@@f.p4355 punk rock is a state of mind.raging against the system . Taylor swift could not be further removed from this. She is the very face of corporate America looking to make as much cash as possible
Honestly, I think that was the direction she was going to take with her lost album. The one between 1989 and Reputation. It was when she did bleachella. I think we will be getting some of those songs when she releases Reputation TV, either as a double album or as added vault tracks. Either way, she has said it will be metal and 🔥.
"Drop Jack Antonoff" is so real though. Jack's work is substantial but Taylor needs to branch out if she wants to continue making a new and impactful sound. Her writing only gets deeper, but the sound only gets more bland. She's worked with the same producers for 5 albums. It's time to try a new sound.
Leaving Max Martin and Shellback was the best decision. Now Jack needs to go, he loves synthesisers way too much and takes a beautiful song to just meh.
It was Taylor who likes synth babe. Taylor said it herself. She likes Jack because he is one of the rare producer who would make a sound for her lyrics without any questions.
Can you share some thoughts on why you think that with Jack and Aaron (Ill involve AD because he plays just as significant role in this as Jack) the music loses impact? I would argue that her music is peaking with TTPD and the sounds are insane, the quality of songs is literally better than ever. Each of these 5 albums are absolutely amazing and sonically diverse with each one having more depth and meaning. So can you elaborate why you think that this is limiting her after 5 albums? I would almost say that she would have never managed to explore this wide range of sonically different genres without the likes of Jack and Aaron. I just fail to see a reasonable argument these days apart from people saying ahhh its the same over and over when I feel like the complete opposite is the truth.
maybe I'm wrong but I feel like this lack of an era could be intentional. "bygones will be bygone eras fading into grey" Tortured Poets Department is so nuanced as a record and it kind of explores this grey area of who Taylor really is as a person and what her life is actually like. Like it doesn't neatly fit into a box just like Taylor herself. I personally hope she will continue down this path of exploring her internal struggles and exposing herself as this complicated three-dimensional person. I feel like reducing this era to an aestethic of typewriters or something would make it more shallow.
I don't think ttpd is nuanced. In terms of lyrics, it's inconsistent even if there are few good lyrics but the production makes it all worse. The only good songs in the album are by aoron dessner and not Jack antanoff. Jack is kinda reusing the same midnight ttpd electronic synth instead of exploring new melodies like in folklore, evermore, red, fearless. These albums weren't just lyrically great but also sonically and productionally.
@@gia42472while I do like jacks work (as a die hard) I do believe he is reusing the same synth sound now maybe creative burnout? I like Aaron's work more
@@Amethyst._.Dragons1312 exactly, Jack is everywhere from Lana to Sabrina to Taylor to Gracie and even 1975 and it's just the same synth. Ofcourse Taylor is also responsible for not taking the upper hand in creative control.
The Swifties trying to call the re-release albums their own era are embarrassing and only serve to muddy the waters even further. Midnights through Tortured Poets Department was not 4 distinct eras in a single calendar year, that's insane.
She's talked about how exhausting reinventing herself is so I'm just gonna assume that she's transitioning out of the "eras" marketing strategy and will move forward with marketing her music as just Taylor Swift
She doesn't need to try anymore but take a long break after clearing all the prerecorded albums and rapping up the Eras tour. Then while on break, reinvent , write new songs and comeback bigger.
I’m so ready for a reinvention I need a rock pop album from her also I think it’s time for her and jack/aaron to take a break from making music together it’s time to go out and have new collaborations with different producers
The thing is with Jack, it seems like any song he‘s now involved in just sound the same or are very similar. He worked with Sabrina on some songs and they sound so much like a Taylor song
I really want a rock genre from her, tho my friends don’t think so as her voice won’t fit it. I can understand but it’s just my opinion. Edit: This was my friends saying that her voice wouldn’t fit a rock genre, I DO THINK she can fit one definitely. There can be many types of rock and saying her voice isn’t meant for it is a bit dumb to me.
Honestly, it's not about her not having much of an 'Era' with her recent albums for me as Taylor has already proven that she can successfully reinvent herself many times in her artistry but instead, she's lacking QUALITY CONTROL with Midnight and especially TTPD. For her last album both the main album and deluxe is a total of 33 songs and while an artist can do this, it does need to make sense and honestly a lot of those songs felt like album fillers. As a result creating a redundant sound for most songs. It felt like she just wanted to put out as many songs as possible for the charts because it means more chances to chart higher but it brought the quality down severely for me. I personally think that Folklore and Evermore were Taylor's last two best albums. Midnight and TTPD didn't do it for me🤷🏾♀️.
U know people calling Folklore and Evermore - Borelore and Everbore when it came out right? It’s the exact same hate TTPD is getting but not as loud lol My point is at the time when Taylor drop 1989 people complaining about lack of country songs from RED When Reputation came out people complaining it’s too dark unlike 1989 When folklore and evermore came out people calling it boring unlike Lover or Reputation And when Midnights came out surprise “we want folklore and evermore” lol
@@aidentan6547 exactly it's the same dumb arguments over and over again. I don't know why people claim they want another folklore and evermore and in the same breathe claim ttpd is repetitive or too wordy lol. I can't take their arguments seriously at all
@@aidentan6547 Lol that's other people's complaint but not mine, mine is that Taylor is lacking in quality. These days she's just putting out whatever and hoping it sticks, a great example of this is the Ice Spice Collaboration for Karma...beyond horrible💀. She just used her for a feature because Ice Spice was hot at the time but it didn't make any sense whatsoever because their brands don't align and to make things even worse the song was just horrible.
I think it wouldnt be at all surprising if Taylor stopped trying to reinvent herself, purely because of her age as a popstar. She was pretty clear during Miss Americana that she thought Lover was going to be the beginning of the end for her career, only for that era to be unexpectedly cut short by covid and then Folklore/Evermore just as unexpectedly rocket her fame even higher than before. She's been pretty clear ever since that she's surprised to still be doing this because (as messed up as this is for a women only in her 30s) she is kind of a "geriatric popstar". Im sure i remember her commenting in the past that its pretty exhausting and a really high bar to expect female artists to constantly reinvent themselves, plus just like... she is in her 30s. Your teen years and 20s you just do go through like 100 different lifetimes before you figure out who you are, that usually happens by the time your her age so maybe she isnt reinventing herself because she doesnt need to anymore for her career, but also doesnt need to for HER because shes content in who she is ❤
I think the reason that ttpd or even midnights isn’t considered an era because right now it’s ’the eras tour era’ the eras tour is basically its own era itself, so dropping albums during this seems a little out of place I guess? Especially with the re recording project too. I loveeee ttpd and I’m so grateful to have it, but it felt so random and unexpected
The Eras Tour is basically the blanket label I have for this time period right now. Any time I hear about her somewhere, it always relates back to the Eras Tour or showcasing the multiple albums of hers somehow like fan projects, news of Swifties doing something, ticket raffles, etc. Even for TTPD, I've heard more about the Who's Afraid of Little Old Me performance on the set than song discussions. The ICDIWABH music video solidified it.
@@aaliyahfoster2705 yeah, in my opinion it isn’t even really a music video it’s just the eras tour behind the scenes with icdiwabh playing in the background, ttpd has just been completely overthrown by the eras tour and the music video kinda shows that. Don’t get me wrong, seeing the behind the scenes of everything was so cool but I miss the old days of Taylor slowly changing her style and even hair, hinting at the next album, everything she did was to side with the theme of the album. Idk it’s just different with ttpd and I can’t really explain why
@@SwiftiesVersion13_Tv She's had tour videos before the end of touring though so it's not anything out of the ordinary. (OG Red era had two - The Last Time performance with Snowpatrol and Red when it was sent out as the last actual country single). I'm sure with the magnitude of the tour and now the safety prioritizing, Taylor can't dedicate that much time for any album promotion alone other than giving it its own set on the tour.
I do think TTPD is the end of a certain chapter in her life. From Debut to TTPD, she's closing this chapter of her life so I'm heavily looking forward to the next new album and I hope it's a new sound (more rock leaning please Taylor)
It doesnt feel like it was supposed to be an era. She was re-recoeding her old work, whilst preparing for and on the eras tour AND experiencing the loss of two people and relationships she valued deeply . She said she needed to write this album. She was brave and bold to put this out there. Its raw and vulnerable. Bt it doesnt surprise me that she didnt want to mine this period of pain and profound reflection for a new era. This feels like an epilogue more than anything. This is the reflections that come from wrapping up so many aspects of her previous life all at once. I so excited to see what she does next. But i am so glad she didnt reinvent herself and put out this messy, powerful, explorative album to reflect on her career and life so far.
I totally agree! I think the eras tour was destined to be successful beyond belief, so she didn’t have the pressure to put out something that the industry or fair weather fans would consider groundbreaking. Someone said below that it’s like she put out her notes app, and maybe she did? But to her as an artist, it was more cathartic for her to put her feelings into music vs. letting it fester while trying to tour. I’m sure without recording music during that time, she would have only been able to DIWABH for so long. Music is her life. I love that she was just like I needed to do this, & I’m sharing it.
I LOVE Midnights and feel like it had an era. Even though the Eras Tour came out after Midnights, you can see the era in the sparkles and celebration. It also had time before the Eras Tour to be its own. The Tortured Poets Department hasn’t had time to be its own, and honestly it doesn’t feel like it was thought out as well as her previous albums. It has over 30 songs on it and we know it was a pretty short timeframe. You can tell in the choppiness of the lyrics. As far as having an era, nothing has really changed (except getting rid of evermore 😭) and it feels like a background album. The Tortured Poets Department seems like the only reason it’s hitting the top of the charts is because it’s a Taylor Swift album and not because it’s top of the charts material.
That's exactly what I said! It seriously feels like people really believe that anything Taylor Swift actually touches turns to gold. Hopefully this is a major wake up call especially for Taylor Swift.
TTPD has amazing storytelling and writing. None of her albums sound like her other albums. I don't see how she can be in a rut, when her artistry keeps evolving.
it doesn't really matter if the writing is that good. TTPD AS AN ERA shows her lack of artistry in the aesthetic and pop culture department. unlike her other eras, which was culturally iconic, TTPD most likely doesn't live up to that same hype.
Ttpd was kind of just her releasing her notes app. And there is something about it how it's really unfiltered and truly includes every random thought, but also it's missing something special and something cohesive and something that's more musically interesting. Some songs are really good and some lines in the less good songs are also really special, but it is full of unnescessare filler. She could have deleted half the songs and made more music videos and quality control.
I love TTPD, but I'm really ready for something a bit more spicy next. I want some pop/rock, honestly, with more energy and a totally different vibe. Midnights and TTPD have differences, but if you zoom out far enough, they feel too similar.
I mean these last two “eras” haven’t felt the same because right after Midnights came out, everything became about The Eras Tour I literally think that’s the only reason? Also I’m with you, TTPD became a favorite album of mine although when I least expected it
Exactly ! Midnights has an era ! It had 4 mv ttpd is the real eras tour era and everything is about the tour right now she’ll go back to full eras after
I would‘ve loved it to be more in dept though. Like the whole aesthetic and her outfits and everything are just peak and they just got lost in the eras hype
@@liljawallrodt6334 yeah for sure. But I mean the fact that she even put out a new album while doing the Eras tour is insane. We’ll definitely get more eras I think, she’s not stopping anytime soon
i love taylor swift, and ttpd is one of my favourite releases by her, but god i hope she works with new producers and reinvents herself with ts12. while i do think shes too big to fail, not reinventing herself can soil her legacy atleast critically and with the larger public in general. praying ts12 has the sound guilty as sin and so high school created. plus imo she and jack have ran their course, as much as i love their work together. also ttpd had so much potential, if only she picked the right singles and maybe worked on some of the production a bit more.
Don't get me wrong, getting a whole album at once is GREAT but I kinda prefer her to do a full album dropout with a few singles released before to feel what the album is about (e.g pre folklore)
Yes! Agreed! I feel like she’s not giving the “era” time to marinate. Drop some videos leading up to the album release. Folklore and evermore just felt so short to me because of that. But I understand she’s in a tour right now so it’s hard
I don't think it's just about the sound. For an era to be remembered, people need to have time to focus on the album, however, Taylor is releasing so much content right now that it's hard for any new album to stand out. If she had released only Midnights without several re-recordings, the "era" would be more memorable. I think she needs a reinvention, though, if her next album was something like TPD again, I doubt it would repeat the success. However, reinvention needs to happen in the right moment, and if Midnights and TPD managed to be so successful without reinvention, that means it was not the time for her to reinvent herself. But I think the next album is the time, though.
Think about it though. The other eras were natural, unintentional, understandable and contextual. Debut wasn't an era, Taylor was trying to become a country star. It was childhood and purity. Fearless was her growing into a young adult, ending her teen years, and still honouring her country beginnings with a mainstream pop twist. Speak Now is her first true experiences of heartbreak, and having a life defined by herself (as she literally wrote the whole thing by herself), while turning almost fully to pop. Red is having fun, honouring her early 20s and being herself despite a gain in popularity. 1989 is her breaking ground: becoming a popstar. Dating celebs. Moving to New York and exploring. Reputation is breaking silence. Overcoming controversy and falling in love in a private, true way. Lover? Accepting the colourfulness of love. Living through difficult experiences - losing a grandparent, for example. Being forced to be a grown up, and still honouring her inner child (pink, camp, fun). Folklore and Evermore are similar in the way that they are very reminiscent of the quietness and creativeness of lockdown. Being forced to entertain ourselves, writing, journalling, storytelling. Midnights feels somewhat more fabricated. It's an album made to tour. It's also the dying breaths of a serious relationship though, not that the actual portrayal of the era is cognisant of that. Finally, TTPD confuses me. I don't know what the intention was. It feels full of struggle, but a lot of its portrayal is majorly superficial in my opinion. I know that this is an unpopular opinion, but it's a bit of a middle of the road album to me. I think that dropping 30+ tracks means that each one stands out less. As an era, it's just a touring album in the way it's been received and marketed. She said Red isn't sonically cohesive, but I think TTPD is not thematically cohesive, nor musically inspired in terms of interest and instrumentals/production.
