# Can someone explain the Taylor Swift phenomenon to me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 19, 2023, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339 "2023-03-19T02:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/422 "2023-10-30T12:19:47Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Or they’re tuning to the streaming channels in their smartphones and feeding it through AUX to the car stereo, if it’s a model from this century. AUX? You mean the 3.5mm jack? Like some (Blue)toothless _peasant_? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/423 "2023-10-30T12:30:25Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > AUX? You mean the 3.5mm jack? Like some (Blue)toothless _peasant_? 😢 I thought I’d buy a new used car in 2020 to replace my ailing 2006 Nissan. Not _just_ for bluetooth, but the idea of Bluetooth didn’t hurt. Instead, I inherited my mother-in-law’s 2004 Toyota, and if it doesn’t have Bluetooth, I can console myself with a casette deck that probably works, if any archeological digs unearth any casettes. And it’s a Toyota, so it’ll run forever. Damn you Toyota. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/424 "2023-10-30T12:31:24Z")
Car radios are replaceable objects, I’m just saying… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/425 "2023-10-30T12:31:50Z")
My 2004 Mazda was the last car I owned without Bluetooth and a USB port. It feels like a lifetime ago… I even had to get some sort of AUX adaptor to the factory stereo, as it didn’t come with a 3.5mm jack connection of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/426 "2023-10-30T12:32:48Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > she’s clearly a gifted songwriter (at least lyrically) and performer, and a shrewd businesswoman. This tour is blatantly about getting control of her earlier material back after having lost it to the usual record industry skulduggery (I’ve been calling it the “Copyright Fixation Tour”), and more power to her for it. Yeah, I’m impressed that she’s successfully taking control of her music. So many musicians have been screwed, especially female musicians. Way to go! ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/427 "2023-10-30T12:33:20Z")
We were discussing Taylor Swift’s rise to superstardom in a long car ride yesterday. Talking to a movie theater manager last week, she bypassed all the movie distribution channels and require that the theater only plays her movie Thursday-Sunday and they must charge 19.87 for it. Her tour was a giant mega-success. OK, here’s what we were talking about. We all appreciate her talent (musical, song writing), but none of us thought she represents some sort of difference in kind or some kind or paradigm shift. For example, Elvis brought sex to the masses – that was really his innovation and became a superstar for it. The Beatles redefined pop music and introduced all kinds of recording and musical innovations to rock and pop. I don’t want to take anything from Swift, but I’m not sure I see the paradigm shift or difference in kind that would explain her ultra-stardom. Someone mentioned that she engaged early and deeply on social media and built up a huge following of dedicated fans that way. Maybe that’s what she did differently. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/428 "2023-10-30T12:34:11Z")
I must confess, I’ve never owned a car that _didn’t_ have Bluetooth. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/429 "2023-10-30T12:35:37Z")
What year was your earliest model? (Or when did you get your first aftermarket Bluetooth radio?) I’m not sure when in the US Bluetooth started being standard on cars, but it must have been around late 00s/early 10s is my guess? My next (and current) car is a 2014 Mazda 3, and that had all the USB and Bluetooth goodies you’d expect. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/430 "2023-10-30T12:35:45Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Someone mentioned that she engaged early and deeply on social media and built up a huge following of dedicated fans that way. Maybe that’s what she did differently. I do think there’s something to that. The relationship she has with her fans feels personal in a way that I don’t think any other superstar has quite managed. She didn’t invent the idea of online interactions with fans, nor is she necessarily the best at it; but she’s managed to leverage it to a degree that I don’t think anyone else has. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/431 "2023-10-30T12:37:48Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > I really don’t think she cares. Her working relationship with Jack Antonoff says she’s already Indie As Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/432 "2023-10-30T12:38:03Z")
OK, there you go! We’ve explained the Taylor Swift phenomenon! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/433 "2023-10-30T12:41:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > What year was your earliest model? I want to say 2006, and it was a Renault Clio. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/434 "2023-10-30T12:51:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > My 2004 Mazda was the last car I owned without Bluetooth and a USB port. It feels like a lifetime ago… I even had to get some sort of AUX adaptor to the factory stereo, as it didn’t come with a 3.5mm jack connection of any sort. Just think, very shortly other than Bluetooth it’s going to be all-USB-C, all the time. The 3.5 jack at least had the advantage that it simply _worked_ no need to handshake, pair, or wonder if this is a data/power or power only port. