Taylor Swift Makes Saturday Night Live History
God love stars who blog, so we bloggers can blog about their blogging. Like this one from Taylor Swift on her MySpace page, that confirms that she is indeed going to be the musical guest on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live. That makes Swift, 19, the youngest country star to ever appear as a musical guest on the show in its 32-year run. Swift says that this is something “I’ve been dreaming about and hoping for and wishing for years.” That also happens to be her mother’s birthday, and I’m sure the two Swift ladies will have a fabulous time in New York City. The show’s host for the night will be Neil Patrick Harris, who can probably relate to Swift. After all, he played a teen working in a grown-up’s world as Doogie Howser, M.D., back in the early 90s. He was only 16 when that show debuted. So the two of them should get along just fine.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Luvncountry says:
Well, if she’s LIVE, I know what I WON’T be watching.
Mindy says:
Thank’s for the warning not to watch!!
Sarah says:
I’m so excited to see her perform! Congrats to her!
jan says:
I wont be watching!!! Thanks for the warning!!!
Mariah says:
^ But Taylor is a pop star. She is not country and hasn’t been for some time.
All her songs have been re-mixed for pop radio and I even heard a club dance remix of Love Story the other day on Pop radio. She is a fake sellout to pop, and I cannot respect anyone who remixes their songs to pop.
Pick a genre: country, or pop. By trying to be both, she is cheating, and fake. She clearly does not want to be a true country singer at heart, or she wouldn’t continue to pander to pop.
Kim says:
Not you Mariah, jo the one way above you, sorry.
ROSEBUD says:
Did you have to say the word “genre” now you know who will be rearing his or her ugly head.lol
art b says:
I will be watching…it is great to have a talent such as Taylor Swift leading the way into 2009.
Her songs reflect her age… very refreshing.
I will bet that she will have those who are able to attend the show, applauding loudly after she performs.
Lead the way Taylor and don’t pay attention to the negative comments.
Art B.
Ontario
Canada
Steph says:
Country radio is OK with a lot for people remixing and playing on pop radio, not just taylor. lets not forget that Carrie Underwood is a member of the Grand Ol Opry and she is the biggest crossover in years (with Taylor on her heels). although Carrie didn’t remix, it was still on popular radio. it happens all the time. just pointing the finger at Taylor isn’t fair.
ROSEBUD says:
Hey I remember when Island in the Streams was a huge hit on both charts. I was young but I don’t remember it being a big deal. Can’t a song appeal to more than just country fans? Just askin?
Luvncountry says:
ha ha Rosebud, I bet I know who you are referring to. Let’s see if he/she takes the bait.
ROSEBUD says:
They must be asleep or something! Good lord help us when they wake up!lol
Luvncountry says:
Ps Rosebud, I think one of your comments was deleted on another blog- the Womack one.
Jamie says:
The fact that Carrie refused to remix the songs tells me she is not a sell out. Stations of all genres like to play Carrie’s music because she is very likeable, her songs are great and the girl can flat out sing. Not sure why she was brought into this anyway this is about Taylor Swift on SNL. All I will say about Taylor is she is a very talented song writer and has her niche of fans and is doing well right now. That is probably why she was asked on the show.
ROSEBUD says:
I haven’t commented on the Womack blog but I think I’ll go take a look at it.
ROSEBUD says:
Oh lord there’s that word again!!!!lol
Luvncountry says:
whoops, sorry, wrong blog but I know I saw ya somewhere. lol
Lauren says:
I can’t wait to see Taylor on SNL, they got the “BEST” guest ever! WTG Miss Swift! Our family will be watching!
ROSEBUD says:
I agree about the “someone” you are talking about. I have to be honest though I do like Taylor’s music. I think she does have alot of talent, singing just isn’t one of them. Like I’ve said before she is terrible live. I keep hoping for a miracle but I’m not holding my breath.
Dan says:
I love Taylor no matter what!
I cannot WAIT for Saturday!!
:D
Kate says:
Wow Taylor has made SNL history for…..drum roll please..for her….AGE! Wow what an achievement.
Andrea says:
OH My gosh, I am watching that on Saturday for sure. Taylor is awesome!
nobody says:
don’t watch then FYI she not bad live
Guess? says:
Gimme me a break!!!
asdfghjkl says:
dont be fools la… shes great live and really talented
Guess? says:
You people wouldnt know the truth if it hit you in the face!!! She got you fooled!!
Jt says:
I think she does fine no mader where she is you go girl and all you people shut up she sings good on stage
Tory says:
i spelled write wrong.
that’s embarrassing
*Right
jenny says:
i love her music. can’t wait for it!!
Kris says:
Taylor Swift is Billboard’s Top Country Artist and Hot Country Songwriter of 2008; she is also country music’s best-selling artist of 2008. (Every genre, not just Country) She’s broken so many records it’s not even funny.
Of the 13 tracks on Fearless, 11 have already spent time on the Hot 100.
Only a true artist that can sing her butt off could accomplish feats like these. So you people who say she can’t sing are just a bunch of shallow people that are so jealous of Taylors success over your favorite artist, grow up and get a life and remember all the millions of fans that DO know she can sing and realize you are in the minority and give it up!
Rock on Taylor Swift, I will be watching SNL!
trang says:
I love Taylor Swift
vcp says:
Best of luck to Taylor, coutry artist have really represented the genre amazingly in the past, hopefully she can keep that going, whether she is pop or not she is there as a country artist so let’s hope for a good live performance.
Brittany says:
I’ve always wondered why people bother to click on blogs concerning Taylor Swift AND put out the effort to comment on them when they don’t like her. Enlighten me please.
Dana says:
Because every freakin blog is written about her in some way or form.
She is a song machine. Most artists release songs every month 3-6 months, she releases them every month. It’s too much! She is way over exposed.
enough already. I don’t like her singing, but thats okay it is not for everyone, but you can not go to a country tv station or radio station or blog, etc, with out her being everywhere. Just space it out a bit.
have to admit, she has a great marketing team, but we know she is there, let us find her on our own, instead of her being shoved down our throats every 5 minutes
lizisawesome says:
Because we like to voice our opinion on how dumb she is. And how she can’t sing live. And how she is just another commercial pop act. Need I say more? I think it’s funny when people comment about how they don’t like Taylor Swift on a blog concerning her.
lizisawesome says:
Yeah, I hate how she’s everywhere, too Dana.
Jan says:
I like Taylor
I wish she could sing
Kaitlin says:
Taylor Swift said this was something she has dreamed of doing for years..singing on SNL? What a crock of bullock. I think her goal was always asking herself..wow, can I really fool enough people into thinking I can sing? Answer: She has.
Jack says:
I don’t get it. First of all, Taylor’s tween/teen girl fans will all be asleep when SNL is on, so who is going to watch this? What was SNL thinking? Second, without extensive use of auto-tune technology the two songs she does could be torture on the ears. My guess is that her electronic engineers will be all over the situation so she should “sound” OK. I just might listen if that is the case.
bret says:
taylor swift is absolutely beautiful with a voice like an angel. i don’t don’t know why some of you people have to put her in ONE certain class or Genre of music.
Jack says:
BTW, I do think highly of Taylor’s gifts as a songwriter. I do believe she is precocious in that department and with luck could mature into a very talented writer of songs for years to come. As a singer, she is very limited, but sometimes (it is hit or miss) she is able to sing her own songs capably.
Jack says:
Another note, I admire Taylor’s gifts, she is a child prodigy in the song writing department. As a fan of great singing (I LOVE OPERA), however, I generally do not enjoy her live performances. The bottom line, she has a limited instrument which she has limited control over. There is nothing wrong with this, many non-classical singers have limited voices and yet have amazing careers, so Taylor is in good company.
bret says:
Time will tell JACK!!
vcp says:
Taylor always has many dreams it seems and they always seem to be things that Carrie has already accomplished, that’s just what I have noticed.
KAREN K says:
SHES ONLY GOING ON SNL TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CARRIE UNDERWOOD–EVERYTHING CARRIE IS INVITED TO DO TAYLOR HAS BEEN “DREAMING FOR YEARS TO DO” SORRY WONT BE WATCHING CAUSE SHE CANT SING AND ALL SHE DOES IS HANG ON AND FOLLOW IN CARRIES FOOTSTEPS BECAUSE SHE CANT MAKE HER OWN PATH!
vcp says:
Don’t wait to see what happens Saturday, if you want to hear some serious vocals, watch the People’s Choice Awards tonight, Carrie will be performing a song she has never done on tv before nor is it or will it be a single, I have heard her sing it live and it is something else.
