To not get the Taylor swift hype?

[StopBeingASquare]

I have my hard hat on.
Probably going to get my arse handed to me on a plate.

I really don't get all this fuss about Taylor swift, I just find her utterly boring. All this fuss about midnight / album / preorders / codes to then try and attempt to get tickets in Scotland when you live on the cliffs of lands end. Threads and threads about it and people planning their outfits when the gig is a year away, I thought gig attire was jeans and a tour T shirt?! From various YouTube videos I've seen of her singing live I have to say I wasn't impressed at all. Mediocre voice, dodging high notes. I'm obviously a minority here as there's people willing to sell a kidney to just get a code to be in with a chance of getting a ticket.

I saw Pink in Hyde park a few weeks ago where she was singing live, doing incredible acts, dancing, acrobats etc and it was incredible. I'm not trying to compare, but I just find Taylor so average!

Can anyone tell me why there's all of this hype. I'm fully aware my username is rather fitting.

(I'll get my coat..)

What a silly little comment. You sound extremely immature: ‘you’re average’ 😂

Yes I am an average person. As most likely, are you. That’s ok.

And having a private jet does not impress me at all.

‘I think’ she is average, with an average voice and average tunes. You can have a childish tantrum if you want; I still think she is average. That’s ok. I am sure TS isn’t crying about that. My daughter has enough enthusiasm for both of us though!

I am embarrassed for you.

I did not say she is average. I said ‘I think’ she is average. Millions don’t agree with me I know.

Why are you lot taking it so personally?? My teen daughter knows I find TS meh. She doesn’t get so upset about it. She is clearly far more mature than you.

Max Martin isn’t “responsible” for any of her hits. He co-wrote some of her songs with her. The songwriting credits thing, well legally if someone who is just sitting on the couch in the corner of the room while she’s writing a song suggests one word in one line, they have to get songwriting credit. I mean for fuck’s sake Richard Ashcroft had to give the entire songwriting credit for Bittersweet Symphony to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards because he used a short string sample of theirs! But Taylor has been the chief writer of every song on every album, which for someone with a back catalogue as long and varied as hers is no mean feat.

And she does write incredible songs. Yeah there’s some middle of the road pop in there but even the lyrics to her poppiest pop songs are very witty and clever when you actually listen to them.

But songs like Ronan, and Bigger Than The Whole Sky… I can’t even listen to them, they’re so gut wrenching and personal.

I find her voice beautiful… there’s no ridiculously overblown melisma like you get with Beyoncé, no belting high notes - because she’s an alto and she knows her range and sticks to it. Her voice had a lovely smooth, mellow tone which harmonises perfectly, and when she sings you can actually hear what she’s singing which you often can’t with eg Ariana Grande or Lady Gaga. Having an 8 octave range and a Richter scale vibrato aren’t the only hallmarks of a talented vocalist.

I think what’s made this tour so massive is that it’ll be her first time in the UK for 6 years, it’s covering songs from all 10 of her albums including 4 that are being performed live for the first time, and the scale and the production of the shows is absolutely insane. Yeah the tickets are expensive but nobody could look at the footage coming out on SM and say they can’t see where the money is going. And she does put on an amazing show… I went to see her at Wembley for the Reputation tour and it was one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen - better than the Foo Fighters who I saw the following night, and I really love them too!

I’m going to one of the Wembley shows next year with some friends- we’re late 30’s to mid-40’s in age so the idea that all her fans are teenybopper kids is ridiculous. I find music snobbery so depressing, it’s sad that anyone has to defend their music taste. There are globally massive artists and bands that I’m really not into, so I don’t buy their albums, I don’t go to their shows and I don’t start threads about them.

Bless you. She does look great. But you do realise she has had a lot of plastic surgery?

But she is a very limited vocalist, can’t dance, doesn’t have great stage presence. I like some of her songs but don’t understand the obsession with her tour.

Well, my point wasn't really that loads of people that weren't previously interested in her would be interested in the tour, but that it would be particularly appealing to anyone who does already like her, more so than the majority of tours which are built around one album release.

Do many men go to her concerts, I have never heard DS(32) mention her and he goes to loads of gigs and Glastonbury every year or is it just mainly women

Taylor's fans don't give a shit that others don't care about Taylor. We really don't. So save your breath, and your faux confusion and blatherings like 'how come she is sooo popular,?'

I would completely and utterly dispute this. I have read so many debates on here about different artists and whether they are truly talented . But I have never seen anything like the defensiveness of Taylor Swift fans. It is those fans who are accusing people of musical snobbery and of thinking themselves cool and edgy - just for not liking Taylor Swift. If you love a particular artist, just own it, without the massive chip on your shoulder.

Disclaimer: I have no opinion on her as I haven't listened to any of her music. That's not some sort of weird snobbery. It's just a fact. She could have wonderful depths. She could be a poet. She could be Seamus Heaney in a frock for all I know.

She gets a fair amount of men at her gigs, from the clips I've seen on social media, but her main audience is definitely women and girls. But whether she appeals less to men is neither here nor there.

Mainly women. And dads, and boyfriends, and sons. But that is also ok 😉her message is very much one of the female experience. And we need artists to do that too I think!

‘But I have never seen anything like the defensiveness of Taylor Swift fans.’

It is certainly the case here!! They are taking it oh so personally.

Then again there are people like my teen. Who knows I have heard so many TS songs yet still find them average. She doesn’t mind. I took two half days off work to get her tickets to two concerts. Surely that’s enough and my duty is done?!

But for some fans, it’s unacceptable to call her music average. It’s quite odd.

I kind of suspect it’s the word average that people took umbrage to tbh.

