Gen Xers - Do you find Taylor Swift’s music bland?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I like some songs and others don't move me at all, but sometimes the themes of a song are really great.

The other day I heard a lyric "you don't have to answer just cause they asked you" and thought "I love boundaries." So then I looked up the song and saw the entire song is just chock full of good advice.

https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-dear-reader-lyrics

Love this song!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor Swift is a cultural brand, not just a singer songwriter. It includes the way she dresses and does her hair and make up, the way she talks to fans, the way she performs for paparazzi, and the way she flops around on stage.

Great, because her dressing and makeup are especially bland.

It is intentional. She is trying to be a wholesome, family-friendly brand.

[Anonymous]

Borderline Gen X/Millennial here. I basically ignored her until 1989 came out. I didn't really care about Shake it Off, but Blank Space/Style/Wildest Dreams were really listenable. I also liked Folklore, especially Exile with Bon Iver. The new album is pretty blah and I don't think she deserved the Grammy for the prior one. So, I guess I'm in between?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor Swift is a cultural brand, not just a singer songwriter. It includes the way she dresses and does her hair and make up, the way she talks to fans, the way she performs for paparazzi, and the way she flops around on stage.

Great, because her dressing and makeup are especially bland.

It is intentional. She is trying to be a wholesome, family-friendly brand.

Somewhat, but she does like to curse and my daughter can't listen to her newer albums because they are age-restricted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor Swift is a cultural brand, not just a singer songwriter. It includes the way she dresses and does her hair and make up, the way she talks to fans, the way she performs for paparazzi, and the way she flops around on stage.

Great, because her dressing and makeup are especially bland.

It is intentional. She is trying to be a wholesome, family-friendly brand.

Ok, but what is she changing about herself to be a family friendly brand? It's not like she'd otherwise wear short brown hair or go to hard core shows?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to say that I find Taylor Swift’s extreme popularity to be one of the great mysteries of the 21st century. I find her voice and songs to be the epitome of the most boring and bland of pop songs.

Is this basically a generational thing? Is she popular among Millenials because they grew up hearing about her life and romances and just took more of an interest in what she had to say in her supposed “genius” song lyrics? I honestly don’t even know if her lyrics even are that great because I find the melodies and her voice so boring I don’t even care to put that much thought into what she’s saying

And yes, I realize she has gotten better in recent years. I actually do like Folklore, but she was insanely popular for practically two decades prior, so I don’t think it really counts.

I am 48. I have always been into music - the person who introduced new stuff to my friends, lots of live music, dated a singer in a band (heh). I still to go music festivals and make sure to take my kids, etc.

I am a total Swiftie. Seeing her next month and cannot wait. I think she is a song-writing prodigy. I have been a fan since 1989. But I also love words and writing and appreciate her talent so much, maybe even a little jealous. She is also incredibly hard-working.

Taylor Swift has been making music since 1989? What was she, two?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor Swift is a cultural brand, not just a singer songwriter. It includes the way she dresses and does her hair and make up, the way she talks to fans, the way she performs for paparazzi, and the way she flops around on stage.

This is how it's always been, it's part being an entertainer/pop star/celebrity at the top of their game. Every major pop star from Linda Ronstadt, to Stevie Knicks to Pink has done a similar thing.

Are you seriously comparing how Taylor Swift dresses to Stevie Nicks? Her whole witchy fairy vibe was totally new and groundbreaking at the time.
Taylor Swift’s outfits, while personally more align with my own style, is absolutely nothing unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like her music, but he’s, is super bland.

He? Wrong thread.

I thought it’s obvious it’s autocorrect going wild.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to say that I find Taylor Swift’s extreme popularity to be one of the great mysteries of the 21st century. I find her voice and songs to be the epitome of the most boring and bland of pop songs.

Is this basically a generational thing? Is she popular among Millenials because they grew up hearing about her life and romances and just took more of an interest in what she had to say in her supposed “genius” song lyrics? I honestly don’t even know if her lyrics even are that great because I find the melodies and her voice so boring I don’t even care to put that much thought into what she’s saying

And yes, I realize she has gotten better in recent years. I actually do like Folklore, but she was insanely popular for practically two decades prior, so I don’t think it really counts.

I am 48. I have always been into music - the person who introduced new stuff to my friends, lots of live music, dated a singer in a band (heh). I still to go music festivals and make sure to take my kids, etc.

I am a total Swiftie. Seeing her next month and cannot wait. I think she is a song-writing prodigy. I have been a fan since 1989. But I also love words and writing and appreciate her talent so much, maybe even a little jealous. She is also incredibly hard-working.

Taylor Swift has been making music since 1989? What was she, two?

It’s an album title. I’m one of the PPs who doesn’t even like her but I still know that.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get the hype. But that’s pop music. Anyone can get popular with bubble gum music. Her songs to me are typical pop songs, nothing special. I don’t find her particularly talented but her songs are catchy and I guess that hooks a lot of people. Her voice isn’t great although she has worked in it a lot and gotten better. Her team around her done a great job of branding and selling her has a brand and her gimmicks with fans have been successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taylor Swift is a cultural brand, not just a singer songwriter. It includes the way she dresses and does her hair and make up, the way she talks to fans, the way she performs for paparazzi, and the way she flops around on stage.

Great, because her dressing and makeup are especially bland.

It is intentional. She is trying to be a wholesome, family-friendly brand.

Her politics say otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree. Gen Xer (born in 76). It’s like if I grew up with this music in my formative years (HS/college/20s) I would get the attachment. But I truly am mystified by the insane popularity. She’s not bad or anything, and clearly she has quite the following. But she’s honestly pretty mid, as the kids say, in terms of lyrics, voice, appearance, music.

Many of the female pop singers are average looking these days in terms of appearance. Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus, Tate Mcrae, that seems to be what their fans want. The music is also pretty bland.

[Anonymous]

I’ve come to love her music more the last 5-10 years. Saw her in concert in 2015. She is pretty talented.

[Anonymous]

I’m GenX and I love her songs and think very highly of her as a person. I particularly like the stories she tells and her use of words.

[Anonymous]

Another 48 year old who loves her music. I am blown away by how prolific she is. I can list off at least 30 songs I genuinely love.