The Taylor Swift Topic: Teen Country Sensation to World-Dominating Pop Star

[Rick Kitchen]

ugh

[methodwriter85]

I like to imagine this is on Taylor Swift's dartboard:

 

 

I wonder if "Out of the Woods" being a single would've happened if the Adele juggernaut hadn't completely topped the 1989 juggernaut.

Edited December 30, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Dejana]

"Out of the Woods" is a single; the video is supposed to debut tomorrow on the New Year's Rockin' Eve show. Can't link from my phone, but Billboard had a story about it.

Normally, it bothers me when two famous women in the same field are automatically made out to be rivals or jealous of each other, but we're talking about someone who admitted to crying because she didn't win Album of the Year for the second time at 24. I like her music but that's quite the ego she's developed. So, I have no problem believing Taylor is more than a little steamed that even with all the hard work she put in--going pop, filming lavish videos, the world tour and Instagramming life with the Squad--25 blew past 1989's lifetime sales in 3-4 weeks. Taylor's going to have to step her game up to get one diamond album, let alone two in a row.

The real Drew from "Teardrops on My Guitar" got arrested for child abuse after allegedly putting a toddler in the hospital. Ugh.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Dejana

[UYI]

And from this, my new nickname for Taylor, Girl Squad Barbie, was born (I know some don't like it, but it's New Years Eve and some of these lines made me laugh):

 

[methodwriter85]

"Out of the Woods" is a single; the video is supposed to debut tomorrow on the New Year's Rockin' Eve show. Can't link from my phone, but Billboard had a story about it.

Normally, it bothers me when two famous women in the same field are automatically made out to be rivals or jealous of each other, but we're talking about someone who admitted to crying because she didn't win Album of the Year for the second time at 24. I like her music but that's quite the ego she's developed. So, I have no problem believing Taylor is more than a little steamed that even with all the hard work she put in--going pop, filming lavish videos, the world tour and Instagramming life with the Squad--25 blew past 1989's lifetime sales in 3-4 weeks. Taylor's going to have to step her game up to get one diamond album, let alone two in a row.

The real Drew from "Teardrops on My Guitar" got arrested for child abuse after allegedly putting a toddler in the hospital. Ugh.

 

Also, just the fact that Taylor Swift, despite all of her "Squad Girl Power!" bullshit, hasn't said one word about Adele being so successful in two months that she's landed the cover of Time freakin' Magazine.

[UYI]

She looks somewhat Satanic here. O_O

[AimingforYoko]

Also, just the fact that Taylor Swift, despite all of her "Squad Girl Power!" bullshit, hasn't said one word about Adele being so successful in two months that she's landed the cover of Time freakin' Magazine.

Too busy countin' her loot.

[UYI]

"Out of the Woods" is a single; the video is supposed to debut tomorrow on the New Year's Rockin' Eve show. Can't link from my phone, but Billboard had a story about it.

Normally, it bothers me when two famous women in the same field are automatically made out to be rivals or jealous of each other, but we're talking about someone who admitted to crying because she didn't win Album of the Year for the second time at 24. I like her music but that's quite the ego she's developed. So, I have no problem believing Taylor is more than a little steamed that even with all the hard work she put in--going pop, filming lavish videos, the world tour and Instagramming life with the Squad--25 blew past 1989's lifetime sales in 3-4 weeks. Taylor's going to have to step her game up to get one diamond album, let alone two in a row.

The real Drew from "Teardrops on My Guitar" got arrested for child abuse after allegedly putting a toddler in the hospital. Ugh.

 

Responding to the second paragraph on AOTY:

 

Not only that, but at 20, she was the youngest AOTY Grammy winner in history. Not to mention she has SEVEN Grammys, all won before she was even 25, let alone 30. There are legendary artists who've never even been nominated. Check your privilege there, girl.

[27bored]

Yeah, to give some context, she's arguably this generation's Britney Spears, and Britney has won a total of one Grammy, that was untelevised, for a music video. And Britney's first two records sold more than all of Taylor's put together.

 

But...I'm kinda tired of Taylor. I need her to take a few seats and then for us to be over here. We good for 2016, boo.

[UYI]

Taylor will be performing at the Grammys this year. I know most might expect her to perform "Out of the Woods", but I wonder if she'll actually perform "Clean" instead. 

