Taylor Swift's Success Isn't Hype, Says John Mayer
When Taylor Swift accepted her Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame gala on Thursday (June 17) in New York, presenter John Mayer told everyone there that her success was no accident. "You could put her in a time machine in any era and she would have a hit record. Don't confuse everybody loving one thing as hype. Sometimes that's everyone agreeing that it's fabulous." Truer words have never been spoken. And I have to add that just because so many people agree that Swift's music is fabulous is no reason for others to think it isn't. That admiration from other songwriters is, in fact, why she won this award for promising young talent in the first place. View photos from the event.
Photo Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty
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lifetime says:
Taylor has got so much talent she is just getting started!! John you got that right Taylor’s success is no accident!!
AC says:
This is exactly why I love Taylor. People may say she only sings about boys and love, which is true for the moment. But as Taylor evolves as not only a writer, but also as a women, her writing material will also grow with her. Taylor speaks to everyone whether you want to admit it or not. It’s funny though; my absolute favorite song of Taylor’s isn’t even about love or boys. It’s about an eating disorder. And how many haters even know about this song? Probably not many. It’s because the haters only see the surface of Taylor’s music, writing, and her as a person. But there is so much more meaning and depth to who Taylor Swift is as an artist and a person. And this is also the reason Taylor’s live voice doesn’t bother me. I know it bothers a lot of people, and that’s fine. But for me, Taylor’s writing completely overshadows her voice. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that what John Mayer said makes me think that no matter how many people dislike Taylor, there will always be those people who truly understand her music.
Always Right says:
Sure. And I’m sure this has nothing to do with John’s duet with Taylor on his new cd. Riiiiiight.
John’s knocked down many notches on my respect meter.
Sanhal says:
Get real Always Right but wrong this time. You obviously know nothing about Mayer’s career. John has been a big star for 13 years. If you really think having Taylor sing back-up on one of his songs on one of his albums makes a difference to his career, you are a complete idiot. Mayer is praised by the best in the world has played with the most eminent musicians of the day. John has always spoken about Talylor as an up and comer in the same way, since long before his one song with her and he is clear , consistent, and articulate about his admiration. Your respect metre needs adjustment.
barb b says:
what a joke coming from john
I Am Very Cute says:
John made in on the mainstream around 2000 but he’s been making records since 1996. He was first heard on Birmingham’s Reg’s Coffeehouse. He used to gave away free Cds during his shows back then before Aware Records signed him to it’s partner company, Columbia. And now he’s a celebrity… But he got his beginning in grassroots.
Just like Zac Brown Band. Lots of people thought they’re na overnight instant success but they’ve been playing since mid 90s…
Robin says:
Good for Taylor, glad she won this. She is a great role model for teens and young adults out there. If she touches them with her music, then maybe they’ll see something in her life to model their own after. She’s so much better to have in the entertainment world than so many others.
I’m not sure how she rode her “daddy’s coattail” since he is an investment advisor. I mean, does that mean that all the rich guys in the world should have daughters who sell tons of records? I mean Paris Hilton is famous for doing nothing. She couldn’t sell records (she tried) and her daddy’s got much bigger coat tails).
Did her parents together give her opportunity to develop her talent? Did they give her a great foundation? Did they build in her self belief? Did they have the financial ability to move her to Nashville? Did they have the ability to fund some of her production? Well, I’ll assume that every answer is a resounding YES. That is not riding a coat tail - that is being supported in your dreams. Did her dad go force millions of kids (people/whatever) to buy her CD? No. Did he buy up all her concert tickets? No.
Did he have a big music career that she is utilizing his name for a career builder (Lisa Marie Presley)? I mean, if Lisa’s ride to fame didn’t work and that’s the biggest entertainment coattail in the world to ride, then how do you really attribute Taylor’s success to “riding a coattail”.
So, if your daddy doesn’t have the money to help you as much as Taylor’s family was able to help her achieve her goals, the go to American Idol and if you have talent, it will shine. It’s all good and it’s all only about opening doors. ALL of these artists have to create their career after they step inside the door.
S says:
Sanhal, John may have been a big star for 13 years but his popularity took a hit from the article he did with Playboy (I think that was the magazine). Now he’s trying now to win people’s approval again and what better way than to record a song with Taylor and suck up her fans.
S says:
I meant to say suck up TO her fans. Oops!
