Taylor Swift Is "Fearless" in Love and on the Road
From backstage to center stage, superstar and multiple Grammy winner Taylor Swift gives her fans a front-row seat to her life on the road in "Fearless." In what seems like the scenes from her diary entries, Swift documents her first headlining tour as she meets fans, shows off her dance moves (the high-flying hair flip) as well as her detailed costumes and furniture-throwing skills. Although she sings of being bold and brave when it comes to finding a sweetheart, this young woman has proven she's fearless in more than just love. She's also a road warrior. With all of her colossal and exhilarating success, no wonder she's telling herself, "I don't know how it gets better than this."
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janetgijoenurse says:
Please enough already does every other blog have to be about Taylor. Just one day I would like to come to CMT’s site and NOT see her picture and NOT have any article about her, just ONE day.
me says:
Whitney are you taking over for Alison? Isn’t one blogger obsessed with Taylor enough?
shannon13 says:
taylor is awesome. i couldnt get tickets to her concert. lov ya taylor. 13!
Renee says:
Geez, you other commenters need to chill. Taylor Swift has a lot of fans, of course CMT is going to cover her new video coming out. You guys obviously aren’t fans, so move on to another article if you don’t want to hear about it.
Anon says:
This is the Fearless video? Well that’s a copout. What happened to videos like Love Story and You Belong with Me?
shannon13 says:
oh and for all of you who have been making fun of taylor and saying bad things about her. knock it off. taylor is a great singer and person. your just jealous
ALJID says:
“oh and for all of you who have been making fun of taylor and saying bad things about her. knock it off. taylor is a great singer and person. your just jealous”
Reading those word hurt my eyes. LOL!
rosyz says:
She sells albums because young fans buy them; she remixes her songs and re-releleases more songs on top of the previous one. Of course that drives up the sales. But goodluck to her.
Katie says:
I thought it was such a cute video. It’s a nice tribute to the fans who’ve made everything possible for her, and shows some good concert clips. Plus I really like that song, it’s been one of my favorites for a while.
But I read somewhere that she’s coming out with her next real video sometime in April-ish, so this is kind of like when she put out “I’m Only Me When I’m With You” to tide fans over.
Sugarland Express says:
Bring on more blogs, articles and videos of Taylors. I absolutely love Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Mr Strait. For you people that have nothing nice to say, simply don’t click on any Taylor link, real simple. Maybe it’s to simple for some of you simple minded folks.
Melissa says:
Katie, did you really hear she was putting out another video? I wonder if they’re planning on releasing another single. That’d be great! But I like the video. I’m bummed it wasn’t a storyline video, but the concert montage is really great!
S says:
CMT’s obsession with Taylor is embarrassing.
D Trotter says:
Here’s some excerpts of an internet review of Swift’s concert in Adelaide on last week’s Australian tour:
Swift’s popular songs about boys and broken hearts, love and dreams come true electrified the crowd…
Although Swift has been much criticized for her live performances, her Adelaide fans had nothing to complain about.They were treated to a visual and aural spectacular
D Trotter says:
Here’s excerpts from Sarah Elks’ review in the Australian of her Brisbane concert mere days after the Grammy’s:
“If Swift was cowed by recent criticism,it was not apparent during her 2-hour, high-energy performance. Her voice was not flawless (hindered by an often over-loud backing band and occasional microphone failures) but it was STRONG AND TRUE.
“Swift appeared to revel in swinging between a Country twang and a rocker’s bellow, and was unafraid to perch on a stool halfway through the show and sing stripped-back ballads with her acoustic guitar.
“Most appealing is the strength of EMOTION that runs through her self-penned songs. When she sings … it’s BELIEVABLE.
“Swift is the anti-Britney; innocent, wholesome and intelligent … After almost every song, the booming applause and screams threaten to continue endlessly.”
ALJID says:
“If Swift was cowed by recent criticism,it was not apparent during her 2-hour, high-energy performance. Her voice was not flawless (hindered by an often over-loud backing band and occasional microphone failures) but it was STRONG AND TRUE.”
Again, it’s always about the technical issues. Why don’t they fire Swift’s stage sound engineers? The critic can’t even pull it off without trying to defend her. And emotions and believability is not exclusive to Swift as your fans of her are saying. Duh…I wouldn’t even name artists just to start with..
ALJID says:
“Although Swift has been much criticized for her live performances, her Adelaide fans had nothing to complain about.They were treated to a visual and aural spectacular”
Visual and aural spectacle to cover up the fact that she doesn’t have the live voice.
cmf says:
Dance moves? SHe throws her head and hair up and down. Sort of like Dee Snyder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fantasia says:
Rex Reed sure loves her. Read his review of her acting skills
Mezzagical says:
lmfao… it was her live voice… where you at the concert? because i was…i was shocked at how awesome she was… i was expecting the whole cant sing live.. but i was shocked.. and the video is not too bad.. not her best.. but it was good to show the montage of her concert.. im sure she will release a storyline video…
and seriously.. i don’t understand why people are clicking on Taylor swift articles if you don’t like her… you go out of your way to read about people you don’t like… if your not interested in what she is doing, where she is traveling, her songs… then stop reading lol …
strups says:
i guess this is just some kind of promotional video and the one they were shooting will most probably be “today was a fairytale”. anyways, great video for the fans! way to go taylor :)
Suzy says:
Taylor Swift belongs in the country music hall of fame and the grand ole opry. They should throw out some of those old people no one cares about anymore and put in Taylor!