Taylor hasn't been able to capture the same highs, she isn't shaking the public with what she does now? She is as high as she has ever been and shaking the public like no one else exactly at this moment. And TTDP is quite a distinct era to me, even if it's more created while you are listening to it in private and not so much by performances by Taylor. The art did create an era all by itself. She's not a young girly anymore who has to say yes to every performance or music video opportunity and just because an era has been a certain way before doesn't mean it has to stay this way... If she is "not doing eras anymore" it's potentially because possibilities for a distinct era are running out for her tbh. She has more or less everything now. Maybe she could do rock, blues, maybe she could become a parent and have material focusing on themes about that, maybe a fictional album, like a movie...reinvention is tough. The more times goes by and the more albums have been released the higher the possibility of something being similar to something we already had before being released. Just with a more mature approach... Oh well, idk... We'll see what happens when the future is here.
Midnights is not apart of the Folkmore trilogy. There was a rumored third album that was allegedly called "Woodvale" that she pivoted from & released Midnights instead. Midnights, TTPD, & TS12 are the trilogy.
i love Taylor. TTPD feels rushed to me. i think a good break after REP TV and Debut TV will be good for her and please i beg she works with new producers
I feel like we’re in a “praying on ___’s downfall culture” rn. It gets views even though 9/10 times its baseless accusations. The funniest thing is that even if Taylor swift became hated by everyone besides swiftes, she would still make a profit because of how large the fandom is. That being said midnights is my favorite album and I love the aesthetic of the 70s kinda look and wished she went more into it. I think there is a half 70s half fever dream theme going on which kinda makes sense since it’s about random things that keep her up at night.
Apparently she travelled to Stockholm before the London shows despite not having a show there, Stockholm is the place where Taylor & Max Martin made all their songs together 👀 so i honestly do think TS12 may be something very different, after all she's actually happy now & in love
@@nouhs8410 she went to Stockholm right before the London shows after the Stockholm shows had ended long time ago, i saw it through a jet tracking tweet
It’s because she didn’t disappear between the albums like she usually does so we perceived them differently. The usual 2 year space between albums were filled in by Speak Now and 1989 TV and the Eras tour. Music videos for Midnights and TTPD were green screen easter egg commercials. I can literally SEE Debut, Fearless, Red, 1989, Rep, Lover, FolkMore in my head when I listen to them. And I think Midnights and TTPD would have that too if 1. we had the time to process them and 2. (i’m sorry😭) if Taylor wasn’t directing her music videos and the visual output of her albums. Also need Jack to take a back seat and her to work with Liz Rose again
Taylor is at a point in her career where she could do absolutely anything and still have it be successful. Reminds me a lot about Madonna in the 90s. She had such a huge core fanbase she no longer cared about the general public and experimented with new sounds that were not always hits among the general public but she remained relevant and is now getting her flowers for the vision that turned out to be timeless. I would love for Taylor to go the same route and I know she could... that's why TTPD worried me. The album grew on me a lot, but upon the first listen my only thought was "she doesn't know where to go from here" and I hope she doesn't get stuck in this rut of fan service music that is just appealing enough for the radio. She is one of the very few artists that could actually pull a 90s Madonna and create a whole new chapter of music history and ngl watching her just... not do that is kinda frustrating. But I just firmly believe that she's got so much more to show than what she's known for.
My biggest fear for Taylor is becoming like Madonna in not knowing when to stop. I loved Madonna but I dont think her pace of work was good for her mental health and it has made her more unrelatable and weird. Whereas Taylor has always maintained her relatability against the odds
i was disappointed with the ttpd era because of the lack of interviews, performances outside of the eras tour, and general extra content for the album besides merch drops, variants, and some short blurbs about specific songs she wrote. i absolutely love ttpd, frequently revisit it, and actually consider it to be by far one of my favorite projects of hers. i just wish she.. talked about it more i guess? i think because of the astronomical level of fame she's risen to, it's forced her to take a few steps back from the public both online and irl. this in turn contradicts the kind of image she's curated for herself throughout her career as an artist who is so close to her fans personally in combination with her highly confessional and diaristic songwriting, instead of being more of an elusive and mysterious figure. this branding is such a defining characteristic of her artistry and is how she created such a tightknit fanbase, so to see her go against this makes ttpd feel a lot less connected to the rest of her work despite it not being that big of a pivot sonically (although i think there are quite a lot of songs in the album that sound nothing like what she's done before and people need to give it a lot more credit). the eras tour performances are genuinely insane and it's close to skipless for me, but the era itself is what's missing that edge her older albums had.
i think another reason is the TTPD is being released in the middle of a tour, and the album was pretty much written during said tour. I dont think she actually has time to promote that much, she has time to write and record and probably film visuals and stuff but thats rlly it and honestly it makes sense
Sincerely what do you even want her to say? To expose herself to invasive questions from the media about the 2 breakups and relive that period of her life especially now that she's in a relationship. She's already said what she needed to say on the album and it's clear she just wanted to release the album and be done with it. For ts12 maybe she may choose to promote it, maybe not but either way it's not going to affect her album rollout in anyway. And honestly as much as I want to see her in interviews for albums it's clear she's tryna reduce her overexposure and cutting the parasocial umbilical cord between her and fans
@@paintingdreams290 you're absolutely right and i just totally forgot to mention this, it was probably a huge challenge for her because of how far in advance they booked stadium dates and all the planning that goes into the tour- and will all of that i was so shocked with the level of detail and creativity that went into the ttpd set and i still don't know how she and the cast and crew had the time to do that much for it. she truly never sleeps 😭 i think what i was getting at more was her maybe doing some interviews online or in person to give more of an insight into the songwriting process and what it was like making the album (especially given the fact that it was written on tour when she was so busy) instead of focusing on heavily promoting all of the variants and merch. i completely get why there's only one official music video as of right now, and i really hope she gets some much needed rest before the last leg of tour cause she truly deserves it so so so much. i just think there could have been a little more thought placed into where her priorities were when she had the time to promote it, if that makes any sense!!
Regardless of how I feel about her music, I can never deny how hard-working she is and how she's aesthetically and sonically defined parts of the early 2010s and 2020s for me.
I feel like the TTPD despite spending so many weeks at #1 and about to surpass 6 million units the era feels so shortlived and unfocused to how intimate and explorative the album is. It deserved more treatment and a larger developing within its material and the moments surrounding it. It feels more special than the moment it had and a very unwrought conecept that was rushed and drowned in uninspired production
I think it has to do with the sheer amount of work she’s putting out. Like TTPD only came out in April, and swifties are already wanting reputation tv. Im really grateful for the amount of content we’re getting, but I kinda wish she’d go back to the strict 2 year album cycle she used to have, so we can properly immerse ourselves in the album, and I think TTPD really deserves that
I mean we have a new set on the eras tour, two music videos.... she could be doing more people just expect so much all at once. A surprise performance with Florence. How much is one supposed to do while touring?
Don't we ever think for a second think that we ask too much of her?! the majority of singers we love, have two or three good hits and we don't diminish any of them and they're still so famous and adored she has been putting epic music for 15 years !
I mean no one is asking for new alums so fast she is the one releasing them Like for me the last one Wouldham needed to simmer a little more , edited a lot more
@@louyou6614 I agree with you on this point. yeah I love the album so much but it needed more time and work, I guess it was a commercial move to sell more during the eras tour. Still it is an amazing piece of art
@@louyou6614there is no need for it to be edited. She said what she needed to say as it was a cathartic moment in time for her and now she's done. Midnights and ttpd were to process her feelings as she said
@ayomidedareabel5525 she need a better editor some songs need to stay in the vault for a little while to just better the quality It's too much songs at once And it's okay ish
i didn’t finish the video yet but im glad you brought up this topic !! i’ve been very skeptical of midnights and TTPD after they came out for exactly this reason, i felt (and still do) like some of the songs on there just sound not only like her previous albums, but also like the vault tracks. and what threw me off the most was that some of the vault tracks were sounding like her new stuff! i mean it makes sense why but it was so weird to hear such a midnights-coded song (in terms of production) like now that we don’t talk (and i love that song btw) on 1989!!! this is not to bash taylor or jack, i’d die for them, but i felt this blurring of eras (especially the re-recorded ones) to be jarring. i just think that she needs to be more strict with her output…like a 31 song album? are you kidding me??? like i’d say i love about 17 songs from there which is a lot! but i really do not care about the rest of them im sorry
iirc Midnights sound was supposed to be encompassing her entire careers sounds at that point (as in revisiting all those sounds) and tbh the Tortured Poets Department is somewhat different, i just feel like Taylor probably isnt ready to shift sounds again and i do think the shit that went down for her is probably why (like she probably was just writing how she felt but wasnt exactly making goal to shift sounds bc Joe was a important person in her life and so that ending probably impacted her harder and then well, Matty came along and did his thing)
I think I have heard somewhere that she wrote lyrics for 1989 vault bit didn't record them, so tunes for it was first producing during the rerecording probably after midnights was done.
the critical reviews of tortured poets are very confusing to me because there are many valid criticisms they could make, like it being too wordy and needing editing, but they say it’s a cash grab and is creatively bankrupt. which I don’t believe, as she’s definitely at a creative high right now, and i’d argue maybe too high. also I don’t think not really having an era is that big of deal, as the music is good. tortured poets is definitely taylor at her best writing-wise, the metaphors she uses are very effective. though production-wise it’s a little stale. now I wouldn’t completely drop jack and aaron but I think she should branch out more, and use jack and aaron where it is most needed. coming back to the critics note, i think they’re very harsh at this moment just because of taylormania, and how she’s become famous in such a massive way that she hasn’t been before, so people are getting sick of her. if you couldn’t tell from what ive said before, I think this a massive step up from midnights, while I love it, I have to admit that it is a little vague and not very unique. tortured poets however, is a really good vulnerable record in ways we haven’t seen from her before. it really shows her as a 3-dimensional person. in summary, I really like this record and believe it is very good. i think more people will revisit it and see it for what it is.
The only reason I think Midnights and more so TTPD DIDN'T get a proper "Era" per say is because they AREN'T their own individual Eras. They're part of The Eras Era, with the tour serving as their overarching aesthetic. The tour for a TS album is such an integral part of it's Era, we see people attending dressed with that albums aesthetic in tow. The entire production of the show is centred around that album and it's visuals. That tour is a massive part of defining exactly what that Era is and represents. Midnights and TTPD didn't get individual tours. They were never meant to be stand alone Eras in the same way that previous albums such as 1989 and Lover were. Which is why we didn't get the same music videos, interviews, promotion or solidified aesthetic. They we're always created with the intention of being a part of The Eras Era. An addition to Swift's back catalogue of music, something new to add to this tour to prevent the sucess of it potentially solidifying her as a legacy act and not a contemporary. Post Eras Tour, with the release of Rep TV and Debut TV, is when "The Eras Era" will end and we'll get distinctive new Eras, that will in turn correlate with New Tours and proper Roll Outs
We forget that she explicitly complained about the pressure of constantly having to reinvent. She doesn’t want to constantly change. Go watch Americana.
I stopped watching the video at 3:09 just to say this, the reason why the midnights & TTPD eras are too short and dont have an aesthetic is because shes in middle of the rerecording, FOR EXAMPLE midnights was obviously hinting Speak now TV, while ttpd is hinting for Reputation TV. Also lets not forget taylor doesnt reinvent herself until she faces a criticism, you can see that in every album she released up untill folklore
Honestly I think the only reason midnights and TTPD didn’t really feel like eras, is because of the re-recordings and the Eras Tour. I truly believe that once she releases the final TV album and finishes with the tour we’ll go back to actual eras. The theory about the Grammys makes so much sense! If you think about it that’s exactly what happened with the Red-1989 transition and the Reputation-Lover transition. I really think that she will change her sound again if she doesn’t do good at the Grammys. Now, about the “drop Jack” things, I honestly don’t mind the synth tracks in the last couple of albums. I think Jack is great, I really do. However, I do think that a change would be needed at this point. The reason why TTPD got so much hate from the general public and critics, is because the album isn’t anything we haven’t heard before. The main album is a lot like Midnights, with a few hints of Reputation and 1989 and the anthology is basically Folklore/Evermore. I personally don’t really hate Jack, and I wouldn’t say that Taylor HAS to drop him, like a lot of people on social media have been saying, but I do think that the eras and the reinventions need to come back, If she wants her albums to be more critically acclaimed in the future. I do love TTPD though, and I think it’s a great reflection of her thoughts and feelings during this past year. Also I wanted to make clear that I think it’s TERRIBLE that critics and the general public think that Taylor needs to reinvent to stay relevant. I thought everyone was over that but I guess not.
um folklore only has 1 MV too and it’s of taylor playing the piano.. (don’t get me wrong I love folklore) so don’t single out TTPD for “not having an era” since folklore and evermore didn’t really either
i think the main reason for that was because they were surprises and not a part of her regular album roll out. But folklore to a degree got an aesthetic despite not having an era, it was tied to romantic poetry. Evermore was an extension of folklore. TTPD got nothing. She just revamped the poet aesthetic for this era, but it quite didn't fit for TTPD(minus the anthology, i think the poet aesthetic really fits with it), i think she should have just dived deep into the insane asylum that she showed in the Fortnight music video.
