Stevie Nicks Compares Taylor Swift to Neil Diamond
Every year, Time magazine lists the 100 people who most affect our world. You can probably guess who is on that list, but what I like about their approach is that they asked Stevie Nicks for her take on Taylor Swift after this year's Grammy Awards. "When I first got the call from Taylor Swift about performing with her at this year's Grammy Awards, I really didn't want to do it," Nicks said. "She's 20 years old, 5 ft. 11 in. and slender; I'm 40 years older and, to be frank, neither of the other two things!" She goes on to rave about both Swift's determination and her childlike nature. But the line I love best is this: "This girl writes the songs that make the whole world sing, like Neil Diamond or Elton John." Then she says of their performance, "I still walk around singing her song 'Today Was a Fairytale.' All of us girls want that boy to pick us up and think that we look beautiful even though we're in jeans and clogs. We want it at 14, and we want it at 60. Taylor is writing for the universal woman and for the man who wants to know her. The female rock-'n'-roll-country-pop songwriter is back, and her name is Taylor Swift. And it's women like her who are going to save the music business." I've never heard such high praise for Swift, but it's hard to argue with any of it.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
lifetime says:
even Stevie Nicks thinks Taylor is Amazing…and writes like Neil Diamond….what a great thing to say!!!! go Taylor!
snakes&ladders says:
led zeppard? That’s just wrong on so many levels. LOL
Todd says:
Thanks for a positive Taylor feature, even though I know others will disagree. That’s alright.
rosyz says:
Good for some positive comments for Taylor. I am sure her fans are ecstatic. I am not a fan but good for her fans.
Shawn says:
Wow, Taylor’s on a list with Tiger Woods, Muammar Gaddafi and Snooki. What excellent company for her.
This world is seriously warped when the likes of the three mentioned above along w/Taylor and a lot more are mixed in with the President, his wife and the Secretary of State. If that doesn’t make you squirm, nothing will.
Debbie W. says:
I love Stevie Nicks.
homeslice says:
The faces Stevie made during the actual performance were downright hilarious.
bkb says:
stevie nicks has lost her mind, what would she know when she sang just as bad as swift.
D Trotter says:
Thanks for posting this, Alison. I was hoping to hear to hear some comments Stevie after the Grammy’s. Her line that says it best:
“Taylor is writing for the universal woman and for the man who wants to know her.”
So did you, Stevie, so did you.
Gary Wagner says:
Taylor Swift is the Lady the world needs to show everyone how to be.
You are a true angel inside and out. Your parents did a wonderful job!
ALJID says:
Is she singing for the universal woman too?
jimbob says:
Nicks is a nice lady and one of the few truely original artists there ever were. Taylor is in good company. Congatulations Taylor. Keep it up!
Shawn says:
“Universal woman”? WOMAN? Are you kidding? A good portion of Taylor’s fans don’t even wear a bra yet!
frank says:
funny the haters just cant keep ther mouths shut. if taylor said the sun was a star they would find a way to bash her comments.
Mick says:
This was another bad performance. I love Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks looked very uncomfortable. Taylor was her usual bad self. Although she did look like she enjoyed herself. But the audience did not. Taylor will never be able to sustain what Stevie Nicks has. Just a matter of time. It cant happen soon enough.Maybe if she just stuck to songwriting but alas the songs are all preteen songs.
ALJID says:
Uhmm? Did Stevie Nicks even mention her singing at the Grammys? Did she say something like, “Gosh, she is one of the best vocalists of our time. Have you seen our duet? Watch her Grammy performance with me. It was phenomenal…”
Darla Golden says:
To compare Taylor Swift to Neil Diamond is like comparing the proverbial apples to oranges…..they are nothing alike. First, Neil Diamond can sing and write. Taylor’s voice isn’t even suited for karaoke and her songs are written on the same level as a fifth grader. I don’t know how she’s gotten as far as she has…it’s certainly not because of any talent.
bobbalynn says:
SN was put on the spot what was she suppose to say?? really now think about it, swift can,t sing she got a new make up thing going for her she needs a out to stop singing i hope the make up thing goes better then her singing!!
cheatercheater says:
For stevie to bash taylor would be career suicide, so she said something positive, yet so far removed, that even Ray Charles could see what she meant. come on people, she wasa making fun of taylor…it was sarcasm. Can’t you see that?
D Trotter says:
What I see is a really sincere, heartfelt tribute, passed like a torch from one music legend to heir apparent. Stevie’s remarks are very similar to the things Reba, yet another true legend, has said about Swift.
