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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

606 replies

HomeatRoseCottage · 27/10/2023 19:33

I’ve had 1989 TV on all day and she’s just magic 🥰

OP posts:
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PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 21:50

She's not widely known outside her very young demographic.

swimsong · 27/10/2023 21:50

HomeatRoseCottage · 27/10/2023 19:52

I do think there are lots of good songwriters, but I don’t personally think anyone currently making music has been as lyrically impressive as she has consistently been for about 15 years now

Musically, you have led a very sheltered life. Some of the best music is released on small independent labels.

Rose & The Howling North 'Cuckoo' (Single Version)

This is the debut single from Leeds based band, ROSE & THE HOWLING NORTH called CUCKOO. The video was a co production collaboration with Natasha Acriniega an...

https://youtu.be/VBSPnzD0MbY?si=_LfUC062my86TT8c

Guavafish1 · 27/10/2023 21:50

like the crazy frog

RedRiverShore4 · 27/10/2023 21:50

HomeatRoseCottage · 27/10/2023 21:48

Over a hundred million people worldwide registered for tickets for her tour. A few people on mumsnet claiming not to know any of her songs isn’t really relevant in comparison.

Half of those would be parents though, having to accompany their offspring

EmmaEmerald · 27/10/2023 21:51

Chypre · 27/10/2023 21:46

@EmmaEmerald that is not the hill I am willing to die on as I am generally into My Dying Bride, Type-O-Negative and Katatonia type of music cough bats and ravens fly out Me personally (and many - MANY more) people would appreciate Taylor if she would be a tad more daring? So far it's been played a bit too safe, obviously, Taylor does not owe us shit but surely a woman who has the guts to screw recording labels twice over is capable of SO much more than "lavender haze"

I don't even know what you mean by that hill

but of course she will make the music she wants to make.

and she's only 33. Who knows what music will come next. You don't like Lavender Haze or Ready for It, okay, but there's a wide range there.

i loved seeing her perform with Def Leppard.

HomeatRoseCottage · 27/10/2023 21:51

PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 21:50

She's not widely known outside her very young demographic.

Her demographic isn’t very young. The majority of her fans are in their thirties and forties now. You can fact check these things before posting them!

OP posts:
EmmaEmerald · 27/10/2023 21:51

I must stop wasting time here...

y'all carry on with some indie record that's much cooler than mine 😂

DeeCee77 · 27/10/2023 21:52

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 27/10/2023 21:07

I couldn't name any of her songs! But am decorating tomorrow so will have a listen.

You can't, many can't (and that's when she's current).

Now fast forward 40 years, even fewer will.

There's nothing groundbreaking from her.

Shes a pleasant girl, who strums her guitar to a basic level, very average vocals, singing cheesy (but well crafted) songs written by a team of songwriters.

Giving her a grade among current artists? An A.
Among artists in the entire popular music era? C at most.

PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 21:52

Yawn.

RedRiverShore4 · 27/10/2023 21:52

I'm obviously much too old for this thread

feellikeanalien · 27/10/2023 21:52

I'm quite old and two of my favourite bands are Genesis and Pink Floyd and the next gig I'm going to is Simple Minds so I don't think I'm quite the demographic this thread is aiming at.😀

Having said that I quite like some of her songs. My 21 year old niece is an avid fan and has tickets for next year. She thinks she's fabulous. My sister told me that stress levels were through the roof in their house on the day the tickets came out.

HomeatRoseCottage · 27/10/2023 21:53

RedRiverShore4 · 27/10/2023 21:50

Half of those would be parents though, having to accompany their offspring

Her fan base is predominantly women aged between 25 and 45 (mostly over 30). We don’t need parental chaperones, believe me.

OP posts:
endlessfall · 27/10/2023 21:53

PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 21:50

She's not widely known outside her very young demographic.

Having been to concert most the people going were in their 20's not 12 year olds.
Yes there teenagers but there were also people in their 40's.
There was a decent spread of ages.

iolaus · 27/10/2023 21:54

I wouldn't agree that she's a once in a generation songwriter

I do think she's a good songwriter and singer, while she's not someone I would particularly want to go and see I'm sure if I went I'd enjoy it - and while I don't put her music on if it comes on I wouldn't want to turn it off (and would find my self singing along with it)

I do think she's one of the best long term artistes we have I don't think she's head and shoulders above the rest which would lead me to describe her as once in a generation (but I'm not convinced we currently have anyone who would meet that standard for me, possible Ed Sheeran but I'd probably rank him on the same level as Taylor Swift which is one below in my mind)

PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 21:55

repeat. .. yawn.