I think? (Could be wrong obviously) that you’re meaning it in a, she’s not to my taste and I have no strong feelings about her music kind of average. But people are maybe reading it a different way.

in fairness, I think she doesn’t do it for me is an opinion and everyone has different opinions on what music they do or don’t like and it’s pretty pointless (and a bit odd really) trying to argue someone should have the same taste in music as you.

I’ll argue the point over something like whether she writes songs because whether someone likes them or not, she does.

Or whether she’s a bad dancer is a valid criticism because, she’s not a dancer, if I wanted to watch dancing I’d buy tickets for that... for the record, I’ve seen fall out boy and they didn’t dance at all, but that’s never something people criticise them for 🤣

The whole thread is bizarre, it's not jolly like the recent Bruce Springsteen one was

I took two half days off work to get her tickets to two concerts. Surely that’s enough and my duty is done?!

That's above and beyond! I'm sure your teen appreciates you a lot. (and I'm assuming you used your cc too )

You’re entitled to like you who like. I think the pandemic and months of limited ability to go to gigs has fuelled the hype for artists like Taylor Swift. She isn’t the best singer but she puts on a good performance and some of her song writing is stunning.

I don’t get the hype of Harry Styles either but I’m not his target market. I can see why other people adore him though.

can NOT stand her 'music' if that's what we are calling it. others are welcome to love it/sell their organs to get tickets. she is a very pretty lady with a phenomenal PR team

Honestly your not the only one.

I find her music ok but I'm not a fan and never will be one and I don't go out my way to listen to her music - she's too mainstream for my liking. Not enough charisma for me to want to travel and spend god knows how much on a concert to see her.

I personally think SM have hailed her as the queen of break up songs and taps into a market but yeah I don't find her interesting in the slightest. My two pennies.

The fact that she is 33 doesn't mean her target audience are middle aged. Not sure where Forbes got it's figures from but I am pretty sceptical that only 11% of her "avid fans" are generation z while 23% are baby boomers. You only have to look at her audience to see that is highly unlikely.

It’s not ‘music’, it’s music.

Sneery comments like that are the reason this thread isn’t jolly like the Bruce Springsteen one was. People aren’t snobby and downright rude about him.

Not sure where Forbes got it's [sic] figures from but I am pretty sceptical that only 11% of her "avid fans" are generation z while 23% are baby boomers. You only have to look at her audience to see that is highly unlikely.

Ok. Well perhaps you can take that up with Forbes, and let them know their data is incorrect?

I have plenty of colleagues, mostly millennials and gen X who are beyond excited to get tickets, I also know plenty of GenZ who are are not that fussed about her. All anecdotal, of course, and just my personal experience.

Or perhaps just accept my original comment in the spirit it was written rather than assume my age, or ignore my ability to recognise that whilst I also don't understand the TS phenomenon, I'm glad others enjoy her music.

@Itwasrare I'm assuming you're one of us with that username?

I don't think that she's had a LOT of surgery. I know people think she has had a boob job, and it's likely true, but as my own got much bigger in my 20s, there's a (slim) possibility she hasn't.

I think she has had a very successful nose job (it's a bit slimmer), but aside from that I don't think there's much else obvious. My point is that she looks natural and any work she has had done has only amplified her natural beauty, rather than trying to look like someone else. There's so many fake looking women now. Huge, inflated lips, fillers everywhere, far too much makeup. She keeps it simple.

Just to add, on top of all that she's also been re-recording several of her albums, because her previous music company wouldn't sell the rights to her, but sold them to someone else if I recall correctly. She's extremely hard working, a good example for teenage girls, has spoken out about problems she had with eating habits and conforming to the standards women are supposed to conform to 🙄, she talks and sings about equality, rights for LGBTQ+, her songs are catchy .. yes I'm a massive fan and will be going to a gig next year with dd, but even if I wasn't I'd be able to recognise that she's a good person. However, we're surely all entitled to our own opinions and tastes.

Nope. Don't get the hype.

Also apparently in the US she has been putting in a three and a half to four hour show, no breaks, apart from costume changes. Her shows are spectacular too.

My 16 year old DD is a "Swiftie" and has just managed to get tickets for the Cardiff show - she is ecstatic! I am definitely more of a Pink fan myself, but I do quite like some of TS's songs (which is lucky, as they are often being played at full volume around the house!)

I can only tell you from my POV what appears to appeal to my DD about Taylor Swift; her lyric writing abilities, the way she seems to be able to describe exactly how things feel emotionally and that resonates with teenagers. My DD says she finds her really relatable and accessible, like someone anyone could be friends with.

As for the hysteria around this tour in particular; the Eras show is around 4 hours long and TS sings 40 songs - that's a huge set list and a real treat for her fans to enjoy some old favourites, as well as her newer stuff. TS has designed a stage which extends out into the arena, and performs in different areas all the way along it, ensuring people in different part of the arena, even those really far back, have a chance at a decent view. All ticketholders are given a light up wristband as they enter the arena, which glow different colours at different times, creating a light show in the audience. There's lots of online communication among Swifities and this has led to loads of special outfits or lyric printed t-shirts that fans wear to her shows. There's also the friendship bracelets - different lyrics spelled out in brightly coloured beads (my DD has already started working on the 75 bracelets she wants to make, and the show isn't until June next year!) which you take to exchange with other Swifities at the concert. It sounds like a real production, I know it's something my DD will remember forever.

I think Taylor is (for some) the voice of their generation and that's why there's so much hype, it's not that different to the hysteria around The Beatles, except that the internet drives more communication and information about the stars and social media gives fans a platform to worship and discuss their favourites,

So you’re saying you prefer to listen to some indie record that’s much cooler than hers?

😂 sorry, but like, the joke was right there....I couldn’t not do it.