@@e3ve3_arTS the difference is she delivered such a concept (aka Cardigan) during a time when people were unsure about life altogether, but FORTNIGHT mv is like "here is a mv for 31 songs".
What I think people still don't get is during Tortured Poets, she was reflecting on past relationships and briefly on her current one. But she was also reflecting on who she used to be, who she is in the industry, how she got here and if someone is to blame. She had just completed the re-records and was performing her old and newer songs every night. If one of her newer songs sounds simular to an older song, I think that is intentional. I think this double album was catharsis and processing. I think TS12 will be a big step forward. Away from the past and away from everyone's expectations. She is famous and now independent enough to do whatever she wants and break free from constructs and perceived expectations. She is now like the later Beatles in a sense bc she can be as inventive and lyrically curious as she wants to be and know that a lot of her fans will allow her the space to do that. I also feel she will always tour but maybe not every album and not all of the old songs.
Midnights had a full era it has 4 music videos it lasted a while and it the eras tour was from the midnights era it was just to help with re recording etc. ttpd was made on tour so it doesn’t have as much support hence the broken heart video but after tour it’ll go back
as a musician myself, i dont think artists need to reinvent themselves sonically or at all if they have no interest in doing so. as a producer i like to challenge myself and tackle new genres yes, but if i decide "i want to go back to the "x" sound" then i would. and i think a lot of us have gotten used to taylor changing her sound regularly, which contributed to us expecting and wanting a change so often. i think her changing should be natural, if it happens then she should want it, and she should also not avoid sounding different, she shouldn't strive for cohesion or lack of cohesion.
omg finally someone who said this! I've always noticed each genre/vibe switch gets Taylor an aoty! if after ttpd she releases or more upbeat poppy record it might win aoty, but if she stays in dark-ish pop or moves to folk it's less likely
She's in her Hyper Productive Era. Kickstarted with Midnights, encapsulates the Eras Tour, the re-records and TTPD is more content, written and recorded on the road, in an era that is still unfolding. The Eras are no longer album tied.
I agree. I often see fans saying that TTPD is not for the general public/non-swifties... but I really don't think it's for swifties either; it feels like it's for Taylor herself. For me, I'm not a fan of the album (though I think there are _a couple_ songs I like from it). The sound doesn't connect with me even in the cases where I can appreciate the choices; also, the subject matter of most of the songs feels very "specific" - very personal, in a way that makes it difficult for me to enjoy them as an "outsider" - if that makes sense. Honestly, that's alright since I simply don't listen to stuff that I can't enjoy (without complaining)... but what I don't like is when fans say things like "this is Taylor's best era" etc. *just because* she's been more vulnerable than ever in this album. Taylor making music to process her experiences is alright, but that doesn't automatically make it "the best" of anything. _And that's okay._ It doesn't need to be.
i honestly i love this album but ya it does not feel like an "era" like how midnights was! i just miss midnights sm like the excitement and all. also i hate how everyone wanna rush to the next era like ttpd can be really good if people just stayed with it and want more from it!! ya reputation tv can wait its too early to just jump to another album it all feels like a speed run :(
I love Taylor, but I feel like a major appeal of her music is that she creates these conceptual eras. I feel like there’s a chance she might fall through if she fails to make another cohesive album. TTPD was sonically a little messy and thigh her fans loved it, the general public completely trashed it.
The Matty Healy criticism isn't that she's making "sob stories" about him, it's that the moment she announced they were dating everyone knew exactly what the next album would be about. It creates the impression that she chooses romantic partners based on songwriting potential instead of any actual connection, and why her dating history looks like a war memorial.
I feel like part of Taylor’s message is that as a woman, she’s always expected to reinvent herself or do something new with every album while guys aren’t expected to do that. Maybe she’s silently protesting against that?
I don't think an artist should be foregoing artistic development in order to make a vaguely feminist statement? It's very much true that the standards are different for men and women but compromising artistry is a weird way to go about making a point, and I doubt she really is that meta about her work
Yup and while I love that she's finally free of feeling that pressure, I can't help but think it was a potent motivation. I've been a fan since the SpeakNow era and I still love her and her music, her music and eras hasn't hit after the RedTV. It just feels like she has stopped trying
I think TTPD is my favorite album ever. It's so amazing. I have listened to it almost every day since it dropped. It's unique, interesting, poetic, gripping, a little messy but in a way that COMPLEMENTS the focus of the songs...Seriously almost every song is a banger. The only one I skip is Robin. Obsessed! I only wish there were more music videos. I can't stop listening; it's addictive. It helps me tap into different parts of myself.
I really loved your video!! TTPD is on my top 5 of my favorite Taylor's albums, after folklore, evermore, Red Tv and Midnights. I totally agree that it's not an era, I perceive it as a mix of folklore and Midnights, it doesn't have a distinctive sound but her lyrics are the most beautiful ones expecially on the last part of the Anthology (I Hate It Here, The Prophecy, Cassandra, Peter).
Great video! For the next record I hope Taylor goes back to her old formula: first single and music video, one or two promo singles, second single released on album release day. Hope she takes a new trajectory in her music, leaning more towards soft rock (fresh out the slammer) or the sound of Florida or I can fix him. I hope in a cohesive short album (max 12/13 tracks), with few good features and maybe some new collaborators! Also, no confusing deluxe versions or variants this time! She has already broken all records so there is no need to prioritize records over music quality anymore! I LOVE midnights and ttpd but I think ppl and critics are getting tired of her pop/synth pop sound influenced by Jack and her super wordy lyrics. I’m sure she will surprise nonetheless with the next release as she always does!
Taylor's pen game is still strong. Her creativity with melodies and lyrics are at her peak but jack antonoff is holding her back. Jack Antonoff songs on SNS are the most boring songs and he's always carried by Taylor and Sabrina pen game. He barely add anything to the songs and sometimes he makes them worse
I really wish she could've let Folklore be her last time working with Jack. He ruined so many good lyrics on Midnights for me. He sucks the life out of her music. Max Martin, Shellback & Aaron Dessner are the ones she should stick with. Joel Little should also be brought back every now & then to spice things up.
MIDNIGHTS is what sucked me in. Made me a total Swiftie. ANTIHERO replayed in my brain for *weeks* and I thought: "Huh, maybe I should give this album a listen." I really feel that this album felt much more alt music than anything before (era/vibe wise) to contrast with the 70's/80's feel. Before I realized she had been working with the Bleachers front man, before I realized Matty Healy was involved I felt the alt music.
There is an interview where TS explains that female artists are washed up by the time they're 30, and to stay relevant they have to invent themselves time after time, up to 20 times, in new ways that people find interesting but not offensive. She then explains that men do not have to do this to retain their career as they age. I believe that TS has reached a point in her career that she is no longer required to 'be' a certain way, or write a certain way, because really, does she need to be any bigger or more successful? I suspect this is very freeing for her and she can now concentrate on what she prefers, in the way that she dictates, without the constraints of 'will they approve?' of this. I find her music has matured incredibly since 2020. She has more profound things to address, and I love it. I am so appreciative of her last 5 albums, and like each one more than the one before. She is now free to explore the artistry of her poetry, and therefore her music, without any subjective confines placed there by fans who consume her work. She is free from everything that held her down, held her back, and tried to forcefully define her. I'm here for it.
I love TTPD, but it was released during a world tour that is an Era Tour in itself. It wouldn't make sense to change sound, she developed the sound on Midnights and that make sense.
1) she is avoiding over exposure 2) she doesn't want traditional multiple singles rollout with TTPD. 3) Jack Antonoff is amazing produced and she can still work with him but for a couple of songs per album, not the entire album. We need moments like Getaway car, Out Of The Woods, Cruel Summer in her albums. 4) She is definitely working on Era's Tour movie 2.0 5) More than TS 12, I am excited for TS 13. So yes, this decade also belongs to Taylor Swift. 6) She should start releasing multiple pre album singles, because album eras are not working anymore. 7) Taylor does listen to her fans and learns from her short comings.
If #1 was true she wouldn't have dropped TTPD in April. It's a transitional album & era for her. She's trying to step away from her clean cut & curated image.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh she released TTPD in April so that she can modify and add a new era in her world tour. If she was lazy, she wouldn't have added new set to her list, she cares about her fans. She promoted her album only among fans because her tour is attended mostly by her fans. The general public exposure of this album is sadly very less.
@@akashvalsan6609 The promotion of this album was EVERYWHERE, not just her social media or website. There were ads on TV and pop up shops in cities. A large portion of the Eras Tour is being attended by the general public and casual listeners, not just swifties.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh promotion was done only at the time of release. That's it. Still I feel, she needed to promote her album outside Era's Tour to be effective. TTPD era has to compete with 10 different eras in the World Tour to grab the attention of general public.
The reinvention is not going to happen, she is currently making music for herself and the charts. Previous album cycles felt like well defined eras because Taylor’s efforts were to create something outsanding for the world to know and remember Taylor Swift The Artist in a period of time where pop was at its peak and she was competing against giants like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna, etc.
People saying she is now a bit too old for pop stardom is sad and a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are still fun and emotionally complex at 30 or 40 or even in their 80s. But maybe taylor doesnt want to stay a pop star forever, maybe she'll become another Toni Mitchell and just focuses on her lyrics and melody world building instead of sexy choreos
I feel like you can't efficiently manufacture an era, certainly not if you're starting with that as your main goal. Previous eras are more or less linked to Taylor's real life: relationships, break ups, moving to New York, new genres she wanted to explore, scandals etc. If she tries to 'make an era' from scratch, it won't ring true. Maybe she'll want to discover something new entirely and that will result in an era.
I think the question "Does Taylor need to try anymore" is really interesting and that's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. The thing about Midnights and TTPD not being the "real" eras is just mainly because of The Eras Tour it just overshadowed everything else but also I got the feeling Taylor just doesn't relate anymore to TTPD and that's why this era feels sort of non existent. She quickly began dating Travis which I think made her stop thinking of her as the "tortured poet". Maybe that's also we lack more visuals. When it comes to Midnights I think this album is a perfect example of imo manufactured Taylor Swift album or just 'Taylor Swift on autopilot'. Because when you think about after evermore her next album was just set to make huge noise since both previous albums were a huge success and rerecordings did the same while also probably bringing even more people who were fans during those old eras (Red and Fearless). And I'm more than sure she had the idea of The Eras Tour in her head for a very long time. But the best way to promote this tour was to create an album that will be more up-beat and fun compared to the previous two just so the hype is there. Because honestly idk if people would be so excited if after evermore we would get TTPD or something in the likes of it. That's why for me after TTPD was released Midnights started to feel less thought out than her other albums. Just a pop album to help promote the tour. And when she got that Grammmy for Midnights for me it felt like it was just to everything she achieved because Midnights is very tightly connected to the tour and the academy needed to acknowledge tours success in some way. And giving the AOTY to her was I guess the best move for that. And The Eras Tour is for me the reason things get the way they are. Because as you said this is the biggest musical event in recent history. It took her to the level of fame no one ever was before. And with that a lot of things get so much easier. For example promoting your music. It became pretty clear and obvious that with TTPD (and kinda with Midnights but not fully) she moved on from a typical promotion strategy to do it "in house". What I mean is she doesn't need to do anything at this point to make an album do #1 or have it sold x amount of copies to break the record. The interviews, performances etc is irrelevant because currently her way to promote stuff is just through Eras Tour. It makes me think that it brought her to the place of some comfort that she doesn't need to pull a huge effort in order to make her albums successful. And I think that also influences the crestive choices and music choices she makes. Since she doesn't need to do that much she can as well just whatever she likes and whatever comes easiest with the sound of her music without the constant need change. That's also something she mentioned during evermore. That she felt inside she needed to do something else but on the other side she wanted to stay in this alternative space for longer. I see a lot of people complain about her working with Jack and that he's the reason music is boring. But if you listen to music Jack makes with other people (Lorde, Lana, Sabrina, Chicks) it becomes obvious it's not that Jack is incapable but he just does what Taylor wants. He creates music that Taylor wants him to. If you think her songs with him are boring. Blame Taylor's vision and not Jack. The main thing is Taylor NEEDS to branch out and do something fresh for TS12. But other thing is does she wants to? Does she feel the need to do something else? I think that after both Eras and the rerecordings will be finally over she will have time to just sit down with music and find a new inspiration that will push her to again break her boundaries.Because that's when she's the best at making music. When she tries something new or takes a new interesting spin on something she did previously. I think the two remaining rerecordings are done or mostly done so she will have a lot of time since it seems we won't get a new album until 2026. Also I think that after Eras a lot of people will lose interest in her and she still will be huge but not as huge as now. That also would maybe change something because now we live in the Taylormania Era. So does she need to try? Not really but it would be nice if she did because she must try. That's the key difference she must but she may not want to. I think she cares a lot about reviews and shit and I'm 95% sure they won't give her another Grammy next year. So I think she will have some sort of "force" to think about trying again. Because after these very mixed reviews of TTPD I can imagine TS12 in the similar style will be received very negatively. And there won't be another Eras Tour to cover the backlash.