I don’t think it’s lost on Stevie that Swift is in many ways a younger version of herself — a strong woman that so many other woman identify with. Here’s more of Stevie’s quote:
“Taylor reminds me of myself in her determination and her childlike nature. It’s an innocence so special and so rare…. She sings, she writes, she performs, she plays great guitar. Taylor could do ballads that could be considered pop or rock, then switch back into country. When I turned 20, I had just made the decision to never be a dental assistant. Taylor just turned 20, and she’s won 4 Grammy’s.”
Sarcasm? Not even close. That’s the Cyber-bullies’ forte. It isn’t not Ms Nicks’ style at all.
D Trotter says:
“It isn’t Ms Nicks’ style at all”.
WTF says:
Heir apparent? What stones!
D Trotter says:
Stones are more the stock in trade of Cyberbully types. I just tell it like it is.
By the way, “WTF”, why do you keep changing your screen name so much?
cheatercheater says:
Stevie and Taylor are polar opposites. Stevie is dark, occult, gothic, witchcraft. Taylor is fairy tales and butterflies.
This difference alone is worth nothing regarding the credibility of Stevie’s statement. I don’t believe Alison this time.
D Trotter says:
My usual handle is this one although I must admit I enjoy mixing it up and go by several others. What I really love to do (and this is between you and me) I love to post long, winded and irrelevant comments so everyone can’t stand to hear from me. Then I use other names and argue with myself. Do you do that WTF?
awesomebill says:
dt, i know you. your nashviller, arent you. long winded irrelevant comments…yep that’s nashviller
homeslice says:
Why do I smell bull on the line about singing Today Was a Fairytale?
D Trotter says:
Dunno. Did you burn the steak? In the context of everything Stevie said, remarking that a catchy little tune sticks in her head seems to be an absolutely genuine, and benign, comment.
Why do some people see a perfectly simple statement like that one, and decide they have to re-interpret it to take on a more cynical meaning? Do they live in some alternate universe where “up” is really “down”, “black” is really “white”, and “in” is really “out”?
love stevie nicks quotes says:
“She drew her own door and walked right through it”
Here’s another one from Garbage front woman Shirley Manson.
JimBob says:
Some of these comments are just mean. Nicks made a kind statement about Swift so now it’s time to tare her apart, too. I wouldn’t say Nicks is all about occult, witchcraft. I would say that she is the anti-madonna. She never put all her goodies out there for people to see and she never changed with the times to make her sales higher. She’s like some timeless character from old-earth, like a good fairy or something. She’s an original. I don’t think Taylor Swift is that original but I think what Nicks was trying to say is true. She writes good songs. I don’t think people should pick on Nicks for being nice. After all, she’s written some of the best rock tunes of all time.
awesomebill says:
JimBob, I don’t think anyone is picking on Stevie. I think they are calling Alison a liar. She is the only one saying this. It’s fabricated journalism at best.
Shawn says:
JimBob: I don’t think most people are dissing Stevie and your opinion about Taylor regarding her writing is absolutely correct. I’ve always thought she was a terrific writer (although I hope she moves on soon from the teen theme). Most of the so called haters here (and I believe that is mostly because of the tone of their comments rather than the content) have a problem with Taylor’s singing ability. I haven’t heard many people denying that the young woman has talent in many other areas. From what I can tell (and we only see what artists want us to see) she’s a sweet and genuine woman. She has a good head on her shoulders and has been smart enough to surround herself with very smart and talented people expert at promotion. She’s tapped into the cyber thing and an age demographic and managed to do it better than anyone else had.
But I am baffled at things like “The 100 most influential people” thing. I mean honestly people. Look at that list. If you don’t find something disturbing about it - well, it boggles my mind. Go read the list if you haven’t. Now maybe I’m delusional but to me, if a person is to be influential, this has a positive connotation. Do you really want “Snookie” influencing anyone? Do you really think she deserves to be on such a list with the President? How about Muammar Gaddafi? Good Lord! The “Lost” creators? Are you kidding me? Tiger Woods? Well, that goes without saying. At this point I would hope the most influence he has is opening the eyes of men who hide behind sex addiction to justify bad behavior. I could go on and on about that list, one name more mind boggling than the next. Arguably, Taylor deserves to be on this list more than half the names but even she doesn’t belong with the “true” influential people of our times. IMO, entertainers have been put on impossibly high pedestals that they have no business being on. Kids today should be looking to people in every day life that do amazing things and change this world for the better, not Lady Gaga for God’s sake!
