The Invasion of Youth
Taylor Swift is not alone. She is, in fact, surrounded with rookie country singers who are barely old enough to drive, but are trying to get their piece of the young demo that is direct result of the core country music demo of women aged 35-54.
A feature story in the Washington Post says, "Nashville's record labels have gone on a signing spree to rope in teenage talent." And it goes on to give examples of artists they've signed who are actually making progress on country radio stations. Boys like Tyler Dickerson, 16, who is the youngest solo male to debut on the charts since Billy Gilman did it at 12 in 2000 with "One Voice." And girls like Jennette McCurdy, 17, and Jordyn Shellhart, 15. And bands like Shel, whose members range in age from 16-21. Age groups like that almost make Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood sound old.
But even Scott Borchetta, the visionary behind Swift, says, "There's a certain number of us who always felt that the younger end was there. We just have to figure out how to engage them. But it's still a square peg in a round hole." And he recalls that when Swift debuted in 2006, it's not like country radio bosses were looking for songs from teenage girls. "That wasn't a slot they were looking to fill," he said.
The story is also smart to point out one thing teens do better than anyone else: social networking. MySpace, Facebook and Twitter are all a big part of their first tastes of success. All of those sites matter, maybe just not as much as getting spins on the radio.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
YGrove says:
I believe the visionary behind Taylor Swift was a used car salesman.They have figured out how to dip into Mommy and Daddy’s pockets and keep a straight face.I always question when I hear the words Target The KIDS,and Engage.
D Trotter says:
The greatest difficulty in replicating Taylor’s success with some new prodigy is that the visionary behind Taylor Swift is really … Taylor Swift. Fifteen and sixteen-year-old singers rarely come with those fully-developed songwriting chops and focused artistic visions.
That’s not to say she hasn’t surrounded herself with outstanding professionals and sound advice to help her achieve her vision, but any of those people will quickly tell you the vision is TAYLOR’S. There is not one recorded fact of any behind-the-scene payoff or manipulating power for Taylor — no American Idol, no Disney — but there is plenty of evidence she did it through hard work, immense drive and an irrepressible personality.
Michael says:
Oh here we go, another DTrotter manifesto.
Alan fan says:
okay, i understand they want the teen demographic but please, please, please! don’t leave the rest of us out of the equation.
Shelly says:
I agree with Michael. Obsession. I think Alison and D Trotter are the same person
snakes&ladders says:
Nah, I think D Trotter is Taylor’s mom.
GrowUP says:
Taylor Swift has sold how many albums? Over 10 million in the US with just 2 releases? that being said why do her haters think she wouldn’t have more then ONE person defending her. To accuse people who aren’t bashing her of being the same person is just asinine. Facts are the facts. Furthermore, she wouldn’t need mommy and daddy to pay anyone off at this point, she has enough dough to do that. If paying off someone was all you needed to do to have a successful music career (including winning the biggest award in music), then Paris Hilton, Nicole Riche, Kim K. etc, and all these other rich reality chicks (longing to be famous without having talent) would be in Taylor’s position of being the biggest artist in music. They aren’t because it takes more then a payoff, it takes appeal and Taylor has that. So shut up about her talent, the more you complain the more nominations she gets and the more awards she wins.
D Trotter says:
Facts aren’t relevant to this group, GrowUP!! Read their collective comments — see anything that resembles a fact? The funny thing about this group is that they actually may ALL be the same person. All their comments are simplistic one-liners out of the same mold.
fluffy says:
no matter what anyone says ,nobody gets to be a star on their own , for a singer it all begins with the record exexutives , if they think they can make money off of you , you will be successful, look at the head of record labels in nashville and after the record exeutives , comes the radio programmers , and together these 2 groups of people will do whatever it takes to get their singer played , does anyone really believes a radio station would play certain songs 45 to 60 times a week if , they weren’t getting some kind of incentive, yeah right , let’s get back to being about the quality of music and not age related , a man can make it in country music where as a woman can’t , just look at the young guys that have come on recently , easton , chris , justin and all are having hits , whike the women are focused 0n 18- 25, except reba and martina, let it be about the music and throw the other s tuff out the window
michelle says:
Taylor Swift is a very talented young lady, one that country music is lucky to have.