[UYI]

"As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice..."

 

Holy humblebrag, Batman. 

[vibeology]

Yeah, to give some context, she's arguably this generation's Britney Spears, and Britney has won a total of one Grammy, that was untelevised, for a music video. And Britney's first two records sold more than all of Taylor's put together.

 

Just to defend Britney, but her Grammy wasn't for a video. She won Best Dance Recording for Toxic in 2005.

 

I really dislike Taylor Swift and I don't think she should have beat To Pimp A Butterfly, but I love that she called Kanye out. That almost made up for Kendrick's loss.

[CaughtOnTape]

I have to wonder what her current beau thinks about the fact that she's singing songs about a previous beau that she was apparently desperately in love with after a two month relationship.

 

That's probably induced some fun conversations at dinner.

 

I may dislike Taylor but what Kanye's done is uncalled for.  What a dick that man is.

[UYI]

I noticed that she was there with Selena but not with Calvin. I would've thought he would be there.

[DeLurker]

I have to wonder what her current beau thinks about the fact that she's singing songs about a previous beau that she was apparently desperately in love with after a two month relationship.

 

That's probably induced some fun conversations at dinner.

I'm guessing it is either a carrot or a stick hanging over their head.  Some will see it as a sure shot to post-Swift notoriety and others will see it as the boom that keeps them in line.

[UYI]

Another single from 1989! This time it's "New Romantics", from the deluxe edition at Target:

 

 http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/19/taylor-swift-single-new-romantics

 

This is basically "Shake It Off" but with MUCH more mature lyrics, and with an actual 80's sound. So yes, it's 18 billion times better than "Shake It Off" could ever hope to be. Then again, I think herpes is better than "Shake It Off", so I probably shouldn't be the one to talk about that. :P 

[UYI]

Chloe Grace Moretz rejected Taylor's "squad" invitation (and basically implies that the squad does, in fact, all but include invitations, verbal or otherwise):

 

http://www.eonline.com/news/750738/chloe-grace-moretz-turned-down-taylor-swift-s-squad-invitation

[Petunia13]

Chloe Grace Moretz is cool as fuck.

[Stuffy]

Chloe Grace Moretz rejected Taylor's "squad" invitation (and basically implies that the squad does, in fact, all but include invitations, verbal or otherwise):

http://www.eonline.com/news/750738/chloe-grace-moretz-turned-down-taylor-swift-s-squad-invitation

I swear the same thing happened with Zendaya. Taylor made it sound like they were BFFs, but Zendaya said she didn't meet Taylor till she was asked to be in the Bad Blood video. From what I remember Zendaya said they don't hang out much. It could've changed since the article, but at the time it made me think Taylor used her. Edited March 26, 2016 by Stuffy

[UYI]

I swear the same thing happened with Zendaya. Taylor made it sound like they were BFFs, but Zendaya said she didn't meet Taylor till she was asked to be in the Bad Blood video. From what I remember Zendaya saying they don't hang out much. It could've changed since the article, but at the time it made me think Taylor used her.

 

The same thing has basically been said about Serayah and why Taylor suddenly started being seen with her--there was some criticism at one point that Taylor didn't seem to have any friends of color, like here:

 

http://jezebel.com/lets-find-taylor-swift-a-black-friend-1665567775

[Petunia13]

Selena Gomez is a woman of color.

[UYI]

Selena Gomez is a woman of color.

 

She is, but she still falls into a "safer" category of diversity, if that makes any sense. "But Not Too Foreign", as TV Tropes calls it. Kind of like how Hollywood seems to favor lighter-skinned black women to darker-skinned black women.

 

I mean, people are friends with who they are going to be friends with, it's not always about race, but when it appears Taylor equates feminism as parading around of bunch of supermodels (or women who at least LOOK like supermodels, like herself), with Lena Dunham as the token "normal" looking friend or Zendaya as the token "black" friend, it makes this 27 year old feminist (born the same year as Taylor, for the record) somewhat agitated. People who are accused of a lack of diversity in politics get this same kind of criticism all the time, when they seem to present token people of whatever race to combat accusations of racism, and Taylor sometimes reminds me of that, but it's criticized less because she's in music. But she also actively tries to be a role model to young girls, and if she's going to present herself in that way, she should be presenting feminism in a more accurate light.

