Taylor Swift

[Max Kuehnau]

As far as I remember, she mentioned having been exposed to Def Leppard (particularly Pyromania and Hysteria) at a very early age, so that's some indication

[KevShmev]

For sure.

I thought the below was a good read.  I will copy and paste some good stuff that I think says it well.  Not trying to convert anyone, but it feels like a lot of people here would have much more of an appreciation for her if they gave her a real chance. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/TaylorSwift/comments/q5a7p4/why_do_you_think_taylor_swift_is_so_popular_among/

Why do you think Taylor Swift is so popular among rock / metal fans?

My friend sent me a screenshot of this post and she thought it was me lol. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a super dedicated hardcore Iron Maiden fan, I adore the band completely and they're the reason why I've grown into discovering a passion in music.

My friend is the one who introduced me into Taylor Swift, we did a few listening parties over Discord/Spotify and because she is without a doubt the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Taylor, she helped me understand the songs.

I've been hooked since. Why? I like my music telling stories, if you know Maiden then you know a majority of their songs tell epic tales, like When The Wild Wind Blows, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the list goes on.

I can't stand listening to music without a meaning and I think Taylor does what Maiden does and dials it to 11. Each of her songs have an in depth meaning with very well thought out lyrics and you have some stories that span multiple songs. Plus she sounds fucking amazing

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I mostly listen to indie rock, and in the past it was mostly psychedelic and progressive rock, but Taylor has always been among my very favorite artist. These days I focus on the emotions behind music before anything else, I like things that feel dramatic and lyrical, and I've always gravitated towards anything that is better on repeated listens, that you can notice more and more details in the more you focus on it. To me, Taylor stands out from other pop artists because she has this narrative density in her songs, they take a while to fully unpack, and with her more recent work she writes about a big variety of things - her songs feel unpredictable on first listen and her career as a whole is definitely unpredictable, which holds my interest. There's a huge amount of passion put into everything she does, even when she's not singing about her own life, I feel those emotions coming from her vocals as strongly as if these things were happening to her, right now. I don't hate other pop music but I don't love most of it either, because it doesn't really have those qualities.

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Taylor Swift is a damn good artist and it doesn't matter what your preferred genre is when there's someone writing magic and singing it with passion. She works hard and she has a kind heart, which makes her fans stay loyal to her once they're attracted to her by her music.

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I was really into metal and indie in college. Metal is an incredibly complex genre and it really made me appreciate musicianship, songwriting, and mixing.

For me though, I got really tired of the elitism that can run in music nerd circles. I was into some obscure stuff and the culture can be insufferable (why do you think hipsters get so much hate).

I got turned onto Taylor slowly but embraced her in my adulthood because A) I wasn't so far up my own ass anymore and B) She is genuinely a great songwriter and the production on her albums is interesting. If she had stayed in country and never moved beyond Love Story she wouldn't be as interesting. But she has shown her diversity, talent and knowledge as an artist which I appreciate.

AND, it's okay to like something even if it isn't "cool" or mainstream. there's plenty in pop for serious music nerds to appreciate

[Stadler]

Nah, I will stick with the digital version.

Just like Folklore, Evermore and Red (TV), if I eventually see the vinyl at Target or something for an affordable price, I'll probably buy it, but I will pass on making a clock. 

I bought the four versions of Lover for my daughter for Christmas.  I guess I'm locked in to buying her a clock for Xmas this year. 

[KevShmev]

Nah, I will stick with the digital version.

Just like Folklore, Evermore and Red (TV), if I eventually see the vinyl at Target or something for an affordable price, I'll probably buy it, but I will pass on making a clock. 

I bought the four versions of Lover for my daughter for Christmas.  I guess I'm locked in to buying her a clock for Xmas this year. 

There ya go. 

I have a feeling tour dates are coming soon for next spring and summer as well.  I am all-in to see her assuming she comes to STL.

[MirrorMask]

Wonder if it'll be a bit of a move away from the last two?

My guess based on nothing but the description she gave last night is that it will be somewhat similar to Folklore and Evermore, but different enough to where it doesn't sound like the 3rd part of a trilogy. 

Good enough for me. As long as it's in the same ballpark, I'm in!

