this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2024

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Can someone explain to me what makes Taylor Swift so popular? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/asklemmy

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I don't get it. Her music is sometimes catchy but otherwise unremarkable, from the songs I've heard. How does she break all these records and accumulate so much fame and wealth?

She's pretty, but a lot of singer songwriters are, especially those with makeup and costume people, a support staff.

Is there something else to her that people like?

I'm confused about what makes her so apparently unique or phenomenal.

Update: there are so many things that make swift unique or phenomenal.

I've received tons of great answers from people that have helped me understand, like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, many factors that makes swift different and consequently more successful than her peers.

Clever lyrics, top-tier production, sharing autobiographical and emotional points in her life very directly, apparent honesty with few or no public blemishes, creating a community of fans through Easter eggs and house parties and unconventional, but always personal methods, an early start supported by wealthy parents, she keeps winning against abusers, and her music itself is popular and fun.

Those are just a few of the puzzle pieces contributed here, and a dive into this post is a pretty good explanation of many of the factors that must be contributing to her phenomenal success and recognition, that set her apart from other pop stars, even pop stars who were phenoms in their own right.

This is a very educational post, thank you to everyone who has contributed.

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[–] soloner 9 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

My brother is a swiftie and seems to think that her talent is above and beyond a standard artists talent. One thing that is praised is how much range she has covered across her albums.

I'm personally not a fan, and to me she seems overrated, but I also have to recognize the mass following and legitimate consistency in the music quality. She's not like a Katy Perry recycling the same tune.

So I think she's like a really nice pizza, appealing but always good quality, always fresh.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

A couple people have mentioned her range, but they also only mention her relationship and breakup songs. What else does she sing about that gives her range?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

When people talk about her range they are usually talking about musical styles, she has a lot of different sounds. Not all of her songs are about relationships, but probably most of them, they are not all about breakups though. That isn't too uncommon though, probably one of the most common things people sing about.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Totally agree, relationships breakups probably cover a large percentage of pop music anyway.

Does she have a lot of different sounds just in pop music or does she also delve into completely different genres?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Probably not like Andre 3000 going out and making an ambient album, but there are a lot of differences stylistically. For example her pandemic albums Folklore and Evermore are a lot less traditional pop, and can be more folk sounding. Doing some songs with Bon Iver helped that too.

I think a lot of times people associate her with bubblegum pop from a lot of the singles that came out maybe ten years ago and were heavily played on the radio but that hasn't been the sound for a while.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Thanks, got it

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

She might not recycle the same tune, but it kinda seems like she recycles the same themes verbatim. I'd say she's closer to Papa John's than a good quality pizza shop. Her music is probably good, but I doubt that it's usually great.

[–] soloner 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You have to explore all her albums in order to really form that opinion. People who like that kind of music will do so, and likely decide that she is phenomenal.

But then folks like you and me will not want to take time to ingest all that music that doesn't appeal to us, so we have to speculate based off what we get exposed to which is generally her pop songs on the radio and such. But we aren't really getting the full Taylor Swift. So it's like we're judging a sample of her stuff (which sounds like a lot of other pop cuz all pop sounds basically the same) and oversimplify what she offers to music.

I'm completely speculating... Like I said we'd have to dive into all those albums and listen to really form a meaningful opinion.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

That's a fair opinion. I usually don't listen to albums, even for creators I like, so it didn't really click that her most famous works might not be why people like her.

That being said, there were a few (probably cherrypicked) clips of her concerts where she said something "inspirational" (or quirky?), and her fans go absolutely insane, and to me it just sounds like the most mundane stuff you could say. So until I listen to her stuff I'll keep my existing impression.