also one of the biggest misconceptions out there that just because I write about one artist or story, that means that I can’t or won’t write about another. Or that all I have to do to write a review for an album for example is to just choose to do it. Articles are made of words, and I have to find either the right inspiration or angle for a story before I can find the words to write about it.
I’m doing the best I can to create content that people want to read. I’m never insulted if I write something that doesn’t appeal to everyone, and people choose to ignore it.
November 13, 2013 @ 9:18 pm
On the MTV EVA Red Carpet, Miley Cyrus was talking about how Katy Perry walks around with a locket of Miley’s and Taylor Swift’s hair in her purse. Hollywood people are creepy.
November 14, 2013 @ 12:52 am
i read that she’s going to do a cover of Bob Log III’s “Boob Scotch” at this Victoria’s Secret box social…seems appropriate.
November 14, 2013 @ 1:21 am
Don’t forget that the biggest musical influence on Taylor was Shania Twain. Do you think she might be trying to measure up to her idol commercially? Taylor’s third album, “Speak Now”, was certified 4x platinum. Shania’s third album, “Come On Over”, was certified 20x platinum. Why did one album sell about 5 times as many copies as the other? Was it the production? Was it the sex appeal? “Speak Now” also sold significantly fewer copies in the US than Taylor’s second album, “Fearless”. It would not be surprising if a singer or a record executive were to look at those numbers and want to make some changes.
I think the production was the wrong issue to focus on. Taylor’s earlier albums were not suffering because of poor production. The production fit the songs. And even after releasing the Max Martin produced songs, “Red” has sold fewer copies than “Speak Now”.
What would have increased sales more is writing songs with lyrics that are relevant to a larger audience. Recently I was in a discussion with a group of mostly women in their 20s and 30s (not Taylor’s core demographic), when someone mentioned Taylor Swift. The quick reaction from several people was to dismiss her, because “all she does is breakup songs”. This limits her audience. For comparison, the singles from “Come On Over” were a mix of romantic ballads and girl power songs, two categories with larger potential audiences than break up songs, and which tend to attract different types of fans. To expand her fan base, Taylor needed to release singles that did not focus on break ups, or on high school/teenage perspectives.
Sex appeal was clearly one of the main reasons for the blockbuster sales of “Come On Over”. I don’t think there is much Taylor and Big Machine can do about that (and no, plastic surgery won’t be enough). If Taylor were to remake Shania’s video for “Any Man of Mine”, wear the same clothes, and try to make the same moves, I don’t think it would be very sexy. Heck, if Taylor had recorded the song it might not have gone to #1. I think a successful artist has to play to her strengths, and trying to turn up the sex appeal could be counterproductive for someone like Taylor.
November 14, 2013 @ 1:49 am
“Come On Over” was released in 1997, when album sales in general were much higher. It was very difficult (if not impossible) to download music from the Internet then. “Come on Over” was not even able to reach #1 on the Billboard 200, whereas “Speak Now” was at #1 for weeks.
“Come on Over” was also more pop than “Speak Now”, in that “Come On Over” featured a tighter songwriting arrangement more conducive to radio hits, whereas the songs in “Speak Now” largely resided in the country storytelling vein.
Of course, it is also important to remember that Shania’s album has been out for 16 years now, whereas Taylor’s has only been out for 3 years. It would be much fairer to compare Speak Now’s current sales to Come On Over’s sales at its 3-year mark.
Finally, I agree that Shania’s sex appeal helped her sales, along with her “hell-raising” personality.
I agree that
November 14, 2013 @ 9:55 am
If memory fails me, I believe “Come On Over” was a double cd. ! cd was country a version, the other a pop version. Billboard counts each sale as 2 in this case, which is why it sold 20 million.
November 14, 2013 @ 9:15 am
I agree that Scott Borchetta and Big Machine, and possibly Taylor, assessed the sales of “Speak Now” and decided that the decline had to do with a lack of radio-friendly songs, and decided to resolve that issue during the production process of “Red.” This is at the heart of many of the “collaborations,” the reshaping of the public image, etc. etc.
