Swifties unite!

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:18 pm

Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:27 pm

What heavy metal band does she front for?

I have to admit I have never heard one of her songs. Yea, I am that guy.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:42 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:
Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

What century was that?

Pretty pop princesses go at least back to the 1960's.

MHS · Post by **MHS** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:54 pm

Jeff V wrote:
Isgrimnur wrote:
Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
What century was that?

Pretty pop princesses go at least back to the 1960's.

Yeah, but Jim Croce was around then too, and while he was a helluva picker and a vocalist, he was one ugly dude.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:14 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:
Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:16 pm

MHS wrote:
Jeff V wrote:
Isgrimnur wrote:
Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
What century was that?

Pretty pop princesses go at least back to the 1960's.
Yeah, but Jim Croce was around then too, and while he was a helluva picker and a vocalist, he was one ugly dude.

Janis Joplin wasn't what I'd call a pretty pop princess. But she had the talent. Video truly killed the radio star. Once MTV started showing music videos, the public lost the ability to imagine they all looked like models.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:19 pm

MHS wrote:
Jeff V wrote:
Isgrimnur wrote:
Random internet saying wrote:Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
What century was that?

Pretty pop princesses go at least back to the 1960's.
Yeah, but Jim Croce was around then too, and while he was a helluva picker and a vocalist, he was one ugly dude.

I was thinking more along the lines of female singers. Aside from contrived boy bands, I didn't realize there was a coordinated marketing effort push pretty boys over all others. That concept isn't particularly new, however, my dad used to rail about what a no-talent hack Ricky Nelson was and insisted his career was artificially contrived to promote his good looks.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:02 pm

Skinypupy wrote:After the song, the songwriter talked about what an honor it was to write songs for Taylor Swift, and how Swift has such a talented "team of writers" behind her. This confused me, as I've always been under the impression that Swift was the main writer of all her stuff. Her comments made me wonder how accurate that statement actually is.

She doesn't write 100% of her own stuff. She started out as one of the youngest paid songwriters ever in Nashville and wrote most of the songs on her debut. She co-wrote the rest. As her fame has increased she's done more co-writing.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:18 pm

YellowKing wrote:
Skinypupy wrote:After the song, the songwriter talked about what an honor it was to write songs for Taylor Swift, and how Swift has such a talented "team of writers" behind her. This confused me, as I've always been under the impression that Swift was the main writer of all her stuff. Her comments made me wonder how accurate that statement actually is.
She doesn't write 100% of her own stuff. She started out as one of the youngest paid songwriters ever in Nashville and wrote most of the songs on her debut. She co-wrote the rest. As her fame has increased she's done more co-writing.

Ah, that makes more sense.

I couldn't name a single Taylor Swift song, so this was all foreign territory to me.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:25 pm

I am a fan. Of course I also like a lot of other pop crap. Sometimes I wonder if I may actually be a teenage girl or possibly a middle aged woman trying to relive her youth.

Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Kelly Clarkson
Anna Nalick
Vanessa Carlton
Sara Bareilles
Michelle Branch
Katy Perry

Then again I am also a fan of:
Nine Inch Nails
Tool
Rage Against the Machine
Marilyn Manson
Metallica

Caught in the middle: Tori Amos

Whatever. I like what I like and for the most part I don't care what others think of it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:28 pm

You need to throw in Dia Frampton and work some Alison Krauss in there.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:44 pm

Exodor wrote:
RunningMn9 wrote:I get that she creates good pop songs, but lyrically, she's still very childish (at least with songs like this one and most of the other popular ones I've heard), and I find that grating. But as long as you don't listen to any of the words she's saying, yeah she's a very good pop star. At this point in her career though (if she's interested in longevity), she needs to start working on stuff other than pop songs about how much she's into dudes.
Actually her previous album, Red, was much more interesting lyrically. With 1989 she decided to go full-on pop star and simplified her lyrics. I can enjoy 1989 but I think Red is a superior album in most respects.

It all started because Elise liked Taylor's music and I ceded control of the car stereo to her long ago. It took a few years to admit that I liked her music too.