Katie says:
Melissa, I did read it somewhere, but it was like a sidenote in some entertainment blog and now I can’t find it or else I’d post the link…
I don’t know if it would be for Today Was a Fairytale, but I feel like if they wait for the summer it’ll have to be a new song.
Kate says:
Excerpts from Australia
“Swift doesn’t have the strongest voice in Nashville but she has the stage commitment of an actress..(the key word here for me is ‘actress’)
Despite the country tag and occasional solos from fiddle and banjo(to which Swift does a seductive dance, oddest spectacle) her seven-piece band runs primarily on pop-rock feul”
From Brisbane;
“…wierd and slightly uncomfortable sexy piano dancing..erm….
“…constant ego-indulging moments and the overdone monologues before almost every song…
It appears that Taylor’s concert is tailor made for the tween set. Lots of videos, lots of reenactments, lots of celebrities in the videos, lots of on-stage props , lots of wardrobe changes, marching bands…it’s an extravaganza a la, some of the “Treehouse” kiddie-show stars put on for pre-schoolers except Taylor’s are for tweens..but uses the same kind of template..
One reviewer called her a ‘woman’singing teen songs…
It seems that the concerts are yet one more opportunity for Taylor to exact her revenge on all the boys who have done her wrong…(wonder when she’s going to get over that?)
One thing to note is that in most reviews when the reviewer points out something negative about the concert they are always quick to add that her audience of adoring fans did not seem to mind…and in the end that’s all that counts as regards the concerts….
But, the grown-ups, the professionals giving out nominations and awards should mind and act accordingly…
S says:
So is D Trotter’s post where she quoted Sarah Elk’s review in the Australian going to be deleted? After all, my post where I quoted Darryl Sterdan from the Toronto Sun was deleted. Are you going to let her post stay just because they raved about Taylor? So much for freedom of speech!
S says:
Just for the record, here’s the review I was talking about.
“It was only a matter of time — but honestly, I’m amazed it took so long.
Two weeks ago, Taylor Swift finally cemented her status as the queen of country-pop by winning four Grammys, including album of the year. For someone who has sold as many CDs as she has, it was inevitable.
Equally inevitable: The backlash.
Thanks primarily to her stunningly tone-deaf Grammy performance, Swift ended up being the big story on Grammy night — but not in the way she had wished. Critical opinion of her three-song mini-set — which included a mercifully brief duet with Stevie Nicks on Fleetwood Mac’s Rhiannon — ranged from the somewhat diplomatic “painfully out of tune” to the slightly more pointed “off-key caterwauling.”
Even my e-mail inbox was swiftly stuffed with missives from co-workers, friends and readers using terms like “wretched,” “gawdawful” and “couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.” And the comments in the Twitterverse were even nastier (my favourite: “God hopes Taylor Swift does not thank Him”).
But for those who just noticed Swift leaves something to be desired as a live singer, I have one question: Where have you been?
Guess you weren’t watching when she butchered Brenda Lee’s I’m Sorry on last year’s Grammy nominations concert (and yeah, she oughta be sorry). Presumably, you missed all the sour notes she spewed atop Def Leppard’s Pour Some Sugar on Me during their duet at last summer’s CMT Music Awards.
And there’s plenty more where they came from; if you’re a glutton for punishment, scour YouTube and you can find ample proof that while Swift may be pretty, personable and a passable dancer, she is hardly the most skilled vocalist.
Amazingly, even her record label agrees with the last part of that assessment.
“Maybe she’s not the best technical singer,” admitted Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta, blaming Swift’s performance (this time) on technical problems, “but she’s probably the best emotional singer … the undisputed best communicator that we’ve got. When she says something, when she sings something, when she feels something, it affects more people than anybody else.”
He didn’t stop there: “She is the voice of this generation,” he claimed. That’s right: Taylor Swift is today’s Bob Dylan.
And you know what? Ludicrous as that statement sounds, he’s absolutely right.
Swift truly is the voice of this generation — a generation of coddled kids who believe fame and fortune are their birthright, talent and originality are not required, and paying your dues is for losers who are too ugly to get on reality TV.
Of course, Swift is hardly the worst musical offender of Generation Y Not Me 2. Or the first poor singer to inflict herself on the pop-culture landscape.
From the drowning-sackful-of-cats wailing of Yoko Ono to the homeless-hobo rumblings of Tom Waits, there are plenty of famous folks, legitimate artists and even true geniuses out there whose vocal chops wouldn’t make it past the first round on Idol.”
Kevin says:
Taylor Swift’s damage has been done. You can’t run from the truth. This girl can’t sing.
13 says:
omg I know Suzy! They should throw out that one old lady who wears the like 70s prom dresses and put in Taylor! Taylor Swift is the queen of country music.
Netteo says:
Taylor has been said to use auto tune in her concerts to hide the fact that she can’t sing. I do agree that CMTs obsession with Swift is embarrassing. Wondering how much daddy-big-bucks has invested in CMT/CBS to get such coverage?
Kate says:
Again, I’d like to say that the backlash Taylor’s Grammy performance engendered is not really against her..I do believe she is the scapegoat for the real culprits in this scenario. They are the men and women of the industry responsible for nominating and awarding artists.