What I feel is that this album was actually written since 2018.. and it's the album which is dark theme and it's about Taylor and it's the album which contains all songs which she needed to write most when she was in pain... U notice after reputation, she actually has written for midnights due to all she went but due to the darkness of reputation she had to give a break to that darkness and therefore lover and story themed album came .. after this bright era there was midnight which was first planned as karma and then TTPD ... Tbh I feel TTPD will be the longest for her and there are many surprise and lead single music video to be coming but due to eras tour she is busy we have to wait for that and also Reputation TV not coming before 2025 end..🤣🤣.. at VMA's She may announce the music video for a song from TTPD - It can be who is afraid of real old me or Thank You Aimeee
It's not my favorite album but (to me) hypothetically, if Midnights and Poets were released from the same year, and are the only nominees for AOTY.... Poets would win it for sure. I also think that just like reputation, it'll take years for people to fully appreciate it.
one thing to note is the four music videos came out over six or so months, the TTPD has only rlly been out for four months, i have a feeling w more singles we'll get more visuals
I love her so much. But it seems like she is not making any strong eras anymore. The thing is - she is so big, she doesn’t have to reinvent herself and still breaking records…
You know maybe after working on her career for 20 years maybe she just want to slow it down and enjoy life? I always see her working and singing on that stage. She became a billionaire through the Eras Tour so 🤷♀
I mean the eras she was in weren’t her. I feel like TTPD is showing herself more personaly. She has an aestetic to TTPD but I feel like she personally can relate more to it. While others were just eras. Like “I love moss and fairys… lets make an album with this aesthetic” thats what her albums feel like prior or for reputation it was “this is who they think I am, I will make my persona a villian” thats what albums feel like before. But her current era… feels more personal.
As much as it hurts me to admit it, I, personally, don't think Taylor will ever produce an album with an actual era ever again. Why, you may ask, and I will explain my reasoning: 1. She became the music industry. Period. No one can barely reach her records, sells, fandom-wideness in the current pop. 2. Even if someone gets close, like Billie did, she doesn't need to perform in music shows or anywhere else to block said artist. All she has to do is release the live version of a song. A LIVE VERSION. 3. Taylor took 4 years to create the aesthetic of the next album, she's definitely not doing that anymore, since she's releasing songs and albuns whenever she likes. We will have symbols to accustom us with the album, but it won't ever feel like an actual era because we won't have the time with it, we won't see her working to promote it, doing interviews and expanding our relations with the newest music. So, people used to eras like 1989 (her biggest era ERA) will have to grow used to eras like TTPD and reputation-like (She barely left her voice during reputation, however she definitely promoted it outside her tour).
1. Coldplay is on a billion dollar tour & The Weeknd, despite having not released music in years, hasn't left the top spot of the monthly listeners chart.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh The Weeknd literally just released a stream of music from that terrible The Idol show. It was ok at best and it didn't really get much traction besides the Madonna and Playboi Carti collab.
I think TTPD was never meant to be an era. Right from the way she marketed it, till today, it has been very different and I think it is for a reason. She did no interviews, all the marketing for the album was very fan focused, like the Spotify pop up, and the QR codes for fans to find. She released two music videos, Fortnight which she described as a summary of the whole album, and ICDWABH which is a tour video she usually releases as the last single of an era. Then we can also talk about the last song on the album, The Manuscript, which is essentially her looking back on several past relationships and closing all the old chapters of her life. Also, I remember her saying on tour that she had never needed to write an album the way she needed to write TTPD. Putting this all together tells me that this is not an album she ever intended to drag out. It was cathartic for her. I think whatever comes next (after the re-records), will be a shift in aesthetic and genre. This is of course just my opinion.
What if she sticks to the same thing till the 12th album, and then for the 13th album she’ll go all out? I don’t see her doing nothing for her 13th album
This is a biiigggg comment so strap in lmfao Taylor has historically been an artist who comes back stronger everytime she's dealt a blow; this doesn't mean that she needs to be suffering in order to make good art (it would be insane to wish that on someone) but she definitely thrives when she has a point to prove. Contrary to popular opinion, I actually really enjoyed midnights and while I wouldn't call it a career defining moment or highlight, it definitely did what it had to, which is proving that Taylor has still very much got it in pop. TTPD though... as a massive Taylor fan I found it really difficult to digest the album despite being very excited for it. It could do with the lack of the conventional pop rollout or promotion but I honestly attribute it to the lack of diversity in the album itself. There's so many recycled concepts, melodies, chords and instrumentals that she has done across her other projects (especially midnights). It felt to me like it was the first time Taylor did not see artistic evolution- that this was midnights but in sepia. What really hurt it more was the sheer volume. I'm not a TTPD hater, I really think there's some really great stuff in it but it's so scattered among tracks that sound like demos from the midnights era. Most of the discourse I've seen online from fans seems to originate entirely out of their own narrative they've constructed for the album, not really because of the body of work itself which is probably why they enjoy it more than I do. I think Taylor fans often don't stop to critically analyse the work she puts out- yes she's a great songwriter but even great songwriters can create underwhelming work at times, and this is why Swifties get viscious at the slightest hint of critique. TTPD brings something new to the table but what it does bring is a slightly different variation of what its predecessors did, which is generally not the case for Taylor, being one of the few artists who manages to make distinct eras and vibes. Even if you take the visual associations away, it's clear as day to hear the differences among most of her projects. I say this after having so much time to soak in the album, and I think while it definitely has some great songs (The Prophecy like hello) it feels like a first draft, not even in a From the Vault kinda way. The lack of a distinct sound or visual association or promotion leaves the era feeling hollow. Even though evermore and folklore didn't have elaborate rollouts, the era felt solid because of how distinct they were artistically and how uniquely perfect they were in the overarching narrative for both Taylor and the world. TTPD on the other hand treads in Midnight's footsteps sonically and thematically, borrowing also from folklore and evermore too which is why even though swifties won't admit it, the album is just not that strong artistically. The success of the album has more to do with the brand of Taylor Swift than the quality itself- not to say it doesn't matter but Taylor always delivers a certain level of quality, which is not exactly enough. She's allowed to put out art like this obviously and fans can tune in but I'm just pointing out that the reason that the era doesn't really feel like an "era" is because you can't have a new era if you're continuing the old one. The reason that TTPD continues to do so well is because obviously the fans like it but also the fact that there is just so much in it. 31 songs being streamed by a fan on average three or four times a week is way more than streaming an album with 13 or 14 songs. The charts speak for themselves too- TTPD is thriving on the albums chart but on the Hot 100 and other song charts fortnight has dropped to a really low point for a Taylor Swift AND post malone song. I know there are artists who are more albums artists than singles artists but Taylor is one who statistically is both, because she usually has one or two intensely banger songs and a great album charting alongside for a solid chunk of time. Fortnight has been one of her worst performing singles in the context of the momentum and hype she commands in the culture right now; which is a shame because it really is a good song. My point here is that while her fanbase is massive and tends to enjoy her work, Taylor has always made music for the general masses and not just hardcore swifties. The same masses moved on from Fortnight to Million Dollar Baby, Espresso, I Had Some Help and Not Like Us within three weeks, and right now Billie Eilish is reigning the charts with a non single (which has been thriving for over a month atp) from an album that came out only a month later than TTPD . I'm not saying that people didn't appreciate Fortnight but it's clear that it wasn't as captivating as her other lead singles, despite the common sentiment prevailing that Taylor has banger singles. Contrast this with Anti hero which was battling it out with Rihanna's first release in 6 years, Drake's lead single with a big name collab, SZA's biggest single ever, The literal biggest seasonal song ever (Anti hero held number 2 while Mariah had number 1 during Christmas iirc), Shakira's revenge comeback moment and Miley Cyrus's most successful single- and still remaining at number 1 for over 8 weeks. Same thing with Blank Space. I think Fortnight and LWYMMD are sort of similar, in the way that both are successful songs in isolation but in the context of Taylor's discography... they're lesser remembered. I think Fortnight definitely deserves its flowers but it is pertinent that Taylor recognises the change in consumer mindset, which is unlikely because with the amount of fame she is experiencing right now all is going too well. I really hope she takes a big break after the tour and re emerges with a creatively strong project- it doesn't need to be an enormously different genre but it needs to be a distinct project, for the sake of Taylor's overall pretty great artistry.
My theory as a 68 yr old writer who had a baby at the age of 30, is that Taylor's next 'era' is bound to be internal and personal. This new relationship is a good one, she's happy, and it's true that when you're young and feeling all kinds of unrequited love, insane love, and relationship complexity, all magnified by intense public scrutiny as well as the shifting relationships between her and other stars and artists--the words write themselves. Pain is a massive motivator. At some point, you give yourself over to something other than yourself. All that young rage, resentment, mad love affairs, aren't throwing you out of bed to write it all down. I wouldn't say she 'reinvents' herself, it's more of an evolution, an internalization of all her many influences. She has so many talents, and so much creativity, that she could do anything outside of music and knock it out of the park. But she doesn't need more approval, more success, more fans--she's at an age where making the huge commitment to a partner and a baby is the biggest adventure one can embark upon. It's a nesting need that seems possible with Travis, more than with any other ex. He's big in his own world, he's generous in his admiration and pride in her talent, which is essential for her happiness. To feel that she had to tone down her star power to accommodate a lover's ego is unacceptable. She's going on a new trip; maybe she will focus on her private life, and she won't have to hear ANYONE'S opinion of her parenting, marriage, her SELF. She will always get applause, she will always thrill us with her work, but she's had decades of often cruel, stupid criticism of her work and life. She's like Dylan or Joni Mitchell; her career tracks much as theirs have. She's mature enough to be the only stamp of approval required. I get that you're a Swiftie, but lighten up already. She's beyond our ideas of what she should or could do. Just enjoy the ride. She owes us nothing; she has given everything.
the bejeweled shackles she keeps Jack in, in the back of the one of the tour trucks gotta be iron-clad and electrified. she gets an idea and he gets a lil ZAP to signal a new track is needed.
Who said "hate"? I get the sense that everyone loves Jack for his contributions to her music, but are ready for a fresh sound. Obviously it's her choice though.
People need to remember how much she grew up over the eras and the albums. She was so young when she started. She has grown up in front of us. After the eras tour I don't see her putting out much music. She is now 34 years old. She has been searching for love for so long. Her music is what makes her feel loved when it zooms to the top of the charts. It's been her identity. I truly believe though that the "era" she is in now is marriage and children. She didn't have that dream fulfilled until she met Travis. I think they really are a good match because they have their own careers, they have their own fans, they support each other. She doesn't have to be with someone who is jealous of her fame, because he has his own fame. I truly think love, marriage, and children will replace her incessant need to stay in the limelight. She will always be talented and she can do as much or as little writing/recording as she wants. If her and Travis get married and have children that will be the pinnacle of what she has been searching for all along. Being loved by millions of people is nowhere near as fulfilling as being loved deeply by ONE special person. I honestly believe she could write for other artists to keep her love of music alive, and begin the new Chapter of her life with Travis. She talks a lot of children since meeting Britany Mahome, and meeting Jason's 3 little girls. If her desire is to be loved, to learn to trust a man who will treat her well (and the Kelce boys are really well raised), have kids and snuggle down into her happily ever after, then she is there imo. She is a billionaire. He is a millionaire. They can settle down and and she can write some love songs if she feels like it, after so many break up songs. Or maybe she won't. I was not sure about Travis at first because of how fast they moved, but when you see them together, you see the love. It's unusual to "See" the love in a couple. He is fiercely protective of her and my sense is that is what she has needed throughout all these years of writing and touring. She poured her heart and soul into music and touring. She's gotta be tired of it. She may have not planned meeting Travis but boy, the timing could not be better. Both are ready for love and happiness. They say love shows up when you stop chasing it. Remember, Travis went after her, not the other way around. She wasn't chasing anyone hoping for it to work out. And he showed up. Tortured Poet is an apropos title for her recent album because I think she really was tortured. Little did she know he would walk into her life. THAT is what is different for her.
I need taylor to make a punk/rock album, songs that sound like better than revenge, angry like illicit affairs but also as lyrically powerful as atw10
Punk rock
@@f.p4355 punk rock is a state of mind.raging against the system . Taylor swift could not be further removed from this. She is the very face of corporate America looking to make as much cash as possible
Honestly, I think that was the direction she was going to take with her lost album. The one between 1989 and Reputation. It was when she did bleachella. I think we will be getting some of those songs when she releases Reputation TV, either as a double album or as added vault tracks. Either way, she has said it will be metal and 🔥.
@@dvp36exactly like tf they mean “punk rock” she couldn’t be further from what it means to actually be punk
"Drop Jack Antonoff" is so real though. Jack's work is substantial but Taylor needs to branch out if she wants to continue making a new and impactful sound. Her writing only gets deeper, but the sound only gets more bland. She's worked with the same producers for 5 albums. It's time to try a new sound.
Leaving Max Martin and Shellback was the best decision. Now Jack needs to go, he loves synthesisers way too much and takes a beautiful song to just meh.
YEAH like jack antonoff did soo much injustuce to the 1989 vault tracks ,they had soo much potential
It was Taylor who likes synth babe. Taylor said it herself. She likes Jack because he is one of the rare producer who would make a sound for her lyrics without any questions.
Can you share some thoughts on why you think that with Jack and Aaron (Ill involve AD because he plays just as significant role in this as Jack) the music loses impact?
I would argue that her music is peaking with TTPD and the sounds are insane, the quality of songs is literally better than ever. Each of these 5 albums are absolutely amazing and sonically diverse with each one having more depth and meaning.
So can you elaborate why you think that this is limiting her after 5 albums? I would almost say that she would have never managed to explore this wide range of sonically different genres without the likes of Jack and Aaron.
I just fail to see a reasonable argument these days apart from people saying ahhh its the same over and over when I feel like the complete opposite is the truth.
@@gktte2574 exactly.
maybe I'm wrong but I feel like this lack of an era could be intentional. "bygones will be bygone eras fading into grey"
Tortured Poets Department is so nuanced as a record and it kind of explores this grey area of who Taylor really is as a person and what her life is actually like. Like it doesn't neatly fit into a box just like Taylor herself. I personally hope she will continue down this path of exploring her internal struggles and exposing herself as this complicated three-dimensional person. I feel like reducing this era to an aestethic of typewriters or something would make it more shallow.