GalPal says:
Time Magazine has reduced itself to a rag magazine like the National Enquirer. I am sure SN came to Taylor’s rescue just like those who came running to her rescue after Kanye. As far as her writing, only time will tell. Being a grown woman now, let’s hear how her writing will mature since she really can’t write about being in high school any longer. Stevie-take her to a voice coach if you want to do anything for her. Your words and thoughts are wasted on those who are not tone deaf!
merlefan49 says:
I’ve never been impressed with Neil Diamond or Elton John.
D Trotter says:
I’m with Jim Bob. Anybody that says something nice about Swift gets dumped on. Ridicule by association.
Now they call Alison a “liar”, for using ACTUAL QUOTES from a Time Magazine story/press release. Anyone can verify the accuracy of Nicks’ statements and Alison’s quotes of them. They are all over the Net.
And let’s claim Stevie Nicks is just being nice, but that makes her a liar, too.
And I guess Brad and Reba and all the others who praised her were being nice, and therefore, are just liars too. (Funny — I’ve never seen people “just being nice” who felt the need to go into so much DETAILED PRAISE, and to go on at length, complimenting Swift for things they weren’t even asked about.)
And Time Magazine, they must be liars too; in fact, they have officially sunk to National Star status. Why? Because Taylor is ranked very high on their “most influential people” list (and the only Country artist on the list).
Note: the Time poll is NOT about the top 100 role models. It’s a list of persons whose actions MATTER and AFFECT the rest of us, whether in a good or bad way (although on a list that includes some real anti-heroes, it’s nice to have someone who is as good a role model as Taylor). If Taylor didn’t matter — even to the cyberbullies — why are they ALWAYS the first to jump on blogs about her?
Next up to be bashed? Cover Girl and Sony for making Swift their cosmetic and camera spokesperson respectively.
kayko says:
D Trotter, this is something that many of us has know for a long time, and why CMT.com lets this person get away with it I’ll never know. But one thing I do know is that a lot of people have left this site because of it.
awesomebill says:
I like the sony commercial where her fans all disappear, just like in real life
D Trotter says:
kayko,I said much the same thing not too long ago.
Responding to some comment Taylor was losing her fans, I suggested that fans weren’t leaving Taylor, whom they could follow with or without CMT, but they WERE leaving the CMT boards.
Numerous posts, often by people visiting these boards for the first time, have said as much. Some said they came here because of Taylor, but they sure won’t be back after their taste of CMT “Hospitality”.
Her concerts continue to sell out, the minute tickets go on sale, at the very largest arenas anywhere in the Country, even for back-to-back shows Anyone saying her fans are leaving is just engaging in wishful thinking .
Shawn says:
I believe the title is “100 most INFLUENTIAL people” D Trotter, I think you and I have a different take on what that word means. To me, other words that have the same meaning are “powerful, important, significant, leading, prominent and high-ranking”. No matter what spin you want to put on it, many of the names on that list DO NOT belong. You believe that “Snookie” belongs on that list? How about “Muammar Gaddafi”? “Influential” to me is NOT someone who can have a negative effect. To me it’s a positive word. Nothing wrong with Taylor being on the list because she certainly has influenced in a positive way many, many teens in this country. But I would think it disturbing to have someone like that linked with some of the names on that list. The fact that the President and the First Lady are linked with some of those people is awful. Perhaps Time Magazine needs to think up a different name for the list. Better yet, 86 the people who’ve had a negative effect. Why should they have any print time?
D Trotter says:
Shawn, your definitions are good, but he WORD “good” isn’t part of your list of synonyms. Nor should it be. I’d LIKE to agree with you that — in a perfect world — all people of great influence would be noble and good, but tain’t necessarily so. I’m not the one trying to “spin” basic word meanings here.
The moon has an influence on the tides — it’s neither good nor bad, it just IS — and it’s a very BIG influence. A magnet is quite amoral, yet it exerts a terrific influence on metals. Scientific facts, not spin.
Let’s use your own definitions:
Hitler, as vile a leader as the world has ever seen, was a PROMINENT, HIGH-RANKING member of the Nazi Party; he became increasingly SIGNIFICANT and IMPORTANT to his people, making Germany one of the most POWERFUL military forces in the world and LEADING them into a quest for world domination. He INFLUENCED the actions and thoughts of everyone in the world.