Kenny says:
She may write catchy songs - and I’ll completely give her that - but it doesn’t mean she can sing them worth a flyin’ flip. The same machine that has hyped her up (and it *is* “hype”) will only be as good to her until the next “big thing” comes along. Go look at any of this type of website and see how many people are, and have been, sick to death of her. She’s over-sensationalized - and honestly, I feel sorry for her. What’s going to happen to her when all this is over?
Bz says:
Taylor is an awesome role model to many young adults & children. Her singing aside, she is a person that many children admire& we as adults should too.I mean, who would want their kids to grow up like Lindsey Lohan or some other celebrity with mediocre talents& drinking habits.Taylor is someone that a great role model because her drive to succeed & bubbly personality truly inspire everyone to do their best & not care what others think of them. It is quite a shame that most of you come on here to bash her& the only thing you have against her is her singing. News flash not everyone in the music industry is great at singing.Try to be a little more respectful of a young lady’s ability to connect to everyone. I mean, Im pretty sure that one of her songs related to you in a way, unless you had no social life whatsoever.
Titans says:
Well said Robin…
J.J. says:
S - Your comment was so baseless, I had to respond. The Playboy article is such old news and John did as much damage control as he could. At the end of the day, it’s his sheer talent that keeps his fans holding steady. Did you see the Crossroads episode with John and Keith Urban? If you did, I’m sure you would have seen (and heard) that the man doesn’t need to use anyone to gain approval anymore than Taylor does. Perhaps this is news to you but artists have been collaborating on each others albums for years. John obviously recognizes something in Taylor and admires her for what she’s accomplished which is one of the reasons he was chosen to present her with this award. In turn, Taylor is a big fan of John’s. Neither one of them “need” each other to bolster up fan bases.
There’s one thing I’ve learned here over these past months (and this is for all of you that continually have something bad to say about Taylor) I may not appreciate her vocal ability but I’ve learned to appreciate the many other talents she possesses. She is a well rounded entertainer at the tender age of 20. That ain’t easy. Her fans are crazy about her (go figure) and love is tone-deaf, and love is usually not wrong. When an artist manages to capture the hearts of so many people, there’s a good reason for it. So stop belly-aching about her people! These comments just seem so petty. Being a non-fan doesn’t obligate you to diss her at every turn. Being a non-fan shouldn’t be equated with hate.
keithfan2 says:
Nice perspective robbin, To all the haters who constantly remark her success is based on her daddy buying everything including her songs now, you make yourselves sound really ignorant.
Kenny says:
I don’t think anyone “hates” Swift - I think what is most frustrating to the “non-fans” is the fact that CMT (and others) continually praise her and raise her to a level of talent that is undeserving. Her vocal ability is the big pink elephant in Nashville. When an artist is praised to the high-heavens, it gets to a point where it’s nothing but ridiculous when there just isn’t anything there to back it up. Again, I get she writes catchy tunes, but it’s about more than that. There are tons of songwriters out there who write catchy tunes and you don’t see them out there trying to actually sing them. Swift is NOT the whole package. If she could actually sing, I think it would be a whole other issue. But come on, just one painful performance after another over and over. This isn’t anything new, it goes back to the first time I ever saw her sing on live TV. I thought to myself, “Oh no, this one will never last!”…
Always Right says:
To all the people saying she’s a good role model, that may be true, but this isn’t the “role model business,” this is the MUSIC business.
keithfan2 says:
Swift has never been praised when it comes to her vocals,(at least I have never seen it). Its her songs and her ability to entertaine her audiance despite having a marginal voice. This is why she has attracted such recognition and praise in the industry. You can not win virtually every artist award without being extremely talented. Again those awards including the hal david award, is mainly for her song writing.
hey - HEY! says:
Ya think? And who sold the most cd’s over the last two years in the MUSIC business??
J.J. says:
Kenny - First of all, I disagree. There are many here who hate Taylor. All you have to do is read some of the comments that are posted with regularity. But I understand what you’re saying about the “pink elephant” but I’m not all that sure that the “pink elephant” scenario is valid any longer. Whether you agree or not, you cannot argue with Taylor’s success. Does it make sense? Could anyone have predicted her popularity in the beginning? No. Sometimes an artist comes along that strikes a chord in people…an inexplicable chord. I know there are tons of writers out there…fantastic writers that don’t sing their own songs and can’t even sell their songs for that matter; and I know there are tons of singers out there that are extremely talented, yet cannot seem to catch a break. It seems unfair, I know. But I believe that making it in the music business (or the entertainment business in general) is 50% luck. My theory about Taylor’s success is that she came along during a time when teen music was going in the wrong direction. Parents were cringing over what was out there for their kids to listen to. Taylor, through her writing, brought an innocence that just connected. Sure, she could write and sell her songs to someone else with a better voice. But they’re her songs and I suppose that by her being the one singing them, she is able to convey the emotion behind the words better than anyone else can. Like I said, the combination just connects.