TITANSFAN says:
JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IT SEEMS TO ME TAYLOR DOING JUST FINE. CARRIE AND TAYLOR ARE GOOD FRIENDS SO IM SURE THEY ARE BOTH VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER.
vcp says:
I am not saying there is anything wrong with Taylor wanting to do things Carrie has done, Carrie is a great role model, and probably lots of artist would love to follow in their footsteps. If you watched the GAC 50 countdown and heard the two talking it seems they are good friends and that Taylor really does appreciate Carrie’s work.
Melissa says:
I’m so excited Taylor’s going to be on SNL! I hardly ever watch that show, but I’m definitely going to watch it this weekend! I’m happy for her :) That’s a really great gig.
bj says:
I won’t be watching! She is terrible live..I’ve seen her many times. Why does everything she do become news worthy? She should never be put in the same class as Dolly, Garth and Tim. What gets me is that it is not country fans buying her music..it is the tween group and everyone knows it. Taylor is no country star.
Gail says:
Taylor’s songs are cute….like Disney channel cute! Not songs you’re going to remember years and years from now. She is just the “fad” right now. She may last another year, then someone else will be the new IT. Just another artist that has been marketed good. She is just not someone that I consider unforgettable. Her accomplishments and talents are nowhere near the height that Carrie Underwoods are because Carrie is a real talent…IMO. I consider Taylor an artist that was created through the Internet. She got on the internet and made her fanbase by making a pact with these young teens and getting on their level…talking boys, school, shopping….whatever it took to have them become her fans. I still can’t believe people that hear her sing live think she sings great…honestly she can’t IMO! What’s so disheartening is all the people that jumped on this bandwagon….but that’s the way everything is down now and it’s hard to take. Having this young girl shoved down your throats from every entertainment outlet like she if the first and only artist that has ever accomplished anything. That’s what turns so many people against her! IMO! I’ll just be glad when her 15 minutes or however minutes she has is UP! Enough about her already!
rolltidefan says:
I wish her 15 minutes would hurry up and be over!!!!
S says:
Thanks for the warning. I won’t be watching!
TITANSFAN says:
ANGRIER MANAGEMENT CLASSES WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL U PEOPLE WHO HATE TAYLOR SWIFT
rolltidefan says:
A HEAD DOCTOR WOULD BE GOOD FOR ALL U PEOPLE WHO LIKE TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!
dean crawford says:
I felt inclined to leave a comment based on what so many people are leaving on here. Very rarely, is there ever a talent that is “perfect” in every sense of the word. While Taylor might not be a “perfect” singer, she is a very good entertainer that truly cares for her fans and work hard at her craft. Being in this business takes way more than just great talent….it takes guts, nerves and that extra something that is unexplainable. I have grown to respect her based on her fan friendly approach to this business…and yes, it is a business and it seems to me that the tale of the cash register is ringing true to form….most people love Taylor….young kids do becuase she is one of them telling their story—and older folks love her because she reminds them of days gone by when life and love was innocent. This is my two cents!! take it or leave it.
Amy says:
WTG Taylor! She is great! Can’t wait to watch SNL.
Denny says:
I am a singer, and have studied many singers from various genres.
I like Taylor Swift, and believe she has some talent.
Especially marketing herself..!!
However… she is a VERY inexperienced singer, with serious flaws.
She sings off-pitch, and knows nothing about phrasing a song.
She needs to study with a good vocal coach. (like Carrie did after Idol)
People who are not fans of hers hear this…
Her fans just can’t hear it because they think she can do no wrong…lol
jt says:
I’ve read that everybody says that taylor needs to stop being pop and country well I think she can be both I love her music and I’m glad she is finlly geting to do one of her dreams being on SNL at 18 is a big thing and I know she is very happy about it.
audi16 says:
Thank you Dean! I agree with you! I have been to 2 of Taylor’s concerts and she definitly knows how to entertain and keep an audience’s attention. I also had the privilage of meeting Taylor last summer at the Cma Music Fest, she truely cares about her fans! The batteries went dead on my camera and I had no way of getting a picture. Taylor took my camera and tried to get it to work. She promised me she would get me a picture.One of the men that worked with Taylor took a picture of us and emailed it to me.Taylor was so sweet about the whole situation. To survive in the music business, an artist must have fans, and Taylor definitly knows how to treat her fans with kindness and respect. She is truely greatful that she gets to wake up everyday and do something she loves. She deserves all the sucess that comes her way.
Do you Carrie fans have any respect for Taylor? Everytime a blog is written about Taylor, Carrie fans come on here and start talking about how Taylor is tring to be like Carrie, and how much better Carrie is than Taylor.Don’t get me wrong I like Carrie, but even if I hated her I would not go around comparing her with an artist I thought was better than her, because that would be disrespectful to her and her fans! I have respect to any artist who makes it in this business, sales records, can hold an audiences attention, has enough courage to perform in front of millions of people, and who sets recordsTaylor is not tring to take Carrie place in this
business,she is tring to make her on place, and I think she has!She has made herself a relatable artist who is diffrent from many artists in that she writes her own songs.
lauren says:
some people are so stupid its not even funny!!!!! taylor is 18 of course shes the youngest performer that has been on the show….. theres not many 18 year old singers in the business today!!! i personally would not call it making history.
K says:
FYI- I like Carrie’s voice better than Taylor’s but I DON’T compare the two. However, I see how it would be easy to because their strengths and weaknesses are very different.
Thanks for the insight, Dean, I agree…no, I don’t think anyone is calling Taylor a great singer, and I think most people know that dozens of women (especially in country) sing circles around her. But, Taylor DOES have a gift. She has a gift of connecting with people, being relatable, and doing it in creative ways. She has a gift for writing age-apropriate material that any teen girl in the world can relate to.
Not many artists can write catchy songs, sing, and do so much for their fans when they’re so busy touring, making albums, and doing media apperances.
I wish Taylor luck in the future….
But, enough with this “all Taylor bashers being Carrie fans” thing, please! It’s untrue and disrespectful to those of who never have and never will bash Taylor even though we don’t like her…
TITANSFAN says:
JUST IN FOR ALL U TAYLOR SWIFT HATERS!!!! HEADLINE IN LOCAL PAPER TAYLOR SWIFT SEALS SUPERSTAR STATUS!!! GET OVER IT!!! OH! AND IM NOT SOME TEENY BOPPER EITHER IM 39 AND I LIKE TAYLOR AND CARRIE BUT IM NOT ON HERE BASHING ANOTHER SINGER. AT LEAST I HAVE SOME RESPECT!!!
guess? says:
WHO CARES WHATS IN A LOCAL PAPER!!!!
K says:
And, why do all TS fans write in all caps? It doesn’t do anything to get the point across, and you Taylor fans just make yourselves look like you have no other ways of expressing your opinions…and that worries me when someone proclaims they’re not a teen, and they wrote such a poor post….
d says:
well i can’t wait to see snl with taylor beacause i think she does an awsome job performing and singing
Allison says:
I think whoever said that they wont be watching is a dork!!!! Taylor is cool…. so back off!!
dean crawford says:
Well, it seems that this SNL show has generated quite a buzz and I have no doubt that the show will be widely watched. While it is conceivable that people will compare both Carrie and Taylor, they are really two different artist with diferent appeal. The one area that is very comparable is the fact that they are both Megastars. I am not certain how many traditional country fans are on here but most people with great knowledge of country music would definately agree that——Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette are regarded as the greatest women to ever set foot in country music. These are the ladies that have paved the way for all the Taylors and Carries and Faith and Shanias of Today. One thing is certain, The four great ladies that I mentioned were all so uniquely talented and diferent from each other and they managed to survive for decades in a male dominated field. God Bless Dolly(and Loretta to a lesser degree) who still sells out concert halls all over the globe.
Lets hope that both Carrie and Taylor will enjoy such levels of success when we look back 20 years from now. I do believe that they both have the ability and talent to stick around….however, the one that best reaches out to the fans and create that long and lasting genuine bond will be the victor in the race of longevity——so tell me, who do you think that will be? this is the question.
moni says:
Yes, I love Taylor! I’m a big fan. I like her personality and songs (oh, some of them is telling my lifestory, which makes them even better:)) She hasn’t got as good voice as Carrie, but in my opinion Taylor’s songs are better. And she will learn how to perform live on tv and radio, which is the best for her voice. I think she can be better in time. And she has already done good performances.