That these professionals turned a deaf ear and blind eye in exchange for numbers and audience share or other,are the real trouble makers here, not Taylor Swift.
It’s a shame that Mr.borchetta chose to come out on the defensive instead of quietly and privately working with his artist to find means to deal with his star’s shortcomings. In the end hubris may do them more harm than good.
S says:
Better yet, let’s just rename CMT to TTATT (totally Taylor all the time).
D Trotter says:
So, Netteo, just WHO said Taylor uses auto tune at her concerts? Some nameless internet hater like yourself maybe?
CyberBullies/Haters ASSUME that if someone makes a mistake, that means they must do it every time. They want it both ways. When Swift’s performance is off, oh, gee, she must have forgotten her autotune on the way to the show! But when she sings live and nails every note, well THAT can’t be true!
Not that there’s any proof or concrete evidence to support their opinion. Cynics and haters don’t need anything like real facts; they only need to be able to think of a reason that something that appears to be wonderful is not as good as it seems! THAT is the very definition of “cynical”.
Mr. Borchetta said there was a technical problem with her earpiece at the Grammy’s. I have no reason to doubt him. But cynics don’t need any real facts for their negative views of the world. Only their firm belief that when someone seem as talented and wholesome and genuine as Taylor does, it can’t be true.
S says:
Kate posted the follow reviews.
“Despite the country tag and occasional solos from fiddle and banjo (to which Swift does a seductive dance, oddest spectacle) her seven-piece band runs primarily on pop-rock fuel.”
“Weird and slightly uncomfortable sexy piano dancing.”
Nice wholesome image!
D Trotter says:
The reviews for Taylor’s Australia tour are overwhelmingly positive. One can ALWAYS find some blogger to make any point, but the Herald Sun, after its own positive review turned it over to fans who attended the show. Raves, raves and more raves!
Want to judge her live concert performance for yourself? Google Taylor Swift/Brisbane 2010, click video — you’ll find YouTubes, some of which are far better than most such amateur recordings made inside the crowds.
Especially worth watching are two Swift rarities (not part of the usual Fearless set list) — the complete “Today was A Fairytale”, performed wonderfully, only days after than the Grammy rendition and “Two Is Better Than One”, in which she sings BOTH parts of her duet with Boys Like Girls .. beautifully.
D Trotter says:
“S”, thanks for giving a demonstration of my point about cynics.
This is what Cameron Adams said from the “Herald Sun”:
“… Swift is a 20-year old country singer who writes her own songs and steers her own career.
“In a world where Miley Cyrus is the epitome of manufactured teen pop, Swift is a refreshing antidote.
“She’s squeaky clean, dodges scandal, has positivity and professionalism that belies her years.
“In another rarity for young female stars, its clearly Swift’s vision at work.”
Peacock Queen says:
I agree with Kate’s point. From what I understand, Taylor runs her show. So, who made her believe she was as technically brilliant of a vocalist as Martina, Reba, Miranda and Carrie? The people who have voted for her to get VOCAL awards. Money won out over real vocal talent. So of course, Taylor thought she could duet with an immortal rock diva such as Stevie Nicks and carry it off. She couldn’t, and unfortunately for her, it was on the biggest musical stage of the year (Grammys). It didn’t work, but whose fault is it? Not completely Taylor’s. I agree that she is the voice of a generation and I agree that her songs touch the young and the young-at-heart. But she is not a great vocalist, and she should not be given vocal awards. As I said before, it is wrong to make Taylor Swift believe she is in the same league VOCALLY as some of the greats. That leads to exactly the kind of train wreck we saw on the Grammys. Wrong time to crash and burn.
Anon says:
“In a world where Miley Cyrus is the epitome of manufactured teen pop, Swift is a refreshing antidote.
In what universe is Swift not manufactured? She can’t sing at all without autotune. At least Cyrus can open her mouth and string a phrase together in tune. And I’m willing to bet that Swift’s image is PR. She can’t sing, so she needs something to go on. I’m just sick and tired of media outlets bashing others(be it Cyrus, Beyonce, Gaga) to make her look better.
S says:
You can call me cynical if you want but I’ll continue to post my opinion. And my opinion is that Taylor is very overrated. I’m glad people can look past her obvious flaw and think she’s wonderful but I disagree. I think it’s wrong that she’s winning awards for being a vocalist when she’s anything but. I’m convinced that someone is being paid a lot of money to make this happen..
Peacock Queen says:
Suzy and 13,
Some of us have been listening to country music far longer than Swift has been alive, and we enjoy those “old ladies” in 70s prom dresses. Since when is any music genre for only the young? Twenty years from now, Swift will be one of those “old” ladies. How will you feel when someone posts a comment like that about your idol? You need to learn to be respectful of others, especially your elders. Some of those “old ladies” you refer to made it possibly for a young woman like Swift to be a musical artist. This used to be a male-dominated world, and it was those “old ladies” you are dissing who worked hard in the face of adversity in order to get where they are as well as pave the way for today’s artists.
D Trotter says:
People who attended the show in Melbourne were given a chance to write their own review by the Herald Sun. Let’s see what some of those “tweens” had to say:
MARK: “I am definitely not a Country pop fan but took my 9 year old daughter … gotta say, she was very impressive — she can sing and play guitar and she had a very natural and confident stage presence. And made a genuine effort to connect with her audience. She deserves her success.”