That’s what I wrote about when we heard the very first single from “Red.”
https://savingcountrymusic.com/taylor-swift-courts-radio-w-we-are-never-ever-getting-back-together
November 15, 2013 @ 4:54 pm
Agree. That’s why I think her Speak Now’s single are mostly country which is why Speak Now is my favorite Taylor Swift album. I’m sick of Taylor Swift’s pop songs like I Knew You Were Trouble. But Taylor Swift making music with different genres like rock isn’t such a bad idea. So I was expecting to see Taylor Swift making alternative rock music or post grunge music for her fifth album. Avril Lavigne did that. But Taylor Swift’s rock music has to be powerful and heartwarming whereas Avril Lavigne does goofy bratty punk rock songs. Speaking of Avril Lavigne an Avril Lavigne/Taylor Swift crossover song would be nice. I hope you like my ideas, Trigger.
November 14, 2013 @ 6:10 am
“you see artists wanting to break away from their adolescent audience, and being willing to deal with a public backlash to do so.”
Or is it pandering to the same adolescent audience by “rebelling” in the most transparent ways possible (minor drug use, minor sex/nudity). It’s lame, not interesting, and a tale as old as time.
I don’t really have very strong feelings about Taylor Swift appearing on this show, but when people, men especially, feel they have the right to comment on her body and its fit as a sex symbol it really makes me sick to my stomach. THAT is the worst part about this whole deal.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:01 pm
Given that the “rebellion” occurs when those stars are adults, their actions don’t count as “minor drug use” or “minor sex/nudity”.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:20 pm
“Minor” in terms of degree of importance, not age.
November 14, 2013 @ 8:52 am
Yes, people bought more albums back in 1997. How about a more recent comparison? Adele’s “21” was certified diamond in the US. “21” was released after “Speak Now”. Adele is only 1-2 years older than Taylor. She is not very sexy either. And she’s not even an American artist. Yet “21” sold more than twice as many copies as “Speak Now”, and Adele’s audience is much less focused on teen girls than Taylor’s. What do you think she’s doing differently? Do you think it is mainly a difference in branding, or a difference in the substance of the songs?
November 14, 2013 @ 9:47 am
I think its the case of a one hit/one album wonder with a catchy song/songs that will vanish when fickle tastes change….
November 14, 2013 @ 1:50 pm
I’d say branding. Substance wise, after paying attention to the lyrics from both acts, they are about equal, actually.
The problem with Taylor Swift is: she’s, most of the time if not always, releasing the safest singles. Or, until this album, specifically made to smash on Pop radio.
November 14, 2013 @ 9:13 am
Vince Gill,
“I love Taylor. Does she make me think of Loretta Lynn and Kitty Wells? Never. But that”™s okay. She has something that”™s so compelling, people are drawn to it and you can”™t deny that. That”™s what makes it great. I don”™t think she”™d stand there with a straight face and tell you, “I can sing like Mariah Carey.” She doesn”™t have to. History is full of people that weren”™t knock-your-socks-out-I”™m-the-greatest-singer-that-ever-lived. But she connects. And that”™s what I like. I love things that connect to people. There are people who can play me under the table, sing me under the table. But there”™s nothing about them that”™s going to move somebody. That”™s the point of anything musical. To have a conversation.”
November 14, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
I see some comments about record sales here and how Speak Now had disappointing sales. I just thought I needed to make a comment to rebut. I look at the business of record sales and charts very closely and I think the general public may be somewhat unaware of just how staggering Taylor Swift sales have been. The market for albums has massively shrunk over the last ten years. It is pointless comparing sales from a decade ago, as the market is so different and it is now very hard to sell albums,
Speak Now has sold 4.3 million albums in the US to date. This makes it the third highest selling album released this decade. Adele’s 21 and Eminem’s Recovery are above it. All the more amazing considering that Taylor solo-wrote every song on Speak Now, something very few artists attempt these days. Sarah Barailles and John Mayer and Springsteen do but none of these achieve anything close to Platinum sales, never mind 4xPlat. Taylor did this when she was 20. There is simply no-one else right now who could solo-write an album that goes 4xPlat in the US. It is possible a new artist emerges, but out of the current crop, not a chance apart from Adele.
Adele’s 21 is a special case. It’s sales were pretty unprecedented. It was a Thriller type event in terms of sales. The only reason Thriller was not overtaken was due to the market being massively diminished. I cannot see Adele having anything close to that level of success with her next album. I think it will do well and has a chance to go 4xPlat but we’ll see. Adele has only had 1 massive album out of 2. Taylor has had 4 out of 4. Adele has to show she can continue to sell well with her next album.
