Swift Romance

I was a Taylor Swift fan recently, for about two weeks.

I've been a huge pop fan since I was a kid, from NSYNC, BSB and Britney Spears to Madonna, Whitney Houston and The Pointer Sisters. An electric, glowing track with airy sensibility and rocking undertones? I want it all. So naturally, a snippet of "Style" (from her latest album, 1989) played during a Target commercial and that was the end of that.

I loved about 65% of 1989, "Out of the Woods" and "All You Had to Do Was Stay" being standout tracks. However, I quickly realized that, on the whole, its framework kind of mimicked itself, save for difference in lyrics and background. Pop music in a nutshell; I totally got what I paid for. But for all the notable talk of her musical evolution, you'd think there's be something more ... evolutionary about it.

(For a scientific explanation of this, check out this this article from Mic.com, because science.)

I really like Taylor Swift. She is ridiculously charitable (recently giving a fan $1,989 to go towards student loans, among other good deeds). Her style is Lauren Conrad 2.0, and she seems self-aware and intelligent about her image and the world around her. (I know she received some flack last August for the video for "Shake It Off" being too 'white girl pointing at things in a zoo' - a POV which I understand, but disagree with.)

It's just that 1989 comes off as a bit subpar in depth compared to local talent playing a free show on a Tuesday at the bar. The power of branding and A+ production -- you'll sell a clean 500k copies before anyone is the wiser.

Maybe I am slightly outside the target demographic that stans her (maybe not so much as this poor person, although hahahahahaaa!!). But I love the hell out of pop music, so maybe not. I am conflicted, I tell you.

Yesterday there was a radio interview with Scott Timberg, author of Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class, shining a light on the notion of a creative class in the U.S. itself, what its disappearance has done to the creative professional, and how it has affected the economy (the middle class in particular) in more ways than the obvious. I definitely plan on getting my hands on a copy.

There's nothing wrong with Taylor Swift™, or even being a die-hard fan, but I am personally glad to have snapped out of it in the further hope that maybe some horizons can be broadened for those not merely looking to make it big at others' expense.

Feel free to add to the discussion on my Facebook and Twitter pages or in the comments. See you tomorrow....