I really don’t want to debate who should be on the list. They just make these lists so to generate debate, right? You can go to the Time website, there’s a page describing why each person is on the list, and they also have videos describing the process. Part of that process is a public opinion poll. And this is a WORLD list, so much much input comes from Time’s world-wide correspondents. The list includes a lot of South Korean notables who are unfamiliar to many Americans. And the way world political leaders are perceived can be, literally, worlds apart in Beijing and Nashville.
Rather than using sheer opinion, Time is trying to QUANTIFY the actual impact of the candidates via an “influence index” which includes statistical analysis of internet measures, including social networks, etc. President Obama is first with 7.7 million, but Taylor Swift, master of the art of social networking, comes in FOURTH on the list at 5.6 million, almost double that of Oprah in 5th place.
Shawn says:
insert eyeroll
ALJID says:
Here comes D Trotter with the numbers. No matter how many zeros you gave, it still does not change the fact that all of us know…
Ace says:
the type of writing skills Taylor has at this young age is really AMAZING.
D Trotter says:
Here comes ALJID with his “fact” again. Sorry, your forte is opinions, NOT facts.
“An OPINION is a subjective statement or thought about an issue or topic, and is the result of EMOTION or INTERPRETATION of facts … people may draw opposing opinions from the same set of facts.” — Wilkipedia
Facts are truths that can’t be argued. They are provable — and verifiable numbers and raw statistics are one of the best ways to do it. You can go to the Time Website, see the numbers and totals yourself.
D Trotter says:
For example, the Colonial Life Arena in South Carolina proudly hosted back-to-back-to-back shows by Taylor Swift (Friday), Carrie Underwood (Saturday), and Martina McBride (Sunday) last weekend.
Taylor’s show at the 17,000 seat arena was a complete sellout, had been from the day tickets went on sale. Carrie, the reigning ACM EOTY, drew many thousands LESS than Taylor, around 9,000 I believe. Which is comparable to the NUMBERS each has been drawing on their respective tours as well.
Now you can look at those numbers and you can (and, I’m sure, WILL) spin any rationalization, make up any outre opinion that you want — but the numbers are the FACTS. NOT what you THINK of them.
Sis says:
I know what they have in common, they are both boaring. One can’t sing and I could care less about what the other does.
J.J. says:
Sis - watch out! D Trotter may correct your spelling and give you an “F”.
Kate says:
D.Trotter
It’s not all about numbers. Numbers don’t alway equate to quality. But having said that numbers will be looked at at the end of the tour and don’t be too surprised if you find that Carrie sold more tickets and saw more fans.
I do have some very good reasons for why Taylor is selling more tickets…some are as obvious as the nose on your face and because I think your a smart savy person and know what they are.. I won’t bore you.
Your sarcasm is not missed with your comment about the ACM reigning EOTY selling less than Taylor (your idol)..as I said in my opening statement it’s about substance and all round performer as well as all the other components of the EOTY criteris…not just numbers…
To the critics it seems crystal clear why Carrie is the EOTY and they reference her stage presence, charisma, stage production, wonderful music, and incomparable vocals. To name a few.
It was crystal clear to the fans and the industry when they proclaimed Carrie the ACM EOTY for the 2nd. year in a row and making history yet again. Like it or not..that’s a fact.
D Trotter says:
Kate, I didn’t say numbers “equate to quality”, just that they often represent real facts. The meaning of facts can be interpreted different ways, as you just proved.
But when the numbers in question are ticket sales, there is no “spin” about their importance to the people who promote and put on shows, and the FACT is that Taylor has reached the very top tier of marquee names.
All across the country people know this; except on these CMT boards, which seem to be existing in some weird alternate universe out of a “LOST” episode.
I’d love to hear your reasons why you think Taylor sells more tickets to her shows. The only thing that “bores me” is mindless hater garbage; you’re not like that. So unless you’re gonna say something like her daddy buys all the tickets, fire away.
You are being overly sensitive about my remark about the EOTY, but I understand you are defending your idol. Good for you. Carrie’s great. But that remark wasn’t directed at Carrie or Martina, both of whom drew very respectable crowds and remain huge attractions to fans; it was aimed at all those silly doomsayers predicting that Taylor’s career is in decline just because she didn’t win any ACM awards.
Swift sold about as many seats by HERSELF
– in the SAME ARENA, on the SAME weekend —
as the COMBINED sales of TWO really outstanding Country Music attractions —
Carrie (the reigning ACM EOTY), and
Martina, one of the great female vocalists in history.
So all that nonsense about Swift’s fans deserting her? Wishful thinking.