[KevShmev]

She has way too much fun with this stuff. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cWpZi8WYNg

Also, very nice performance of the long version of All Too Well last night at the Nashville Songwriter Awards where she received the songwriter-artist of the decade award.  Note that it is difficult to often hear her because of how loud the fans are singing along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOQCHu2UmU

[MirrorMask]

Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhall: "OMFG how long I'll have to hear about that song about the goddamn scarf again" 

[Stadler]

Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhall: "OMFG how long I'll have to hear about that song about the goddamn scarf again" 

HAHAHA

[XeRocks81]

She has way too much fun with this stuff. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cWpZi8WYNg

Also, very nice performance of the long version of All Too Well last night at the Nashville Songwriter Awards where she received the songwriter-artist of the decade award.  Note that it is difficult to often hear her because of how loud the fans are singing along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOQCHu2UmU

It gets to me every single time I hear a new performance of this song, even a low quality cellphone video of it.   I had tears in my eyes at the end watching it with headphones on in a mcdonalds lobby. 

[KevShmev]

It gets to me every single time I hear a new performance of this song, even a low quality cellphone video of it.   I had tears in my eyes at the end watching it with headphones on in a mcdonalds lobby.

While I still prefer the original 5 1/2 minute version, the 10-minute TV is pretty amazing as well, and she has somehow managed to make the song even more popular than it already was.  I don't see her ever playing the song in the arrangement we got on the original Red anymore.  From this point forward, it will be always be the long version.

[Zook]

I'm sick of the song to be honest. That said, I'd rather listen to it than any song from a certain other 2 albums she's released. But really though, it's a nice Song, but it's not amazing. Never was. I think I'm just sick of Taylor Swift. My wife is to blame for that one.

[KevShmev]

Tell your wife to listen to other kinds of music. (and let me know how that goes )

[nobloodyname]

Do you know what song I really like? Stay Stay Stay. It makes me warble along and smile. Had to share that

[KevShmev]

Do you know what song I really like? Stay Stay Stay. It makes me warble along and smile. Had to share that

Yep, that song is so fun and bouncy, I can't help but enjoy it as well. I do think TV was one she kind of bungled, as the bass line, which is pretty rad in the original, was buried, but fortunately the original Red is still my go-to when I want to hear the proper album.

[nobloodyname]

That's interesting. It's Taylor's Version I've been listening to recently so I'll go back and check the original.

[KevShmev]

That's interesting. It's Taylor's Version I've been listening to recently so I'll go back and check the original.

The below live version doesn't have the greatest quality (feels like bootleg quality), but you can hear the bass pretty well.  The bass player is even featured prominently visually in the performance.  And you can tell Taylor had an absolute blast singing this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHAX3ZcoxQ

[Deadeye21]

Man, i’m a hit or miss Taylor listener (don’t lump me in as a fan, I dislike more than I enjoy) and even I gotta say the original version of Stay Stay Stay far and wide destroys the Taylor’s Version. Whoever mixed the new version really failed to understand how much that track made the song.

[nobloodyname]

That's interesting. It's Taylor's Version I've been listening to recently so I'll go back and check the original.

The below live version doesn't have the greatest quality (feels like bootleg quality), but you can hear the bass pretty well.  The bass player is even featured prominently visually in the performance.  And you can tell Taylor had an absolute blast singing this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHAX3ZcoxQ

Oh, that was fun! Great to see the bass player being featured so much. Looked like he was really enjoying himself, too.

The bass is definitely mixed a little louder in the original version. Not by a massive amount, though. I'd have liked it to have been boosted a bit more even in that version.

[KevShmev]

Man, i’m a hit or miss Taylor listener (don’t lump me in as a fan, I dislike more than I enjoy) and even I gotta say the original version of Stay Stay Stay far and wide destroys the Taylor’s Version. Whoever mixed the new version really failed to understand how much that track made the song.

Regardless of who mixed is, I suspect Taylor calls the shots, so whoever mixed if that way did so because she wanted it that way.  I don't get it, but there were a few other choices on TV of Red that differed slightly from the original that I didn't get either, but her music, her choice.  Like my beefs with the Flower Kings remixes, I don't have to like it, but the artist can do what they want with their music.

That's interesting. It's Taylor's Version I've been listening to recently so I'll go back and check the original.

The below live version doesn't have the greatest quality (feels like bootleg quality), but you can hear the bass pretty well.  The bass player is even featured prominently visually in the performance.  And you can tell Taylor had an absolute blast singing this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHAX3ZcoxQ

Oh, that was fun! Great to see the bass player being featured so much. Looked like he was really enjoying himself, too.