Penelope says:
What does it matter if her songs appeal to more than just country listeners? Just because you can’t place her music firmly in someone’s contained idea of country music, it does not mean that she is fake or a sellout. Her music is not 100% country or pop, so you can call it both, but like I said, she is not a sellout . She writes gorgeous songs and should command respect in both the country and pop world.
kayla says:
Taylor Swift is such an amazing, accomplished singer, and she won’t be held back by all the negative comments people keep posting. If you don’t like Taylor, don’t post comments on articles about our dearly beloved music sensation! I can’t wait to see her on PCA!! FYI, she does NOT sound bad live!!!!!!!
kayla says:
Oh, and Guess?, she has most definitely earned her respect!!
Guess? says:
Not by a long shot, kayla!!!!!
audi16 says:
Taylor treats her fans with compassion and respect therefore they reward her with that same respect!
vcp says:
FYI Taylor is not on the PCA’s
Russell says:
I’ve noticed that every time an article about Taylor appears here or in several other places, certain people use the opportunity to make hateful personal attacks against her which go well beyond a dislike for her work as an artist and/or songwriter. I don’t understand why people despise her to such an extent that they say these vicious things about her. If you don’t like her as an artist, that’s fine; but we don’t have to be hateful about it.
Lee says:
K - Not all Taylor fans write in all caps. There are plenty of people on here that write properly. it isn’t fair of you to just say “ALL” like that.
And Dean, some Taylor fans can indeed accept that she may not be the best singer in the world, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t support them if you like their music, voice and personality. I love Carrie and I can accept that she is a better singer than Taylor, but Taylor is still my favorite. I think being a true fan means accepting their flawed areas and still supporting them anyway. Sorry if this sounds mean - that wasn’t my intention :)
heidi says:
I will be watching SNL for Neil Patrick Harris.
JH says:
I think that Taylor Swift is a great artist and she has earned her share or respect.
I will be watching SNL.
ROSEBUD says:
Guess, you or someone else have made this comment several times. Could you please explain how her dad bought her respect. I’m just curious. Thanks!
Guess? says:
Carrie WON 3 awards tonight!!!
Guess? says:
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!!!
ROSEBUD says:
I’m bummed, but not surprised, that you haven’t answered my question on the buying respect thing.
Guess? says:
Its plain as the nose on your face and I shouldnt have to explain anything to you!!!
ROSEBUD says:
Okay it’s not sorry. I have a feeling you can’t explain yourself or you would have. Don’t get me wrong I have no opinion about it either way. I just thought maybe you had the inside scoop and could enlighten us. I guess you don’t.
Guess? says:
I just get really tired of explaining why I dont like ts. Everybody has opinion and should get to express it, one way or another.
vcp says:
I always give Taylor the benefit but after seeing Carrie perform tonight I don’t think there is anyone in her league at this point. Taylor just has her own sound and that is just fine, some like it some don’t if you don’t then don’t listen and let the one’s that do enjoy. Everyone has the right.
Guess? says:
Carrie proved once again she is a class act. Nobody can come close to her. She just keeps getting better and better. She earned everyone of her awards!
KayKay says:
Guess?, you know something? I fully love Carrie Underwood and she is one of my favorite singers, but I can’t understand why so many of her fans are hypocrites when it comes to Taylor and fan voted awards. Sure, when the awards are fan voted and Taylor wins, the Carrie fans freak out and bash on fan voted awards. However, when Carrie wins, you all make a big deal of it saying “The people have spoken and the outcome is clear, etc etc” and suddenly LOVE fan voted awards.
How can so many Carrie fans be such public hypocrites? I’m not saying all Carrie fans are like that, but the active ones on CMT seem to be. Especially the ones active on CMT blogs.
guess? says:
I havent bashed fan voted awards show when it is people voted. I was making a statement.
Jt says:
I know one thing I’m going to be waching saturday night
ROSEBUD says:
Guess, I tried to respond to you last night but for some reason my internet went down. I don’t think you understood what my question was to you. I’m not asking for an explanation why you don’t like Taylor. I was just wondering about the statement about her dad buying her respect. You said it should be plain but it isn’t to me. I was just curious what you knew about it. This isn’t an attack on you just a simple question.
CJ, I couldn’t agree more about the spelling and grammar errors. I’m not that great at either one but this is ridiculous.
guess? says:
Sorry I was busy watching the pcas last night! I just have a pretty good “inside” source that tells me alot of juicy things. But thats all I can say.
kayko says:
If I got a dollar every time someone claimed to have an “inside source” I would be rich. lol
andrea says:
I taylor is better than any singer live even bett than avril lavigne. what is u people talkn bout
audi16 says:
I would like to say something(after all that is what blogs are for right?)There is a realitivly new blog about Carrie. Have any Taylor fans gotten on that blog and wrote how they like Taylor so much better than Carrie or went on there just to trash talk her, I don’t think so! The reason I haven’t said anything is because I honestly like Carrie. I think she did an amazing job last night. I am a fan of Carrie, however I am more partial to Taylor, because being 17 I relate to her songs better. I do like Carrie but I can’t stand the way some of her fans talk about Taylor. Like I said even if I hated Carrie I wouldn’t go around posting mean things about her. Those Carrie fans who don’t like Taylor should have enough respect if not for Taylor, at least for her fans not to go around trash talking her.
andria says:
“kaykay”- thank you for saying not all “carrie fans are hyprocrites” i am a huge carrie fan and i wouldn’t have appreciated being under a certain stereotype..so thank you for addressing that =)…
taylor isn’t my preference, however she is a talented young lady and to “try” to take that away from her is ridiculous, she sings nice, she writes, and she plays an instrument, she is a well deserved artist and although she is not my choice to listen to i respect her for the work she has accomplished. as a women myself i am proud of any women in country working their butts off because it is harder for women then men to make a point…and im going to root for women atomatically especially when they deserve it and have earned it and i think both ladies have proven that both have amazing careers…and it will only get better…nothing against guys there great too but women in country for me…i love more.
i dont like when people bash carrie and thats why i dont bash others who really do deserve to be appreciated…..and respected….i dont know why people compare them they are very different and unique and have their own style and there own talent…and both women have a right to be in country they work very hard…and any friend of carrie’s i respect….and taylor and carrie are friends, and respect each other and root for each other i think fans should do the same.
good luck to carrie and taylor, and taylor fans or carrie fans, ignore the haters, because theres alwasy haters but it doesnt stop carrie nor taylor =)
lauren says:
Lee, you say its not fair for “k” to say that “all” taylor fans write in caps and dont write properly well i think its not fair that taylor fans think that everyone who doesnt like taylor is a fan of carrie’s.!!!!
jelan says:
well said andria, i dont dislike taylor but i’m not a fan either but even though im not a fan i think she is very talented and she is a good role model for young girls, i dont know why people feel the need to rip her apart or for that matter any talented songstress out there. i love carrie her voice and her style fits more of who i am….she won me over with her music and personality i think she’s a sweet girl…who deserves everything she has worked hard for…although carrie isn’t for everyone i dont appreciate those who speak negative about her, people dont have to like carrie or like taylor but at least acknowledge that there BIG in country and good at what they do and have long careers ahead of them for a reason, and that would be talent and hardwork.
audi16- not all carrie fans rip taylor apart just like not all taylor fans rip carrie apart but i have come across taylor fans who post hate on carrie too so its just not the carrie fans who are guilty of this, to me i think people have their preferences and copnnect with a certain artist for their own reasons but to put them down when they dont deserve to be, i think is childish and immature and its the people who have there own insecurities who hate. i agree with you audi16 people should respect artists for there talent and accomplishments and the fans that follow them…taylor and carrie will be in music for a long time there careers are promising…i think there both good and i wish them both the best…carrie and taylor are friends and i think they would find this silly…
julissa says:
carrie’s voice is beautiful no doubt. her voice just soars and her range is incredible…she is in a league of her own, carrie has already established herself an as artist and is respected by a lot of people, and not just the fans, but the people in the music industry she is very talented, not only can she sing but she can play the guitar and piano, she will be writing more songs on her 3rd album which i think thats impressive it’s always a wonderful thing to allow yourself to grow and thats what she’s doing. as for taylor i think she is a very good writer and she impresses me because she seems so levelheaded and mature for her age, i respect anyone that can pick up an instrument and sing…even if taylor cant hit the high notes like carrie she still sings well, the world would be boring if everyone sounded the same… carrie and taylor are 2 different people with 2 different styles but they are 2 ladies who have a lot of heart and passion for music… and both are good hearted people who deserve all the success in the world. i love carrie im a fan since american idol, and she’s my ultimate favorite female singer, but i respect other female singers who are good and well deserving of there achievements and have earned their right in music. why does someone have to be better then the other…when both ladies are talented …theres always room for talent the more women in country the better!!
audi16 says:
Thank you andria!
jelan- I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make it sound like all Carrie fans tear Taylor apart, or even dislike her for that matter. I was just refering to the people who do. I am truely sorry if it sounded like I was trying to sterotype all Carrie fans as Taylor haters, because I know they are not! I am a fan of Carrie and I definitly don’t hate Taylor. I know some Taylor fans are also guilty of bashing Carrie and I don’t think that is right either. I don’t think it is right to bash an artist. Carrie and Taylor are both great artist in diffrent ways and I hope they both continue to have amazing careers!