Taylor can sell out the very largest arenas, back to back nights if she wants. No other country artist is in that level of the stratosphere right now, and I GUARANTEE you that even the very popular Ms Underwood won’t be catching her this year.
Like it or not, that’s a fact.
Kate says:
D.Trotter
Sure it was. There’s only one ACM EOTY that I know of and that’s Carrie Underwood.
I find your comments about the ‘respectable’ combined numbers of Martina and Carrie condescending… but again that’s your opinion not fact.
Most importantly Carrie Underwood is NOT a member of Taylor Swift’s comparative group..if you must compare Taylor with anyone pick someone from her comparative group..someone like Justin Bieber or Miley or Jonas Bro. or other young pop stars.
Don’t be confused by the COUNTRY misnomer applied to Ms.Swift.. one of her latest reviewers who was not confused by the country tag correctly identified Taylor as a POP star.
Therefore to continue this apples and oranges comparison is an excerise in futility.
Ygrove says:
“D.Trotter” check the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus numbers in concert and get their reviews and compare.When 3 boys can sell out a 50,000 seat stadium and most People can’t name one of their tunes baffels me but thats the nature of the Tween market. IF You want to compare Taylors numbers with those other Ladies in Country and make her out to be so Great,you should also add what she does different from those other Ladies.The Pop Market and the Country market,One has the numbers and one don’t,where does Taylor’s success come from??Remixing her songs for the POP numbers makes her a POP Artist.
rosyz says:
D Trotter I know Taylor sell her concerts. The fans though are mostly tweens and teens and they need to be babysat or accompanied by adults so that doubles the numbers. Tweens and teens always outnumber the adults so no need to compare the two. She taps into that young demographic and good for her. Her music is catered to that age groups.Carrie`s fans are mostly younger adults and older and some younger fans. Her music is for all ages but mostly for the younger adults and older. People goes to Carrie`s concert to hear her sing not to listen to screaming kids. I know I would not like it because I want to listen and appreciate the music. Just like one of the reviewers said you dont have to sell concerts with ten year olds fans to prove who is the biggest country superstar because Carrie`s voice can hold a concert alone. The recent reviewers said that she has the most potent and pure vocals in country music. Taylor will sell her concerts to 3 yearl olds and teen year olds and their babysitters/parents , teens,and some adults. I am not putting her down
but just telling the truth basing on the reviewer`s
comments but some who are getting older will move on. I say this because my daugterdid. She just turned 21 and she moved on from Taylor`s music and some of her friends. If you want to sell albums and sell concerts you have to attract those age groups and sound very pop; music has to be remixed to be played in pop stations because most tweens and teens dont like country radio; my son and daughter dont listen to country radio at all. All the reviewers from Taylor`s concerts always said she is a pop star; isn`t she labelled as pop princess before?
Adults cant really outnumber the tweens and teens and their babysitters and companions. Hope you find my grammar better this time; if not my apologies.
Carrie won the ACM EOTY because of her fans and partly of the industry`s support that she deserved it. It has nothing to do with sales or who you`re entertaining with. i have nothing against your fav artist.
D Trotter says:
Katie, attendance numbers are FACTS, not “opinions”.
Taylor sold out the 17,000 seat arena in S. Carolina last Friday. Carrie drew about 9000 fans on Saturday, and Martina a couple thousand less than Carrie on Sunday. Same arena. Add up the numbers. Compare. Voila! Facts.
Swift sandwiched her Columbia concert with a sold-out Rupp Arena concert in Kentucky (18,000) on Thursday, and a sold-out show at the 20,000-seat RBC Center in Raleigh on Saturday. Her attendance total for the 3 days: between 50,000 and 55,000 fans.
Carrie sandwiched her Columbia concert with her only North Carolina performance, a “near sellout” of 7,500 at the Crown Coliseum on Friday; following her Columbia show, Carries did sell out the James Brown Arena in Georgia, but it only held 6600. Total for the 3 days: about 23,000. Earlier in the week, she played to another “near sellout” of 7,000 in Richmond; reviewer Melissa Ruggieriwas wild about her,though her her first few songs were “a bit pitchy”.
As for your other comments Kate:
1.Carrie is looking more and more like a pop star to me — and a lot of other people too. “Cassanova Cowboy”, “Undo It” — POP SONGS. In fact her show is looking very … how can I put it … “Swiftian” these days.
2.Of course Carrie is a member of Taylor’s “comparitive group”. They compete for the same awards, their albums are on the same BILLBOARD CHARTS, and they sing in many of the same Award shows and specials. Apples and Oranges? Hardly.