 

I always feel a bit bad when I talk about some of this, because I don't want to seem like I'm piling on her, because I'm not trying to. She's obviously worked very hard for a young age, and has proven to be a successful businesswoman as well, and I really do like a lot of her songs (and she's pretty--and I'll admit, being her age, blonde-haired and blue-eyed but NOT tall and thin and leggy, I have to try not to get too jealous of that, LOL). But sometimes I think her image as sweet, innocent and dorky has caused people to think she farts sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows, and how DARE anyone criticize her? Um, because there are things that need to be criticized sometimes. She might have delicate little fee fees that get hurt sometimes, but when something feels wrong, you should be able to say it. 

Edited March 28, 2016 by UYI

[UYI]

What. The. Fuck.

 

http://www.vogue.com/13421986/taylor-swift-may-cover-maid-of-honor-dating-personal-style/

 

She looks like Courtney Love's body was put under a rolling pin and stretched out. I guess this means Anna Wintour hates her! LOL.

 

Also, I know Britany is the oldest friend she has, and she probably had no issue with Taylor having this interview during her wedding, but something about that just sounds a bit tacky to me. YMMV.

 

Not to mention that parts of this interview are SUPER ass-kissy, to an insane degree. Blech. 

 

That said, the parts where Taylor is getting reacquainted with her hometown--she hadn't been there in about a decade--are pretty sweet. 

Edited April 14, 2016 by UYI

[Princess Sparkle]

What. The. Fuck.

 

http://www.vogue.com/13421986/taylor-swift-may-cover-maid-of-honor-dating-personal-style/

 

She looks like Courtney Love's body was put under a rolling pin and stretched out. I guess this means Anna Wintour hates her! LOL.

 

Also, I know Britany is the oldest friend she has, and she probably had no issue with Taylor having this interview during her wedding, but something about that just sounds a bit tacky to me. YMMV.

 

Not to mention that parts of this interview are SUPER ass-kissy, to an insane degree. Blech. 

 

That said, the parts where Taylor is getting reacquainted with her hometown--she hadn't been there in about a decade--are pretty sweet. 

No, I found it super tacky too.  Even if it isn't the intention, it makes her best friend's wedding day all about her.

 

That hair is....really questionable.  And apparently, it's here to stay a little bit since she was photographed at Coachella this weekend with it.  

[BW Manilowe]

I just wanna know what happened to her "going away for awhile after the 1989 World Tour was over", like I'd swear she promised in an interview before the tour ended, which I'd also swear is mentioned somewhere upthread. She's still as visible (in my opinion) as she always has been; she hasn't "gone away" in any way, shape, or form. So much for her promises. Doesn't she know people can't miss her if she won't go the hell AWAY?

[UYI]

She has said she doesn't have an album planned for this fall right now, like she usually does every two years. So I guess to her that's enough, so now we'll just see her and her busted bleached out scarecrow/Heroin chic hybrid looking self making appearances at random parties/events for awhile, like she's Paris Hilton or something.

 

In her mind, I think, that's a break.

[UYI]

And another one bites the dust!

http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20981907_21010217,00.html

[Ohwell]

Next comes the breakup song.  Wait for it......................

[Rick Kitchen]

She dumped him while he's still recovering from a car accident?

[UYI]

I heard it was the other way around, actually, maybe even while he was still in the hospital. 

[methodwriter85]

Damn, that should be an epic break-up song, then. Has she ever dated anybody as long as she dated him?

[UYI]

Nope, this is her longest relationship so far.

Unless you believe the rumors that she and Karlie Kloss are secret lesbian lovers, of course. ;)

[UYI]

...That was fast. 

http://jezebel.com/taylor-swift-and-tom-hiddleston-wandered-into-rhode-isl-1782057269

[Dancingjaneway]

I keep hoping Taylor Swift will get knocked down a peg or two or that her star will finally start to diminish. She can't sing for shit, her songs are simplistic pieces of shit and I think she is super fake and manipulative. I think most of the time she uses guys to come up with new material. I mean she's no longer a high school girl whose love sick and daydreaming. That's all her music has been. It's absolute dreck. I also think she isn't as clumsy or "dorky" as she pretends to be. She knows her audience and plays to it. I really hope Calvin fights back and continues to reveal her true persona. 