K says:
I agree…There are JUST as many Taylor fans who bash Carrie and there are Carrie fans who bash Taylor. It is not a one- sided argument, BOTH of these ladies have plenty of fans who do this.
As I said before, I am a huge Carrie fan, but I don’t own a Taylor album and her live performances do nothing to make me a bigger fan.
However, I have said Taylor is a gifted songwriter, great role model, and pretty girl who has a gift for connecting with her fans. Just because I like Carrie better than Taylor doesn’t mean I go around bashing her and saying she is a no-talent. I know she worked hard for her success and chased her dream for years.
Russell says:
These people spreading rumors with their “inside sources” crack me up. I feel like I’m reading Pravda or something…
May says:
FYI, Taylor isn’t exactly the one that remixes her songs into pop-edits. The radio station does this, because most people are not fans of country music and the remixes will attract more viewers.
Her fans are not only tweens/teens. I know adults who enjoy her music immensely as well.
Carrie and Taylor are two different artists, why do people constantly feel the need to compare them? If you like Carrie, buzz off about Taylor. Personally, I think the Carrie Underwood phase will wear off, and Taylor’s poised to become the next country music queen.
AND TO THOSE HATERS OUT THERE-
GET A LIFE.
May says:
Has Carrie Underwood accomplished having the most top debuts in a year in billboard history?
PLEASE>
Taylor~Rocks says:
Mariah: Taylor Rock either way! So leave her alone and she said her self that she is a spillover not crossover! Taylor Rocks!!!!!!!
John says:
This is to Steph–way up in this blog—Haveing a song cross over on its own is one thing But remixing you songs is another story altogether–As Taylor will find out–Country Music does not like that.
Tory says:
why do people keep comparing Taylor to Carrie Underwood?
Carrie has a wonderful voice, we all know that. But some of us don’t like Taylor just for her singing ability. I’m not saying Taylor has the most beautiful voice in the world, but she more than makes up for it. In my opinion she sings her songs wonderfully, I don’t like her award show performances because she gets really nervous and I don’t think those huge arenas help her at all. I love her acoustic shows, they’re the most beautiful things ever.
She’s just an awesomely sweet girl. She treats her fans with respect and love. I don’t think she’s ever looked at anyone and thought she was too cool to talk to them or something like that. She’s just an all around sweet and wonderful person and that’s why I love her. Because she writes her own songs and sticks to who she is. You people may think she’s a sell-out with no talent, but I am going to have to disagree.
She’s got talent beyond belief, and she’s gonna get wayyy more than 15 minutes of fame. Prepare yourselves :)
cant wait to see her in concert this summer!
btw i bought 4 of her Fearless albums :D
countryiscool says:
I am not arguing that she is a nice girl who loves her fans. I’m saying you should perhaps send her the $$ back to take singing lessons. If you’re a “singer,” you should be able to SING, ANYwhere- and carry a tune & not have to resort to cute little tricks to detract from not being able to. Simon would have had a field day with her. I understand her “teeny” appeal, but that will wear off eventually when SHE grows up and her vocals don’t.
Tory says:
She actually takes singing lessons from Brett Manning. He’s one of the best out there. He gives lessons to lots of famous singers like Haley from Paramore. She has a wonderful voice.
i think Taylor has a great voice.
Some people’s voice aren’t made for power, there’s nothing wrong with that. I still enjoy every single one of her performances.
Don’t judge musicians based on what the American Idol judges would say…
Simon loved Fantasia what ever her name was and her career went nooo where.
Carrie and Kelly Clarkson are the only ones who actually did something after AI. Taylor crushes anyone on that show.
lauren says:
you cant make excuses for taylor and say ” oh, she was bad on awards shows because she was too nervous!” every artist that goes on a stage to sing in front of thousands of people are nervous its only natural but, you still should be able to sing on key and at least some what like your cds. i like taylor, i have both of her cds but she cant sing good live and thats what matters. her cds are obviously mastered.
countryiscool says:
PS, pegged as a winner, and no way would Taylor crush anyone on IDOL. She would have gotten the boot on her audition, only because she would have had to rely on her natural vocals, not “obviously mastered” CD’s like Lauren said.
Joe says:
“I don’t get it. First of all, Taylor’s tween/teen girl fans will all be asleep when SNL is on, so who is going to watch this? What was SNL thinking?”
Probably the same thing CMT’s Crossroads people were thinking when Taylor and Def Leppard did their performance.
I really don’t think SNL is going for Taylor’s ‘teen & tween’ following…
“Second, without extensive use of auto-tune technology the two songs she does could be torture on the ears. My guess is that her electronic engineers will be all over the situation so she should “sound” OK. I just might listen if that is the case.”
Heh, as an audio tech/live mixer, I can agree with that. It’s probably a good idea to keep an Antares AVP-1, Eventide Harmonizer, Lexicon, or TC-Electronics pitch transposer on her channel.
Basically, she can sing very well, but she still tends to suffer a bit from stage jitters at times (depending on the performance situation). I’ve noticed this tends to manifest itself as an inconsistant vibrato at times, but not always.
This also tends to lead me to think it may have more to do with the quality of the mix in her ‘ears’ on any given live performance. I don’t know if she uses the same monitor tech or not on all her live gigs, but I suspect her IEM mix may be a contributing factor. The reason I say this is I’ve seen live performances where she sounded just fine, and other performances where she was a bit shakey vocally (on the same songs). What kind of clued me into this was her “Should Have Said No” performance on the 2008 CMA awards where she ended the song in a simulated rainfall. From what I could see, she wasn’t working with IEMs on that performance, and was probably working off of floor wedges or cross stage fills for monitors. Switching between those and IEMs can be tough for seasoned vocalists.
Yet, a little over a month ago, she does the Crossroads thing with Def Leppard, and they all sound awesome. From what I could see on that performance, she was using an IEM (a least in her right ear).
marie says:
TO MAY - radio stations do not remix the songs themselves, they play what is sent to them. I have friends that are DJ’s (both pop and country stations) and they have both stated that they can only play what has been sent in. There would be legal implications if they did that. So yes, Taylor and her team decide to remix and send out various versions.
bkb says:
this girl needs to go away fast. she can’t sing and all the excuses in the world will not make her a singer. she can go before an audience, shaking her hair and ending up in a shower and some people say she is nervous about performing live, give me a break, after awhile she has to perform live like a talented artist or give it up, oh well the younger crowd will get bored and move on to someone else.
Don’t Knock American Idols says:
“Don’t judge musicians based on what the American Idol judges would say…”
Tory, no one said they do and people are capable of thinking for themselves. The Idol judges have many years experience and made millions of dollars in the music business before Idol started so you can usually take what they say to the bank, and they are really talent scouts not just judges. They are not always right but most of the time they are right on the money and I agree with their opinions. For example when Simon praised most of Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler’s performances and told others they sang like wedding or karaoke singers he was right. He was right when he predicted Carrie would sell more records than anyone and picked Kellie and Daughtry as winners. Even so, I listen to the singers not the judges when I decide who to vote for and support, and I only vote for and support the best. I happen to agree with the judges most of the time. Was I wrong when I voted with my wallet and bought Carrie and Kellie’s albums and went to their concerts including the Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, and Jack Ingram tour? I don’t think so and Kellie got massive cheers, standing ovations, and many great critical reviews on this and all of her tours.
“Simon loved Fantasia what ever her name was and her career went nooo where.
Carrie and Kelly Clarkson are the only ones who actually did something after AI. Taylor crushes anyone on that show.”