3.Taylor’s writing is leagues better than the songs the Jonas Bros, Miley etc. churn out — and better than the manipulative tear-jerkers by your idol that you think are so “mature”. I’ll be happy to compare lyrics anytime you want.
4.Yes Carrie IS the one and only ACM EOTY ( did I say she wasn’t?).
And likewise, Taylor Swift is the one and only CMA EOTY… and the one and only AP Entertainer of the Year… and the one and only Billboard Artist of the Year … and the only Country artist on Time’s list of 100 people who most affected the world this year.
D Trotter says:
Ygrove, (PSSSSST! The Jonas Brothers are GUYS! Swift … ISN’T!) Young girls have ALWAYS screamed for young guys. Don’t over-analyze it, just try to remember when you were young, and try to be understanding and tolerant.
At least Miley is a girl. But she’s a Disney product who developed an enormous following of pre-teens and young teens through her TV show and movies. What TV show did Swift have?
No, Swift is different than those people. I can produce a ton of reviews, from the best music critics in the country, to explain why if you want. None of them think her writing is immature in the slightest.
Or you could just go read what Stevie Nicks says: women from 14 to 60 all understand what Swift’s songs are about … Taylor is Everygirl, “writing for the universal woman”. This happens to be a fantastic SONGWRITER herself, telling you this. Taylor taps into the shared experiences of regular women and brings them to life in wonderful songs.
Of course pre-teens love her — she’s been there, survived, wrote about it.
Moms — and Dads — love her too. And her own age group, college-age women, identify with Taylor in a way that is quite possibly unique in modern music.
You compare her to Miley Cyrus?
Miley and the Jonas Bros haven’t won like 8 major songwriting awards. They didn’t win a Grammy for Album of the Year. They didn’t have the best-selling album of the year. And they didn’t produce the Most Awarded Album in the History of Country Music.
rosyz says:
The tweens and teens dominate on Taylor concerts. She will sell albums and concerts because of them. Taylor`s songs are remixed and played more in pop stations. Country aritsts with less tweens and teens fans will sell less esp. if you dont remix your songs.
She had 13,000 fans in Columbia SC. But mostly are very young fans and their parents or whoever needs to be with them. The tweens and teens idolize her whether she can sing or not. Her songs are for the middle schoolers mostly. It was good for her to target those age groups.
Carrie had 9000 fans in Columbia but mostly young and older adults. For somebody who has few tweens and teens fans, who does not remix songs ; whose songs are not played in pop stations she is doing really well. Taylor also re released 5-6 songs last year.
They are 2 different artists with diferrent talents and fans. Tweens and teens versus young adults and older. Tweens and fans idolize Taylor while most young adults and older are with Carrie.
Carrie has the potent and pure vocals of country music per Craig Shelbourne`s(of Cmt) review in Fayetville concert. She is the best vocalist out there. She had won so many industry voted awards over 5 years. Carrie is the best.
Ygrove says:
“D Trotter” Why does Taylor Remix for PoP if she wants to be Country??You forgot to mention her Female vocalist award,thats the one I applaud her for.When Taylor goes around Shania’s numbers I will give her another hand.
ALJID says:
“Carrie is looking more and more like a pop star to me — and a lot of other people too. “Cassanova Cowboy”, “Undo It” — POP SONGS. In fact her show is looking very … how can I put it … “Swiftian” these days.”
I find that sentence absurd since Swift’s songs barely sound country even with the fiddles. It’s all pop dude. And it’s “Cowboy Casanova” not “Cassanova Cowboy”. Hehehehe…And Swiftian? Wow…so any country artist that sounds a little bit pop can now be called Swiftian? You really got high regard of Swift as if she started everything. By the way, I call Swift’s shows Disney. Oh, well…At least my favorite artist can sing and she isn’t overrated to the stratosphere. “Manipulative Tear-Jerker?” A lash at Temporary Home I guess. Only blinded Swift fans like you can call that. Well, Swift’s marketing manipulation is shameless, too. It’s all about money.
I’ll end my comment from a reviewer of Underwood’s concert, “Although Underwood didn’t outsell fellow country star Taylor Swift, she put on one of the best shows I have ever seen. Underwood proves that sold-out concerts and a fan base of three year olds might not always show who the top country stars are.”
ALJID says:
And please don’t say “pitchy” in the same sentence with the words “Carrie Underwood” when your favorite artist can’t sing in tune to save her life. Puh-lease?
