Taylor Swift - Would we have even heard of her if she existed in the 70's?

[DrH. Lecter]

I initially thought this was going to devolve into another political thread but, thankfully, it has not.

Are we really saying her music is too "simple". My brother, you listed Shinedown as one of your 3 favorite bands. Pop is inherently simplified because it appeals to a mass audience. It's the reason metalheads like myself loathed it forever until we realized it wasn't for us and to stay in our lane.

In the same way, Shinedown is just a pop version of hard rock. Compared to someone like SOAD (who isn't terribly difficult themselves with their drop tunings, but still infinitely more musical) Shinedown is hard rock Taylor Swift, with about 1/1000 of the following. Then you have a band like Metallica that inspired 100 million guitar players in their wake. There's just levels to every genre of music.

You compared TS to Pink Floyd, you can't compare anyone to Pink Floyd. They are 1 of 1 in an era full of bands we thought were unique. TS is packaged to be sold to everyone. Pink Floyd did that in spite of being as inaccessible to anyone not on acid.

TS is equal parts marketing and song writing. It's not for me, and I do not enjoy it. My 6 year old daughter does and, honestly, I'd prefer that over someone who is either A.) much more vulgar and constantly showing 98.9% of their body or B.) A horrible influence generally (drug addled, etc.).

There were a ton of shitty "good" bands in the 70's (and 80's, 90's, aughts, today etc.) and, in spite of the internet making music much easier to get to the masses, I'd argue it's even harder to break through now because of that ability to choose nearly anything else. It's why I'm convinced that many of the big stars are manufactured (you can't tell me the Chappell Roan artist isn't a plant). The main difference now is that social media is taking the place of radio for reaching listeners and may be the only "organic" growth of an artist we see now.

But music is wildly subjective. Always has been and will be. It's frustrating that your favorite band is underground (I love you Closure in Moscow) or barely made it above water (you too Mars Volta), but you gotta take that and enjoy what you can from it and do so not at the expense of popular artists. Like, why did Jennifer Lopez sell 80 million records. By nearly any metric you can muster, she is a horrible singer who used connections in the industry to "sell" her "music". Yet, there she is, 80 million records sold.

My musical taste is across the board. I play guitar, E Standard tuned. I am not generally a drop tuned fan although it is what you are going to get with metal. I am more Major than Minor key in my taste. That is why I was less inclined to be a Pink Floyd fan. I do however listen to their stuff in amazement. David Gilmour...wow.

I like Serj Tankian who I think is underrated, and I like ABBA so sue me.

 

[Irish Beck]

My musical taste is across the board. I play guitar, E Standard tuned. I am not generally a drop tuned fan although it is what you are going to get with metal. I am more Major than Minor key in my taste. That is why I was less inclined to be a Pink Floyd fan. I do however listen to their stuff in amazement. David Gilmour...wow.

I like Serj Tankian who I think is underrated, and I like ABBA so sue me.

Abba is amazing, it helps that they have a ton of natural talent. Serj is a unique vocalist, for sure, and Daron only makes their music more unique. I love SOAD, in small portions.

My only argument was that most any popular music, regardless of genre, is going to inherently be "simple" and that shouldn't be used as a detriment to any popular artist.

 

[christophero]

She would have been a star in the 70's I think. If the Carpenters or John Denver (who I both like now that I am older) can be two of the biggest selling acts of the decade so could TS.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Hard to say as it was a different era. I think she still would have been successful but not to the level she is today. The internet and social media era make her way more popular than she would have been 50 years ago IMO.

I agree as well that she doesn't really have any peers to compete with. I mean beonce was there for a while but she's doing random country albums now so I think she's not as popular as she used to be (still she is still very popular though).

I see KL is performing at the Super Bowl 2nite. Dude has 22 grammies and I can't even be sure I know any of his songs. Ironically the one song I do know him from is TS Bad Blood from years ago. Just speaks to how old and out of touch I am.

Usher and Luda and Eminem and 50 cent and snoop and Dre, etc from some of the halftime n the last few years were more for me though.