I don’t like Fantasia’s music because I mostly like country music but I thought she was the best on season 3 so I voted for her, and I’d hardly call over 2 million album sales going nowhere. Ever heard of Jennifer Hudson? She was on the same season, has a long list of awards and nominations and more recently made a gold record. Ever heard of Kellie Pickler? She’s the best-selling new country artist in the past 3 years besides Taylor and Rodney Atkins and she’s a major tour success. Since Kellie and Taylor were on the same tours and nominated for the same awards you can’t say Kellie hasn’t done something. Look for her touring with Taylor again this year. Did you watch Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve? Ever seen Kellie’s USO tour documentary, awards nominations and wins including the CMT Performance of the Year award for the best live performance on TV? Did you watch the CMA awards or Opry when she earned standing ovations? I don’t know about you but I consider all that and much more doing something. I can guarantee you that if Kellie’s label promoted her music anywhere close to what Big Machine does to promote Taylor’s her sales would be a lot higher. Taylor sells big mostly because she gets about 10 times more promotion and airplay and always has. There is no way her sales would be what they are without that massive level of promotion including constant airplay on country and pop radio. In fact, if Big Machine did not release her songs to pop radio, chances are that she would not have been asked to perform on SNL because SNL is a mainstream pop show. That’s why they rarely have a country artist perform and those who did are crossover artists except for Willie Nelson. In 34 seasons and 647 episodes they have only had about 4 country artist perform. Even when Tim McGraw hosted, Ludacris and T-Pain performed. Good for Taylor and I will watch her perform tomorrow. I wish Kellie had anything close to that kind of label support and promotion or even just something in-between. I can’t believe they haven’t even released the pop/rock crossover song she and Taylor wrote to pop radio.
Kellie also deserves to perform on SNL and should be the next country/pop/rock artist to perform. Let’s see, since she was one of the best and most popular performers for months in front of 30 million people on the best American Idol season with record ratings, and hosted and performed on many other big shows I’m sure she can handle SNL. She’d be great at hosting, doing skits, and performing, like when Dolly hosted and performed in 1989. SNL needs to change with the times and realize that today’s country music is hotter and more popular than it was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and invite more country artists to perform pure country and crossover songs (Kellie can do both with ease). No we don’t want to just see pop, rock and rap acts every week.
Taylor does not “crush anyone” on Idol and many artists who competed on Idol actually did something after their season ended. Idol was merely a stepping stone or way for them to get discovered. Just because it’s different from the way Taylor was discovered doesn’t make it any less real or credible. Taylor is talented and was very fortunate to sign with Big Machine where she could get so much attention and promotion, more fortunate than many who competed on Idol. Thanks to talent plus heavy promotion and sales, Taylor is on TV more than just about any artist, so she’s also getting huge exposure there and more than most Idols got.
Here’s a 1 year old (January 10, 2008) sales list of all Idols who made gold records and close, and most have sold thousands to millions more since then. Add the 2 new albums from David Cook 842,000 and David Archuleta 580,000 and it’s quite an impressive list from USA Today.
Album sales:
1. Kelly Clarkson: 9.4 million total
Breakaway: 5.9 million
Thankful: 2.7 million
My December: 740,000
2. Carrie Underwood: 7.9 million total
Some Hearts: 6.2 million
Carnival Ride: 1.7 million
3. Clay Aiken: 4.8 million total
Measure of a Man: 2.8 million
Merry Christmas With Love: 1.4 million
A Thousand Different Ways: 522,000
All Is Well EP: 53,000
4. (Chris) Daughtry, Daughtry: 3.6 million
5. Ruben Studdard: 2.5 million total*
Soulful: 1.8 million
I Need an Angel: 451,000*
The Return: 236,000
6. Fantasia: 2.3 million total
Free Yourself: 1.8 million Fantasia: 502,000
7. Bo Bice: 706,000 total
The Real Thing: 670,000
See the Light: 36,000
8. Kellie Pickler, Small Town Girl: 702,000
9. Taylor Hicks, Taylor Hicks: 699,000
10. Josh Gracin, Josh Gracin: 695,000
11. Elliott Yamin: 563,000 total
Elliott Yamin: 484,000
Sounds of the Season: 79,000
12. Jordin Sparks: 473,000 total
Jordin Sparks: 424,000
EP: 49,000
13. Katharine McPhee, Katharine McPhee: 366,000
14. Bucky Covington, Bucky Covington: 317,000
Downloads (rounded totals for all tracks found in SoundScan):
1. Kelly Clarkson: 8.9 million
2. Carrie Underwood: 5.8 million
3. (Chris) Daughtry: 4.0 million
4. Jordin Sparks: 1.5 million
5. Elliott Yamin: 1.1 million
6. Katharine McPhee: 993,000
7. Kellie Pickler: 720,000
8. Fantasia: 638,000
9. Blake Lewis: 580,000
10. Josh Gracin: 553,000
11. Bo Bice: 457,000
12. Clay Aiken: 446,000
13. Taylor Hicks: 330,000
14. Bucky Covington: 252,000
Also don’t forget about Nashville Star and Miranda, LeAnn Rimes and Star Search, or Dolly and the Porter Wagoner show. Ever heard of Alabama, one of the best groups ever? TV helped them gain exposure and popularity when they performed on the hit series “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters” in 1981. They went on to have 30 #1 hits and sell over 73 million records. So if you want to talk about “crushing” there you go.
Meghan says:
YAY! Taylor Swift will be awesome!!!
K says:
May, I don’t mean to sound negative or harsh, but Carrie has accomplished way more than Taylor has in three years. you said: Has Carrie Underwood accomplished having the most top debuts in a year in billboard history?
PLEASE> Well, that is a HUGE accomplishment, but everyone knows Carrie has broken more records than Taylor, sold more records, sold more tickets, been on more magazine covers and commericals, not to mention she was on SNL before Taylor, and yet her appearance was not nearly as hyped as TS’s. Carrie has gotten more accolades (and that includes fan-voted) and she has joined the Grand Ole Opry. It’s silly to say one record makes TS more successful than Carrie.
TaylorLove says:
All of those negative comments about Taylor should halt. Those of you who don’t know what “halt” means, it’s STOP! Taylor is great. She’s way better than most people. It doesn’t matter, but to me, her music sounds like a mixture of pop and country, so that’s unique. I believe that most people don’t do that. If she’s so horrible, then why did Taylor get the honor as 2008 Best seling Artist in America? Why? Can you argue with the fact that she is completely better than you people who criticize her take credit for? Are you doing this just because you’re jealous? Well, if you are, that’s not fair to Taylor. I WILL be definitely watching Taylor on Saturday Night Live.
TaylorLove says:
This goes to K. Well, even if Carrie went on the show before Taylor, does it matter. Anyway, taylor is the youngest to be on the show, and Carrie wasn’t. True, Carrie might be a good singer, but she has to be on the show before, since her fame was at 2005. Taylor didn’t make her debut until 2006. Taylor’s been on a good number of magazine covers, not to mention, has been great role models for many people, especially teens who look up to her. I don’t see Carrie’s Carnival Ride becoming 2008 best seling album of the year, do I? Let’s face it, both of these singers are talented, but more people can relate to Taylor’s songs, since she writes about real life experiences. GOODBYE! :(
TaylorLove says:
Don’t Knock American Idols, are you sure that your list is correct or updated to today? If not, people will be bound to know that that list is a fib.
countryiscool says:
“Real life” for a teeny bopper for sure. She’s not old enough to have experienced anything else. Carrie can reach everyone else.
Mike says:
Okay, I honestly think that this needs to stop. Both artists are extremely talented and both have their own strengths and weaknesses. First of all, Carrie is an incredible singer and she will go far, but just look at how she entered the music business. She had to use a reality television show. I’m not saying that she didn’t have any “drive” when it came to getting noticed, but if she wanted to make it big she should have put her whole heart into it like some other musicians that have struggled and went through hell to make it where they are. Taylor on the other hand, did put her heart and soul into getting noticed. She knew what she wanted, knew she had the talent, and went for it. I think she even forced her parents to move to Nashville at the age of 13 so that she would have more opportunity in the business. Now I know that I would never of had that much drive, especially at that age! Secondly, Taylor writes her own songs, and songs that are awesome as many of you know. Eight out of the thirteen songs on her new album were solely written by her and the other five she co-wrote. I’m also pretty sure that she wrote all the songs on her debut album on her own as well. I don’t know too much about Carrie’s song-writing resume, but if she is still with 19 Management and the record company run by the same people that brings us American Idol, she is definitely not writing her own songs! However, her voice obviously makes up for this since she is really good! “Really good” doesn’t even give her enough credit. I do agree that Taylor does not have the greatest voice. It’s alright, but not as bad as people on here are saying. She is new to the business, she’s young, and has room to grow in many areas and has lots of time for it to happen. Thirdly, I think I read a post that said something about Taylor’s stage presence and personality and all that. This is the exact reason why I would choose a Taylor Swift concert over a Carrie Underwood one. A Carrie concerts would have some amazing singing and would be a great thing to be apart of, but wouldn’t it be kind of boring? Well, compared to a Taylor Swift concert anyway. Now I will admit that this post is a little bit biased, since I have way more of Taylor Swift songs then I do of Carrie’s, but I think that a lot of you will agree that everything I mentioned is extremely truthful. One last thing, they also attract different audiences. For the most part, Carrie attracts the older generations and the hardcore country fans, and also has younger fans. Taylor attracts a ton of the pre-teens and teenagers, but also attracts older audiences, while reaching out to both the pop music scene and country scene.