Kate says:
D.Trotter
You have a wonderful knack of missing the message. . Or perhaps it’s just your way of ‘talking over someone’ or ignoring what was said so that you can carry on with your epistle. Then again maybe your over-the-top fixation on Taylor Swift distorts what you read and limits your comprehension.
I don’t know who your preaching to, but it may just be yourself..
Give yourself a break..relax…your idol’s on top, she sells lots n’ lots of tickets, she’s the best in the kingdom…keep repeating this to yourself and maybe with practice even YOU will believe it…and you won’t have to work so hard and you’ll be able to get off your soap-box.
Kate says:
D.Trotter
A comparative group comprises both male and female..the comparison includes many factors and is not exclusive to gender.
D Trotter says:
Kate, everything you said about me applies to yourself, just sub the name Carrie for Taylor.
Real facts aren’t ever over-the-top — the only thing over-the-top on these boards is the level of outrageous distortion, exaggeration and flat-out lying of cyber-bullies in their anonymous attacks on a remarkable young artist.
Your LAST post is just mystifying, a total non sequitur.
I mentioned gender talking to Ygrove, totally separate from our discussion.
In our conversation, you claimed Carrie wasn’t in Taylor’s “comparative group”, that Swift should be compared to the Jonas Bros,/Miley group. I replied Carrie and Taylor ARE in the same group — their albums are on the SAME Billboard charts, they sing at the SAME award shows, and they vie for the SAME awards. So their activities are certainly comparative to each other. What has gender got to do with anything? (If you need boys, there’s Kenny and Brad and Keith etc., — they’re all in the same group of contemporary Country/Pop artists.)
WHO missed the point?
D Trotter says:
Ygrove said: “When Taylor goes around Shania’s numbers I will give her another hand.”
Psssstt! Ygrove!There’s a recession on! Albums aren’t selling like they did even 5 years ago. And with the advent of digital downloads, it’s unlikely anyone will ever get Shania’s numbers again.
But Taylor is the best-selling album artist of the past 2 years.AND she is the top-selling DIGITAL artist in history! (So maybe you can clap once or something?)
Speaking of Shania, she released her whole last album with both a Country mix and one of those POP RE-MIXES you loathe so much.
D Trotter says:
rosyz, Nobody denies that Taylor has many younger fans. That’s a good thing — she’s a wonderful role model for them, and she loves them just as much as they do her!
But Swift is hardly just another idol for the pre-teen set. You’re just doing what so many of Taylor’s critics do, looking at superficial things and completely missing the substance, which is both real and fertile.
Go back and read what Stevie Nicks, one of Rock’s finest female songwriters ever, said: Taylor is writing for the “universal woman”, a “female rock-’n'-roll-country-pop songwriter.”
And, the really unique thing is that Swift is doing it, as she grows, right before our eyes.
Robert Christgau, one of the most prominent rock critics in America, as well as one of the toughest and edgiest (and certainly NO FAN of teenyboppers or pop music in general) said of “FEARLESS”:
“I am moved by what can pass for a concept album about the romantic life of an uncommonly-to-impossibly strong and gifted teenage girl, starting on the first day of high school and gradually shedding naivete, without ever approaching misery or neurosis.”
Taylor WROTE the songs on her debut from the age of 12-to-16 years old, and wrote Fearless from 16-to-18 so why wouldn’t younger teens, even pre-teens, connect with her songs?. But if you actually read the reviews and comments, you would quickly discover how many of the parents loved her too. Swift’s own peer group of college-age women is wild about her (save for your daughter and friends, lol). And I’m pretty sure there’s more than a few guys! (Did you see the two guys who wanted hugs? The Olympic skier? The 7-foot center from the Syracuse college basketball team? John Mayer? Didn’t look like tweens to me. Well … maybe John Mayer a little.)
Think how many older people and guys DON’T go to her concerts because of those ear-piercing screams .. or because their “cool” rating might suffer .. AND SHE STILL SELLS OUT the biggest arenas in minutes.
I did find the review you got the attendance from (Otis Taylor’s) that said her Columbia concert was “a sold-out show of about 13,000 fans … and she let loose”. It also said “Swift isn’t the best country singer, but she is undoubtedly the genre’s best performer. Even better than Kenny Chesney.” And it added “it wasn’t just the tweens doing the screaming, the beer-holding adults were giddy too.”
But I question his attendance figures though. All the reviews called it a sellout, and the arena website says capacity is 18,000, a size similar to the halls Taylor has been playing. The first review I had seen, Patrick Wall on the Columbia News & Arts, said: “The short acoustic set she played, including ‘Tim McGraw’, was as intimate as one can get inside a 17,000 seat arena, and further proof that Swift can indeed both play and sing on her own.”