LAUREN:”I had the duty of taking my little sister. Being 21, I was mocked by my friends… however, IT WAS FANTASTIC!
LISA:”My husband and I took our 3 daughters, aged 15, 12, and 8. In a time when little girls are trying to grow up too soon and do things beyond their years, seeing their absolute delight and admiration for Taylor Swift was superb. Taylor is amazing. It brought tears to my eyes to see so many young girls having such a fantastic time at her concert. WHAT A SENSATIONAL PERFORMER SHE IS!”
JAN: “I took my daughter and we both loved the show.”
DAN: “Man, what a great night! Never thought a 48 year old man who was weaned on Led Zep and ACDC would melt to a young country/rock performer. My 9 year old sung along, as all the kids did. I got a lump in my throat as I watched my little girl enjoy her first concert with her old dad. What a great night. Thanks Taylor for a precious memory… squealing was louder than an ACDC concert. My ears are ringing.”
MUM LOVES TAYLOR TOO:” My daughter and I flew up to Sydney when the shows here were sold out. So glad we did. It was GREAT!!! I am glad my daughter and I have found some music we can agree on and sing to …”
Of course there are tons of raves from fans Taylor’s age as well: “I am a 19 year old and I was there last night and was blown away by Taylor … “I WAS SO SURPRISED BY THE STANDARD OF HER SINGING LIVE”..
But I was really fascinated by the PATTERN of comments among parents or older siblings who took younger children. There were many more comments just like the ones I used, and it was always the same:
Adult takes child. Adult gets in touch with own inner child, begins to understand why Taylor is so beloved.Show is amazing. Child goes to bed beaming; parent looks in, sees the smile; thanks Taylor for being such a great role model, for making her child so happy, and for providing a great show for parent-child bonding. The ringing ears were worth it.
Are these things that only Australians value?
Anon says:
Taylor Swift is like Santa Claus. Too good to be true.
D Trotter says:
“Anon”? A well chosen nickname. Gaga absolutely admits to auto tuning live shows (well, wouldn’t you if you were hanging from a trapeze upside down in pasties and a g-string?), Miley is absolutely the product of the Disney channel. Do you deny these statements?
What is Swift a product of? NO!
AI with its 30 million viewers and the Simon Cowell PR machine. NO! NO!
A major label and its PR machine with pre-release hype and tons of press and airplay for her first release? NO! NO!NO!NO!
People who write her songs for her? Design her sets? Tell her what type of songs to write? Control what the record soundfs like, how the band sounds, tell her what musicians to use??? NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
She can’t sing at all without autotune now!! What a total crock! go and google the stusio 330 sessions, the AOL stripped session — both recorded live, acoustic, intimate, and lovely.
S says:
The people who went to her concert in Melbourne are fans so of course they’re going to say nothing but positive things. Her fans can’t hear the very obviously flat, off-key notes that come out of her mouth. Or, they hear them but choose to ignore them….
D Trotter says:
Read more carefully S. The fans I wrote about were adults and older siblings who didn’t even want to be there — and came away very impressed.
Oh, right, they had open minds and actually watched the concert and THEN decided … as opposed to haters who already know what they want to think.
Anon says:
Does anyone else think her concerts and stripped sessions are auto tuned? It’s not nerves that do her in at awards shows, it’s the lack of gadgetry to cover up the fact that she’s tone deaf.
Chrissy says:
That old lady you are talking about is Lynn(something), and you’re right why is she in the cmhof and not Taylor? They don’t even play that lady on the radio or don’t win any awards. she need to go. Taylor is the queen of country!
D Trotter says:
If she wanted gadgetry I think she could afford it. She doesn’t wants to sing live w/o that stuff. And if she did use it what would it matter? Tim McGraw, Pink, Gaga, Rhianna all do it and say so what?
Taylor doesn’t cover up anything — she stands up and says, “This is me!” Every time. It’s unknown bullies on the internet with names like “Anon” who are hiding!!
But hey, thanks for another great example of cynicism — “suspicions” and negativity based upon absolutely not one single fact — nothing except your own mindset!
D Trotter says:
OOPS! Meant to say she doesn’t want to use that stuff — she wants to sing live w/o it.
S says:
D Trotter said “Oh, right, they had open minds and actually watched the concert and THEN decided … as opposed to haters who already know what they want to think.”
I’ve heard her live on many awards shows plus I saw her live at the CMA Music Festival (I was in Nashville in the audience). The sound I heard was flat and off-key. That is what I’m forming my opinion on. If you read the reviews carefully you’ll notice that not one person said she was a good singer. She may be a good performer but that’s different than being a good singer..
D Trotter says:
Actually there were a couple of comments I used that did point that out (read again), and I would be DELIGHTED to print all the raves about her vocals if you would like — there’s a lot!
But that wasn’t my point. I was trying to show there is something very special, something truly extraordinary about Swift and the bond she has with her fans. I’m just astounded that CMT fans aren’t universally proud that its a Nashville gal who has done this.
I EXPECT Taylor to be ripped by internet yahoos when she wins Grammy’s and VMA awards away from metalheads and punk rockers and rap artists. She’s easy to attack. Too sweet, too young, too unaffected. But it is just amazing to me that country fans wouldn’t say: Carrie sang the Anthem at the Superbowl, Taylor won the Grammy for album of the year, and all you jealous rappers and grunge heads can take your criticism and stick it. Country has both ladies and they’re both fantastic. So enjoy GaGa and Ke$ha while you can, cause our young ladies are the best!!