Red currently has sold 3.86 million copies in the US and is Taylor’s fastest selling album. It has also sold 6 million copies ww and 22 million singles ww. Red is currently the 5th best selling album of the decade despite only being out for 13 months. I have no doubt Red will soon overtake the 4th highest selling album of the decade, which is Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now, on 4.029 million.
This will make Taylor the only artist to have 2 albums this decade go 4xPlat. The only artists who can possible reach 4xPlat in the US these days are Taylor, Eminem and Adele. That’s it. Lady A will never do it again, and no-one else is close. The biggest selling album this year by far, Justin Timberlake probably won’t even make 3xPlat. The ‘biggest’ pop stars right now Gaga and Katy Perry both recently had opening weeks for their albums that were about 300k. This is only a quarter of what Taylor has managed in her last two albums opening weeks.
Just for some perspective compared to other best selling Country Artists right now,
Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away was one of the highest selling album releases of 2012 and probably won’t reach 2 Plat, certainly not for quite a few years. It is currently on 1.55 million US sales. Carrie will never have another 7xPlat album like Some Hearts because the market has changed dramatically. She is struggling to reach 2xPlat with a successful album and might never reach that level again.
Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party has a (long) shot at 2xPlat, which is what Tanlines and Tailgates reached. Crash My Party has sold 1.1 million so far, and Tanlines is on 2.1 million.
Outside Taylor, Jason Aldean is the strongest seller in Country right now, with Night Train having sold 1.46 million and My Kinda Party on 3xPlat. Night Train could reach 2xPlat but probably won’t for a long time.
Hunter Hayes and Florida Georgia Line have sold about 1 million US. 2xPlat seems too far for their current albums though. Same with Blake Shelton.
Consider that only a select few Country artists do well enough to sell 1 million albums after 8 months and Taylor sold more than that in her first week for both of her last 2 albums, should put things into perspective. So when the commenters talk about Speak Now or Red having disappointing sales relative to Fearless or Shania Twain, they need to realise both have gone 4xPlat and no artist in the world can even reach that level any more apart from Taylor, Adele and Eminem. Taylor’s album sales dwarf not just those of other artists in Country Music, but in all music, period.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:35 pm
Great stuff.
I agree, what “Speak Now” did seeing how it was all written and co-produced by Taylor was remarkable. I’m not saying that Speak Now’s sales weren’t amazing, but I do think Scott Borchetta looked at them, saw how few hit singles the album spawned, and felt like they could do more with the Taylor Swift brand by bringing in hit makers, and that’s how we ended up with the material with “Red,” which was a majority of Taylor Swift written material that was similar to the vein of “Speak Now,” and then a few strange tangents co-written and produced by Max Martin that seemed out-of-place sonically for Taylor.
From the very points you made, if I was Taylor Swift or Scott Borchetta, I would have said Taylor didn’t need radio, and should not alter her course. But I’m motivated by different things in music than Scott Borchetta.
Taylor Swift is Big Machine’s cash cow. And Big Machine’s plans, their ability to expand their roster, release more albums, hire more personnel to work more exclusive deals with media entities and such is all predicated on her success. That I believe is why Scott Borchetta stepped in to make sure “Red” was as commercially successful as possible.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:10 pm
Trigger, honestly I gotta say you seem to be big admirer of Taylor’s music. To write that she has “Carly Simon-type caliber” songs is a big stretch, in my opinion. I’m realistic enough to know that she isn’t going to save country music, let alone save the world.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:16 pm
PLEASE PLEASE don’t misunderstand me. I did NOT say that she had Carly Simon-type caliber songs. I said “IF she was writing Carly Simon-type caliber songs.” The ‘IF’ there is very important. I do think that at times, especially on her album “Speak Now” there’s better songwriting than what most want to give her credit for, but I am in no way comparing her to Carly, if for any other reason than I really don’t think it’s fair to compare one artist to another as a general rule.
November 14, 2013 @ 2:24 pm
But you did write “If she was releasing Carly Simon-type caliber material, I would agree, and in fairness to Taylor, she has those songs, it”™s just not what is being featured. ” What are those songs of hers that you thought was of that caliber?