Still, I die a little inside when Elise switches over to One Direction.

Bastard. You made me buy Red

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:52 pm

coopasonic wrote:Whatever. I like what I like and for the most part I don't care what others think of it.

Once I hit 35 I've noticed my "give a damn what people think" metric decreasing year after year. Now, at 40, it's pretty much gone. My family loves me and that's all that matters. If anyone else loves me, I just consider it a bonus.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 4:10 pm

YellowKing wrote:
coopasonic wrote:Whatever. I like what I like and for the most part I don't care what others think of it.
Once I hit 35 I've noticed my "give a damn what people think" metric decreasing year after year. Now, at 40, it's pretty much gone. My family loves me and that's all that matters. If anyone else loves me, I just consider it a bonus.

Wait another decade, and you'll settle for "not actively plotting to kill me."

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:14 am

I'll see your Jim Croce and raise you two Dylans.

And while MTV was a big factor in promoting style over substance, the final nail in the coffin was provided by American Idol and others of it's ilk.

Simon Cowell should rot in hell.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:43 am

Incidentally, is "swifties" really a term?

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 9:03 am

El Guapo wrote:Incidentally, is "swifties" really a term?

Allie: "You are so obsessed with Taylor Swift. You stalker." Emily: "Correction.. I am a SWIFTIE, not a stalker.".

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:28 am

tgb wrote:I'll see your Jim Croce and raise you two Dylans.

And while MTV was a big factor in promoting style over substance, the final nail in the coffin was provided by American Idol and others of it's ilk.

Simon Cowell should rot in hell.

Yet many of their winners are clearly in the "not beautiful people" category and often (to my dismay) some of the really cute singers are eliminated early on. There are some, but it's by no means blatant. Even among popular non-winners, you can't say looks are everything (case in point: Jennifer Hudson, who is on par with Aretha Franklin in looks).

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:39 am

Jeff V wrote:
tgb wrote:I'll see your Jim Croce and raise you two Dylans.

And while MTV was a big factor in promoting style over substance, the final nail in the coffin was provided by American Idol and others of it's ilk.

Simon Cowell should rot in hell.
Yet many of their winners are clearly in the "not beautiful people" category and often (to my dismay) some of the really cute singers are eliminated early on. There are some, but it's by no means blatant. Even among popular non-winners, you can't say looks are everything (case in point: Jennifer Hudson, who is on par with Aretha Franklin in looks).

But think about the most important figures in rock/pop over the past 50 years. How many would even make it to the final round of American Idol auditions? McCartney and Elvis (maybe). Would any of the Stones? Dylan? The Ramones?

I think not.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:46 am

That's kind of like being frustrated that your cat will never win the Westminster Dog Show.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:01 am

tgb wrote:
Jeff V wrote:
tgb wrote:I'll see your Jim Croce and raise you two Dylans.

And while MTV was a big factor in promoting style over substance, the final nail in the coffin was provided by American Idol and others of it's ilk.

Simon Cowell should rot in hell.
Yet many of their winners are clearly in the "not beautiful people" category and often (to my dismay) some of the really cute singers are eliminated early on. There are some, but it's by no means blatant. Even among popular non-winners, you can't say looks are everything (case in point: Jennifer Hudson, who is on par with Aretha Franklin in looks).
But think about the most important figures in rock/pop over the past 50 years. How many would even make it to the final round of American Idol auditions? McCartney and Elvis (maybe). Would any of the Stones? Dylan? The Ramones?

I think not.

Well, no, but you are giving American Idol way too much credit. They are responsible for an insignificant percentage of popular entertainers today. It was a pop culture phenomenon for what it was, but at no point did they ever claim this was the end-all, be-all of popular music. If anything, it blatantly discriminated against those with their own unique sound and style; since the show forced them to diversify.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:09 am

coopasonic wrote:
El Guapo wrote:Incidentally, is "swifties" really a term?
Allie: "You are so obsessed with Taylor Swift. You stalker." Emily: "Correction.. I am a SWIFTIE, not a stalker.".

