# 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:** 44
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/862 "2024-02-05T03:25:24Z")
I mean, that’s a fair point of view. I don’t share it, but I respect it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/863 "2024-02-05T04:26:26Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > to celebrate the industry “The industry” bought Taylor’s record label out from under her and tried to rob her of the rights to her own songs. Screw 'em. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/864 "2024-02-05T05:10:12Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Her announcement of a new album during her acceptance speech at the Grammys felt both manufactured and disrespectful to the other artists there. You mean the same way she announced _1989_(Taylor’s Version) last time? > [@Smapti](#): > > “The industry” bought Taylor’s record label out from under her and tried to rob her of the rights to her own songs. Screw 'em. This. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/865 "2024-02-05T06:19:44Z")
The industry just voted her another album of the year . (Frankly, I think it ruined the symmetry of her winning with every third album). I really don’t think anybody was too upset at her announcing a new album. She really is a crazy workaholic. She is rerecording her old albums , producing new music and still touring. Glad to see that she didn’t win for individual songs because I don’t think any of the songs on the album deserved it. Miley totally deserved record of the year. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/866 "2024-02-05T06:26:56Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > I don’t think any of the songs on the album deserved it. Miley totally deserved record of the year. I think _Anti-Hero_ was a great track, but so’s _Flowers_. I would also have been happy if Olivia Rodrigo or boygenius or SZA won. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/867 "2024-02-05T07:02:14Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > You mean the same way she announced _1989_(Taylor’s Version) last time? Slight correction - she had already announced it on tour, but she did mention the upcoming release date again at the award. She had previously announced _Midnights_ at the the VMAs ---
**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:** [February 5, 2024, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/868 "2024-02-05T14:11:48Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Her announcement of a new album during her acceptance speech at the Grammys felt both manufactured and disrespectful to the other artists there. To the extent I’m willing to read the camera shots of their reactions, they were generally NOT happy. Huh. I don’t follow artistic award ceremonies. (Grammys, Emmys, etc.) I rarely know enough of the contenders for that to make sense. So I’m speaking from total ignorance here. But i thought a lot of the value of these awards is that it gives you recognition and publicity. I would have thought it was totally standard to promote yourself and your work a bit when you have that spotlight. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/869 "2024-02-05T17:06:37Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I would have thought it was totally standard to promote yourself and your work a bit when you have that spotlight. How about announcing it in a meat dress then _singing the chorus_ of the single from your new album? > **[Lady Gaga Wins Video of the Year in 2010 | How could anyone forget Lady Gaga...](https://www.facebook.com/MTV/videos/1042884905836593/)** > > How could anyone forget Lady Gaga winning Video of the Year for "Bad Romance" at the Video Music Awards in 2010 AND that iconic meat dress?! ✨❤️👏 > > See... ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/870 "2024-02-05T17:43:06Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Her announcement of a new album during her acceptance speech at the Grammys felt both manufactured and disrespectful to the other artists there. I only watched the clips afterwards, but the thing that stuck out to me as cringeworthy and disrespectful to other artists was Jay-Z mumbling on (during his earlier award acceptance speech) about how Beyoncé should win best album. I guess it was somewhat abstracted since Beyoncé wasn’t in the running this year, but it still seems pretty tone deaf, given the high probability that Swift could win. Does it… remind you of anything? I think if I were Beyoncé I’d be a little tired of jackasses (even if one of them is my husband) making fools of themselves trying to white knight for me. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/871 "2024-02-06T15:15:32Z")
Okay, so it’s low-hanging fruit but the best Taylor Swift joke of the last 24 hours is that she’s now up for an Emmy for acting suprised when she won a Grammy. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/872 "2024-02-06T16:10:38Z")
I’ve never heard the issue with Ye stanning for Beyoncé being what he said, but that he took the microphone from Taylor Swift DURING HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/873 "2024-02-06T16:20:32Z")