November 14, 2013 @ 2:47 pm
Okay I see what you’re saying. I think what I was trying to say there is that Taylor Swift has substantive, well-written, singer-songwriter type songs on her albums, but those tracks stay buried and are not released as singles. Are her songs on par with Carly Simon? Some of them maybe, but I still wouldn’t compare the two. More what I was trying to say is that Taylor’s deeper material stays shelved while her bubblegum pop stuff gets featured. So no wonder she can’t receive any respect for her songwriting.
November 14, 2013 @ 3:07 pm
it was over when she put out that dubstep song. its all downhill from here
November 14, 2013 @ 3:49 pm
Hey, where did my comment go?
We not allowed to say anything the least bit negative about T Swift and
the whole soap opera that this genre has become or what??????
November 14, 2013 @ 4:26 pm
Lance,
Not sure where your comment went, but I certainly didn’t delete anything. I just checked the spam and trash folders for comments, and don’t see it there either. Sorry if your comment got lost. It happens sometimes. But feel free to share your thoughts. As long as you aren’t making personal threats to folks or using overly offensive language, we’d love to see your opinion.
November 14, 2013 @ 6:19 pm
Maybe the ReCaptcha Monster got your comment. It’s happened to me a couple times.
November 14, 2013 @ 7:48 pm
Not a prob…and there were no personal threats or any offensive language….I guess its a bit of an X-file as to what happened to my comment, no biggie.
Im a fan of traditional country. More of a Purist if you will.
As a little kid, I grew up in the 70’s around all the great country artists being played on the radio and stereo at home. And Im thankful for that.
Im not even sure how to fully convey with words, my feelings on the state of todays country music. It hurts inside , more than it hurts my ears actually.
It is more evident to me than ever, that the industry is purely about making money and not much else…and at the expense of the listener as well as the tradition.
What I see and hear makes me shudder.
Last week, I watched the country awards. Something I never normally do.
Although I wasn’t totally shocked at what I saw and heard, the ante had definitely been upped.
I watched the spectacle unfold over the 3 hours, mostly with the TV muted, but I put myself through it just to see how bad things had become.
I have trouble even looking at LB, FGL, JA etc. etc. let alone hearing what they have a hand in doing to the genre.
I sat in shock when Eric Church’s tune took off….the WALL of sound and pyro that came at us all was incredible. Guitars with a thicker, fuller, equally as loud and overdriven sound as anything Metal Id listened to in the 80’s or pretty much anything current. I was looking for the ” Country ” in that song. I couldn’t find it.
T Swift…..Ya know, I’m sure she’s a fine and upstanding person, I’ve no doubt of that.
But now we talk about musicians/artists along with Fashion, Cologne and perfume, wardrobe lines, Makeup & Cosmetics….what has happened? And yes, I know, Business. I get it, but I sure don’t like it. Can you imagine Johnny Cash having his own Cologne??
I don’t wanna pick on T Swift all alone, but there aint a snowballs chance in Haiti anyone is gonna convince me that she is country. And I don’t wanna start a debate like ” Well haven’t you heard this song or that of hers “…Ive heard enough thanks, She does not sing country music. And this thought that she is bringing new listeners to country?? No, she is bringing these listeners to New Country..not traditional. And owning a Johnny Cash or Hank’s greatest hits cd does Not make you a fan of traditional country…its more your idea of a get out of jail free card so to say.
Last 3 cd’s I bought….Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Patti Griffin….just to give you an idea of what I admire. And ya, you could say these 3 are pretty good writers. Working at their craft, becoming great writers and musicians.
I don’t see this in Pop Country…just filler and nothing of substance.
Anyway, I know people love to banter back and fourth about the pop country and many have in fact drank the Kool-Aid if ya will.
I thank you for posting new artists that I like and are of the traditional tones.
I don’t know where you get the patience to cover the Pop country and go back and fourth with people on here…your a better man than I LOL 🙂
Anyone on the horizon your pretty excited about?
Have yourself a good night 🙂
November 14, 2013 @ 11:44 pm
“And this thought that she is bringing new listeners to country?? No, she is bringing these listeners to New Country..not traditional.”