But that’s just me.
Laura says:
D Trotter - What is Swift a product of? NO!
AI with its 30 million viewers and the Simon Cowell PR machine. NO! NO!
A major label and its PR machine with pre-release hype and tons of press and airplay for her first release? NO! NO!NO!NO!
Taylor started with a huge PR machine. Isn’t it called Big Machine? It makes AI PR look like an ant. She was on a reality show on the other country channel.
Kate says:
D.Trotter
I’d really love to be able to give all’adults’ credit for having a good musical ear, maybe even two..but unfortunately musical discrimination does not automatically come because one ascendeds to the ‘adult’ stage of human development.
Kate says:
wish there was an edit button on this site…my post should read, ‘ascends’
John says:
Simon Cowell says he’d love for American Idol to discover an artist like Taylor Swift in his final season, “somebody who’s relevant rather than just a contest winner.” Speaking with reporters on a Thursday afternoon conference call, Simon said, “There is definitely a better chance of a girl winning the show this year.”
lifetime says:
taylor did not need a show to get in to country music…carrie did….taylor did it on her own, going from record place and all over..I say taylor deserves all of her sucess she has had and will have in the very near future…and for a very long time as she chooses!!!!
lifetime says:
p.s. and this video and song are amazing…
rosyz says:
Lifetime, you`re deluding yourself. TS daddy is a millionaire before she became famous. Her dad helped her a lot with big promotions and good people to manage her. She did not do it on her own. She had all the luxury that money can do to one`s carreer. She is more famous in pop world and that`s one of the big reasons why she sells albums. Most young kids dont even like country . My daughter used to like her but she outgrew her music and she does not like country at all; she only listens to pop stations but my son still likes her music but not into country as well.
John says:
rosyz…I dont know how much her dad helped her but if he did it was a good investment. Money cant buy success and I should know, The band I was in had backers and they spent more than 500.000 on us. In the old days record labels would spend tons of money and look where they are now. If you think money is what makes a artists then you should invest and lets see how fast you go broke.
D Trotter says:
I always knew that Simon Cowell was s genius! LOL
Bradfan says:
ahh i actually dont like this video..of course simon cowell waould say that..taylor is a cash cow to the music industry and i’m sorry john..money can get you anywhere believe me…
people need to releax, we dont want to hear about the little girl who sings badly and throws around her hair everyday…
by the way..lifetime is really flower..she just got a new account..you can tell….
nikki says:
If any of you Taylor love story people watched and heard the grammy’s and still love her, wow you folks really do have a major problem and my full sympathies lmao…..
REALmusicfan says:
Actually, what Simon SAID, was it would be nice to find someone like Taylor in my first year gone, TO PROVE THAT I’M THE GENIUS BEHIND THE WINNERS. He has said repeatedly that Taylor wouldn’t make it to Hollywood with her “dismal voice” (his words not mine)…
kayko says:
Nice try REAL, but Simon’s exact words were “You want somebody who represents what’s going on in music at the moment, I’d love to find a Taylor Swift. Somebody’s who’s relevant, rather than just a winner.”
REALmusicfan says:
SHe’s definitely NOT a winner, that’s for sure, and Simon knows it
fearfactor says:
I don’t know what simon said about taylor being releveant, but he certainly has said in the past that taylor had a dismal voice and wouldn’t make to hollywood. I actually heard him say that myself. he’s a huge gaga fan
Peacock Queen says:
REALmusicfan,
I agree with you. Loretta Lynn is in the CMHOF because she EARNED the right to be there. And it is true that if these young people would take the time to LISTEN and LEARN instead of screaming “TAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOR” they wouldn’t appear to be so immature and disrespectful. And for the record, Loretta Lynn IS played on the radio still today because she is a legend, AND she has won AWARDS. She is actually one of the FIRST women to win “Entertainer of the Year” in a time when the entire entertainment industry was dominated by MEN. For someone to actually propose that a legend who has worked hard, faced adversity and succeeded be thrown out of their rightful PLACE in this world in favor of a young artist who is JUST GETTING STARTED is absolutely ABSURD!
I’ll sit with you on that bus. Any day.
Steven says:
“70s prom dresses” Definately talking about Loretta Lynn. Not Lynn Anderson! Lynn Anderson is NOT in the CMHOF. Loretta Lynn is!
S says:
Someone wrote a (not so nice) review about Taylor. In it, he said the following. “Swift truly is the voice of this generation — a generation of coddled kids who believe fame and fortune are their birthright, talent and originality are not required, and paying your dues is for losers who are too ugly to get on reality TV.”
timcun says:
Someone started a thread called “Opinions on Taylor Swift” on the Hot Topics message board in case anyone’s interested.
timcun says:
This is just a thought, but I wonder if Taylor’s management, family and friends try to shield her from all the negative comments and reviews? I think it would be doing her a disservice if they did. I think she should know the truth.
D Trotter says:
S, let’s examine your quote.
1. You say “someone” said this. Who? Could be ANYONE! Virtually any fool with a computer can blog, so why should anyone care some some nameless person’s review?
2. Kids are coddled only if parents coddle them. Are you saying this generation of parents is the worst ever? Anyway, this quote sure doesn’t apply to Swift who is not only a self-made star, but also a person who was raised to work hard for her dreams.
