Anonymous wrote:These posters saying she has "a few catchy songs" -- that's just not correct. She has a TON of songs that are popular, have remained popular for years and span genres:

Shake it Off, Blank Space, Bad Blood, Me, You Belong with Me, Wildest Dream, Ready for It, Mean, We are Never Getting Back Together, I knew you were Trouble, You Need to Calm Down, Anti-Hero...

Those are just off the top of my head. You may not love all of them, but I bet you could sing at least some of the lyrics.

The only one I recognize is Shake it Off.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She’s a marketing genius - that is 95% of her success.

How is she a marketing genius? I always hear it so I believe it's true, but I don't pay any attention to her, so I don't get what it is that she is marketing about herself that is so appealing.

She is amazing at developing a relationship with her fans and making them feel special, and making them feel their connection to her is special. She also does an amazing job at performing vulnerability, to make the people who listen to her music feel like they are seeing her real self, while also always maintaining actual privacy and distance.

Her fans often feel like they relate to her or are like her, but it’s by design— her music is written to evoke this feeling, specifically.

She understands her fans extremely well and knows how to give them what they want.

She doesn't really have a relationship with her fans. Does she know your name? Would she recognize you in Starbucks? Will she babysit for you in an emergency?

How does she make you feel special in practical terms when you're in a football stadium sized crowd? How can 13 year olds relate to her lyrics about relationships when they've never had one?

She does have a magnificent marketing machine I'll admit.

I’m older than all of you (took tween and friends to see TS on her first headlining tour at the Verizon center) but I’ve give up on the “I don’t get it” question. The evidence of her success is clear, so many many people like her. No need to battle that. There’s lots of “success” that belies my comprehension: The Kardashians, Joe Rogen, wrestling, crocs, Jason Aldean …… Enjoy what you want to and let others do the same.

Anonymous wrote:These posters saying she has "a few catchy songs" -- that's just not correct. She has a TON of songs that are popular, have remained popular for years and span genres:

Shake it Off, Blank Space, Bad Blood, Me, You Belong with Me, Wildest Dream, Ready for It, Mean, We are Never Getting Back Together, I knew you were Trouble, You Need to Calm Down, Anti-Hero...

Those are just off the top of my head. You may not love all of them, but I bet you could sing at least some of the lyrics.

Yes, she has tons of popular songs, by imo very few of them are catchy. That’s what I find mystifying.

These posters saying she has "a few catchy songs" -- that's just not correct. She has a TON of songs that are popular, have remained popular for years and span genres:

Shake it Off, Blank Space, Bad Blood, Me, You Belong with Me, Wildest Dream, Ready for It, Mean, We are Never Getting Back Together, I knew you were Trouble, You Need to Calm Down, Anti-Hero...

Those are just off the top of my head. You may not love all of them, but I bet you could sing at least some of the lyrics.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Gen X here. I like her songs and will sing along on the radio but I have never bought her CDs or concert tickets.

Psst- it’s called streaming music, not buying CDs.

You do realize Swift actually sold albums as CDs way back when before streaming was a thing? That’s what I’m referring to. I never purchased any of her earlier albums on CDs. You’re obviously not Gen X. Our generation bought CDs and will continue to.

Honey I bought tapes.

I bought vinyl records before cassettes and before vinyl became a thing again. 33 and 45 rpm, not 78!

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Anonymous wrote:I'm with you OP...I don't get it. My teens say she's fine but very "basic." She just seems to lack any edge.

Her words cut like a knife. Not sure how you can say she has no edge lol. She’s all about the lyrics.

I think some of her songs would be ok if song by other people.

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Anonymous wrote:I'm an older millenial, and I also don't get the Taylor Swift craze. She's pretty and has a couple of catchy songs, but her voice isn't great, and the majority of her music is not good.

I also think the Beatles are horrible, so there's that.

It was never about her being pretty. People connect to her music. You don’t that’s fine.

She writes love songs. 99% of pop music is love songs. What’s so special about that?

If you can listen to all too well and not think it’s special I don’t know what to tell you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an older millenial, and I also don't get the Taylor Swift craze. She's pretty and has a couple of catchy songs, but her voice isn't great, and the majority of her music is not good.

I also think the Beatles are horrible, so there's that.

It was never about her being pretty. People connect to her music. You don’t that’s fine.

She writes love songs. 99% of pop music is love songs. What’s so special about that?

It’s not about her voice, it’s about her songwriting. Swifties identify strongly with her lyrics.

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Anonymous wrote:As a Gen Xer I’ve always been baffled by the popularity of Taylor Swift. Her songs - and voice are just so incredibly bland. It’s like the elevator music of pop. Are there millennials who are mystified by her success as well, or is this just a generational thing?

Music is bland, but she writes her own music and plays an instrument. Most millennial musicians do neither. Battles, pick your.

Multiple instruments

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gen X here. I like her songs and will sing along on the radio but I have never bought her CDs or concert tickets.

Psst- it’s called streaming music, not buying CDs.

You do realize Swift actually sold albums as CDs way back when before streaming was a thing? That’s what I’m referring to. I never purchased any of her earlier albums on CDs. You’re obviously not Gen X. Our generation bought CDs and will continue to.

Honey I bought tapes.

Anonymous wrote:I think that or being a foodie pretty much covers all millennials

I'm a millenial and am neither BUT I do think comparing being a Swiftie to being a foodie is apt. Some people just like her music (just like some people like going out to eat at restaurants), but Swifties have made liking Taylor Swift one of their core personality traits the same way some people have made an interest in food a core personality trait.

I do think that due to social media, millennial have had more pressure to have "a thing" or some kind of identifiable brand. Like "oh she's really into roller derby" or "yeah, that's the guy who runs marathons" or whatever. Before social media, I think there was less pressure for this because your world was smaller and people paid less attention to you. But social media creates these large groups of acquaintances (let's get real, if you are connected to 500 people on Facebook, what percent of those are actual friends versus just people how know in a much more casual way?) and then creates an attention marketplace, so people start to feel like they need some kind of hook. For one person it might be Taylor Swift fandom, for other going to Michelin starred restaurants. Other popular "things" are: traveling a lot, being really into yoga, being in recovery (yes, that's a real thing and yes, it's also a social media "thing" that people use to help stand out from others), being engaged/getting married, having a baby/being a parent, and being very politically vocal/active.

Yes. I am 33 and everyone loves her. I lost count of how many people I've seen going to her concerts lately. I enjoy some of her music but I'm not a "swiftie" and wouldn't go out of my way to see her live. I actually preferred her country stuff.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think that or being a foodie pretty much covers all millennials

We’re not all White you know…

… Or MC/UMC

I don’t believe this!!!