I don't think ttpd is nuanced. In terms of lyrics, it's inconsistent even if there are few good lyrics but the production makes it all worse. The only good songs in the album are by aoron dessner and not Jack antanoff. Jack is kinda reusing the same midnight ttpd electronic synth instead of exploring new melodies like in folklore, evermore, red, fearless. These albums weren't just lyrically great but also sonically and productionally.
I get what you mean. I really felt this album living in a self exploration gray space myself
@@gia42472while I do like jacks work (as a die hard) I do believe he is reusing the same synth sound now maybe creative burnout? I like Aaron's work more
@@Amethyst._.Dragons1312 exactly, Jack is everywhere from Lana to Sabrina to Taylor to Gracie and even 1975 and it's just the same synth. Ofcourse Taylor is also responsible for not taking the upper hand in creative control.
The Swifties trying to call the re-release albums their own era are embarrassing and only serve to muddy the waters even further. Midnights through Tortured Poets Department was not 4 distinct eras in a single calendar year, that's insane.
She's talked about how exhausting reinventing herself is so I'm just gonna assume that she's transitioning out of the "eras" marketing strategy and will move forward with marketing her music as just Taylor Swift
She doesn't need to try anymore but take a long break after clearing all the prerecorded albums and rapping up the Eras tour. Then while on break, reinvent , write new songs and comeback bigger.
I’m so ready for a reinvention I need a rock pop album from her also I think it’s time for her and jack/aaron to take a break from making music together it’s time to go out and have new collaborations with different producers
The thing is with Jack, it seems like any song he‘s now involved in just sound the same or are very similar. He worked with Sabrina on some songs and they sound so much like a Taylor song
yeah now all of them all kinda have a similar feel even though the sounds are different because she been with the same producers since forever
I really want a rock genre from her, tho my friends don’t think so as her voice won’t fit it. I can understand but it’s just my opinion.
Edit: This was my friends saying that her voice wouldn’t fit a rock genre, I DO THINK she can fit one definitely. There can be many types of rock and saying her voice isn’t meant for it is a bit dumb to me.
I'd love a rock based album from her. She needs to make a big statement with the next one.
@@arizarii I agree to disagree I mean haunted has such rock insipid instrumental same with red
Honestly, it's not about her not having much of an 'Era' with her recent albums for me as Taylor has already proven that she can successfully reinvent herself many times in her artistry but instead, she's lacking QUALITY CONTROL with Midnight and especially TTPD. For her last album both the main album and deluxe is a total of 33 songs and while an artist can do this, it does need to make sense and honestly a lot of those songs felt like album fillers. As a result creating a redundant sound for most songs. It felt like she just wanted to put out as many songs as possible for the charts because it means more chances to chart higher but it brought the quality down severely for me. I personally think that Folklore and Evermore were Taylor's last two best albums. Midnight and TTPD didn't do it for me🤷🏾♀️.
Folklore and especially evermore aren't even her best albums especially sonically lmao.
U know people calling Folklore and Evermore - Borelore and Everbore when it came out right? It’s the exact same hate TTPD is getting but not as loud lol
My point is at the time when Taylor drop 1989 people complaining about lack of country songs from RED
When Reputation came out people complaining it’s too dark unlike 1989
When folklore and evermore came out people calling it boring unlike Lover or Reputation
And when Midnights came out surprise “we want folklore and evermore” lol
@@aidentan6547 exactly it's the same dumb arguments over and over again. I don't know why people claim they want another folklore and evermore and in the same breathe claim ttpd is repetitive or too wordy lol. I can't take their arguments seriously at all
Taylor Swift have become MCU of music she needs a break and change in direction.
@@aidentan6547 Lol that's other people's complaint but not mine, mine is that Taylor is lacking in quality. These days she's just putting out whatever and hoping it sticks, a great example of this is the Ice Spice Collaboration for Karma...beyond horrible💀. She just used her for a feature because Ice Spice was hot at the time but it didn't make any sense whatsoever because their brands don't align and to make things even worse the song was just horrible.
I think it wouldnt be at all surprising if Taylor stopped trying to reinvent herself, purely because of her age as a popstar. She was pretty clear during Miss Americana that she thought Lover was going to be the beginning of the end for her career, only for that era to be unexpectedly cut short by covid and then Folklore/Evermore just as unexpectedly rocket her fame even higher than before. She's been pretty clear ever since that she's surprised to still be doing this because (as messed up as this is for a women only in her 30s) she is kind of a "geriatric popstar". Im sure i remember her commenting in the past that its pretty exhausting and a really high bar to expect female artists to constantly reinvent themselves, plus just like... she is in her 30s. Your teen years and 20s you just do go through like 100 different lifetimes before you figure out who you are, that usually happens by the time your her age so maybe she isnt reinventing herself because she doesnt need to anymore for her career, but also doesnt need to for HER because shes content in who she is ❤
I think the reason that ttpd or even midnights isn’t considered an era because right now it’s ’the eras tour era’ the eras tour is basically its own era itself, so dropping albums during this seems a little out of place I guess? Especially with the re recording project too. I loveeee ttpd and I’m so grateful to have it, but it felt so random and unexpected
The Eras Tour is basically the blanket label I have for this time period right now. Any time I hear about her somewhere, it always relates back to the Eras Tour or showcasing the multiple albums of hers somehow like fan projects, news of Swifties doing something, ticket raffles, etc. Even for TTPD, I've heard more about the Who's Afraid of Little Old Me performance on the set than song discussions. The ICDIWABH music video solidified it.
She also has a contract with universal
@@aaliyahfoster2705 yeah, in my opinion it isn’t even really a music video it’s just the eras tour behind the scenes with icdiwabh playing in the background, ttpd has just been completely overthrown by the eras tour and the music video kinda shows that. Don’t get me wrong, seeing the behind the scenes of everything was so cool but I miss the old days of Taylor slowly changing her style and even hair, hinting at the next album, everything she did was to side with the theme of the album. Idk it’s just different with ttpd and I can’t really explain why
@@SwiftiesVersion13_Tv She's had tour videos before the end of touring though so it's not anything out of the ordinary. (OG Red era had two - The Last Time performance with Snowpatrol and Red when it was sent out as the last actual country single). I'm sure with the magnitude of the tour and now the safety prioritizing, Taylor can't dedicate that much time for any album promotion alone other than giving it its own set on the tour.
I do think TTPD is the end of a certain chapter in her life. From Debut to TTPD, she's closing this chapter of her life so I'm heavily looking forward to the next new album and I hope it's a new sound (more rock leaning please Taylor)
Omg yes I really really want a more rock-y TS album
Yes especially looking at how well liked her Who’s afraid of little old me performance was!!
It doesnt feel like it was supposed to be an era. She was re-recoeding her old work, whilst preparing for and on the eras tour AND experiencing the loss of two people and relationships she valued deeply . She said she needed to write this album. She was brave and bold to put this out there. Its raw and vulnerable. Bt it doesnt surprise me that she didnt want to mine this period of pain and profound reflection for a new era. This feels like an epilogue more than anything. This is the reflections that come from wrapping up so many aspects of her previous life all at once. I so excited to see what she does next. But i am so glad she didnt reinvent herself and put out this messy, powerful, explorative album to reflect on her career and life so far.
I totally agree! I think the eras tour was destined to be successful beyond belief, so she didn’t have the pressure to put out something that the industry or fair weather fans would consider groundbreaking. Someone said below that it’s like she put out her notes app, and maybe she did? But to her as an artist, it was more cathartic for her to put her feelings into music vs. letting it fester while trying to tour. I’m sure without recording music during that time, she would have only been able to DIWABH for so long. Music is her life. I love that she was just like I needed to do this, & I’m sharing it.
I LOVE Midnights and feel like it had an era. Even though the Eras Tour came out after Midnights, you can see the era in the sparkles and celebration. It also had time before the Eras Tour to be its own. The Tortured Poets Department hasn’t had time to be its own, and honestly it doesn’t feel like it was thought out as well as her previous albums. It has over 30 songs on it and we know it was a pretty short timeframe. You can tell in the choppiness of the lyrics. As far as having an era, nothing has really changed (except getting rid of evermore 😭) and it feels like a background album. The Tortured Poets Department seems like the only reason it’s hitting the top of the charts is because it’s a Taylor Swift album and not because it’s top of the charts material.
That's exactly what I said! It seriously feels like people really believe that anything Taylor Swift actually touches turns to gold. Hopefully this is a major wake up call especially for Taylor Swift.
EXACTLY!!! THANK YOU FOR BEING SMART 😭
TTPD has amazing storytelling and writing.
None of her albums sound like her other albums. I don't see how she can be in a rut, when her artistry keeps evolving.
it doesn't really matter if the writing is that good. TTPD AS AN ERA shows her lack of artistry in the aesthetic and pop culture department. unlike her other eras, which was culturally iconic, TTPD most likely doesn't live up to that same hype.
Ttpd was kind of just her releasing her notes app. And there is something about it how it's really unfiltered and truly includes every random thought, but also it's missing something special and something cohesive and something that's more musically interesting. Some songs are really good and some lines in the less good songs are also really special, but it is full of unnescessare filler. She could have deleted half the songs and made more music videos and quality control.
This! ❤
I love TTPD, but I'm really ready for something a bit more spicy next. I want some pop/rock, honestly, with more energy and a totally different vibe. Midnights and TTPD have differences, but if you zoom out far enough, they feel too similar.
I mean these last two “eras” haven’t felt the same because right after Midnights came out, everything became about The Eras Tour I literally think that’s the only reason?
Also I’m with you, TTPD became a favorite album of mine although when I least expected it
Exactly ! Midnights has an era ! It had 4 mv ttpd is the real eras tour era and everything is about the tour right now she’ll go back to full eras after
Omg almost special
Ikr. for me, the last real deal Taylor era (and even álbum tbh!) was reputation
I would‘ve loved it to be more in dept though. Like the whole aesthetic and her outfits and everything are just peak and they just got lost in the eras hype
@@liljawallrodt6334 yeah for sure. But I mean the fact that she even put out a new album while doing the Eras tour is insane. We’ll definitely get more eras I think, she’s not stopping anytime soon
i love taylor swift, and ttpd is one of my favourite releases by her, but god i hope she works with new producers and reinvents herself with ts12. while i do think shes too big to fail, not reinventing herself can soil her legacy atleast critically and with the larger public in general. praying ts12 has the sound guilty as sin and so high school created. plus imo she and jack have ran their course, as much as i love their work together. also ttpd had so much potential, if only she picked the right singles and maybe worked on some of the production a bit more.
7:48 The way I VISIBLY gasped at that as a Speak Now swiftie
I know right that was so cruel of him-
HAHAHAHHAHA it hurts. really.
Did he stutter? 😁
meanwhile debut
Don't get me wrong, getting a whole album at once is GREAT but I kinda prefer her to do a full album dropout with a few singles released before to feel what the album is about (e.g pre folklore)
Yes! Agreed! I feel like she’s not giving the “era” time to marinate. Drop some videos leading up to the album release. Folklore and evermore just felt so short to me because of that. But I understand she’s in a tour right now so it’s hard
"TTPD can't be a failure because it sold a lot of copies."
The only thing worse than a good album nobody hears is a bad album everybody hears.
i really think that the synth pop it's what killed ttpd, because if the album had real instruments in it sound it could be a hole different case
I don't think it's just about the sound. For an era to be remembered, people need to have time to focus on the album, however, Taylor is releasing so much content right now that it's hard for any new album to stand out. If she had released only Midnights without several re-recordings, the "era" would be more memorable.
I think she needs a reinvention, though, if her next album was something like TPD again, I doubt it would repeat the success.
However, reinvention needs to happen in the right moment, and if Midnights and TPD managed to be so successful without reinvention, that means it was not the time for her to reinvent herself. But I think the next album is the time, though.
"She was still going to release new music & she was still going to fight" - and she was still going to block other artists from reaching #1
Think about it though. The other eras were natural, unintentional, understandable and contextual.
Debut wasn't an era, Taylor was trying to become a country star. It was childhood and purity.
Fearless was her growing into a young adult, ending her teen years, and still honouring her country beginnings with a mainstream pop twist.
Speak Now is her first true experiences of heartbreak, and having a life defined by herself (as she literally wrote the whole thing by herself), while turning almost fully to pop.
Red is having fun, honouring her early 20s and being herself despite a gain in popularity.
1989 is her breaking ground: becoming a popstar. Dating celebs. Moving to New York and exploring.
Reputation is breaking silence. Overcoming controversy and falling in love in a private, true way.
Lover? Accepting the colourfulness of love. Living through difficult experiences - losing a grandparent, for example. Being forced to be a grown up, and still honouring her inner child (pink, camp, fun).
Folklore and Evermore are similar in the way that they are very reminiscent of the quietness and creativeness of lockdown. Being forced to entertain ourselves, writing, journalling, storytelling.
Midnights feels somewhat more fabricated. It's an album made to tour. It's also the dying breaths of a serious relationship though, not that the actual portrayal of the era is cognisant of that.
Finally, TTPD confuses me. I don't know what the intention was. It feels full of struggle, but a lot of its portrayal is majorly superficial in my opinion. I know that this is an unpopular opinion, but it's a bit of a middle of the road album to me. I think that dropping 30+ tracks means that each one stands out less. As an era, it's just a touring album in the way it's been received and marketed. She said Red isn't sonically cohesive, but I think TTPD is not thematically cohesive, nor musically inspired in terms of interest and instrumentals/production.