[Princess Sparkle]

I just want you to know that because of your icon, I read that entire post in Julie Andrew's voice and giggled myself silly.  

And Calvin Harris would win me as a fan for life if he reveals that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are telling the truth and that she did know about his line about her in Famous because he told her and she blessed it.  Because while I'm not Kim Kardashian's biggest fan (not by a long shot), she's completely right when she says, "Just another way to play the victim. It definitely got her a lot of attention the first time."

Edited July 15, 2016 by Princess Sparkle

[Princess Sparkle]

There is nothing to link to unfortunately, since it's on Snapchat, but - Kim Kardashian released the tapes of Kanye and Taylor talking about him using her in Famous and the convo 100% aligns with what Kim and Kanye said. In fact, Taylor repeatedly thanks Kanye for calling her beforehand and says it's a sign of friendship, and says twice that when she's asked if she knew about the line that she would tell the press he called her beforehand. I never thought I'd say this but: well done Kim. 

[Petunia13]

Agreed. I'm living for this

[MargeGunderson]

11 hours ago, Princess Sparkle said:

There is nothing to link to unfortunately, since it's on Snapchat, but - Kim Kardashian released the tapes of Kanye and Taylor talking about him using her in Famous and the convo 100% aligns with what Kim and Kanye said. In fact, Taylor repeatedly thanks Kanye for calling her beforehand and says it's a sign of friendship, and says twice that when she's asked if she knew about the line that she would tell the press he called her beforehand. I never thought I'd say this but: well done Kim. 

The only thing that is tempering my enjoyment of this is that it involves Kim Kardashian being correct.

[truthaboutluv]

44 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

The only thing that is tempering my enjoyment of this is that it involves Kim Kardashian being correct.

Understandable. 

[vibeology]

5 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

The only thing that is tempering my enjoyment of this is that it involves Kim Kardashian being correct.

I kind of get that, but at the same time, good for her. Taylor called her a puppet when that GQ article came out (That special place in hell for women who don't support other women applies to women not named Taylor Swift I guess) but it turns out that Kim is, unsurprisingly, good at playing the media game. Kanye is trash and that fact that he's right doesn't change the fact that the song and video are both misogynistic but I get why Kim didn't like Taylor calling her names, calling Kanye names and using the Grammy stage to play victim to Kanye again, when this time he went out of his way to make sure she was cool with what he had planned (Song wise. That video has no excuses.)

Taylor has spent years building her sweet image, but Kim and her family invented that game. Kim did everything right. She got the word out that she had proof and gave Taylor time to say something detailed and poor me and then released the video on a Sunday night (also International Snake Day, so damn for getting that to line up) late enough that Taylor's PR people were out of the office but early enough that all the morning shows had time to pick up the story and cover it today. Obviously she couldn't control Taylor being in Australia (which only made her scramble response all the more sad because she was up in the middle of the day while people were coming for her at night on twitter and her #Squad was in bed) or that Calvin and Taylor were messy only last week, but it certainly helps. The video doesn't actually contradict what Taylor claimed was her problem when she finally did own up to having a conversation with Kanye (being called a bitch) but it does show her thanking Kanye for reaching out, saying he didn't have to do that and saying that he should use whatever line felt right and that she wasn't offended by either one. Plus it shows her saying that she'd tell people at the Grammys that she was in on the joke, when in fact she did the exact opposite. It paints her in an awful light and the Kardashian-Wests had to have known that the entire time Taylor was playing victim. They took their time, held onto the receipts until it would benefit them the most and then dropped them.

Kim made this an event and got people talking, she managed to throw Taylor off balance and opened the door for people to start criticizing and she proved that she isn't going to lie to the media so anything else she says now only seems more credible. Kim brought Game of Thrones back to Sunday night and while I'm not normally a fan, I am impressed by her media savvy. Kim gets so much crap from people for being talentless and dumb but after watching her slowly reel Taylor into the trap and drop the axe, I think it's safe to say Kim is a smart woman who knows her industry.

