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

[Anonymous]

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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.

Chappell and Billie are not what I would call bland at all. Nor Taylor. Maybe we different definitions of it? To me, when music is inspiring in some way or makes me feel things, it is not bland. I am not as familiar with Meghan or Tate. Miley is great but maybe on the bland side to me? Still like her!

None of it is memorable. Nobody will be listening to it in 20 years.

Except that Taylor has been around for nearly that long, clown.

Do you know that 20 years from now is in the future? Did you learn new math in school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t get it until this last album. Now I love it.

-tardy to the party Gen X

+100
My daughter always had Taylor Swift playing while growing up. I liked her but didn't really think anything about her music other than it was fun and catchy. Fast-forward to Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, and TTPD and I have been blown away by her evolution. My daughter (now in college) kept saying I had to listen to her new material and I finally did earlier this year. WOW. I now understand.
-Gen Xer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gen X here (1975). Taylor Swift makes catchy songs like Brittany Spears. Nice depending on the occasion. If I want real music, I listen to Lauryn Hill.

OML. Taylor Swift is *nothing* like Britney Spears. Please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I only like her early super-catchy hits like You Belong With Mre. She’s moved away from that style. I’ve tried to listen to her albums and yea, they all seem to just run on and blue together. (Technically I’m an old millennial).

This is the exact opposite for me. I found all those old songs fun, but her new songs are remarkable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Younger Gen X here (‘77). I hated her music when she put out her first album. Too country/childish for my taste. But when she made the switch to pop music, I found myself liking some of her songs that were in the radio—Style was one I distinctly remember liking at the time—and I think her music has gotten better over the years. Some of her lyrics are really clever and relatable. Even if I can’t relate now to whatever heartbreak or relationship issue she’s singing about (since I’m married with 2 kids), I remember being in my 20s and early 30s and going through similar things. Right now I’m really liking I Can Do It With a Broken Heart. My heart isn’t broken but that song basically sums up middle-aged life too — the whole concept of having to put on a front, be productive and get through everything you have to do regardless of whatever you might be going through because it’s what’s expected and people rely on you. Oof.

Well said - I agree. I also love "Peter" and "The Last Great American Dynasty." She tells stories so well.

[Anonymous]

Older Gen-X here. Plenty of terrible bland music from my high school years that was immensely popular: Asia, Belinda Carlisle, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Toto, etc etc

[Anonymous]

I'm not a huge fan but I think she's very talented. I think she has some true gems and some iconic songs that will stand the test of time.

But like most artists, a lot of her songs are merely okay/boring. Most singers have albums that are mostly filler. I think she could do some editing. Like her last album-- instead of doing a double album she could have made one truly great album. But her fan base always will take more songs over high quality songs due to their parasocial relationship with her.

Someone mentioned The Beatles upthread-- they revolutionized popular music and pushed the envelope in every album they did post 1965. Taylor is very talented, but I don't see her music as breaking new ground. That's why a lot of Gen Xers see her as boring.

[Anonymous]

Older Gen-X here. Plenty of terrible bland music from my high school years that was immensely popular: Asia, Belinda Carlisle, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Toto, etc etc

Don't put Toto and Asia in with Debbie Gibson!
Belinda was better with the Go Go's.

Gen X (1970) here and I find TS extremely boring. Nothing about her music has a fun hook or is interesting.

[Anonymous]

Yes she is boring, just Shake It Off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I only like her early super-catchy hits like You Belong With Mre. She’s moved away from that style. I’ve tried to listen to her albums and yea, they all seem to just run on and blue together. (Technically I’m an old millennial).

This is the exact opposite for me. I found all those old songs fun, but her new songs are remarkable.

+1

[Anonymous]

Old Gen X here (1965) - and I love a lot of her music. Big fan of 1989. Not Evermore/Folklore as much. Really like both Midnights and the newest album.

[Anonymous]

I think some of her lyrics are phenomenally good but yes a lot of her music is bland or generic or predictable in a way I just can't get excited about.

Even Folklore which I liked better than other albums -- it's like it sounds *like* music I like but it is not the music I like if that makes sense.

I think she's just in a category where I'm never going to love an entire Swift album because she works in a genre that just isn't for me. But I still like individual songs and appreciate her as an artist. I feel similarly about a lot of pop acts -- Lady Gaga and Charlie XCX and Olivia Rodrigo. All of whom I like! But when I sit down and listen to a whole album from and of them I find it just doesn't hit me the way I want it too.

Though I really love Lana Del Ray who I think of as Swift-adjacent so who knows I might one day love an album.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gen x and really like her music

You all are jealous. Plenty of men singers who are boring and bland. But you never call them out.

OP here.
I actually always thought John Mayer’s music was extremely boring and bland as well. And now that I think about it, he’s basically a male version of Taylor Swift. But he never reached anywhere near the level of popularity that Taylor Swift has.

Can you honestly think of any male singer whose popularity has come close to that of Taylor Swift’s whose music was so flimsy?

Elder millenial here (82). I think this is a very fair comparison. I really like John Mayer but I am aware he is probably the most basic musician I enjoy and I acknowledge it's pretty bland. Room for Squares was the soundtrack to my most memorable college roadtrip and I have a soft spot for a lot of his "going through life" lyrics...

I don't care one way or another about TS. I like some of her pop songs for working out. That's about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gen x and really like her music

You all are jealous. Plenty of men singers who are boring and bland. But you never call them out.

Name a man singer with a fan club that is constantly in the media. (Bonus points if that fan club is very male).
The Beatles? Elvis?
Drake or Kendrick?
Insane Clown Posse?

I can’t think of any current male singers who have the extreme level of popularity and adoration that Taylor Swift has now.

Justin Bieber?