 

[WayneDougan]

Debbie Boone was not popular in the 70s. Her father was famous so she was fed a song. A one hit wonder. The song was embraced by religious radio and top 40. It's longevity on the pop chart has nothing to do with it.

How many #1 singles did Pink Floyd have? So Debbie Boone was their equal?

Again, your stupid f’ing question was “Would we have even heard of her if she existed in the 70's?”

 

[cole854]

My only argument was that most any popular music, regardless of genre, is going to inherently be "simple"

That couldn't be further from the truth. Perhaps your definition of simple are See Spot Run lyrics with a teenage fan base who was sold a bill of goods by an outstanding marketing program.

Obvious by many of these comments, that my superior tastes in multiple genres dwarf most. Admitted, every successful artist has their simplistic material but not an entire catalog that is pushed down your throat by mainstream radio.

 

[DrH. Lecter]

Again, your stupid f’ing question was “Would we have even heard of her if she existed in the 70's?”

To the degree we've heard of Disco Duck and a Pet Rock....I suppose you are correct we may have heard of her.

 

[WayneDougan]

To the degree we've heard of Disco Duck and a Pet Rock....I suppose you are correct we may have heard of her.

Taylor Swift is as prolific a music writer as any woman has ever been.

 

[Dore95]

One thing I know is that we would have never heard of f’ing Shinedown in the 70s.

 

[AmericanDragon]

The disco era the golden era of music?

L
O
L

 

[AmericanDragon]

Good lord it’s okay to say that she makes good music. I promise you it isn’t going to prevent you from being masculine. It doesn’t make you automatically gay to say she’s good at what she does. I will never understand why that chicks fame makes these old ass dudes so insecure.

Because it reminds them of how mediocre they are

 

[Mash 2.4]

Yeah. Most of us only listen to classic rock. There was a shit ton of garbage on the radio in the 70’s and 80’s as well. I respect Taylor Swifts business acumen and work ethic even if i don’t listen to her. However the song she did with Bon Iver is a really good song and holds up with about any ballad from my generation.

 

[DrH. Lecter]

However the song she did with Bon Iver is a really good song and holds up with about any ballad from my generation.

Oh really. LOL. So sad to hear that.

 

[DrH. Lecter]

The disco era the golden era of music?

L
O
L

A sentence said by no one ever

 

[DrH. Lecter]

Taylor Swift is as prolific a music writer as any woman has ever been.

In the same way that wild hogs are prolific in the southwest.

 

[Irish Beck]

Alright, we get it, you don't like her or her music.

Just don't conflate that with some lack of talent or business acumen somehow meaning she would be irrelevant in other eras. This is about as foolish a comparison as saying Larry Bird couldn't play in the modern NBA (along with the modern sports science, youth scene, etc.) or Lebron (who is basically a TE) couldn't play in the physical era of the 80's and 90's.

All of these examples include people that are the results of their era and have achieved greatness, greatness is often universal.

 

[WayneDougan]

In the same way that wild hogs are prolific in the southwest.

There’s a reason only criminals and weirdos love heavy metal.

 

[kyeric]

I always love music threads and this is no exception.

So many people with such certain beliefs about such a subjective topic as good vs bad music.

I think she sucks...for my taste. It ends there.

 

[bigbluedon]

The disco era the golden era of music?

L
O
L

The Disco era occurred during the golden era of music. That’s what should have been said. Not sure where your statement above came from but I thought I would state how it should have been said.

 

[DrH. Lecter]

There’s a reason only criminals and weirdos love heavy metal.

Good point.

Wear a hat and nobody will notice.

 

[Jeff Drummond]

If you don’t listen to her you won’t know her songs. She has plenty of famous songs.

You missed my point. There are many artists I don't actively go out of my way to listen to. Of the biggest, I STILL know a handful of songs. I've never heard anything from her besides the Shake It Off song that I can name. I've probably heard a few others and didn't realize it, but none of them are memorable enough to know by name. My wife reminds me as I type this of a song that says something about never taking you back. So maybe there's 2.

I'm not knocking her. Just saying I don't totally understand the phenomenon.

 

[cole854]

Taylor Swift is as prolific a music writer as any woman has ever been.

Oh lord. SMH.