Taylor hasn't been able to capture the same highs, she isn't shaking the public with what she does now? She is as high as she has ever been and shaking the public like no one else exactly at this moment. And TTDP is quite a distinct era to me, even if it's more created while you are listening to it in private and not so much by performances by Taylor. The art did create an era all by itself. She's not a young girly anymore who has to say yes to every performance or music video opportunity and just because an era has been a certain way before doesn't mean it has to stay this way... If she is "not doing eras anymore" it's potentially because possibilities for a distinct era are running out for her tbh. She has more or less everything now. Maybe she could do rock, blues, maybe she could become a parent and have material focusing on themes about that, maybe a fictional album, like a movie...reinvention is tough. The more times goes by and the more albums have been released the higher the possibility of something being similar to something we already had before being released. Just with a more mature approach... Oh well, idk... We'll see what happens when the future is here.
TTPD was the album that made me a swiftie🫶🏻
Midnights is not apart of the Folkmore trilogy. There was a rumored third album that was allegedly called "Woodvale" that she pivoted from & released Midnights instead.
Midnights, TTPD, & TS12 are the trilogy.
Definitely agree. Neither thematically, nor sonically.
wasn't woodvale just the original name for folklore?
@@-spice_x.Either that or it's codename
i love Taylor. TTPD feels rushed to me. i think a good break after REP TV and Debut TV will be good for her and please i beg she works with new producers
I feel like we’re in a “praying on ___’s downfall culture” rn. It gets views even though 9/10 times its baseless accusations. The funniest thing is that even if Taylor swift became hated by everyone besides swiftes, she would still make a profit because of how large the fandom is.
That being said midnights is my favorite album and I love the aesthetic of the 70s kinda look and wished she went more into it. I think there is a half 70s half fever dream theme going on which kinda makes sense since it’s about random things that keep her up at night.
Apparently she travelled to Stockholm before the London shows despite not having a show there, Stockholm is the place where Taylor & Max Martin made all their songs together 👀 so i honestly do think TS12 may be something very different, after all she's actually happy now & in love
She did have Stockholm shows, but they were a little while before any of the London shows
@@nouhs8410 she went to Stockholm right before the London shows after the Stockholm shows had ended long time ago, i saw it through a jet tracking tweet
It’s because she didn’t disappear between the albums like she usually does so we perceived them differently. The usual 2 year space between albums were filled in by Speak Now and 1989 TV and the Eras tour. Music videos for Midnights and TTPD were green screen easter egg commercials. I can literally SEE Debut, Fearless, Red, 1989, Rep, Lover, FolkMore in my head when I listen to them. And I think Midnights and TTPD would have that too if 1. we had the time to process them and 2. (i’m sorry😭) if Taylor wasn’t directing her music videos and the visual output of her albums. Also need Jack to take a back seat and her to work with Liz Rose again
Taylor is at a point in her career where she could do absolutely anything and still have it be successful. Reminds me a lot about Madonna in the 90s. She had such a huge core fanbase she no longer cared about the general public and experimented with new sounds that were not always hits among the general public but she remained relevant and is now getting her flowers for the vision that turned out to be timeless. I would love for Taylor to go the same route and I know she could... that's why TTPD worried me. The album grew on me a lot, but upon the first listen my only thought was "she doesn't know where to go from here" and I hope she doesn't get stuck in this rut of fan service music that is just appealing enough for the radio. She is one of the very few artists that could actually pull a 90s Madonna and create a whole new chapter of music history and ngl watching her just... not do that is kinda frustrating. But I just firmly believe that she's got so much more to show than what she's known for.
My biggest fear for Taylor is becoming like Madonna in not knowing when to stop. I loved Madonna but I dont think her pace of work was good for her mental health and it has made her more unrelatable and weird. Whereas Taylor has always maintained her relatability against the odds
i was disappointed with the ttpd era because of the lack of interviews, performances outside of the eras tour, and general extra content for the album besides merch drops, variants, and some short blurbs about specific songs she wrote. i absolutely love ttpd, frequently revisit it, and actually consider it to be by far one of my favorite projects of hers. i just wish she.. talked about it more i guess?
i think because of the astronomical level of fame she's risen to, it's forced her to take a few steps back from the public both online and irl. this in turn contradicts the kind of image she's curated for herself throughout her career as an artist who is so close to her fans personally in combination with her highly confessional and diaristic songwriting, instead of being more of an elusive and mysterious figure. this branding is such a defining characteristic of her artistry and is how she created such a tightknit fanbase, so to see her go against this makes ttpd feel a lot less connected to the rest of her work despite it not being that big of a pivot sonically (although i think there are quite a lot of songs in the album that sound nothing like what she's done before and people need to give it a lot more credit). the eras tour performances are genuinely insane and it's close to skipless for me, but the era itself is what's missing that edge her older albums had.
i think another reason is the TTPD is being released in the middle of a tour, and the album was pretty much written during said tour. I dont think she actually has time to promote that much, she has time to write and record and probably film visuals and stuff but thats rlly it and honestly it makes sense
TTPD will be having her Lover/ Cruel Summer moment in the future, just wait and watch. This album will be ageing like wine.
Sincerely what do you even want her to say? To expose herself to invasive questions from the media about the 2 breakups and relive that period of her life especially now that she's in a relationship. She's already said what she needed to say on the album and it's clear she just wanted to release the album and be done with it.
For ts12 maybe she may choose to promote it, maybe not but either way it's not going to affect her album rollout in anyway. And honestly as much as I want to see her in interviews for albums it's clear she's tryna reduce her overexposure and cutting the parasocial umbilical cord between her and fans
The beauty of Taylor Swift is she doesn’t have to promote like that! We as fans is all she needs to stay on top!
@@paintingdreams290 you're absolutely right and i just totally forgot to mention this, it was probably a huge challenge for her because of how far in advance they booked stadium dates and all the planning that goes into the tour- and will all of that i was so shocked with the level of detail and creativity that went into the ttpd set and i still don't know how she and the cast and crew had the time to do that much for it. she truly never sleeps 😭 i think what i was getting at more was her maybe doing some interviews online or in person to give more of an insight into the songwriting process and what it was like making the album (especially given the fact that it was written on tour when she was so busy) instead of focusing on heavily promoting all of the variants and merch. i completely get why there's only one official music video as of right now, and i really hope she gets some much needed rest before the last leg of tour cause she truly deserves it so so so much. i just think there could have been a little more thought placed into where her priorities were when she had the time to promote it, if that makes any sense!!
Regardless of how I feel about her music, I can never deny how hard-working she is and how she's aesthetically and sonically defined parts of the early 2010s and 2020s for me.
I feel like the TTPD despite spending so many weeks at #1 and about to surpass 6 million units the era feels so shortlived and unfocused to how intimate and explorative the album is. It deserved more treatment and a larger developing within its material and the moments surrounding it. It feels more special than the moment it had and a very unwrought conecept that was rushed and drowned in uninspired production
I think it has to do with the sheer amount of work she’s putting out. Like TTPD only came out in April, and swifties are already wanting reputation tv.
Im really grateful for the amount of content we’re getting, but I kinda wish she’d go back to the strict 2 year album cycle she used to have, so we can properly immerse ourselves in the album, and I think TTPD really deserves that
As she said she needed to put out this album for herself. At the point she is in her life now it's clear she wanted to let go of everything
I mean we have a new set on the eras tour, two music videos.... she could be doing more people just expect so much all at once. A surprise performance with Florence. How much is one supposed to do while touring?
Personally I think Taylor is tired of fame now she’s not chasing anymore approval from anyone she’s only doing what she wants and most comfortable
Don't we ever think for a second think that we ask too much of her?! the majority of singers we love, have two or three good hits and we don't diminish any of them and they're still so famous and adored
she has been putting epic music for 15 years !
I mean no one is asking for new alums so fast she is the one releasing them
Like for me the last one Wouldham needed to simmer a little more , edited a lot more
@@louyou6614 I agree with you on this point. yeah I love the album so much but it needed more time and work, I guess it was a commercial move to sell more during the eras tour. Still it is an amazing piece of art
@@louyou6614there is no need for it to be edited. She said what she needed to say as it was a cathartic moment in time for her and now she's done. Midnights and ttpd were to process her feelings as she said
@ayomidedareabel5525 she need a better editor some songs need to stay in the vault for a little while to just better the quality
It's too much songs at once
And it's okay ish
@@louyou6614 editor for what lmao?I see this same arguments about ttpd being too wordy but y'all never give actual valid reasons for needing one
i didn’t finish the video yet but im glad you brought up this topic !! i’ve been very skeptical of midnights and TTPD after they came out for exactly this reason, i felt (and still do) like some of the songs on there just sound not only like her previous albums, but also like the vault tracks. and what threw me off the most was that some of the vault tracks were sounding like her new stuff! i mean it makes sense why but it was so weird to hear such a midnights-coded song (in terms of production) like now that we don’t talk (and i love that song btw) on 1989!!! this is not to bash taylor or jack, i’d die for them, but i felt this blurring of eras (especially the re-recorded ones) to be jarring. i just think that she needs to be more strict with her output…like a 31 song album? are you kidding me??? like i’d say i love about 17 songs from there which is a lot! but i really do not care about the rest of them im sorry
oops sorry for yapping 😭
iirc Midnights sound was supposed to be encompassing her entire careers sounds at that point (as in revisiting all those sounds) and tbh the Tortured Poets Department is somewhat different, i just feel like Taylor probably isnt ready to shift sounds again and i do think the shit that went down for her is probably why (like she probably was just writing how she felt but wasnt exactly making goal to shift sounds bc Joe was a important person in her life and so that ending probably impacted her harder and then well, Matty came along and did his thing)
I think I have heard somewhere that she wrote lyrics for 1989 vault bit didn't record them, so tunes for it was first producing during the rerecording probably after midnights was done.
the critical reviews of tortured poets are very confusing to me because there are many valid criticisms they could make, like it being too wordy and needing editing, but they say it’s a cash grab and is creatively bankrupt. which I don’t believe, as she’s definitely at a creative high right now, and i’d argue maybe too high. also I don’t think not really having an era is that big of deal, as the music is good. tortured poets is definitely taylor at her best writing-wise, the metaphors she uses are very effective. though production-wise it’s a little stale. now I wouldn’t completely drop jack and aaron but I think she should branch out more, and use jack and aaron where it is most needed. coming back to the critics note, i think they’re very harsh at this moment just because of taylormania, and how she’s become famous in such a massive way that she hasn’t been before, so people are getting sick of her. if you couldn’t tell from what ive said before, I think this a massive step up from midnights, while I love it, I have to admit that it is a little vague and not very unique. tortured poets however, is a really good vulnerable record in ways we haven’t seen from her before. it really shows her as a 3-dimensional person. in summary, I really like this record and believe it is very good. i think more people will revisit it and see it for what it is.
The only reason I think Midnights and more so TTPD DIDN'T get a proper "Era" per say is because they AREN'T their own individual Eras. They're part of The Eras Era, with the tour serving as their overarching aesthetic.
The tour for a TS album is such an integral part of it's Era, we see people attending dressed with that albums aesthetic in tow. The entire production of the show is centred around that album and it's visuals. That tour is a massive part of defining exactly what that Era is and represents.
Midnights and TTPD didn't get individual tours. They were never meant to be stand alone Eras in the same way that previous albums such as 1989 and Lover were. Which is why we didn't get the same music videos, interviews, promotion or solidified aesthetic. They we're always created with the intention of being a part of The Eras Era. An addition to Swift's back catalogue of music, something new to add to this tour to prevent the sucess of it potentially solidifying her as a legacy act and not a contemporary.
Post Eras Tour, with the release of Rep TV and Debut TV, is when "The Eras Era" will end and we'll get distinctive new Eras, that will in turn correlate with New Tours and proper Roll Outs
i think you hit the nail on the head bc this is exactly what i was thinking, except you expressed it rlly well
We forget that she explicitly complained about the pressure of constantly having to reinvent. She doesn’t want to constantly change. Go watch Americana.
I stopped watching the video at 3:09 just to say this,
the reason why the midnights & TTPD eras are too short and dont have an aesthetic is because shes in middle of the rerecording, FOR EXAMPLE
midnights was obviously hinting Speak now TV, while ttpd is hinting for Reputation TV.
Also lets not forget taylor doesnt reinvent herself until she faces a criticism, you can see that in every album she released up untill folklore
Honestly I think the only reason midnights and TTPD didn’t really feel like eras, is because of the re-recordings and the Eras Tour. I truly believe that once she releases the final TV album and finishes with the tour we’ll go back to actual eras.
The theory about the Grammys makes so much sense! If you think about it that’s exactly what happened with the Red-1989 transition and the Reputation-Lover transition. I really think that she will change her sound again if she doesn’t do good at the Grammys.
Now, about the “drop Jack” things, I honestly don’t mind the synth tracks in the last couple of albums. I think Jack is great, I really do. However, I do think that a change would be needed at this point. The reason why TTPD got so much hate from the general public and critics, is because the album isn’t anything we haven’t heard before. The main album is a lot like Midnights, with a few hints of Reputation and 1989 and the anthology is basically Folklore/Evermore. I personally don’t really hate Jack, and I wouldn’t say that Taylor HAS to drop him, like a lot of people on social media have been saying, but I do think that the eras and the reinventions need to come back, If she wants her albums to be more critically acclaimed in the future. I do love TTPD though, and I think it’s a great reflection of her thoughts and feelings during this past year.
Also I wanted to make clear that I think it’s TERRIBLE that critics and the general public think that Taylor needs to reinvent to stay relevant. I thought everyone was over that but I guess not.
She doesn’t reinvent, she just changes relationships.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
um folklore only has 1 MV too and it’s of taylor playing the piano.. (don’t get me wrong I love folklore) so don’t single out TTPD for “not having an era” since folklore and evermore didn’t really either
evermore didn't, I think folklore did though.
i think the main reason for that was because they were surprises and not a part of her regular album roll out. But folklore to a degree got an aesthetic despite not having an era, it was tied to romantic poetry. Evermore was an extension of folklore. TTPD got nothing. She just revamped the poet aesthetic for this era, but it quite didn't fit for TTPD(minus the anthology, i think the poet aesthetic really fits with it), i think she should have just dived deep into the insane asylum that she showed in the Fortnight music video.