I never know what to make of Urban Dictionary, though, since it seems to have a lot of junk entries.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:12 am

At some point, it's a chicken/egg situation.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:02 pm

Taylor Swift, raking it in:

Since the beginning of 2015, the singer has raked in around $317.8 million from her '1989' album, tour and multiple endorsement deals...

..."Right now, Taylor is untouchable, " said L.A.-based media analyst Mike Raia. "She is so far ahead of everyone else in the industry that she has become not only a powerhouse entertainer but also an important mover and shaker on the commercial side on the music business."

A modern day Madonna w/o the controversy (yet?). Very, very impressive.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:11 pm

I'm trying to decide what to call my fanbase. Guapaneros? Guapistas?

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:49 pm

There's a great podcast called "Switched On Pop" where songwriter Charlie Harding and musicologist Nate Sloan analyze different pop songs or pop styles and break down what's going on beneath the surface. They're both technical music guys so some of their insights are really fascinating.

Anyway, they've done a couple of episodes on Taylor Swift, and some of the breakdowns are kind of mind-blowing. One was about the "Swiftian Drop" in which many of her songs have a signature moment in which the melody drops a step below where you would usually expect. Another one broke down the song "Blank Space" and some of the underlying melody tricks that mirror the lyrics.

My caveat is that they are both big T-Swift fans, so they tend to be a little gushing in their praise of her songwriting prowess. And I don't really know how much of their insights are directly attributable to Taylor herself and how much are a result of producers/her songwriting team. However, they will definitely make you realize that there is a lot more thought put into a simple pop song than you might realize. I highly recommend listening to at least those two episodes, and if you like those then the Hozier "Take Me to Church" breakdown is really good too.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:23 pm

Cool. I like behind the scenes stuff so I'll check them out. Not the "Take Me to Church" one though. One of my goals in life is to never hear that "song" again. I hated it the first time I heard it and couldn't believe when it blew up. Something about the melody or his voice, or something, just makes it sound so displeasing to my ears.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:32 pm

Something about the melody or his voice, or something, just makes it sound so displeasing to my ears.

They actually break that down too.

He uses a very unconventional mix of major and minor chords, and some of the chord progressions go major when your ear expects them to go minor, etc. So a lot of that unease is actually intentional. It's supposed to represent his wavering faith - major/minor, good/evil, heaven/earth.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:35 pm

YellowKing wrote:
Something about the melody or his voice, or something, just makes it sound so displeasing to my ears.
They actually break that down too.

He uses a very unconventional mix of major and minor chords, and some of the chord progressions go major when your ear expects them to go minor, etc. So a lot of that unease is actually intentional. It's supposed to represent his wavering faith - major/minor, good/evil, heaven/earth.

Ok fine, I'll listen to that one too so I can hate it rationally rather than irrationally!

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:36 pm

El Guapo wrote:I'm trying to decide what to call my fanbase. Guapaneros? Guapistas?

The plethora?

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:01 pm

So... any fellow Swifties pick up reputation?

I got it for Christmas, and it's rather disappointing. It's far too clubby for me, and the girl who sang "Shake it off" apparently can't as a fistful of the songs are revenge/hate fantasies. Bitter Taylor goes clubbing, basically.

Side note: I also received Lorde's Melodrama (some similar problems), but when I was uploading them to my Amazon Music cloud, I noticed the new Blondie album Pollinator was free for Prime Members. As I'm currently listening to the "Recently added to cloud" playlist, this and the other free for Prime members Blondie album are also rotating in, and I'm really grooving on the new Blondie a lot more than the other two.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:20 pm

Pyperkub wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:01 pm So... any fellow Swifties pick up reputation?

I got it for Christmas, and it's rather disappointing. It's far too clubby for me, and the girl who sang "Shake it off" apparently can't as a fistful of the songs are revenge/hate fantasies. Bitter Taylor goes clubbing, basically.

My daughter has outgrown Taylor (she's 12 now and Taylor is Not Cool apparently). What I heard of Reputation didn't encourage me to seek it out on my own. I really liked "Red." I grew to tolerate 1989 but I can see the direction she's moving and I have no interest in it. Hopefully she'll return to the world of melody and musicianship after she tires of copying Nikki Minaj.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:36 pm

I've never been a big Taylor Swift, fan, although I can appreciate her talent.