Quote from Swift: “I never EXPECTED success. I was raised to believe that THE WORLD DOESN’T OWE ME ANYTHING.”
3. Talent? She’s been labeled a prodigy by the New Yorker, a songwriting savant by the Rolling Stone, and won EOTY, all before turning 21. People with actual names and impressive credentials apparfenbtly think she is talented.
Originality? She staked out her own turf! Nobody ever did it before. She is unique. Maybe this nameless reviewer can tell us WHO she is imitating, past or present?
Quotes from Taylor: “I knew if I was going to get anyone to notice me, I had to be a little different from everyone else.”
“I hope, at the end of my career, people will say I kept surprising them, that I did something they didn’t expect.”
4. “Paying Dues”? This reviewer apparently has no idea how strong Swift’s work ethic is, how hard she has worked to get where she is. Sometimes it seems like SHE DOES NOTHING BUT WORK.
Her history is well-documented and readily available, but your reviewer apparently is too CODDLED, biased and lazy to actually research his subject. Why not just say anything that pops into his head, like a good little CyberBully.
5. Reality TV? You must be thinking of American Idol contestants. Swift was never on it.
So there is ONE accurate statement in this whole “review” (and believe me I use that term loosely) — “Swift is the voice of her generation” — which came (uncredited) from Scott Borchetta.
Thanks. we already knew that.
S says:
D Trotter, his name is Darryl Sterdan from the Toronto Sun. If you don’t believe me go to the web site and search on Taylor Swift.
mand14 says:
I love this song, I love this video, and I love TS!
Kate says:
Lifetime
Taylor would have royally bombed on ‘THE SHOW’..Carrie on the other hand WON on ‘THE SHOW’..so it stands to reason Taylor took a different route..but make no mistake they BOTH did it on their own.
D Trotter says:
Kate, to win on American Idol, you need some serious singing chops.You need to survive a pressure-cooker competition against great singers, week after week, with millions of people watching. The fact that Carrie won that competition — and may be the finest contestant EVER to win, proves indisputably she is a wonderful singer.
It’s what happens afterward that allows AI contestants to shortcut the usual method of getting an album out, touring hard and hitting the radio show circuit just to get airplay.
American Idol goes out to 30 Million viewers, all of whom know the winner’s name are excitedly WAITING to buy the debut album. AI has the support of major sponsors, tie-ins to major recording labels. Contestants get “make-overs” from the finest hair and wardrobe specialists to sharpen their image. She had her pick of the finest songs available, the finest production teams, and pre-release marketing strategists to insure that her album received maximum visibility.
Simon leaves nothing to chance. He has a “right of first refusal” phrase in the contact of AI contestants, and carefully monitors their development and image-shaping. The AI marketing machine is perhaps the most powerful one around, enhanced by the airplay clout of a major label.
Carrie EARNED and deserved the AI crown. But it is just silly to compare Carrie’s relatively guided path to huge debut album sales to someone on an unknown record label with no publicity, no other artists, no AI name recognition or exposure. Taylor who?
Taylor did it HER WAY. The hard way,through touring and word of mouth. I can’t even think of any other artist working today who can compare with what she has done.
fantasia says:
taylor’s way was thru her daddys pocket…
Peacock Queen says:
Kate and Trotter,
You both make some very good points. In the Taylor vs. Carrie “to the top” debate, I believe the real question may be “Would Carrie have made it without American Idol?” I doubt it, and that is not a reflection on Carrie. It is a reflection on the industry.
Carrie did take a demo tape to Nashville when she was a teenager. Nothing happened. Typical. When you hear stories about how Jason Aldean spent eight years in Nashville, trying to get a break, and was about to give up and go back to Georgia when he finally got a deal, you can understand the “hard road” being a little too hard. Alan Jackson and his wife lived in someone’s basement for five years. Tim McGraw’s first album flopped and he was almost dropped by his record label. Toby Keith fought a long hard battle to do things his way, but not everyone has Toby’s grit. Shania Twain was labeled as too beautiful to be any good, and she was not allowed to record her own songs and given a mediocre amount of publicity for her first album, which flopped. If not for Mutt Lang, well, we know the rest of the story.
Maybe the “hard road” makes for a better artist due to a more experienced or “seasoned” performer. Maybe these artists learn something along the way about connecting with their audience that those of us who do not spend years performing in local clubs and bars will never understand. But I hate to think what would have happened if Shania, Jason, Tim, Toby and Alan HAD given up. A lot of great performances and some great music, at least for me, would have been lost. So even though Idol may be an “easier” route, when I hear Bucky, Kellie, and Carrie on the radio, I think “thank goodness for Simon Cowell and AI.” Even though she didn’t make it through Hollywood week this year, I hope Vanessa Wolfe, the little girl from Verona, Tennessee, gets a break from someone who can see that there is something there and are willing to work with her. She needs some “seasoning” but I think she could be great. But we wouldn’t even know about her if not for Idol.
D Trotter says:
In keeping with the blog topic, there are YouTube videos of a whole bunch of Taylor’s performances at her sold-out Tokyo concert at Zepp. “Tell Me Why”, “15″, “Today Was a Fairytale”, and others.