The bass is definitely mixed a little louder in the original version. Not by a massive amount, though. I'd have liked it to have been boosted a bit more even in that version.

For sure, but I don't have any real complaints about the sound of her albums in general.  Considering the last two decades have been the age of compression overload and the Loudness Wars, her albums usually sound quite good.  Even her most overtly pop albums rarely sees the levels hitting the edges on the top or bottom (when looking at the levels on Audacity for example).

[nobloodyname]

Agreed. I think she genuinely cares about the quality of her output.

[KevShmev]

Agreed. I think she genuinely cares about the quality of her output.

Absolutely.  She is big on using the word "artist" to describe herself and others.  She is the real deal. 

[KevShmev]

Five track titles down in Taylor's "Midnight Mayhem With Me" series, eight more to go!

1.
2. Maroon
3.
4.
5.
6. Midnight Rain
7. Question.. ?
8. Vigilante Shit
9.
10.
11.
12.
13. Mastermind

[MirrorMask]

I never would have imagined I was looking forward to a Taylor Swift album 

I mean, I'm gonna check it out regardless, but please please please let it be in the vein of folklore and evermore, even though not an exact carbon copy - I hope for more moody and minimalistic stuff, with no disco or overly commercial pop influences....

[KevShmev]

I never would have imagined I was looking forward to a Taylor Swift album 

I mean, I'm gonna check it out regardless, but please please please let it be in the vein of folklore and evermore, even though not an exact carbon copy - I hope for more moody and minimalistic stuff, with no disco or overly commercial pop influences....

Based on the colors and aesthetics of her promos and clothing in the Midnight Mayhem With me series, I am guessing the album will not be overtly pop at all.  I suspect it will be more like Folklore and Evermore than her previous albums, but still not that similar to either.  She seems to really enjoy genre hopping, so be ready for anything. 

[Crow]

the prediction i'm seeing thrown around a lot (that i agree with) is that it'll be more minimal bedroom pop

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I'm still waiting for her to go full Atmospheric or Folk Black Metal. She already had the album cover for it with Folklore 

[Crow]

get her in contact with the panopticon guy tbh

[KevShmev]

We can all make predictions till we're blue in the face, but no one really knows anything. 

[Zook]

We can all make predictions till we're blue in the face, but no one really knows anything. 

The only thing I know for sure is I'll be subjected to this album an obscene amount of times. My only hope is it's tolerable like the last two.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

get her in contact with the panopticon guy tbh

Yeah, that would be Austin Lunn and that's actually not a bad idea....He'd be relatively easy to reach out to through his bandcamp page. Getting ahold of Taylor Swift would be a whole other matter.

[MirrorMask]

We can all make predictions till we're blue in the face, but no one really knows anything. 

The only thing I know for sure is I'll be subjected to this album an obscene amount of times. My only hope is it's tolerable like the last two.

Tolerable? the rest of her discography is tolerable, compared to the magnificence and brilliance of Folklore and Evermore.

[soupytwist]

We can all make predictions till we're blue in the face, but no one really knows anything. 

The only thing I know for sure is I'll be subjected to this album an obscene amount of times. My only hope is it's tolerable like the last two.

Tolerable? the rest of her discography is tolerable, compared to the magnificence and brilliance of Folklore and Evermore.

Hope she work with the Dessner's again, I feel Aaron added the magic to those albums.

[Zook]

We can all make predictions till we're blue in the face, but no one really knows anything. 

The only thing I know for sure is I'll be subjected to this album an obscene amount of times. My only hope is it's tolerable like the last two.

Tolerable? the rest of her discography is tolerable, compared to the magnificence and brilliance of Folklore and Evermore.

If you remove Shake it Off and the horrendous Bad Blood, 1989 is better than Folklore and Evermore combined. Opinions are fun.

[Crow]

I'm not 100% sure I'd agree with that overall but those two sure are the worst songs on the album and stick out like a sore thumb huh

[KevShmev]

Y'all are nuts.   Shake It Off is, hands down, one of the greatest pop songs ever.  Bad Blood has its moments, but is one I can pretty much do without.

Also, it looks like track 3 is called Anti-Hero, and Taylor said this about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2t1cvSdgDA

Her clothing is so 70s.