It wasnt her playing the piano. It was WAYYYY more than that.
@@CanIGoWhereYouGo-77 so is the fortnight MV
@@e3ve3_arTS the difference is she delivered such a concept (aka Cardigan) during a time when people were unsure about life altogether, but FORTNIGHT mv is like "here is a mv for 31 songs".
Saying “a brief stroll through her entire discography” is like saying “a brief hike up Everest 😂
What I think people still don't get is during Tortured Poets, she was reflecting on past relationships and briefly on her current one. But she was also reflecting on who she used to be, who she is in the industry, how she got here and if someone is to blame. She had just completed the re-records and was performing her old and newer songs every night. If one of her newer songs sounds simular to an older song, I think that is intentional. I think this double album was catharsis and processing. I think TS12 will be a big step forward. Away from the past and away from everyone's expectations. She is famous and now independent enough to do whatever she wants and break free from constructs and perceived expectations. She is now like the later Beatles in a sense bc she can be as inventive and lyrically curious as she wants to be and know that a lot of her fans will allow her the space to do that. I also feel she will always tour but maybe not every album and not all of the old songs.
Midnights had a full era it has 4 music videos it lasted a while and it the eras tour was from the midnights era it was just to help with re recording etc. ttpd was made on tour so it doesn’t have as much support hence the broken heart video but after tour it’ll go back
16:58 Ok but I actually said typewriter💀💀💀
as a musician myself, i dont think artists need to reinvent themselves sonically or at all if they have no interest in doing so. as a producer i like to challenge myself and tackle new genres yes, but if i decide "i want to go back to the "x" sound" then i would. and i think a lot of us have gotten used to taylor changing her sound regularly, which contributed to us expecting and wanting a change so often. i think her changing should be natural, if it happens then she should want it, and she should also not avoid sounding different, she shouldn't strive for cohesion or lack of cohesion.
omg finally someone who said this! I've always noticed each genre/vibe switch gets Taylor an aoty! if after ttpd she releases or more upbeat poppy record it might win aoty, but if she stays in dark-ish pop or moves to folk it's less likely
She's in her Hyper Productive Era. Kickstarted with Midnights, encapsulates the Eras Tour, the re-records and TTPD is more content, written and recorded on the road, in an era that is still unfolding. The Eras are no longer album tied.
I think TTPD is something that she needed to let go into the world, it’s not for fans, it’s for her.
I agree. I often see fans saying that TTPD is not for the general public/non-swifties... but I really don't think it's for swifties either; it feels like it's for Taylor herself.
For me, I'm not a fan of the album (though I think there are _a couple_ songs I like from it). The sound doesn't connect with me even in the cases where I can appreciate the choices; also, the subject matter of most of the songs feels very "specific" - very personal, in a way that makes it difficult for me to enjoy them as an "outsider" - if that makes sense. Honestly, that's alright since I simply don't listen to stuff that I can't enjoy (without complaining)... but what I don't like is when fans say things like "this is Taylor's best era" etc. *just because* she's been more vulnerable than ever in this album. Taylor making music to process her experiences is alright, but that doesn't automatically make it "the best" of anything. _And that's okay._ It doesn't need to be.
The constant pressure to reinvent that we apply to female artists must be studied. Cause it’s not the same for the males at all.
i feel like it will a be a mega era: her tour era
i honestly i love this album but ya it does not feel like an "era" like how midnights was! i just miss midnights sm like the excitement and all. also i hate how everyone wanna rush to the next era like ttpd can be really good if people just stayed with it and want more from it!! ya reputation tv can wait its too early to just jump to another album it all feels like a speed run :(
I love Taylor, but I feel like a major appeal of her music is that she creates these conceptual eras. I feel like there’s a chance she might fall through if she fails to make another cohesive album. TTPD was sonically a little messy and thigh her fans loved it, the general public completely trashed it.
She needs to go into rock. Actual rock
She needs to try different vocal styles. Its beyond safe
The Matty Healy criticism isn't that she's making "sob stories" about him, it's that the moment she announced they were dating everyone knew exactly what the next album would be about. It creates the impression that she chooses romantic partners based on songwriting potential instead of any actual connection, and why her dating history looks like a war memorial.
Ttpd is for the fans not for the public. I love it sm it’s honestly poetry. Def an era, her most artistic one.
I feel like part of Taylor’s message is that as a woman, she’s always expected to reinvent herself or do something new with every album while guys aren’t expected to do that. Maybe she’s silently protesting against that?
I think she does need to reinvent herself right now. But honestly this should apply to everyone, including men.
I don't think an artist should be foregoing artistic development in order to make a vaguely feminist statement? It's very much true that the standards are different for men and women but compromising artistry is a weird way to go about making a point, and I doubt she really is that meta about her work
Yup and while I love that she's finally free of feeling that pressure, I can't help but think it was a potent motivation.
I've been a fan since the SpeakNow era and I still love her and her music, her music and eras hasn't hit after the RedTV.
It just feels like she has stopped trying
I hope her next album will be about exploring becoming a mother.
why? she's never expressed the desire to have children.
I think TTPD is my favorite album ever. It's so amazing. I have listened to it almost every day since it dropped. It's unique, interesting, poetic, gripping, a little messy but in a way that COMPLEMENTS the focus of the songs...Seriously almost every song is a banger. The only one I skip is Robin. Obsessed! I only wish there were more music videos. I can't stop listening; it's addictive. It helps me tap into different parts of myself.
I really loved your video!!
TTPD is on my top 5 of my favorite Taylor's albums, after folklore, evermore, Red Tv and Midnights. I totally agree that it's not an era, I perceive it as a mix of folklore and Midnights, it doesn't have a distinctive sound but her lyrics are the most beautiful ones expecially on the last part of the Anthology (I Hate It Here, The Prophecy, Cassandra, Peter).
Great video! For the next record I hope Taylor goes back to her old formula: first single and music video, one or two promo singles, second single released on album release day. Hope she takes a new trajectory in her music, leaning more towards soft rock (fresh out the slammer) or the sound of Florida or I can fix him. I hope in a cohesive short album (max 12/13 tracks), with few good features and maybe some new collaborators! Also, no confusing deluxe versions or variants this time! She has already broken all records so there is no need to prioritize records over music quality anymore! I LOVE midnights and ttpd but I think ppl and critics are getting tired of her pop/synth pop sound influenced by Jack and her super wordy lyrics. I’m sure she will surprise nonetheless with the next release as she always does!
Taylor's pen game is still strong. Her creativity with melodies and lyrics are at her peak but jack antonoff is holding her back. Jack Antonoff songs on SNS are the most boring songs and he's always carried by Taylor and Sabrina pen game. He barely add anything to the songs and sometimes he makes them worse
I really wish she could've let Folklore be her last time working with Jack. He ruined so many good lyrics on Midnights for me. He sucks the life out of her music. Max Martin, Shellback & Aaron Dessner are the ones she should stick with. Joel Little should also be brought back every now & then to spice things up.
Omg nah i gotta say that sharpest tool is possibly my favorite on the album
MIDNIGHTS is what sucked me in. Made me a total Swiftie. ANTIHERO replayed in my brain for *weeks* and I thought: "Huh, maybe I should give this album a listen." I really feel that this album felt much more alt music than anything before (era/vibe wise) to contrast with the 70's/80's feel. Before I realized she had been working with the Bleachers front man, before I realized Matty Healy was involved I felt the alt music.
There is an interview where TS explains that female artists are washed up by the time they're 30, and to stay relevant they have to invent themselves time after time, up to 20 times, in new ways that people find interesting but not offensive. She then explains that men do not have to do this to retain their career as they age. I believe that TS has reached a point in her career that she is no longer required to 'be' a certain way, or write a certain way, because really, does she need to be any bigger or more successful? I suspect this is very freeing for her and she can now concentrate on what she prefers, in the way that she dictates, without the constraints of 'will they approve?' of this. I find her music has matured incredibly since 2020. She has more profound things to address, and I love it. I am so appreciative of her last 5 albums, and like each one more than the one before. She is now free to explore the artistry of her poetry, and therefore her music, without any subjective confines placed there by fans who consume her work. She is free from everything that held her down, held her back, and tried to forcefully define her. I'm here for it.
I love TTPD, but it was released during a world tour that is an Era Tour in itself. It wouldn't make sense to change sound, she developed the sound on Midnights and that make sense.
1) she is avoiding over exposure
2) she doesn't want traditional multiple singles rollout with TTPD.
3) Jack Antonoff is amazing produced and she can still work with him but for a couple of songs per album, not the entire album. We need moments like Getaway car, Out Of The Woods, Cruel Summer in her albums.
4) She is definitely working on Era's Tour movie 2.0
5) More than TS 12, I am excited for TS 13. So yes, this decade also belongs to Taylor Swift.
6) She should start releasing multiple pre album singles, because album eras are not working anymore.
7) Taylor does listen to her fans and learns from her short comings.
If #1 was true she wouldn't have dropped TTPD in April. It's a transitional album & era for her. She's trying to step away from her clean cut & curated image.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh she released TTPD in April so that she can modify and add a new era in her world tour. If she was lazy, she wouldn't have added new set to her list, she cares about her fans. She promoted her album only among fans because her tour is attended mostly by her fans. The general public exposure of this album is sadly very less.
@@akashvalsan6609 The promotion of this album was EVERYWHERE, not just her social media or website. There were ads on TV and pop up shops in cities. A large portion of the Eras Tour is being attended by the general public and casual listeners, not just swifties.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh promotion was done only at the time of release. That's it. Still I feel, she needed to promote her album outside Era's Tour to be effective. TTPD era has to compete with 10 different eras in the World Tour to grab the attention of general public.
Number 1 is not true, she have been over exposed, she needs break and redirection.
The reinvention is not going to happen, she is currently making music for herself and the charts. Previous album cycles felt like well defined eras because Taylor’s efforts were to create something outsanding for the world to know and remember Taylor Swift The Artist in a period of time where pop was at its peak and she was competing against giants like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna, etc.
People saying she is now a bit too old for pop stardom is sad and a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are still fun and emotionally complex at 30 or 40 or even in their 80s.
But maybe taylor doesnt want to stay a pop star forever, maybe she'll become another Toni Mitchell and just focuses on her lyrics and melody world building instead of sexy choreos
5:17 is killing me lol-
Right? I watched it like 3 times - gagged 😂😂
I feel like you can't efficiently manufacture an era, certainly not if you're starting with that as your main goal. Previous eras are more or less linked to Taylor's real life: relationships, break ups, moving to New York, new genres she wanted to explore, scandals etc. If she tries to 'make an era' from scratch, it won't ring true. Maybe she'll want to discover something new entirely and that will result in an era.
I think the question "Does Taylor need to try anymore" is really interesting and that's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. The thing about Midnights and TTPD not being the "real" eras is just mainly because of The Eras Tour it just overshadowed everything else but also I got the feeling Taylor just doesn't relate anymore to TTPD and that's why this era feels sort of non existent. She quickly began dating Travis which I think made her stop thinking of her as the "tortured poet". Maybe that's also we lack more visuals.
When it comes to Midnights I think this album is a perfect example of imo manufactured Taylor Swift album or just 'Taylor Swift on autopilot'. Because when you think about after evermore her next album was just set to make huge noise since both previous albums were a huge success and rerecordings did the same while also probably bringing even more people who were fans during those old eras (Red and Fearless). And I'm more than sure she had the idea of The Eras Tour in her head for a very long time. But the best way to promote this tour was to create an album that will be more up-beat and fun compared to the previous two just so the hype is there. Because honestly idk if people would be so excited if after evermore we would get TTPD or something in the likes of it. That's why for me after TTPD was released Midnights started to feel less thought out than her other albums. Just a pop album to help promote the tour. And when she got that Grammmy for Midnights for me it felt like it was just to everything she achieved because Midnights is very tightly connected to the tour and the academy needed to acknowledge tours success in some way. And giving the AOTY to her was I guess the best move for that.
And The Eras Tour is for me the reason things get the way they are. Because as you said this is the biggest musical event in recent history. It took her to the level of fame no one ever was before. And with that a lot of things get so much easier. For example promoting your music. It became pretty clear and obvious that with TTPD (and kinda with Midnights but not fully) she moved on from a typical promotion strategy to do it "in house". What I mean is she doesn't need to do anything at this point to make an album do #1 or have it sold x amount of copies to break the record. The interviews, performances etc is irrelevant because currently her way to promote stuff is just through Eras Tour.
It makes me think that it brought her to the place of some comfort that she doesn't need to pull a huge effort in order to make her albums successful. And I think that also influences the crestive choices and music choices she makes. Since she doesn't need to do that much she can as well just whatever she likes and whatever comes easiest with the sound of her music without the constant need change. That's also something she mentioned during evermore. That she felt inside she needed to do something else but on the other side she wanted to stay in this alternative space for longer.
I see a lot of people complain about her working with Jack and that he's the reason music is boring. But if you listen to music Jack makes with other people (Lorde, Lana, Sabrina, Chicks) it becomes obvious it's not that Jack is incapable but he just does what Taylor wants. He creates music that Taylor wants him to. If you think her songs with him are boring. Blame Taylor's vision and not Jack.
The main thing is Taylor NEEDS to branch out and do something fresh for TS12. But other thing is does she wants to? Does she feel the need to do something else?
