AIBU to say Taylor Swift is a once in a generation songwriter?

Meh

"Its highly unusual for a modern female artist to write about their emotions and experiences without centering or trying to appeal to men"

What?!! Have you been living under a rock for the last 50 years? I wouldn't even know where to begin to list the many, many female singer/songwriters who have done just that since the early 70s, and many on that list who have far more style and ability than TS

Honestly... Shake It Off is to her entire discography as Yellow Submarine is to The Beatles, or Bicycle to Queen. Freddie Mercury wrote Bicycle but I don't see anyone bringing that up and saying he only wrote cheesy pop songs.

// This

I had this exact conversation with my 22 year old daughter last night. We’re going to Dublin to see her next year and she says she thinks she’ll cry!! 😫 Daughter not me obvs 🤣

A lot of her fans seem to be the age to have teenage daughters so would be influenced by that

I do love AM but this is probably my least favourite song

Its highly unusual for a modern female artist to write about their emotions and experiences without centering or trying to appeal to men, some people can't handle it so not surprised some can't just leave it at I don't like it myself and go to lengths and tie themselves in knots to explain just how much they hate her and her music.

I wouldn’t say “once in a generation” but took DD to watch “the eras tour” at the cinema and found I knew more songs than I thought. I’m more impressed at her being a shrew business woman. Anyone who can write hundreds of songs, pull off tours, sell out the tours at the cinema (!)) and then rewrite all her albums and re-release them, needs applauding! I think she’s a good role model for young women. Would rather DD emulate her than artist who swear every other word and show off every inch of their bodies.

No she's amazing, but mumsnet is the wrong audience for this post lol.

Folklore and evermore are my fave! She is an amazing lyricist.

Internal misogyny is rife inside people when it comes to Taylor Swift unfortunately.

The ones you've heard might sound the same, there is no way they all sound the same because they don't.

She’s no Joni Mitchell.

I completely agree with this - I adore Dolly!

She is sensational. A brilliant songwriter. I've loved music as long as I can remember (I'm 51) and 1989 is my favourite pop album. Have listened to it 100s of times and never get tired of it.

I'm not a fan of Taylor but I do think she's good at what she does - singing and performing. That takes energy and skill and talent.

But having read her song lyrics on here, I really don't understand all the people saying her lyrics are amazing - they just remind me of the kind of stuff I wrote in my blog as a teenager. It kind of reminds me of how I used to try and show how deep and meaningful and "special" I was when in reality I was just a dramatic teenage girl 😂

I do appreciate that's just personal taste though.

I couldn't sing along to any of her songs nor Ed Sheeran or most other more modern artists as the only time I might hear them is on the radio which is only when I am in the car with DH so I wouldn't know the words. I only listen to artists of my youth at home and will take time to listen to the new Rolling Stones album which I see is no. 1. I listen to CDs in the car when I am on my own not the radio so my exposure to modern artists is quite low. It is very easy to avoid modern pop music, I mainly listen to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits but I wouldn't start a thread and copy and paste their writings as that would probably be a bit crass.

I literally could only name you ‘Shake it Off’ (which I quite like).

She seems bland. But I’m in my forties and not her target audience, I guess. Although neither my 18 yr old or 15 yr old are into her music either, and 15 yr old says ‘her fans are weird’

I have heard of her and I think I would recognise her, but I have not got a clue what songs she has produced.

I do find it peculiar that people are absolute on the fact that they haven't heard any of her songs.

How can they know? Unless they never leave their house, it's highly unlikely.

There are plenty of artists that I know the name of, and I couldn't make one of their songs - but as soon as I hear one I can sing along. I just don't know who sings them. Music is everywhere - how on earth can people avoid one hugely popular artist so completely that they have never heard one of her songs in the last 17 years??

I remember when she first came on the scene I wondered how on earth she was popular. A very plain woman singing pop songs. I also had the impression that she was popular with kids and therefore not really someone an adult would listen to.

I’ve recently been told off by people for thinking that, but I couldn’t name a single one of her songs. I might give her a listen soon to see what the fuss is about.

Now we're talking!

Same here.

Huge lol at Ed Sheeran comments. His songwriting is lazy cliches and objectifying tosh - super catchy though.

I think TayTay shows moments of a lyrical genius. Maybe I like her songs more than Ed's because she is more relatable for me, whereas Ed's just a man boy.

I am 46 but stuck in a second adolescence apparently. My boy and girl teens both love Taylor and consider Ed Sheeran something their dad likes 😂

I love that’s she’s 33/34 and I’ve heard her stuff.

Makes me feel less old.

Just as there's no need to claim that she's qualitatively better than thousands of other artists that you've never heard, as the OP ignorantly does.

Not a patch on Dolly Parton.