Well of course. And Jay-Z wasn’t saying how great his wife is in an interview with Rolling Stone. Nobody’s taking a mic from Swift now, but Jay-Z came as close as he conceivably could in saying _on the Grammy stage_ that his wife should get the award that Taylor Swift sitting right there in front of him was probably just about to get (or even she hadn’t, one of the other deserving artists). Without the history, I would have thought nothing of it, but in context I thought it was cringeworthy, and I find it impossible to believe that it never occurred to him how it echoed West’s jackassery. But also hilarious, reminding us just what West walked into when he tried to bully an 18-year-old. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/874 "2024-02-06T17:04:11Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > his wife should get the award that Taylor Swift sitting right there in front of him was probably just about to get (or even she hadn’t, one of the other deserving artists). Do you think he meant that specific award that she didn’t even have an album in the running for? Or that maybe _Renaissance_ or _Beyoncé_ should have won? Or as an aside during a rant that the Grammys have historically been…unwelcoming to Black artists, and especially Black women, in categories they don’t “belong”? It wasn’t about Taylor at all. And that’s as far as I’ll take the hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/875 "2024-02-06T17:10:17Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Do you think he meant that specific award that she didn’t even have an album in the running for? You’d have to ask him, he mumbled on about Beyoncé specifically never having got best album, and how they had their heads up their own asses “by their own metrics” or something. > [@Chisquirrel](#): > > It wasn’t about Taylor at all. That’s rather the point, isn’t it. If someone has a valid point to make about racism in the music industry, the appropriate way to raise that issue is _not_ to say “a Black person should be getting this specific award” just when a specific non-Black person who is there on merit is getting that award. I don’t think this was a big deal, but in a conversation about “missteps”, I thought this was more noticeable than Swift announcing her own album during her own acceptance speech, something artists have often done. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/876 "2024-02-06T17:32:29Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > That’s rather the point, isn’t it. If someone has a valid point to make about racism in the music industry, the appropriate way to raise that issue is _not_ to say “a Black person should be getting this specific award” just when a specific non-Black person who is there on merit is getting that award. But that’s not what he said. You’re taking three sentences out of an entire - very significant - speech and making it all into an insult aimed at Taylor Swift. Again, nothing about Jay-Z’s speech was about Taylor Swift. I don’t understand why you insist it was. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/877 "2024-02-06T17:37:08Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > making it all into an insult aimed at Taylor Swift Quite the opposite, I’m agreeing with you that the point he was _trying_ to make was nothing to do with Swift, but that the way he made that point was inappropriate and entailed a disrespectful sideswipe at her. He had a very specific beef about Beyoncé not winning best album, the specific major award that Swift was up for, and getting a record 4th win for. Do you think Kanye was trying to insult Swift in 2009? Of course not, he was just a thoughtless jerk who didn’t care about the impact it would have on her. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/878 "2024-02-06T17:46:01Z")
No, you’re taking something not related to Taylor Swift in any way, shape, or form, and making it into a disrespectful sideswipe. You’re being offfended on Swift’s behalf, and ignoring the (entire speech) forest for your one specific (they was mean to TayTay) tree. Stop comparing Jay-Z’s speech to Ye’s bullshit. The only similarity is they both argued in support of Beyoncé. Ye’s interruption was deliberately aimed at Taylor Swift. The only connection Jay-Z’s speech has to Swift is in your mind. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/879 "2024-02-06T17:47:48Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > The only connection Jay-Z’s speech has to Swift is in your mind. Well, that and the fact that he said Beyonce should be getting the award that she would shortly be getting on the stage he was standing on while she was sitting directly in front of him. > [@Chisquirrel](#): > > You’re being offfended on Swift’s behalf Really no more than you’re being offended on Jay-Z’s behalf, I feel. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/880 "2024-02-06T17:51:10Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Well, that and the fact that he said his wife should be getting the award that she would shortly be getting on the stage he was standing on while she was sitting directly in front of him. You keep repeating this, but he never said that. It literally exists in your mind. That’s my point. > [@Riemann](#): > > Really no more than you’re being offended on Jay-Z’s behalf, I feel. Comparing three sentences in the middle of a significant speech to Ye’s bullshit is offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/881 "2024-02-06T17:54:04Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > You keep repeating this, but he never said that. It literally exists in your mind. That’s my point. He specifically and repeatedly beefed about Beyonce not getting album of the year. > **[Jay-Z tells Grammys to ‘get it right’ and give Black artists their due](https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/2024/02/05/jay-z-grammys-speech-beyonce/)** > > Jay-Z, in his acceptance speech, noted that his wife, Beyoncé, has never won the coveted album of the year — despite having the most Grammys in history. If you think that has no impact on the 34-year-old Taylor Swift who was about to receive that specific award, I agree with you, she couldn’t give a shit. She’s friends with Beyonce and probably feels the same way. I still think it’s an inappropriate and disrespectful way to make a point about racism. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=43) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=45)