If Taylor Swift had not brought me to country, I would not have discovered SCM or any of the legendary country songs that I now love. Because of Taylor, traditional country is now my favorite genre.
November 15, 2013 @ 12:45 pm
Really??? Had it not been for T’S you wouldn’t have found your way to traditional country? In this day and age of technology and this genre being shoved down our necks… You really can honestly tell me you wouldn’t have found traditional country??
November 15, 2013 @ 3:45 pm
Before I started listening to Taylor Swift about 4 years ago, I had basically no knowledge of or interest in country music. I was very much a rock fan (chiefly 80’s and 90’s soft rock/adult contemporary, as well as some modern indie soft rock). One thing I knew for certain was that I loved melodic music and was frustrated at the lack of musical beauty in modern pop.
When I started listening to Taylor, it felt like a breath of fresh air on pop radio. I decided to explore country radio to catch a broader range of her songs, and then I realized how superior the quality of country music was in comparison to modern pop music (keep in mind that this was around late 2009/early 2010 when mainstream country music was far deeper and more melodic than today). It provided an excellent refuge for suiting my musical tastes. From then on, my interest in country music got progressively stronger. When country radio began its precipitous decline in 2011, I began to search around for the true roots of country music, culminating in my current love of traditional country.
In short, it was a long journey, but it began with Taylor Swift.
November 15, 2013 @ 4:57 pm
Holy shit, are you me? Your story is basically the same as mine, except that I started listening to Swift in late 08 instead of late 09.
And yes, without Taylor Swift to bring me into the genre I would never have found or listened to ANY country music, let alone traditional country. Until I heard Swift, all I thought country music was about, was crying about your dog running away and hating minorities and gays. It was Swift’s music that showed me that my thoughts were idiotic and wrong, that country music actually had depth in it, and inspired me to look deeper into the genre. Without Taylor Swift, there is exactly zero chance I would have ever gotten into country music or even considered listening to a single country song.
November 16, 2013 @ 5:28 am
Same. Except I started circa ’06-’07.
As someone who was very unfamiliar with Country and traditional American music (Bluegrass, etc.), I always thought Country is just bunch of poseurs with cowboy hats singing ‘deep’ songs.
Like that guy said, there’s internet and stuffs, but just like how some people view Taylor with prejudice, I also had some prejudice on Country at the first place.
November 28, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
I am a musical polymath – rock, soft rock, metal, adult/contemporary. Mostly I like good songs with a guitar or keyboards. Bluegress, electric blues and country rock sometimes fit the bill, but rarely country. I was in an Elvis phase years ago – he was the original “crossover artist” – combining the R&B of his day with country and the melodic. And the exciting creation was rock-n-roll. I will always love Elvis – he covered so many great songs. Rock has been a shadow of its self since the advent of grunge, and Soundscan inaugurated the slow death of pop music in 1992 (to the benefit of hiphop). The situation was so bad that American Top 40 switched to airplay-only hits, and in the mid-1990s, “Hot Adult” was created to vacuum out the hip hop and resemble the pop charts we remember from the 80s and 70s. We’re only now starting to recover from nearly 20 years of rap. Taylor may not be pure country but most of her pre-Red material was a breath of fresh air. I like her stuff even better than Kelly Clarkson (who has recorded some astonishingly beautiful songs). “You Belong to Me” and “Love story” are authentic songs that connect to the heart. Her recent material has left such a bad taste with me, but I finally listened to the title track “Red” and remembered what it was that I liked about her. She is capable of being a great artist.
November 16, 2013 @ 4:03 am
I don’t think Taylor’s appearance at the Victoria’s Secret show was masterminded by Scott Borchetta. Taylor is close friends with Lily Aldridge, a VS Angel and the wife of Caleb Followill. Taylor and Lily live in the same building in Nashville. According to the head of Victoria’s Secret, he was having lunch with Lily and asked her if Taylor would be interested in performing at the show. Lily texted Taylor, who instantly agreed.
November 16, 2013 @ 11:16 am
For the record, I’m not saying it was masterminded by Scott Borchetta. However I am saying that as a huge entertainment franchise, every public move music be calculated for a performer like Swift, and calulated is exactly how this feels.
November 17, 2013 @ 12:10 am
Trigger, I think both the old Taylor and the new one are calculated. I also believe that what she has been doing reflects a more fundamental problem with country crossover and how it is branded.