Listen, my parents scratched their heads about the Beatles then countless other artists that I loved as a teen. Why didn’t I like singers that actually could carry a tune? they wanted to know. Now that I’m old, I get that. But her fans don’t care. And no amount of complaining on your part will change that. Whatever happens to Taylor and her career is an unknown. But all she needs to do is keep up that connection with her audience. That’s all the fans want…that’s all any fan wants.
Oh, and AlwaysRight - I understand what you’re saying as well but things are changing. When it comes to teen music, it’s important to parents that their kids are listening to non-threatening music and that the artist singing that music is the kind of person they’d like their kids to look up to. And now, with artists like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus and others, it’s really hard to find an artist that isn’t offensive in some way, especially to a teen. Role model? Is an athelete in the role model business? Is anyone? They are if they have kids interested in them and looking up to them. The artist doesn’t ask to be a role model, the fans demand it. Just comes with the territory.
Robin says:
This isn’t the “music” business. It’s the “entertainment” industry and the music is only part of the package. And, even with that said, “music” is more than singing. It’s more than story telling. It’s just more.
For whatever reason, Taylor Swift has created a world where girls aren’t “hook-ups”, they are girlfriends and girls respond to that. She is their best friend and through her music, she is beating it into their heads, that they can EXPECT to be treated like a girlfriend and not a hook-up. They can expect life will hurt but you are in control. They can grow into young women who create their own relationships and find stealing someone else’s repulsive.
Music is about “creating” a world as much as it is about the here and now. “Picture To Burn” has a moment of “discovery” that didn’t exist for the listener prior to the experience, but the listener can create the outcome with Taylor perspective rather than the outcome that Britney and Madonna before her created.
Her daddy HAD to buy all that connection. You know that’s how girls are, they connect to who daddy tells them to. Makes so much sense.
S says:
Well said Kenny!!!
bkb says:
there are many talented singers that have not sold a bunch of cd’s, that doesn’t make them untalented just short of hype and publicity stunts that swift did. look at leeann womack, fantastic singer who deserves much more than she has ever gotten from the business. swift stunts with teeny crowd put her in place, now many of them grown up and on to better things.
WHO CARES!!! says:
Well said bkb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
J.J. says:
bkb - Not a soul said that other talented artists were not talented because they didn’t sell as many CD’s as Taylor. Where do you come up with this cr@p? Yeah, Lee Ann Womack is very talented. She wasn’t exactly sitting in a corner wringing her hands over the years. She was considered a pop crossover artist until she released a more traditional country album around 2005. She’s won 5 ACM’s, 5 CMA’s and a Grammy. Most artist have “their time” in the sun and then make room for others. Only the very fortunate (George Strait, Alan Jackson, Reba and a few others) remain relevant. I get you don’t like Taylor’s music. But why do you feel so threatened by her? Has she taken anything away from your favorite artist? You can’t take away what you don’t have so I doubt the above is true.
D Trotter says:
Saw a cute video clip from these awards. Swift explained the nature of her “little time delay” issue:
(1)NOT saying what she wants to say — while it is happening…
(2)Then her song comes out, letting the poor guy find out everything that was on in her mind … TWO YEARS LATER!
But my favorite Swift story at a Songwriting Awards was about how “Love Story” came to be written:
Apparently her parents WOULDN’T let her date her latest crush; she was crazy about the boy, but mom and dad said the boy was bad news.
So, in a moment of Swift Teenage Rebellion, she wrote “Love Story”, cleverly disguising her tale as a Shakespeare tragedy. Then (in a stroke of near-blasphemy), TAYLOR decided the Bard’s classic required A HAPPY ENDING! Talk about yer revolutions!
All this AFTER she had already pitched, in her words, her “one truly EPIC Hissy Fit!”
Holding up her “Song of the Year” Award, tongue firmly planted in cheek, she said:
“Thank you for rewarding that behavior!”