What makes these videos more interesting than similar ones from other concerts is the language barrier prevented a mass sing-a-long, the band doesn’t play TOO loud, and Taylor’s voice and even her acoustic guitar are really clear. You can even hear her play the neat little hammer-on, hammer-off pattern on “15″, as well as a little guitar run or two on the song.
Most significantly though, she looks totally confident and sings very pretty — high register, low register, whatever. She loses the mike once but there is no doubt that these are live, un-tooled performances which, as noted in some of the comments, sound much like her CD’s.
Have a look and enjoy!
iamme says:
S–you quote a column by a two bit writer from the Toronto Sun which is a newspaper who I think most people have never heard of. This guy has to condemn an entire generation of kids just to try and make a weak point–and to try and make himself controversial. Pretty pathetic.
Simon Cowell said it all when he said he would like to see another Taylor Swift win Idol, “Someone who is relevant rather than just a contest winner.” That says it all. I love Idol and record it every week, but Taylor Swift is more than a singer, she’s an artist.
D Trotter, thanks for cluing us all in about the videos from Japan. You are right, Taylor sounds great!
taylor-who says:
iamme, Simon also said Taylor herself would never make it to Hollywood with her voice.
Of course he would LOVE a cash cow to win HIS show. He would profit greatly from it………………
fantasia says:
Those youtube videos are HORRIBLE.
yes, i read that article a few months ago where simon said taylor would never make it to hollywood. It’s clear that he meant the money she makes, since she can’t sing.
iamme says:
taylor-who and fantasia–Think of what you’re saying. It means Idol has never been able to produce a winner who can sell albums like Taylor can. And Taylor did it on her own, without the millions that Idol puts in to promote their winners.
And Simon said he wants MORE than just a contest winner. SO…he wants someone like Taylor Swift. Get it?
fantasia says:
Yah, cuz taylor wouldn’t be able to win the contest. Simon said that himself. He is looking at tyalor as a cash cow cuz the kiddies will buy her stuff. Get it?
taylor-who says:
iamme, think about what you are saying. Simon never said he wanted someone with Taylor’s talent to win. He has stated that she would never make it past Holllywood on her voice. And fyi, taylor did not do it on her own. She had millions behind her, knowing that her demographic is youngsters with disposable income…no jobs, no family, no responsibility…nothing but records to spend their money on. And of course Simon wants more than a contest winner…he wants someone like Taylor, with a fanbase of kids who really don’t care that she has no talent, other than marketing talent. Simon is all about the almighty dollar.
And any of the past Idols could blow Taylor out of the water in a sing off. Taylor is pathetic as a singer..
iamme says:
Simon Cowell and Fuller have made hundreds of millions off of their tv talent show. The more people think that the mark of a great performer/artist is someone who’s won on American Idol, the more money they take to the bank. Look at what you say. SIMON says Taylor wouldn’t make it to HOLLYWOOD. So….so who cares? Is “going to Hollywood” the only way to decide whose a good performer? There are very few great American singer/songwriters that would’ve “made it to Hollywood.”
As far as the money spent to promote Idol winners versus the money spent to make Swift a star–read what D Trotter explained about how Idol packages and promotes their winners. I’d really like to know where you think all those millions came from to promote Taylor Swift.
Also–if we are going to quote Simon–he said he’d like the next winner to be “relevant” like Taylor Swift, not just a contest winner, but something more than that. I really doubt he meant “relevant to the kiddies.”
I think the Idol producers use a very narrow range of criteria to pick contestants so they appeal to the biggest demographics. Fine, people love Idol singers and that’s great. But Idol criteria are not the only measure of talent.
D Trotter says:
When asked what he hoped for in his final season on American Idol, Simon Cowell answered simply, directly and without ambiguity:
“I’d love to find a Taylor Swift, somebody who’s relevant rather than just a contest winner.”
Simon is quite articulate. No spins or interpretations are necessary from the peanut galley. And although Simon has never manifested any shame about getting rich, the words “cash cow” were never mentioned either.
He mentioned “RELEVANT” — someone who MATTERS to the fans; someone to whom they can RELATE; someone they CARE about; someone who has a CONNECTION to them.
Someone NOT like contest winner Taylor Hicks. Someone fans care deeply about, like Taylor Swift. There’s QUITE a difference.
taylor-who says:
by “relevant” he meant someone who was relevant to HIS pocket. This is his last year, so he doesnt become involved after the season, except for the residuals. He has said more than once that Taylor herslef would never make it to Hollywood. Relevant, yes, Talented, no.
S says:
It’s funny that D Trotter took Simon Cowell’s comment and ran with it. Simon said she’s relevant, but he didn’t say she was a good singer. People in Simon Cowell or Scott Borchetta’s position don’t care about anything but how much money someone is going to make for them. The only reason that Taylor has made it as far as she has is because most of her fans are very young girls who don’t care that she can’t sing. They just want to be like her and wear cute clothes like she wears, etc. They can’t hear the flat, off-key singing. And even if they could they wouldn’t care. I still say that if Taylor auditioned for AI she wouldn’t make it past the first audition. They would probably tell her that she’s a sweet, cute girl but needs to work on her vocals.
S says:
Lifetime said “taylor did not need a show to get in to country music…carrie did…taylor did it on her own, going from record place and all over.
From what I’ve heard, Taylor has a rich father and everyone knows that money talks and has a way of opening doors. Carrie went through grueling auditions and made it because the AI judges and the voting public thought she was the best singer. In other words, Carrie made it because she can sing.