How do I know? I’m 44 years old. I practically grew UP in Gilley’s nightclub…a LOT of you probably don’t even KNOW about that place, but it was the world’s largest nightclub back in the sixties, seventies. IF you ever say the movie Urban Cowboy, then you saw Gilleys. My uncle was in Mickey Gilley’s house band, so I was there almost every weekend of my childhood. I saw everyone from Waylon Jennings, Johnny Lee, Johnny Paycheck, Ronnie Milsap, Crystal Gayle, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Wariner, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Oak Ridge Boys..oh, and two weeks after subbing for Crystal Gayle and Eddie Rabbit at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo..a THEN unknown singer named George Strait.
Taylor is a true musician, she writes it, plays it, and sings it. She is also beautiful, personable, and, refreshingly naive. A treat for those of us used to Britney, Miley, and Kei$ha.
Stop with the jealousy, and enjoy the music.
I Am Very Cute, No Doubt says:
why cant we people just appreciate a good music when we hear one and a good artist when we see one?
i am a musician and although i don’t like heavy metal in CD, i can’t deny the fact that these metal bands are pretty good in live.
in Taylor’s case, why is it everybody complains about her singing voice but nobody complains that of Jeff Mangum or Colin Meloy or Joanna Newsom?
I definitely placed Taylor in the vein of Hank and Jones, they might write and sing for different audiences but they both captured the audiences’ emotions.
Shadow says:
That’s what mainstreamers who follow pop country do. They complain about the music in the format they supposedly love.
Kate says:
Michelle
You see Taylor as naive!!!! Michelle you should revisit that statement and ask yourself, “Is it really Taylor who is naive or is it me?”
Kellie says:
This is how bias CMT is. When you point to Tyler’s picture, Trailer Swifts artists page comes up. It’s true CMT = Cover More Trailer
merlefan49 says:
There youthful talent in bluegrass music also. Where the
artists play several different instruments.
I Am Very Cute, No Doubt says:
like what Charlie Daniels said, Taylor writes what she knows. You can’t expect her to write about cheating and drinking and sex and mamas and trucks etc.
I will definitely stop listening to her if her next album will have those topics cause i know Taylor never do those things. It would be unreal which would make her a poser. :-)
I Am Very Cute, No Doubt says:
“I hear people critize her and I think, ‘C’mon, leave her alone.’ They say she can’t sing, well she can sing. Bob Dylan couldn’t sing. Leonard Cohen couldn’t sing. I mean, they can certainly sing in their own way, but you couldn’t compare them to [Italian tenor] Enrico Carusso. But they left us some of the greatest songs we’ll every have. Taylor Swift is a great little writer, kind of reminiscent of a folk writer in a way, trying to document what’s going on in her life from her point of view.”
CHARLIE DANIELS
Randy says:
Charlie Daniels is a sellout too…so what?
I Am Very Cute, No Doubt says:
i dunno if Charlie is a sell out but most of his recent album nowadays are either bluegrass or southern rock full of religious imagery
robocard says:
Here are some facts:
Taylor is a great songwriter (for teens) but if you are 44 years old, get a life and do not compare her to the great songwriters of country music;
She cannot carry a tune in the proverbial bucket and please do not compare Bob Dylan’s songs to hers as far as historical impact- no one will be singing her prom songs 20 or 30 years from now like they do his “stand the test of time” songs;
She is a phenomenon of the current social networking, teen bandwagon, lemmings over the cliff music scene who really do not care if a person sings on key or not as long as she has teen boys and sleepovers in her videos.
She is a nice person, wears great dresses.outfits, etc. but she will not be singing country songs in ten years.
Do you seriously think that if there was not significant money behind her initially, that she could have driven from radio station to radio station playing her teen prom songs and they would have played them?? I give great credit to Scott and his Big Machine for manipulating the “old boy” system and changing the rules of the game. Pop music has owned the teen scene for years so they just grabbed a little of their share finally for country.