I kind of really love Ryan Adam's whole-album cover of TS's 1989, though. It's quirky and beautifully done.

For example: Adams' "Shake It Off."

Full playlist here.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:25 am

I'm currently debating whether to take my daughter to see T-Swift for her birthday (she's turning 9).

PROS:

- The concert is in Atlanta, which is somewhere I've wanted to take the family on vacation anyway. Could combine it with a weekend trip to the aquarium, etc.
- The concert is very close to her birthday.
- She's never been to an actual concert, so this would be a REALLY BIG DEAL for her.

CONS:

- The ticket prices are insane.
- Strike that. The ticket prices are FUCKING insane.
- Did I mention I didn't pay this much to see Paul McCartney, and he's a freaking BEATLE?

Still - to see baby girl's face if I pulled this off. Dad of the Year award in the bag.

morlac · Post by **morlac** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:20 am

LordMortis wrote: Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:36 pm
El Guapo wrote:I'm trying to decide what to call my fanbase. Guapaneros? Guapistas?
The plethora?

Ok late but HAHAHA. Perfect.

morlac · Post by **morlac** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:25 am

YellowKing wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:25 am I'm currently debating whether to take my daughter to see T-Swift for her birthday (she's turning 9).

PROS:

- The concert is in Atlanta, which is somewhere I've wanted to take the family on vacation anyway. Could combine it with a weekend trip to the aquarium, etc.
- The concert is very close to her birthday.
- She's never been to an actual concert, so this would be a REALLY BIG DEAL for her.

CONS:

- The ticket prices are insane.
- Strike that. The ticket prices are FUCKING insane.
- Did I mention I didn't pay this much to see Paul McCartney, and he's a freaking BEATLE?

Still - to see baby girl's face if I pulled this off. Dad of the Year award in the bag.

Same boat but live in Atlanta. Will cost over $1000 to take my daughter and wife. That is absurd. Giving my Daughter a choice of Disney or Swift.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:35 am

Will cost over $1000 to take my daughter and wife.

$300+ per person for a night out to see teen star concert?

I'm old.

When I was a teen Pink Floyd got together and started touring again (without Roger Waters) and twice they set the market. The best seats in the house went from $20 to $25 and then again from $25 to $30.

I once paid $150 a seat to see Tom Petty from the third row. I paid $100 for first row lower bowl to see Roger Waters perform "The Wall" I figure that was my treat for a lifetime.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:39 am

YellowKing wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:25 am I'm currently debating whether to take my daughter to see T-Swift for her birthday (she's turning 9).

I took my daughter to see Taylor when she was about the same age. The show was in Seattle so it was costly - tickets were ~$150 each and we spent the night in a fairly expensive hotel. It was worth every penny to see the joy on her face not only during the show but whenever she talked about it later.

Even now that Taylor is Not Cool Elise talks fondly of that trip. It's something she'll remember the rest of her life.

I recommend you go.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:57 am

Holman wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:36 pm I've never been a big Taylor Swift, fan, although I can appreciate her talent.

I kind of really love Ryan Adam's whole-album cover of TS's 1989, though. It's quirky and beautifully done.

For example: Adams' "Shake It Off."

Full playlist here.

I was excited thinking it was Bryan Adams. But the best part is that it led me to a Metal cover of Shake It Off:

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 11:19 am

LordMortis wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:35 am
Will cost over $1000 to take my daughter and wife.

$300+ per person for a night out to see teen star concert?

I'm old.

When I was a teen Pink Floyd got together and started touring again (without Roger Waters) and twice they set the market. The best seats in the house went from $20 to $25 and then again from $25 to $30.

I once paid $150 a seat to see Tom Petty from the third row. I paid $100 for first row lower bowl to see Roger Waters perform "The Wall" I figure that was my treat for a lifetime.

I think I paid $16 to have Billy Joel come out into the crowd where I was sitting and sweat on me.