[WendyCR72]

But now here comes the legal issues and questions of recording consent, etc. So (and I can't BELIEVE I'm saying this as I loathe Kanye and all things Kardashian) I hope Kim is as smart as she now appears and covered the bases, because even if she did expose Swift for being a fake (big shock there, only not really), she and the hubby could be looking at court fees if they called Swift from a state (depending where they were when placing the call) that requires two-party consent for tape recordings.

And we know how Taylor Swift likes to sue...

[Kromm]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

But now here comes the legal issues and questions of recording consent, etc. So (and I can't BELIEVE I'm saying this as I loathe Kanye and all things Kardashian) I hope Kim is as smart as she now appears and covered the bases, because even if she did expose Swift for being a fake (big shock there, only not really), she and the hubby could be looking at court fees if they called Swift from a state (depending where they were when placing the call) that requires two-party consent for tape recordings.

And we know how Taylor Swift likes to sue...

It comes down to if the recording also includes Kanye SAYING to Swiftie "I am recording this". 

I doubt it does.

Actually what would be hilarious is if he had a computerized voice prompt before he comes on the line that says something like "calls may be recorded for quality assurance" (like they do for customer service calls). Of course he called her not the other way around so I don't see how she would have gone through a voice prompt.

I'm supposing he might try some dodge like "my agent told her agent that if she calls it will be recorded". Or even "everyone knows I record my calls, I don't try and keep it a secret". 

[vibeology]

And that only matters if it was filmed in a two party state. New York is one party and he recorded most of his album there. It seems likely he was in NY and so he'd be safe. No way the Kardashians don't consult a lawyer before they released this. 

[GaT]

2 hours ago, vibeology said:

And that only matters if it was filmed in a two party state. New York is one party and he recorded most of his album there. It seems likely he was in NY and so he'd be safe. No way the Kardashians don't consult a lawyer before they released this. 

He filmed it while he was in California

[Kromm]

20 minutes ago, GaT said:

He filmed it while he was in California

A two party state.

[TheGreenKnight]

13 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

And we know how Taylor Swift likes to sue...

I hope she does sue, although it's unlikely she'll want to drag the story out. Kanye and Kim are complete slime and always have been. She's kept her story about being offended at the word used and, even if that wasn't the case, Kanye would've deserved the payback for the VMAs nonsense years past.

[Advance35]

Well apparently people are saying that the wiggle room comes in because "if it's a conversation that may be overheard" apparently because he had her on speaker phone in a room full of people, some of which she interacted with VIA that same phone call, Swifty doesn't have so much as a peg leg to stand on in court.   I am definitely not Team K&K but I tip my hat to them for unmasking this snake in the grass.  Swifty has been an expert at playing victim and she's not, she's a nasty and underhanded piece of dirt.    And her cult members Gomez and the like need to have a seat.

And if I didn't loathe Swifty before, her allowing one of her minions to use racial undertones and the murder of a woman to try and sway public opinion actually makes me hope that her exposure as a liar manages to do irreparable damage to her career.  She's absolutely loathsome.

[UYI]

From Taylor's high school best friend Abigail Anderson. Death threats are never cool, but what she said isn't either:

http://jezebel.com/taylor-swifts-best-friend-abigail-anderson-deletes-kany-1783905479

[truthaboutluv]

Frankly, call me cynical but I'm not buying the death threats unless I see some receipts. I saw some of the comments and what I saw were people basically calling her out for dragging a child who is innocent into this, even people who weren't on Kim and Kanye's side. So with egg on her face, knowing her little passive aggressive defense of her BFF didn't go over too well, she deleted it. But because she is Taylor's BFF, so she's learned from the best on how to play the victim, suddenly she was getting death threats and that's why she deleted it. So the naive stans can go "poor Alison, these evil people" and ignore her going after a child. Whatever - fake passive aggressives flock together I guess.

Edited July 19, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[narrativeaddict]

It's not hard to believe that Abigail got death threats. Most celebrity fanbases include people who will do this to whoever dares criticize their idol.
Although part of me rolled my eyes at Abigail's tweets, another part of me admires her for her nerve and loyalty.  She's always been feisty (even once appearing to criticize Taylor for not calling her). She knew the tweets would get picked up and reported on; she's no stranger to this game.