Simply put, mainstream audiences do not look to country crossover artists for songwriting talent, or for substantive lyrics. Part of this is due to prejudices that pop audiences have about the country genre. Part of this is because of decisions that Nashville record labels have made about how to market crossover artists.
Most female country pop crossover artists were marketed based on popular stereotypes, e.g. sexy hot (e.g. Shania), the All-American Girl (e.g. Faith, Carrie), the innocent girl (e.g. Taylor). Of course when singers are branded in this way, the public associates country music with these stereotypes. This makes it much harder for an artist to draw attention to her songwriting.
If a record label wants an artist to be known to the public as a talented songwriter, it should NOT market her as a country crossover artist. I think mainstream audiences would be more receptive if she were marketed as something else, for example “a folk singer-songwriter who draws from multiple genres”. This is not specific only to Taylor, it applies to any singer-songwriter who wants to be respected in the mainstream music world for her writing.
November 17, 2013 @ 1:33 am
If it is the case that crossover country artists must conform to certain stereotypes in order to attain mainstream success, then how did Lady Antebellum’s songs reach #1-2 on the pop charts? Hillary Scott is generally not seen by the public as matching any of the categories that you listed.
November 17, 2013 @ 11:04 am
Lady Antebellum is an interesting example. Their music is bland and uncontroversial. I doubt most pop music listeners even have an impression of what their image is. They seemed to follow a different crossover path that focuses on adult contemporary, “soft music” listeners rather than young top 40 audiences. These listeners tend to be older women who are more likely to have Celine Dion in their CD collection than to have Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber on their iPods.
Young pop music fans listen to country crossover songs for fun, not for depth. Older adult contemporary audiences listen to country crossover for relaxation, not for depth. Most people outside the country genre do not expect, or look for, substantive songwriting from country pop artists.
November 17, 2013 @ 3:27 pm
“They seemed to follow a different crossover path that focuses on adult “contemporary, “soft music” listeners rather than young top 40 audiences.”
So if Taylor wants to expand her audience, shouldn’t this be the best path to follow. After all, she has already had major success with adult contemporary stations with her past albums, and marketing specifically to that audience would serve as a natural evolution for her.
November 17, 2013 @ 6:41 pm
Eric, I think I know what you are getting at. When I was a kid, I knew a good friend who was a sweet young thing in high school. She had a persona similar to the early Taylor. Since then she grew up, settled down, raised a family, and never lost her sweetness. As she grew up, naivete was gradually replaced by kindness and devotion to God and family. Some ordinary women manage to make the transition gracefully, but it seems that celebrities never do.
I agree that the adult contemporary path would be the more appropriate transition path for Taylor’s songs and persona. But commercially the problem is that older listeners do not buy as many albums in the short term as younger fans. And if Taylor tries to add older mothers to her fan base of tween girls, there is a big demographic in between that will lose interest, i.e. the hip, trendy girls in their late teens and early 20s.
On the other hand, I think the music industry often forgets that country music fans, Christians, and conservatives are loyal, and they might miss out on longer term opportunities by ignoring them.
November 17, 2013 @ 4:13 am
Taylor might not be lauded as a great songwriter on sites such as this one, but the New York Times, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone all refer to her an extremely talented songwriter.
November 17, 2013 @ 11:08 am
Grace, my point is about her brand in the popular culture, not what the New York Times says in reviews. I think most pop music listeners who are not already Taylor Swift fans do not think of her as a songwriter. They think of her as a girl who makes kiddie music. This makes it harder for her to attract new fans outside her core demographic.
November 16, 2013 @ 7:35 pm
The only issue I have with it is I’m guessing she didn’t sing any country songs to represent and expand country music. But that’s why she got this gig because it’s a pop show.
January 25, 2015 @ 9:50 am
I love Taylor Swift in all her incarnations & through all her musical changes so whatever unflattering stuff is said about her goes in one ear & out the other. Love you, Taylor, as squeaky-clean newbie & love you, Taylor, at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show & yes, she DID fit — perfectly.
July 20, 2024 @ 6:32 pm
Adrian’s observations on Swift were spot-on. I wish he would return.
Eric was Swift’s white knight simp.