And I would be remiss NOT to mention that ROBIN is my new hero. I would buy her a round and play Carrie and Taylor back-to-back all night long.
D Trotter says:
Wonderful comments, JJ.
Robin says:
D Trotter - Country’s version of Britney Spears recently gave me a kick in the head perspective of Taylor and her music. I don’t have to listen to it to appreciate her and what she has to offer the world of entertainment. I am starting to appreciate when her songs come on the radio and sing with her instead of turning over to my CD. Why not? I like HER.
ALJID says:
@hey - HEY!
And who sold tonnes before Swiftie? Miley Cyrus..Before that, High School Musical. Right now, Mr. Justin Bieber is hot with the tweenies. That’s just the way it is for the likes of Swift.
Ashley says:
GALPAL
You’re completely incorrect. Taylor has written several songs completely bu herself. She does write with co-writers on some songs but she does write by herself as weel, Just so you know. For example, 15 she wrote by herself.
hey - HEY! says:
bkb said: just short of hype and publicity stunts that swift did…
It goes without saying that songs are written to gain monetary success
and hype is used to promote publicity..these are both reasonable ploys
used in the entertainment industry(thanks Robin). I don’t understand why you are having a problem with there use??
If one artist writes better songs than another it stands to reason
that they will get their songs played more often. If one artist
entertains better than another - the better entertainer will draw the
larger crowds. If you are feeling sorry for other artists maybe they
need to step up their game. Feeling sorry for them doesn’t help them at all.
Robin - there is a lot to like about Taylor Swift….
ALJID says:
So songs played on the radio are songs better than those that aren’t played? You’re saying Taylor Swift’s songs are better than Trisha Yearwood’s? That is beyond me..
rosyz says:
I am not a fan of her music at all but her songs mostly are suited to her age demographic fans. She looks pretty on this picture though. The dress really looks good on her.
goodguy says:
In reference to the comments about Taylor’s father being called “DADDY”-I did a personal research into this. Children from the age of two to about six, call their fathers “daddy”. After this young age it switches to “DAD”. So I figure the age of the negative comments on Taylor’s Dad are written by very young and immature school children. Either way, Daddy/Dad it is a word for love and respect when referring to a parent.
Robin says:
goodguy - women and rednecks call their dad, “daddy” all their lives - so say the flowers at my “daddy’s” headstone for which my 50 something brother bought.
Not negating your comments, but “daddy” is a great term for a father and nothing to be ashamed about using. I kind of hope Taylor uses it.
Peacock Queen says:
I agree with Rosyz. Taylor’s songs are geared toward the teens. I do not enjoy most of them, especially “You Belong With Me.” But I really do like “Fearless.” That song is catchy, and to me, it is the best example of her song writing ability. Maybe on Taylor’s next album, she will have more “grown up” songs, which would make sense because she and her young fans will be older. In any event, although I am not a fan, I do respect the fact that she practiced the guitar as a youngster until her fingers bled. That shows a great deal of “can do” attitude, and our young people could certainly learn from that.
D Trotter says:
Watching the televised James Taylor/Carole King reunion concert at the Troubadour, I was struck by how much Taylor Swift has in common with Songwriter Hall of Famer Carole King.
Carole, at the age of 18, began as a songwriter at the legendary Brill Building, where a stable of songwriters churned out almost all the early hits of Rock ‘N’ Roll. (Much like Swift becoming the youngest songwriter ever to be hired by Sony/ATV in Nashville.)
For the next 4 years, she teamed up with future husband Gerry Goffin to write some of the all-time most memorable anthems of teen angst (the quintessential “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”), teen dreams (”One Fine Day”), teen dancing (”The Locomotion”) and teen petulance (”Don’t Say Nothing Bad About My Baby”, really just a more aggressive version of Swift’s “Love Story”).
(Much like Taylor teaming with Liz Rose to write Teen Anthems for a new generation.)
Simplistic as those early Carole King songs may be in their emotional depth, they are still loved and covered again and again by new artists — who recognize the absolute honesty and raw intensity of feeling in those basic teen emotions. Those songs are every bit as real today as when the 18-to-21 year old Carole King first co-wrote them.
After a few years,King began to write more mature songs — “Up On the Roof”, Aretha’s “Natural Woman”, The Byrds’ “Wasn’t Born to Follow”.