I think that after both Eras and the rerecordings will be finally over she will have time to just sit down with music and find a new inspiration that will push her to again break her boundaries.Because that's when she's the best at making music. When she tries something new or takes a new interesting spin on something she did previously. I think the two remaining rerecordings are done or mostly done so she will have a lot of time since it seems we won't get a new album until 2026. Also I think that after Eras a lot of people will lose interest in her and she still will be huge but not as huge as now. That also would maybe change something because now we live in the Taylormania Era.
So does she need to try? Not really but it would be nice if she did because she must try. That's the key difference she must but she may not want to. I think she cares a lot about reviews and shit and I'm 95% sure they won't give her another Grammy next year. So I think she will have some sort of "force" to think about trying again. Because after these very mixed reviews of TTPD I can imagine TS12 in the similar style will be received very negatively. And there won't be another Eras Tour to cover the backlash.
with the amount of views you are getting I'm surprised that you only have around 800 subscribers!
What I feel is that this album was actually written since 2018.. and it's the album which is dark theme and it's about Taylor and it's the album which contains all songs which she needed to write most when she was in pain... U notice after reputation, she actually has written for midnights due to all she went but due to the darkness of reputation she had to give a break to that darkness and therefore lover and story themed album came .. after this bright era there was midnight which was first planned as karma and then TTPD
... Tbh I feel TTPD will be the longest for her and there are many surprise and lead single music video to be coming but due to eras tour she is busy we have to wait for that and also Reputation TV not coming before 2025 end..🤣🤣.. at VMA's She may announce the music video for a song from TTPD - It can be who is afraid of real old me or Thank You Aimeee
It's not my favorite album but (to me) hypothetically, if Midnights and Poets were released from the same year, and are the only nominees for AOTY.... Poets would win it for sure.
I also think that just like reputation, it'll take years for people to fully appreciate it.
It’s so funny to me that my favourite albums (Speak Now, Lover, TTPD) are the ones that are called messy and don’t do as well to the general public 😭😭
Oh nvm, Speak Now is good - that’s my top fav so sweet ✨✨
one thing to note is the four music videos came out over six or so months, the TTPD has only rlly been out for four months, i have a feeling w more singles we'll get more visuals
Fire nation attack 💀💀💀💀
I love her so much. But it seems like she is not making any strong eras anymore. The thing is - she is so big, she doesn’t have to reinvent herself and still breaking records…
You know maybe after working on her career for 20 years maybe she just want to slow it down and enjoy life? I always see her working and singing on that stage. She became a billionaire through the Eras Tour so 🤷♀
this deserves more views
For anyone talking about the synths, she’s credited as a producer too on most if not all of her new songs. It’s HER vision.
7:48 THE SHADE ON SPEAK NOW??? 😭😭😭😭
we need the Taylor Swift nu-metal album
I mean the eras she was in weren’t her. I feel like TTPD is showing herself more personaly. She has an aestetic to TTPD but I feel like she personally can relate more to it. While others were just eras. Like “I love moss and fairys… lets make an album with this aesthetic” thats what her albums feel like prior or for reputation it was “this is who they think I am, I will make my persona a villian” thats what albums feel like before. But her current era… feels more personal.
As much as it hurts me to admit it, I, personally, don't think Taylor will ever produce an album with an actual era ever again. Why, you may ask, and I will explain my reasoning:
1. She became the music industry. Period. No one can barely reach her records, sells, fandom-wideness in the current pop.
2. Even if someone gets close, like Billie did, she doesn't need to perform in music shows or anywhere else to block said artist. All she has to do is release the live version of a song. A LIVE VERSION.
3. Taylor took 4 years to create the aesthetic of the next album, she's definitely not doing that anymore, since she's releasing songs and albuns whenever she likes. We will have symbols to accustom us with the album, but it won't ever feel like an actual era because we won't have the time with it, we won't see her working to promote it, doing interviews and expanding our relations with the newest music.
So, people used to eras like 1989 (her biggest era ERA) will have to grow used to eras like TTPD and reputation-like (She barely left her voice during reputation, however she definitely promoted it outside her tour).
1. Coldplay is on a billion dollar tour & The Weeknd, despite having not released music in years, hasn't left the top spot of the monthly listeners chart.
@@BlueMoon-io9eh The Weeknd literally just released a stream of music from that terrible The Idol show. It was ok at best and it didn't really get much traction besides the Madonna and Playboi Carti collab.
the worst thing Taylor Swift ever did was normalise country music on the charts
Leave Taylor alone haters 😡😡😡
I think TTPD was never meant to be an era. Right from the way she marketed it, till today, it has been very different and I think it is for a reason. She did no interviews, all the marketing for the album was very fan focused, like the Spotify pop up, and the QR codes for fans to find. She released two music videos, Fortnight which she described as a summary of the whole album, and ICDWABH which is a tour video she usually releases as the last single of an era. Then we can also talk about the last song on the album, The Manuscript, which is essentially her looking back on several past relationships and closing all the old chapters of her life. Also, I remember her saying on tour that she had never needed to write an album the way she needed to write TTPD. Putting this all together tells me that this is not an album she ever intended to drag out. It was cathartic for her. I think whatever comes next (after the re-records), will be a shift in aesthetic and genre. This is of course just my opinion.
I think ttpd needs a third single like who’s afraid of little old me. A few songs have great potential for music video and fit the aesthetic.
What if she sticks to the same thing till the 12th album, and then for the 13th album she’ll go all out? I don’t see her doing nothing for her 13th album
This is a biiigggg comment so strap in lmfao
Taylor has historically been an artist who comes back stronger everytime she's dealt a blow; this doesn't mean that she needs to be suffering in order to make good art (it would be insane to wish that on someone) but she definitely thrives when she has a point to prove. Contrary to popular opinion, I actually really enjoyed midnights and while I wouldn't call it a career defining moment or highlight, it definitely did what it had to, which is proving that Taylor has still very much got it in pop. TTPD though... as a massive Taylor fan I found it really difficult to digest the album despite being very excited for it. It could do with the lack of the conventional pop rollout or promotion but I honestly attribute it to the lack of diversity in the album itself. There's so many recycled concepts, melodies, chords and instrumentals that she has done across her other projects (especially midnights). It felt to me like it was the first time Taylor did not see artistic evolution- that this was midnights but in sepia. What really hurt it more was the sheer volume. I'm not a TTPD hater, I really think there's some really great stuff in it but it's so scattered among tracks that sound like demos from the midnights era. Most of the discourse I've seen online from fans seems to originate entirely out of their own narrative they've constructed for the album, not really because of the body of work itself which is probably why they enjoy it more than I do. I think Taylor fans often don't stop to critically analyse the work she puts out- yes she's a great songwriter but even great songwriters can create underwhelming work at times, and this is why Swifties get viscious at the slightest hint of critique.
TTPD brings something new to the table but what it does bring is a slightly different variation of what its predecessors did, which is generally not the case for Taylor, being one of the few artists who manages to make distinct eras and vibes. Even if you take the visual associations away, it's clear as day to hear the differences among most of her projects. I say this after having so much time to soak in the album, and I think while it definitely has some great songs (The Prophecy like hello) it feels like a first draft, not even in a From the Vault kinda way. The lack of a distinct sound or visual association or promotion leaves the era feeling hollow. Even though evermore and folklore didn't have elaborate rollouts, the era felt solid because of how distinct they were artistically and how uniquely perfect they were in the overarching narrative for both Taylor and the world. TTPD on the other hand treads in Midnight's footsteps sonically and thematically, borrowing also from folklore and evermore too which is why even though swifties won't admit it, the album is just not that strong artistically. The success of the album has more to do with the brand of Taylor Swift than the quality itself- not to say it doesn't matter but Taylor always delivers a certain level of quality, which is not exactly enough. She's allowed to put out art like this obviously and fans can tune in but I'm just pointing out that the reason that the era doesn't really feel like an "era" is because you can't have a new era if you're continuing the old one.
The reason that TTPD continues to do so well is because obviously the fans like it but also the fact that there is just so much in it. 31 songs being streamed by a fan on average three or four times a week is way more than streaming an album with 13 or 14 songs. The charts speak for themselves too- TTPD is thriving on the albums chart but on the Hot 100 and other song charts fortnight has dropped to a really low point for a Taylor Swift AND post malone song. I know there are artists who are more albums artists than singles artists but Taylor is one who statistically is both, because she usually has one or two intensely banger songs and a great album charting alongside for a solid chunk of time. Fortnight has been one of her worst performing singles in the context of the momentum and hype she commands in the culture right now; which is a shame because it really is a good song. My point here is that while her fanbase is massive and tends to enjoy her work, Taylor has always made music for the general masses and not just hardcore swifties. The same masses moved on from Fortnight to Million Dollar Baby, Espresso, I Had Some Help and Not Like Us within three weeks, and right now Billie Eilish is reigning the charts with a non single (which has been thriving for over a month atp) from an album that came out only a month later than TTPD . I'm not saying that people didn't appreciate Fortnight but it's clear that it wasn't as captivating as her other lead singles, despite the common sentiment prevailing that Taylor has banger singles. Contrast this with Anti hero which was battling it out with Rihanna's first release in 6 years, Drake's lead single with a big name collab, SZA's biggest single ever, The literal biggest seasonal song ever (Anti hero held number 2 while Mariah had number 1 during Christmas iirc), Shakira's revenge comeback moment and Miley Cyrus's most successful single- and still remaining at number 1 for over 8 weeks. Same thing with Blank Space. I think Fortnight and LWYMMD are sort of similar, in the way that both are successful songs in isolation but in the context of Taylor's discography... they're lesser remembered. I think Fortnight definitely deserves its flowers but it is pertinent that Taylor recognises the change in consumer mindset, which is unlikely because with the amount of fame she is experiencing right now all is going too well. I really hope she takes a big break after the tour and re emerges with a creatively strong project- it doesn't need to be an enormously different genre but it needs to be a distinct project, for the sake of Taylor's overall pretty great artistry.
My theory as a 68 yr old writer who had a baby at the age of 30, is that Taylor's next 'era' is bound to be internal and personal. This new relationship is a good one, she's happy, and it's true that when you're young and feeling all kinds of unrequited love, insane love, and relationship complexity, all magnified by intense public scrutiny as well as the shifting relationships between her and other stars and artists--the words write themselves. Pain is a massive motivator. At some point, you give yourself over to something other than yourself. All that young rage, resentment, mad love affairs, aren't throwing you out of bed to write it all down. I wouldn't say she 'reinvents' herself, it's more of an evolution, an internalization of all her many influences. She has so many talents, and so much creativity, that she could do anything outside of music and knock it out of the park. But she doesn't need more approval, more success, more fans--she's at an age where making the huge commitment to a partner and a baby is the biggest adventure one can embark upon. It's a nesting need that seems possible with Travis, more than with any other ex. He's big in his own world, he's generous in his admiration and pride in her talent, which is essential for her happiness. To feel that she had to tone down her star power to accommodate a lover's ego is unacceptable. She's going on a new trip; maybe she will focus on her private life, and she won't have to hear ANYONE'S opinion of her parenting, marriage, her SELF. She will always get applause, she will always thrill us with her work, but she's had decades of often cruel, stupid criticism of her work and life. She's like Dylan or Joni Mitchell; her career tracks much as theirs have. She's mature enough to be the only stamp of approval required. I get that you're a Swiftie, but lighten up already. She's beyond our ideas of what she should or could do. Just enjoy the ride. She owes us nothing; she has given everything.
the bejeweled shackles she keeps Jack in, in the back of the one of the tour trucks gotta be iron-clad and electrified. she gets an idea and he gets a lil ZAP to signal a new track is needed.
Why do people hate jack hes an amazing producer also she can jave 2 producers yk
Who said "hate"? I get the sense that everyone loves Jack for his contributions to her music, but are ready for a fresh sound. Obviously it's her choice though.
People need to remember how much she grew up over the eras and the albums. She was so young when she started. She has grown up in front of us. After the eras tour I don't see her putting out much music. She is now 34 years old. She has been searching for love for so long. Her music is what makes her feel loved when it zooms to the top of the charts. It's been her identity. I truly believe though that the "era" she is in now is marriage and children. She didn't have that dream fulfilled until she met Travis. I think they really are a good match because they have their own careers, they have their own fans, they support each other. She doesn't have to be with someone who is jealous of her fame, because he has his own fame. I truly think love, marriage, and children will replace her incessant need to stay in the limelight. She will always be talented and she can do as much or as little writing/recording as she wants. If her and Travis get married and have children that will be the pinnacle of what she has been searching for all along. Being loved by millions of people is nowhere near as fulfilling as being loved deeply by ONE special person. I honestly believe she could write for other artists to keep her love of music alive, and begin the new Chapter of her life with Travis. She talks a lot of children since meeting Britany Mahome, and meeting Jason's 3 little girls. If her desire is to be loved, to learn to trust a man who will treat her well (and the Kelce boys are really well raised), have kids and snuggle down into her happily ever after, then she is there imo. She is a billionaire. He is a millionaire. They can settle down and and she can write some love songs if she feels like it, after so many break up songs. Or maybe she won't. I was not sure about Travis at first because of how fast they moved, but when you see them together, you see the love. It's unusual to "See" the love in a couple. He is fiercely protective of her and my sense is that is what she has needed throughout all these years of writing and touring. She poured her heart and soul into music and touring. She's gotta be tired of it. She may have not planned meeting Travis but boy, the timing could not be better. Both are ready for love and happiness. They say love shows up when you stop chasing it. Remember, Travis went after her, not the other way around. She wasn't chasing anyone hoping for it to work out. And he showed up. Tortured Poet is an apropos title for her recent album because I think she really was tortured. Little did she know he would walk into her life. THAT is what is different for her.
Is it selfish of me that I’m sad that she might choose to settle down and stop making music