D Trotter says:
“S”, do you know the meaning of the words boring and redundant? Nobody believes any of that nonsense about Daddy Swift’s riches anymore. Her biography is very well documented and verifiable.
Taylor made it her way, outside of the star systems that produced not only Carrie and Miley, but all the new artists on major labels as well. You can “spin” all you want to about “grueling auditions”, but you can’t rewrite the actual histories of these two artists.
If you want a better comparison, you might consider Jewel, another artist who did it her way — and she can even out sing those American Idols .
YGrove says:
D Trotter,I think instead of letting Taylor have all that credit you give her you should check who Taylors Label went into partnership with to promote and distribute her and then you get to see why she is featured on Disney,MTV networks,and everywhere else,she belongs to a hugh music group,and they do all the pushing,of Ms Swift..
kayko says:
YGrove, and your point is what? Are you going to try to pretend like this isn’t common pratice and that ALL the labels don’t create partnership’s to promote and distribute their artists albums?
S says:
Daddy heads the research and investment strategy for the Swift Group’s $400 million asset base out of the Nashville, Tennessee office. He has been with Merrill Lynch for about 30 years and specializes in advising high net-worth individuals, business owners and corporate executives. Now you tell me he doesn’t have money….
D Trotter says:
Ygrove, my comment wasn’t about what Taylor achieved, it was about what she had at the start of the journey. What she didn’t have was 30,000,000 AI viewers who knew her name! She began as a total unknown.
Do you think Taylor’s label STARTED out in some kind of equal partnership with Disney?? A brand new label with a skeleton staff, no furniture and ONE artist named Taylor something??
It’s amusing how some of Taylor’s critics try to re-write her actual history with preposterous boogeyman tales that sound like they belong on an episode of LOST or FRINGE –particularly those ridiculous tales about Mr Scott Swift BUYING Taylor’s success, like he was some combination of Bill Gates and Daddy Warbucks.
Yes, everyone knows Scott works for Merrill Lynch. (Is that necessarily a good thing these days?) Yes, he’s a smart man and a respected businessman with his own independent consulting group. And the nice thing is he can run it from anywhere, including Nashville.
Yes, I’m sure he makes a decent salary, sent Taylor to good schools that would challenge her. Which makes him what? Oh, yeah! A good dad! What else did he buy her? A guitar,I guess.
But a record deal? Absurd.Scott has described EXACTLY how he found Taylor.
If Mr Swift had “bought” this “deal” for Taylor, I doubt ANYBODY would think of him as a very shrewd business guy!! A contract with a company that wasn’t even running yet, had NO other artists when Taylor signed?? (Gee, you’d think Daddy Swiftbucks coulda done a little better!)
Frankly, it’s a wonder even the haters can tell these ludicrous fantasies with a straight face, not just because there isn’t one shred of evidence to support them, but because they are so COMPLETELY LACKING IN COMMON SENSE AND LOGIC!
Mr. Swift may be well off, but he isn’t THAT rich!!. Google “Swift” on Forbes, you’ll get several hits … for Taylor! Nothing for Scott. He’s not on the list of the world’s 100 richest Billionaires, nor is he even one of the 400 richest persons in America. His wealth isn’t even a smudge compared to American Idol, or to giant recording labels like RCA (all of whom, you can be sure, would be using their wealth and clout to churn out a new superstar every month, if throwing money around was all it took).
For anyone interested in reality over some hater’s fantasy land, there’s factual biographies of Taylor all over the net:
the minor league and major league stadiums and arenas where she sang the National Anthem;
the karaoke contests she sang in Pennsylvania before coming to Nashville;
hawking her demo cd door-to-door in Nashville and getting rejected;
the farm shows she played;
her songwriter job for Sony at 14 years old;
her spot at the Bluebird cafe where Scott heard her;
the struggles to get airplay before the great “Tim McGraw” single finally broke the ice;
more farm shows and tons of radio promos to push her single;
the opening acts for Strait and Chesney and Brad and others;
and the little debut album that began modestly, but just charts kept selling and selling and selling ….
And the most ironic part, if you look at all the hard work she did — it ALL INVOLVED SINGING LIVE TO THE PUBLIC!!! Just what the haters claim she’s incapable of doing! Isn’t it odd how she kept getting more and more popular, doing all that singing at shows, on the radio, as an opening act?. Based on the incredible demand for for her live concert tickets, little has changed.
Yes, Taylor does have clout now. She’s huge!! She’s the best-selling record artist in America, the record-holder for digital downloads, one of the biggest draws anywhere, at the gate, on the tube, apparently in the movies. Now the publicity almost never stops, and that gets haters very angry and jealous.
And “S” don’t bet a lot of money on those Herald Sun people. Just another hater like yourself who makes up stuff. But I do have a question: Are you ready to catch the egg?
S says:
It’s OK D Trotter, you go ahead and think that Taylor made it because of her vocal talent. The rest of us know the truth. It’s painfully obvious when she opens her mouth and sings.
D Trotter says:
Yeah, me and 5 or 6 million other album buyers, and the most respected critics in the nation, will keep enjoying a wonderful young artist. Poor us.
barb b says:
I know the truth i cannot
listen to her i tune her off
barb b says:
the more she slings her head from
side to side one day her contacts
are going to fall out of her eyes
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