Then, nearly 30 years old, she gave the world her first album — the majestic “Tapestry” with it’s collection of near-flawless songs (many of them written by King alone).
“You’ve Got a Friend” may be, as James Taylor calls it, “the best Pop Song ever”. (James had been instrumental, in convincing Carole to sing her own songs, even though she was prone to occasional pitch problems and missed notes. Just like …:)
Tapestry pretty much set the standard for female artists, what with its record number of weeks at #1 (much like “Fearless” in the present decade) and its record number of weeks remaining on the Billboard charts (much like Taylor’s debut album did in the current decade), and its 4 Grammy’s, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and, most importantly, Album of the Year … much like .. well, YOU know!
I’m not sure if they made her sing at the Grammy show. But this is how Rock Critic extraordinaire Robert Christgau described her:
“King has done for the female voice what countless singer/composers achieved years ago for the male: liberated it from technical decorum. She insists on being heard as she is — not “be-yoo-ti-ful”, just HUMAN, with all the cracks and imperfections that implies.”
kbug says:
Taylor Swift is good singer so stop talking bad about her she is what she is.
RWb says:
The haters need to get their facts straight. She is an absolutely wonderful songwriter, and this is just the beginning. Yeah, a lot of her songs are about boys and love, but if you people would actually pick up her album and listen to all of the songs, you would see it’s much more than that. You can see her truthful emotions behind every word of every song. She writes EVERY one of her songs, so she’s not some fake pop artist having everything spoon-fed to her. I have so much respect for her because she’s come a long way, and she’s REAL. Just wait until her new record comes out this fall, you will all be speechless.
Sanhal says:
S says:
Posted: June 21st, 2010 at 11:30 am
“Sanhal, John may have been a big star for 13 years but his popularity took a hit from the article he did with Playboy (I think that was the magazine). Now he’s trying now to win people’s approval again and what better way than to record a song with Taylor and suck up her fans.”
S, that is utter nonsense as well. He recorded with Taylor before the article. His album hit the top of the charts AFTER the article. HE sold out shows on his tour AFTER the article, for example, his shows in Europe sold out in 30 minutes. His tour is grossing the second highest revenue this year AFTER the article. That is NOT a loss of popularity. The guy didn’t commit any horrible crimes in the article. He said he liked having sex with a past girlfriend, that he hasn’t yet had sex with a black woman and that black people are resiliant. When saying that, he unfortunately used a term that causes some people to lose all capacity for rational thought regardless of the context in which it was used (I’m black, by the way). He was pretty straightforward. He said, as a great songwriter himself, what he has always said which is, he thinks Taylor is a great songwriter. He said that because he thinks Taylor a great songwriter. Full stop.
Marry_Me!! says:
Congratulations Taylor. You’re beautiful, intelligent, funny, and you sing like an angel. Please marry me!
L. says:
OK, I get where all of you are coming from. Taylor might not have the best voice, BUT, she is an amazing songwriter. Her songs aren’t extremely complicated or anything but do they really need to be? They give it to you straight. They tell young girls to respect themselves, that life goes on, heck, she tells them to LOVE themselves.
In a world where tons of girls struggle with eating disorders (which she did write a song about, anyone ever heard of “Tied Together With A Smile”?) she doesn’t seem so bad to me. Actually, I honestly don’t care how she sounds live. She’s getting better. I love her LYRICS and on my IPod she doesn’t sound bad, which is all I really care about.
Oh, and PS: I call my dad, Daddy. It’s because I love him. FYI most girls call their dad “daddy.” It’s a term of endearment.
kbug says:
Taylor Swift is fearless.
goodguy says:
As I said. It does not matter if you call your father Dad or Daddy. It should be said with LOVE and RESPECT.
dawn says:
I agree with J.J.Some people do hate Taylor,and that has always been a pretty strong word in my book.I guess i really dont know why?They dony like her voice?Dont listen to her or buy her albums…,or they think shes not country enough?Really?You could put many artists in that same boat.I think there is room for all in country music.Ive seen some pretty nasty comments about her,most people never really offering an expanation,or any clear points of view….I dont hate anybody.Dosent make sense to me.If you dont like someone dont listen to them,thats pretty easy i would think…..Taylor is a good role model,seems like a very nice person,and has shown that she really knows how to treat her fans,so that is some of the reasons i like her,and will continue to like her.Regardless of people who dont like her…..John Mayer was right.I admire her as well….
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