Finally, your “pop re-mix”comment . Although I pay little attention to re-mixes, I’m pretty sure the following statements are true:
1. Taylor has NEVER released an album with a pop re-mix. (The re-mixes are only available as digital downloads.)
2. Taylor was the best-selling Billboard album artist BEFORE she ever did a pop re-mix.
3. To the best of my knowledge,Taylor has only re-mixed TWO songs in her career, “Love Story” and “You Belong to Me”. Both were HUGE hits before the re-mixes, and both are pretty much pop anyway!
If pop mixes could guarantee the kind of sales Swift gets, I assure you there would be hot time re-mixing just about everything recorded in Nashville.
Sis says:
Thank you J.J!!!!!
JimBob says:
I will say it now! I like Taylor Swift. Her generation grosses me out, but I think this girl is talented and kind—a great combination. And I’m glad that some people of my generation and older, recognize this. She is a Good Girl. Let her have her fairytale instead of trying to corrupt it. A compliment for Taylor is not a slight to Carrie. Keep it up Taylor! The world needs more sweet people like you! Some of you people need to be ashamed of yourselves.
Peacock Queen says:
I haven’t read the entire article, but what was quoted by Stevie Nicks on here made me wonder if Stevie is really understanding her place in the music world. Did Stevie mention the fact that, although she is 40 years OLDER than Taylor, she is still influencing young people with her music? She should really be proud of the fact that she is still heard and still causing little girls to dream big. I read somewhere that Swift wanted Nicks to perform with her because Nicks is one of Swift’s music idols. I was in a department store today and the music they were playing was, well, very, very young. I didn’t know any of it or any of the artists! But then on came “Edge of Seventeen” and I smiled. We Nicks’ fans have to thank Swift for that one! She introduced Stevie to her young fans, even though their Grammy performance together was less than stellar.
ALJID says:
Less than stellar? It was a sonic atrocity. :)
D Trotter says:
Peacock, very nice comment.
I believe Time’s idea was to have each of this year’s 100 members “spoken for” by a well-respected professional from the same field, so Stevie’s own renowned stature in the music industry was kind of a given. But you’re dead right — younger music fans would do well to acquaint themselves with Stevie’s work.
Some of it wouldn’t be terribly out of place on contemporary Country radio. I’m sure many people know “Landslide” from the Dixie Chicks. Even a song she DIDN’T write from her most recent album, “Too Far From Texas”, would sound right at home.
Nicks is an amazing writer. She could take large-scale, near-cosmic images and ideas, like “Planets of the Universe” and make them highly personal.
“Landslide”, written on a visit to the “snow covered mountains” of Aspen, at a time she was struggling with major life changes, security issues, and agonizing over whether to continue pursuing a music career (or one as a dental assistant, we now learn!), is surely one of the most poignant and profound songs about women and their choices ever written.
“I’ve been afraid of changing
‘Cause I built my life
Around you…”
Swift has specialized in pretty much the opposite, using snapshot details and candidly-described emotions to turn the highly-personal experiences of youth into universally-shared memories with her audience. I’m not even sure it’s possible to combine Nicks cosmic symbolism with Taylor’s true confessions, but if Swift is looking for a place to go her writing, that’s not a bad place to look.
I also have to comment on Steve’s self-deprecating description of her herself as short, stout and 60-ish. She’s grown older beautifully and naturally, and if she had teamed up with Taylor 40 years ago, the hottest Babe on the stage WOULDN’T have been the one with Cover Girl contract!
Kate says:
Cover Girl has used artists who are either currently still in the business or were in the business whether that be modelling or performing arts. Some more successful than others, some older and some younder. Young or old, model or performing artist, cover girl wants to convince it’s audience that with their product you can take a less than perfect face (on a continuum of plain to attractive)and turn them into a beauty of varying degrees. I remember seeing some cover girl transformations of Drew Barrymore where it didn’t even look like her…It’s the make-up equivalent of magazines ‘photo-shop’. The bigger the challenge the artist presents the more credible the product. I’m sure the make-up is great but the make-up artist is better and unfortunately he/she doesn’t come with the purchase. Can hardly wait to see what they do with Taylor.
Kirby says:
Taylor Swift can’t sing one note in tune. Auto Tune is the only reason she can record well enough for the record execs to even consider releasing anything she does. Tall, blonde, funny-looking, and no talent. It’s a continuation of the country music tradition.