Tabbygabby · 27/10/2023 21:56

DeeCee77 · 27/10/2023 21:52

You can't, many can't (and that's when she's current).

Now fast forward 40 years, even fewer will.

There's nothing groundbreaking from her.

Shes a pleasant girl, who strums her guitar to a basic level, very average vocals, singing cheesy (but well crafted) songs written by a team of songwriters.

Giving her a grade among current artists? An A.
Among artists in the entire popular music era? C at most.

She's made a huge cultural impact, even if its passed you by. What regard her music will be held to in the decades to come is debatable, but I'd be seriously surprised if people hadn't heard of her. Plenty of mediocre artists are remembered decades on because their fans play their music for others if nothing else, she has done far more than just earn a few fans.

Have to say though as much as I enjoy her music and think she is talented, I hate her chasing of the $. Multiple releases of the same album, poor quality merch that doesn't ship for months- ew.

IAmAnIdiot123 · 27/10/2023 21:58

I like some of her music but she has absolutely stolen lyrics and music video ideas from lesser known artists which is shitty, she could have just paid and credited them.

I also really hated the song 'Look What You Made Me Do' as that line is often used by abusers and she has just normalised it for a whole new generation of young women which is a shame.

DeeCee77 · 27/10/2023 21:58

RedRiverShore4 · 27/10/2023 21:44

A lot of people don't know any of her songs, that is not generally the mark of a once in a generation songwriter

Bingo.

PlusOneTwoThree · 27/10/2023 21:58

I really hate that Taylor Swift fans can’t accept that others don’t get it or don’t love her more than their firstborn

So many people in here have said they quite like her but think she’s overrated or just don’t consider her the most amazing thing they’ve ever seen, but all the Swifties can not accept this and start shouting lyrics at them or songs at them and demanding they change their mind

I can’t think of any other fan base who just won’t accept that not every single of the 7 billion people on the earth will worship them

It’s so weird and cult like

Snowdayplease · 27/10/2023 22:00

RedRiverShore4 · 27/10/2023 21:50

Half of those would be parents though, having to accompany their offspring

If anyone would like me to accompany their offspring to the gig to save them the bother, I'm your woman.

Itwasamemo2 · 27/10/2023 22:00

It’s interesting though that most young people can sing a long to most 80s music and actually really enjoy it ,ie Niall Rodgers ,Chic ,Rod Stewart,Police,Duran Duran ,Spandau Ballet ,Madonna ,Culture Club and so I could go on TBH …my adult children really enjoy this music,whereas I cannot imagine their children ever enjoying Taylor Swift as background music 🤷‍♀️

DeeCee77 · 27/10/2023 22:02

EmmaEmerald · 27/10/2023 21:43

DeeCee give it forty years and people worldwide will still have "Lover" as their main wedding song but that won't be good enough for you.

Students will be listening to Anti Hero, globally, in 40 years, but that won't be good enough for you.

I genuinely dont know Lover.

Anti-hero I like..."I'm the problem its me"...good tune...and having just googled it I see it was co-written with one of her collaborators.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Hero(song)

Baring a handful of her devotees it wont be known in 40 years though.

Anti-Hero (song) - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Hero_(song)

WeeStyleIcon · 27/10/2023 22:02

@PlusOneTwoThree seems more like the other way around. If there were a thread to praise any other singer, it wouldn't attract posters just posting to say "nah, over rated, mediocre, for teenagers".

Just treat taylorvthe same as all the other singers you are not a fan of.

HereComesTheSunBriefly · 27/10/2023 22:03

I think she's an incredible businesswoman and a great performer/role model - plus obviously a prolific musician, and an all-round great person, from what I can see.

However I personally don't rate her songwriting because I find it a bit obvious and I never get that 'emotional' feeling that I want from music? She's never once made me 'feel' anything.

(I know she does make a lot of people feel things and feel seen which I'm not dissing at all - she just doesn't do it for me so I don't rate the writing.)

Janieforever · 27/10/2023 22:03

Some of these comments seem very odd, almost boasting they don’t like her,. She clearly is a very successful artist, and has a huge fan base, she’s very relatable, and is up there with current artists like Sheeran or Adele. Few reach these levels.

for me, I just think good for her, any woman who manages success I feel pleased about.