And before anyone says that I’m “knocking American Idol”. I’m not. I’ve watched every season and there is some amazing talent on it. I’m just saying that I commend and respect the musicians that have climbed to fame on their own, without the help of reality television.
K says:
Taylorlove: I understand that you’re a big fan of Taylor, and I respect that. I think she is very talented, and has worked hard to get a record deal, and create a geniune connection with her fans. She seems like a sweet girl who is a great role model for young girls. I do own a few of her songs (”Hey Stephen,” “Our Song,” “White Horse,”) as well.
But, Carrie has been around longer than Taylor, and she has broken more records than her, sold more records, and had more overall success. The fact that Carrie has been on SNL TWICE says a lot about her popularity. SNL doesn’t invite any country star on the show, to be invited twice says you must be a huge deal in country (and music).
Carrie HAD the best-selling album of the year in 2006 AND 2007 with “Some Hearts,” by the way. Taylor has only held the record for a year. If you don’t believe me, look it up.
Yeah, I agree people can relate to Taylor’s songs, but everyone knows she connects mostly with the younger generation. I’m not knocking her, or saying having mostly one demograpic for a fanbase is a bad thing. But it is probably true Taylor has mostly teen fans, because that’s who she writes about. Let’s face it, a 50 year-old most likely isn’t going to listen to “Our Song” or “White Horse,” are they?
But, Carrie has fans of all ages at her concerts because she writes/sings about a variety of topics. But, I realize she is older and has had more life experience and things like that, but that’s why she sings about more than one topic.
Again, I mean no disrespect to Taylor…I like her
MK says:
Carrie may have had a bigger success rate than Taylor in the last few years, but Carrie got herself onto American Idol and had the whole world aware of who she is. When her first album came out, a LOT of people knew about her and watned to buy the CD. Taylor didn’t have that start. When she released her first CD, the whole world DIDN’T know about her. It’s only natural that Carrie would’ve accomplished more so far.
They had VERY different start and rises to fame. Although I suppose you can’t really compare them for that, but still. Taylor has done well for her situation (and so has Carrie).
Luu says:
K - I understand the “a 50-year-old most likely isn’t going to listen to “Our Song” or ‘White Horse,” are they?” part, but you do know that people do, right? I live in like old town central where the average age is like 75. A lot of my neighbors like Taylor. I think it’s kind of cute actually lol.
lauren says:
TaylorLove, carrie didn’t have the 2008 best selling album of the year because her album came out in 2007 and they only pick albums that were out in 2008. Just answering your question……
Don’t Knock American Idols says:
TaylorLove, as I mentioned above it’s a 1 year old (January 10, 2008) sales list of all Idols who made (at least) gold records and close, and most have sold thousands to millions more since then. It’s from “The Ultimate SoundScan Sales/Download Checklist” in USA Today. Just go to their website and look for it. They are the only source that closely tracks Idol sales every week and it’s definitely correct since their numbers come directly from Soundscan (actual retail sales), the same source of the Billboard top 200 numbers. They have not published a new total album sales list for this year yet but since you asked I made a new updated list and added my own comments:
Album sales:
1. Kelly Clarkson: 9.53 million total
Breakaway: 6.04 million
Thankful: 2.71 million
My December: 782,000
2. Carrie Underwood: 9.26 million total
Some Hearts: 6.67 million
Carnival Ride: 2.59 million
3. Clay Aiken: 4.74 million total
Measure of a Man: 2.8 million
Merry Christmas With Love: 1.37 million
A Thousand Different Ways: 522,000
All Is Well EP: 53,000
On My Way Here: 158,000
4. (Chris) Daughtry, Daughtry: 4.35 million
5. Ruben Studdard: 2.5 million total*
Soulful: 1.8 million
I Need an Angel: 451,000*
The Return: 236,000
6. Fantasia: 2.3 million total
Free Yourself: 1.8 million
Fantasia: 519,000
7. Jordin Sparks: 1,033,000 total
Jordin Sparks: 984,000
EP: 49,000
8. Kellie Pickler: 959,000 total (Since she’s one of the best singers/songwriters and made 2 of the best albums she has sold more than many winners and runners-up even though they got more promotion, and the only ones who sold more are those who got more promotion.)
Small Town Girl: 802,000 (Should be at least double this or at least closer to Rodney Atkins if Sony had promoted it more or anywhere remotely close to the promotion level they gave higher sellers or Big Machine gave Taylor. Small Town Girl is the most underpromoted album in Idol history because it ranks as one of the best albums in fan and critical reviews but got poor to average promotion. It’s also the most underpromoted album in country music and maybe all music. It ranks highest in sales for the level of promotion because the album and Kellie’s performances are great. Kellie’s label promotion level does not come close to matching her talent and work level.)
Kellie Pickler (self-titled): 157,000 (Same as above. Over 2 years of serious underpromotion combined with the bad economy caused sales of her sophomore album to suffer greatly while during the same time Taylor got about the best and most promotion in the industry, mostly a long string of #1s on country, pop and AC radio, so she has a much bigger fan base and growing to buy her sophomore and debut. Kellie’s sales were higher than Taylor’s until Big Machine gave her lead single enough promotion to make top 5 on radio. So instead of greatly increasing her sales even during a bad economy with massive promotion like Big Machine did for Taylor, Sony let Kellie’s sales drop by underpromoting her albums.)
9. David Cook: 842,000 (Like the other higher sellers he gets far more promotion and airplay than Kellie so he will likely pass her total soon.)
10. Josh Gracin: 768,000 total
Josh Gracin: 695,000
Josh: 73,000
11. Taylor Hicks: 707,800 total
Taylor Hicks: 703,400
Early Works: 4,400
12. Bo Bice: 706,000 total
The Real Thing: 670,000
See the Light: 36,000
13. Elliott Yamin: 583,000 total
Elliott Yamin: 484,000
Sounds of the Season: 79,000
My Kind of Holiday: 20,000
14. David Archuleta: 580,000
15. Jennifer Hudson: 555,000 (One of the newest releases, released Sept. 30th the same day as Kellie’s sophomore. Like Taylor Swift, the 2 Davids and others, so far Jennifer has far more promotion and airplay than Kellie so that’s why she has sold more. Her lead single had top 5 airplay on several formats and her CD had more tracks and lower prices at release. She has about 5 times more airplay than Kellie so about 4 times more sales.)
16. Bucky Covington, Bucky Covington: 396,000 (Could be better but great for 3 top 10s and releasing after the 2006 Christmas season so he missed out on those holiday sales. The same thing happened to Kellie this year since she had almost no airplay around Christmas and little during the first 2 Christmas seasons. The top sellers usually have great promotion and airplay, added bonus tracks, new CD editions, etc. around Christmas).
17. Katharine McPhee, Katharine McPhee: 375,000
CountryMusic says:
I have a question. To all of the people who have gone on here and commented about how “Taylor can’t sing” or “so-and-so is better than Taylor”, why are you reading an article about Taylor Swift if you hate Taylor Swift so much? And, obviously there are quite a few of you out there. But even if you don’t like her, that still doesn’t change the fact that she has made some major accomplishments in the past few years. Do you think that your comment is going to change that fact? I certainly don’t think that my comment is going to change anything. I don’t think that if you read this you will feel any different about her, because your opinion is, well, your opinion. I just hope that if you do take the time to read this you will at least think twice before you make any disrespectful comments.
Rox says:
SHE WAS GREAT LIVE!!! ALL Y’ALL WHO WOULDN’T WATCH HER LIVE MISSED OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
lucii says:
I just watched her and she was wonderful.
She got lots of applause and you know New York SNL audience is a tough crowd.
