# Taylor Swift's 8 seconds of static is #1 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057 "2014-10-21T18:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/1 "2014-10-21T18:31:59Z")
Some glitch in iTunes resulted in the release of a Taylor Swift song consisting of 8 seconds of static, and nothing else. And given that it happened in Canada, it immediately went to #1. > **[Taylor Swift Just Went to No. 1 on iTunes Canada With Eight Seconds of Static](https://slate.com/culture/2014/10/taylor-swift-goes-no-1-on-itunes-canada-with-8-seconds-of-static-listen.html)** > > If there’s ever been any question about the power of Taylor Swift’s name to move records, this should dispel it. Some sort of glitch in the Canadian... So many joke possibilities here. I’ll start with the easy one: well, of course it’s #1. It’s by far her best song. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/2 "2014-10-21T18:50:52Z")
Dedicated to Kanye. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/3 "2014-10-21T18:57:16Z")
So now every time someone is quiet for 8 seconds we’re going to have to hear a Canadian say, “You know, that was invented in Canada.” And of course it’s now on the Canadian Governments mandatory play list for radio stations. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/4 "2014-10-21T19:07:26Z")
Don’t pay for it on iTunes. I have a bootleg copy that I’ll sell you. Cheap! ---
**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:** [October 21, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/5 "2014-10-21T19:13:17Z")
Look, I’ve followed Taylor Swift from traditional country, to country-pop, to mainstream pop-rock, to whatever the hell “Shake It Off” is, but noise rock is a bridge I’m not willing to cross for her. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/6 "2014-10-21T19:27:37Z")
Every time Sony sells a blank tape, they owe Taylor Swift a royalty. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/7 "2014-10-21T20:10:27Z")
Shows how far out of the loop I am. I didn’t even know Taylor Swift was dating static. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/8 "2014-10-21T20:17:05Z")
A worthy successor to John Cage and Karl Stockhausen. And hotter than the two of them put together. Well, Stockhausen was kinda cute, in that Stockhausen way, but he was no Taylor Swift. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/9 "2014-10-21T20:17:54Z")
You guys are a bunch of philistines. I, for one, tip my hat to a revolutionary piece of avant-garde music. You just have to let it wash over you. If you explain its meaning, you ruin it. Listen to the confidence in the way the sound staggers in, like an all-encompassing snowstorm, a symbol of our own confused, thoughtless existence. When you look into the static, the static looks into you. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/10 "2014-10-21T20:19:05Z")
It’s not static. You old people just don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/11 "2014-10-21T20:36:54Z")
You have to listen to the parts that _aren’t_ there, geez! ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/12 "2014-10-21T20:55:44Z")
Ryan Murphy is probably pounding his head against a table, wondering why he didn’t have the cast of Glee do that first. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/13 "2014-10-21T21:00:39Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > If you explain its meaning, you ruin it. Quantum music? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/14 "2014-10-21T21:13:36Z")
This thread is going to be Trouble… trouble… [trouble…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4Y) ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/15 "2014-10-21T21:15:36Z")
Trey and Matt had better be all over this. I would not be surprised to be it referenced in tomorrow night’s episode. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/16 "2014-10-21T21:26:45Z")
Does this mean that Cartooniverse is going to do [another Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733458)? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/17 "2014-10-21T21:33:26Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Does this mean that Cartooniverse is going to do [another Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733458)? Nah, he’ll wait 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/18 "2014-10-22T01:05:59Z")
What a lovely, though belated, tribute to Lou Reed and her favorite of his albums _Metal Machine Music_. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/19 "2014-10-22T01:22:54Z")
Amazingly enough, John Cage’s “4 33” [actually made the British top 25 in 2010.](http://www.officialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/2010-12-25) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057/20 "2014-10-22T01:45:05Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Ryan Murphy is probably pounding his head against a table, wondering why he didn’t have the cast of Glee do that first. They’ll do a cover version that will sell more than the original. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taylor-swifts-8-seconds-of-static-is-1/702057.md?page=2)