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Yeah, I’m impressed that she’s successfully taking control of her music. So many musicians have been screwed, especially female musicians. True, getting to the real position of control as opposed to merely “brand face” is something many performers only dream of. > [@RitterSport](#): > > I don’t want to take anything from Swift, but I’m not sure I see the paradigm shift or difference in kind that would explain her ultra-stardom. I would posit that we are too close in time to _really_ figure out if that’s the case, or what’s the real deal. I’ll take the fans at their word as to how _they_ **feel** about it, but many of them may be themselves too caught up to really give an answer intended for us to understand. So it may take a while. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/435 "2023-10-30T12:54:54Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > For the definition of Streaming Audio on the chart, it says that “Streaming audio includes pure plays such as Spotify, Pandora and others”. A [Pure Play](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/04/042904.asp) is a company that has a singular business. > > YouTube is not a pure play business. Not in the sense of them being owned by Google and not even in the sense of YouTube itself where they host tons of non-music/podcast content Here’s an article by Edison Research on how they classify YouTube Music as a streaming service, so I think they might be using “pure play” in a different sense. ISTM it is being used in a “unitasker” sense. > **[Weekly Insights 5.10.2023 Listening and Watching - Edison Research](https://www.edisonresearch.com/weekly-insights-5-10-2023-listening-and-watching/)** > > This post is from Edison’s Weekly Insights email. Please click here if you would like to subscribe. This week’s insight challenges you to consider two words: Listening and Watching  We recognize that many people listen to the audio content on... ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/436 "2023-10-30T12:55:49Z")
I must also admit I’m amused at the attempted indie gatekeeping. I’d put my fandom of female-led alt and indie music up against anyone’s, and Taylor slots in just fine with that set - I mean, her opening acts for the Eras tour speaks volumes - acts like Beabadoobee, Haim, Phoebe Bridgers. The notion that she’s just some “Pop princess” is just utter bushwa. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/437 "2023-10-30T13:37:57Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Here’s an article by Edison Research on how they classify YouTube Music as a streaming service, so I think they might be using “pure play” in a different sense. Don’t know since the previous article makes no reference to YT Music or how it’s classified/located in the numbers (included in pure play as part of ‘others’ or in the overall YT heading). But I’ve pretty much lost any interest in caring either 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/438 "2023-10-30T16:58:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > > [@RitterSport](#): > > > > Someone mentioned that she engaged early and deeply on social media and built up a huge following of dedicated fans that way. Maybe that’s what she did differently. > > I do think there’s something to that. The relationship she has with her fans feels personal in a way that I don’t think any other superstar has quite managed. She didn’t invent the idea of online interactions with fans, nor is she necessarily the best at it; but she’s managed to leverage it to a degree that I don’t think anyone else has. I think there is a lot of truth to that. Also coupled with how personal and confessional a lot of her songs are. There was (is?) a running joke that after Swift and a boyfriend split up, that he’d find himself in the next Taylor Swift album… in a way she was working through her feelings in her lyrics and that adds to the relationship she has with her fans. That, and she can really craft a pop song. Like the 1989 re-release reminded me that like 5 or 6 songs from that album are fantastic hits. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/439 "2023-10-30T17:35:46Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Like the 1989 re-release reminded me that like 5 or 6 songs from that album are fantastic hits. Here’s the tracks: 1. “Welcome to New York” 2. “Blank Space” 3. “Style” 4. “Out of the Woods” 5. “All You Had to Do Was Stay” 6. “Shake It Off” 7. “I Wish You Would” 8. “Bad Blood” 9. “Wildest Dreams” 10. “How You Get the Girl” 11. “This Love” 12. “I Know Places” 13. “Clean” For myself, I find the tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 to be excellent. And the rest aren’t bad. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/440 "2023-10-30T20:15:17Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I can console myself with a casette deck that probably works, if any archeological digs unearth any casettes. Heh. Reminds me that I have a bag (yes, a random plastic garbage bag) of them somewhere in the depths of a storage unit, because I just. could. not. let. them. go. I also have a random cassette deck component in storage, because - HEY, cassettes! Has not seen use in quite awhile. A few were irreplaceable at the time, like Penelope Houston’s On Borrowed Time, Live in Frisco which was released only as a limited edition of 1,000 platinum cassettes. But most were just inertial hoarding. I’d dig them out and send them to you, but the postage cost for the weight is probably more hassle than it’s worth 😀. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/441 "2023-10-30T21:18:37Z")
> [@Ted\_Striker](#): > > Oh, but I’ve done so; all that I listen to (_ **sometimes** _) is [Indie 88](https://indie88.com). Then why are you use bothered by Taylor Swift? Let people enjoy the music they want without lecturing them. > [@pulykamell](#): > > No need for this gatekeeping bullshit. Amen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=23)