Mike says:
Ya’ll need to get over yourselves. No one has cornered the market on what “country” is!
Bobbie says:
Ive never seen her perform wiht such energy Always and Forever was just amazing!!
Irene says:
It was probably record applauds!!!
Steve says:
She did Good. To even get the opportunity to be on SNL is saying something. Fact is she earned the right by being the top selling Artist when the industry needs a shot in the arm like her. She is bringing back the art of writing by the actual artist/performer. Give her more time to cut her teeth and I think you are going to witness some phenomenal songs. I think she is helping country music, she is helping to bring in a whole new generation of listeners. As for her voice, she’s young and give it time to mature. Her fans like what she has to say and I think no one can deny her ambition and her ability to bond with her fans…she shows respect!
Irene says:
GOOD LORD!!!! It was soooooooooo aweful!!
marcie says:
I did not know who Taylor Swift was until SNL last night. Really. I am a old gal who have watched SNL since it came out while I was in college. And I was mesmorized by Taylor’s performance! It was electric and edgy and unusual to see come from such an innocent little girl. I am searching now as to who she is so I can download last night’s songs.
I hate country and do not like Carrie Underwood. Please don’t tell me Taylor is country. I thought she was more Pink, Sara Barellis, Kelly Clarkson, or Katy Perry. I want to watch the SNL performance again but can’t find it.
Johnny says:
Okay-it was “aweful” (sic)..it wasn’t a good performance by any stretch of the imagination, HOWEVER-”Love Story” is IMO one of the best if not THE best single released in 2008. She is young, she will get better with age..I’ve been performing for 14 years and when I started I was young too..you improve with age. Plus-if you have any knowledge whatsoever you know that playing at the same time as you sing is much more difficult than just singing. Sure, her breathing needs work. Have you ever been her age and performed on SNL? I think you would be nervous too. We all would. But she is an extremely talented writer/performer for her age and has an established fanbase. She sure as hell is better than Miranda Lambert. END OF STORY.
marcie says:
okay. Just figured out who Taylor Swift is and watched Forever and Always on UTube. This old senior citizen rocker likes it and am a new fan. Sorry country music affectionados. But then again, the music I grew up with - The Eagles, Poco, Allman Bros, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Linda Ronstadt, and Bonnie Raitt, could be considered country by today’s standards. What’s wrong with a little pop-infused country? That’s how you get cross-over fans.
vp says:
Okay so last night I watched her perform LS and I actually thought that she had improved since the last couple live appearances. To me it looked like she was really trying to pronunciate her words, which made it sound alot better. She sure did seem alot more confident singing that song than before. It was decent.
So I just now watched FAA on youtube and that was disaterous. Why did she keep pointing her hand straight out into the audience, and what is with her always on her knees we’ve seen her do it before, move on. I sure didn’t like how she did her little role play at the end. You are supposed to be there singing not acting out you agressions to the Jonas guy. That was the other thing that confused and bothered me, why did she perform that song if White Horse is her newest release should she not be promoting it.
I think she used that song cause she has told the world that she wrote it about the J guy and she wanted to prove something to him.
I believe WH would have done better, IMO that song best suites her vocal abilities to date. Her playing Annie was cute, but my first reaction why did they have to put her in a scit we see enough of her already, I’m sure Big Machine hooked that one up, she was cute though.
Overall I was impressed with LS in comparison to other performances and would give it a 3 out of 5, as for FAA that maybe a 1, her lack of vocals returned on that one.
ROSEBUD says:
Wow, I just got a chance to watch TS on SNL. Well what can I say it pretty much went how I expected, bummer! I still really like TS and will continue to listen and buy her music. I think she is very talented. She must be doing something right she’s the hottest thing right now. Love her or hate her I think she’s here to stay.
countryiscool says:
Hopefully she WILL improve but sorry Johnny, Miranda has Taylor beat hands down.
jodi says:
First, I thinks its awesome that she has the talent to remix her songs to address different genres. Second, as a mom of 6 kids I love that she is 19 and still setting a good standard for preteens and teenagers. I would let my kids listen to her…on a country or a pop station! Fabulous performance last night on SNL!
Don’t Knock American Idols says:
Congrats to Taylor on her SNL performances and she was cute and funny in the Annie role! I also would have loved to see Kellie Pickler and Taylor perform the song they wrote, Best Days of Your Life, together! Hopefully the 2009 CMT Music Awards will have the foresight to line that up! ;)
Kellie really should be the next country/pop/rock crossover artist on SNL and maybe they should have Taylor on the same show. Kellie could host, do skits and perform solo and Best Days with Taylor. Taylor could be in a skit with Kellie and it would be very funny! They are best friends and like sisters.
Irene says:
PLEASE!!! She couldnt sing herself out of a paper bag!!!
Don’t Knock Nashville Stars Either! says:
countryiscool, I can’t believe anyone said that about Miranda and she is definitely one of the best artists! She won ACM Album of the Year for crying out loud!
Irene says:
Miranda sings better than taylor!
ROSEBUD says:
Miranda has far better vocals then TS in my opinion. That’s pretty obvious when you hear them both sing live. How did Miranda’s name get drug into this anyway?
Kevin says:
Thats what i was wondering too Rosebud. But, I’m not too worried about it. Those of us who are being honest know the truth about that comparison. Thats all im gonna say about it.
bkb says:
did you notice the fake look of suprise after she performed? she does this all the time. if it wasn’t for the blond curls, rhinestone guitar and fake cowboy boots there is not much to her. it will all come to a halt when the young ones move on to another teenager. she can’t sing.
IlikewhatIlike says:
Micah, good marketing makes you money, talent earns you respect. Some only make money, others have alot of respect, and the very lucky have both. IMO, Taylor Swift is a well executed marketing plan, because I see and especially hear, no talent.
taylor’s biggest fan says:
for all u guys who say they won’t be watching,it’s not my fault u have bad taste in music.i’ve seen her in concert b4 and bet she can she way better than any of u.personally,i love her and taylor is my favorite singer.and if u don’t like her why r u reading about her?gosh!!!!!!!!
Latigo says:
So y’all think an artist should not or cannot do pop and country. OR choose one.
Anybody ask Faith Hill for her opinion?
I think she is talented, and cutesy. There is probably some credence that her music really won’t make a difference in 20 years. What if it does?
Swift has worked hard to get where she is. Let her have her dream. She deserves it, whether you like her or not.
If you don’t, don’t buy her music, don’t watch her appearances. That is what the OFF button is for.
Roger says:
I saw and heard her for the first time last night, and I must say I think SHE’S GREAT. As far as her being “country” or not, I thought her act was pure pop, but country hasn’t been country for some time either. Top 40 country stinks on ice.
Juan says:
I saw Taylor Swift on SNL last night, having never previously heard of her. Thought her music/songs were original, catchy and compelling. She was confident, sexy, charming, powerful, and entertaining. Why do people want to deny her her moment of success? Regarding her voice, bell-shaped tones and vocal virtuosity alone do not make pop stars successful. It is usually more a matter of artistic point of view and presentation. Just think of Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan, or countless other pop stars who do not have broad vocal range or astonishing vocal tone, and yet most agree that they have a certain unique quality that cannot be denied. That is what I saw in Taylor Swift. This young woman really writes great songs that are inventive and have strong artisitic perspective. Both numbers last night were excellent. With her writing ability and her infectious delivery, I predict she will be around for quite a while. It is so easy to be critical, but think of the accomplishments she has managed by the tender age of 19 and be happy for her. She has earned it.
countryiscool says:
I think Johnny up further in the posts brought Miranda’s name up, not sure why. I was just defending her as she has far better vocals than TS. Actually, on LIVE performances, every artist sounds better than TS (No excuses allowed).
Also, to make a point on TV shows “making” an artist. The exposure is ONE thing, continuing the success is quite another. Carrie has vastly improved since her IDOL days, and her progressive place on the charts is a tribute to her hard work and is well warranted. The same goes for Miranda on Nashville Star. She is the ONLY artist to STILL be a true competitor and success. Few others have followed her lead, and only for a short time. Most dropped into oblivion.
Andrea L says:
There are far too many posts to read all at once, but I have read quite a few of these.
I believe that Taylor isn’t exactly following in Carrie’s footsteps, like another poster said, I think she s forging her own path. …
Besides, Carrie’s fan-base is mostly from American Idol.
Taylor had to perform in different area’s and at many shows to get the fans she has .. she also stayed at the venues for hours to meet those fans. I’m not saying Carrie didn’t work hard; I’m just making a point.
I think Taylor is a country musician, who decided to make her sound a little more pop. Her lyrics make her country and a number of the songs on her second album are completely country. Her first album definitely rings true to being country. Her demo CD was filled with Dolly Parton and Dixie Chicks…not Britney Spears and the Spice Girls.
She writes her own songs and they’re popular, that defines her as a wnderful artist and songwriter.
She accomplished a number of wonderful things…while still in high school! She is nineteen years old and she acts like it; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It adds to her charm and appeal and she is so down-to-earth that people can connect to her.
I believe her voice is very nice and I’ve seen her live, in person. She was very good. I think that on televion performances, she gets nervous and that is why people say she’s not the best live. Hey, 1ho would’t be nervous?
She is a very sweet girl and she deserves this success.
Can’t people just let someone sing and play guitar?
If you don’t enjoy her voice, don’t listen to her and stop ranting about it on a blog written about her.
Frances says:
Taylor is a great songwriter and cute as a button. It’s just a shame she can’t sing.
Don’t Knock American Idols says:
“I believe that Taylor isn’t exactly following in Carrie’s footsteps, like another poster said, I think she s forging her own path. …”
Andrea, Taylor has said that Carrie is her role model however I agree that musically she isn’t following in Carrie’s footsteps because their music is different enough.
“Besides, Carrie’s fan-base is mostly from American Idol.”
This is not true at all! Sure Carrie has many fans from Idol but most of her fan base is not from American Idol and the same is true for Kellie. If most of their fans were from Idol then most of their sales would have been during the first weeks their albums released after Idol and that is not the case. Most of their sales came long AFTER Idol. Idol winners get some extra promotion from the extra weeks they perform on the show and coronation singles, however Idol only gives people an initial start and the exposure is good for helping sales for a few months at most. Just like Taylor, Idols need label promotion and airplay to keep selling. Each Idol season only lasts for about 4 months and Carrie’s fans and sales were built over 3 years and Kellie’s over 2 years. I know many fans of both who don’t even watch and never saw them on Idol. Many simply heard their songs on the radio and liked them.
Which do you think is better for gaining fans and sales?
A. 4 months of performing half of a cover song once a week for 30 million Idol viewers, many of which don’t even like or listen to each contestant’s genre on radio since Idol viewers are a big melting pot of fans of many different genres.
or
B. The artists’ own songs getting exposure to a weekly country radio audience of about 27 million at the #1 spot or close most weeks for 2 years, plus millions more on pop and AC radio for those who have crossover singles released to those formats?
Look at a snapshot of Taylor’s airplay for example. Currently Love Story has a weekly radio audience of 37.4 million on pop, 2.4 million on AC, 8 million on hot AC, and it has already peaked at #1 on country radio with 29.5 million. So it has roughly a total peak weekly radio audience of 77 million in the US and possibly higher depending on where it peaks on the non-country formats. Now add TV, myspace, concerts, etc. to that with some overlap. White Horse already has 13.9 million on country. Plus a few million in Canada plus she’s overseas now.
RADIO, not TV, is where most fans and sales come from and how it works is simple. When people hear a song enough and like it, many will buy that song or the entire album. The more airplay and more singles released and the faster they climb the charts and hit #1 the better for sales. Selling great albums is mostly about audience exposure and radio is the biggest source of exposure. Airplay does not guarantee sales but for those who made great albums it usually generates thousands to millions of fans and sales. Airplay promotion is one of the main things labels do and without great airplay promotion no one would have great airplay. Taylor also has a lot of other label promotion to help sales such as the many bonus tracks they put on her CDs. Indie bands that aren’t signed with strong labels are the ones depending mostly on things like meeting fans at concerts.
“Taylor had to perform in different area’s and at many shows to get the fans she has .. she also stayed at the venues for hours to meet those fans.”
Carrie and Kellie also performed in many different areas and shows and stayed at venues for hours to meet fans at nearly every concert on their tours. Same as Taylor, most of their fans came from talent, making great albums, hard work, label promotion and radio airplay so more people can hear their great music. Kellie and Taylor were on the same tour with Brad Paisley for most of 2007 and they had side by side meet and greets after most shows. Taylor’s sales were far higher during that tour mostly because she got far more label promotion and airplay.
If you want to say someone’s fan base came mostly from Idol then talk about those who did better on than after Idol. Look at season 5 winner Hicks who had a large rabid TV fan base that mostly liked to watch him perform. He’s a great performer but not a great singer and made a bad album that wasn’t good enough to get airplay, so it’s fair to say that most of his sales came from his Idol fans plus a very small amount of initial airplay for 1 single that flopped and a CD bonus track and huge platinum shipment to Wal-Mart. Sony should have given that promotion to Kellie, put a Wal-Mart bonus on and shipped her CD platinum like they did for Hicks and Daughtry if they wanted someone else to actually sell platinum at retail, which Hicks never will and Kellie definitely would have sooner with more promotion including a platinum shipment in 2006 or 2007. Also look at season 5 runner-up McPhee who didn’t make a great album either. She’s a great singer but doesn’t fit any popular genre and the label had her and Hicks make pop albums. Hicks can’t sing pop at all and McPhee can’t sing it well enough because she’s mostly a classical and broadway singer. Carrie was clearly the best country and pop/rock singer on season 4. Kellie was clearly the best country singer and the best pop/rock singer along with rocker Daughtry on season 5.
Same as Taylor, it took years of practice for the best Idols to do well on and after the show. Everyone who built a career before, during, and after Idol worked just as hard as Taylor. Like she said around the CMAs, she has seen how hard Kellie has worked and knows Kellie deserved to win Best New Artist. Kellie has worked very hard and it’s sad and a shame to see her label not matching her high work and talent level with a higher promotion level.
Taylor is on TV more than all country artists now, even those who were on Idol, so she probably gets the same number of or more fans from TV that they did from Idol. Most of Taylor’s fans come from massive radio airplay though and the same is true for all the top sellers. TV is just additional promotion. In Kellie’s case, most of each year her label relies on her concerts and a few TV performances for promotion instead of providing her with more airplay promotion like they should be doing to give her singles a fair chance of making top 5, and they don’t always release her best songs or her pop/rock crossover songs to pop radio. That’s why she’s the only best new artist nominated for multiple CMA and ACM awards without a top 5 on radio even though her albums have many top 5 hits. Many country fans know that I Wonder, Wild Ponies, and other songs deserved to make #1. I bet Taylor would agree that the country/pop/rock crossover song she wrote and performed with Kellie, Best Days of Your Life, deserves to be #1 on country AND pop radio, and if Big Machine were promoting the song the same way they promoted Taylor’s first single (Tim McGraw) I would bet on it making top 5 at least. However with the way Sony always underpromotes Kellie’s airplay I will be surprised if it makes top 10 on any format.
brook says:
in breaking dawn bella and edward go to a island and then have a baby girl :) :) :) how sweet:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
Teresita says:
Taylor Swift is the BEST
Taylor Swift’s BEST fan!!! says:
I love the song love story it is the BBBEEEEESSSSTTT
Andrew Kelvin says:
Yikes, what’s with all the haters? I thought her performance was dead on! She was charming, powerful, and performed the song “Love Story” as if for the first time in a while she was in charge of the music and not the other way around which can happen to performers, especially when they end up singing the same song over and over again. I wasn’t a Taylor Swift fan before, but after her performance I’m definitely one now. Unfortunately I have to figure out how to get that rendition onto Lossless so I can listen to it on my Ipod as her single doesn’t come close to this outstanding performance.
amym32106 says:
you people who say taylor is a fake for converting some of her songs to pop and not a true country singer are wrong… this just shows how truly diverse her talent is and how she doesnt have to limit herself to only one style of music… it must be so boring to an artist to have to play the same style of music over and over. i think this just shows her true talent and love for music… its ok to play more than just country. many great women “country” singers such as faith hill have remixed their songs to be “poppy” and you people probably still like her? am i wrong? so before you insult the artist, maybe you should think about how ignorant and un cultured you sound…
amym32106 says:
rock on tay!
Hayley says:
Look Taylor Swift is no different than Miley Cyrus.Taylor is a manufactured product for teenage girls. see if Taylor is even around the music industry in a few years.
tailor says:
Her songs which are recorded are fine and she’s got lyrics which i think everyone has the right to like it or hate it. The thing is, SHE CAN’T PERFORM LIVE. Which was a disappointment to me after listening to some of her songs on the radio and her records. It’s such a vast difference between the songs on the radio and the live performance. Like what some of the comments posted, she’s not really an artiste.