u/Daffneigh

(This chart was from yesterday so doesnt actually have ME! over a billion)

What causes a song in Taylor’s catalogue to get to that billions club is an interesting topic. Because she is literally competing with herself with her Fearless and 1989 hits, the chart would look a bit different if those were combined. And of course she is competing with herself for streams in general, with 12 albums and around 300 songs.

Other points of intrigue: august and Don’t Blame Me at 9 and 11 despite never being singles. Also Enchanted at number 24. ATW10 but no sign of ATW OG. The Fate of Ophelia already at number 10 all time at only a year old.
SMASHphelia more like!

And somehow, Lover at number 4.

Anyway, which of these 29 songs is/are in your personal S-tier and which are in your personal D-tier? Do you think this chart says anything as to the oft-repeated claim that Taylor is an album artist?

Today’s song is a vault track from 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

Allegedly this song was left off the original album in favor of Blank Space, which is quite the alternate reality moment to imagine. They are two very different takes on a similar theme, however.

The production is mellow and I can definitely see why some people feel it was influenced by Midnights, being recorded around the same time. To me, this is not a bad thing as I love the production on Midnights. One of my great Swiftie what-ifs is if there was ever a real recording of Slut! feat. The 1975… idk I think it could have worked!

This song is unique in its direct use of the word “Slut” and I appreciate how it doesn’t talk around the word, tho this bluntness meshes a bit oddly with the dreamy, lovey tone of the song in general. Overall it works tho! Lyrically the song is no Blank Space but the imagery is vivid and compelling.

Favorite lyrics: Got lovestruck, went straight to my head
Got lovesick, all over my bed
Love to think you'll never forget
We'll pay the price, I guess

(HM to “in a world of boys, he’s a gentleman”)

Instrumental: 7/10

Rating: 8/10

NB. Sorry to those expecting The Alchemy today. The mods are tired, folks. We’re going in a different direction!

Today’s song is a vault track from Fearless (Taylor’s Version).

It’s a collab with Keith Urban and has never been performed live.

This is one of the songs of all time, if you know what I mean. It’s fine. It’s clear why it’s a vault track. The “that’s when, when it’s sunny or stormin’” part is catchy. Taylor and Keith sound pretty good together. But it just doesn’t leave much of an impression. I have listened to it six or so times today and I find myself forgetting about it immediately after it plays.

Interestingly, many people noticed a similarity to this song in Taylor’s new Toy Story song. I can sort of hear it but that’s not a strength of mine lol.

There’s nothing *wrong* with the song, but it’s not even average for the TS discog imo.

Rating: 5/10

A strange choice to wait this long.

Hello Nuancers,

Please be vigilant and report any and all misinformation being spread in our sub. We are experiencing a large increase in traffic and there’s a lot of nonsense out there right now.

We will be quickly removing all misinformation or other rule-violating comments and being harsh with ALL rule infractions at this time. NOTE: personal attacks against commenters and attempts to pick fights will be treated especially harshly.

Also be careful with what you engage with online or repost! Not engaging with these bad-faith or fake accounts is the only strategy. Be very mindful of the sources material or information comes from. And in particular be wary of information that goes to length to hide its source.

Thank you for making this a great community!

The discourse about Taylor is always full of a “wall of voices” but I’ve been struck by how *much* of it seems to stem from this notion some fans have that, even on something like her wedding, they have the right to submit their opinion to a “suggestion box” and further that the (parasocial) fan relations grants fans any rights over the life of the person they supposedly admire.

Taylor’s willingness to share parts of her life with fans does not, and never has, meant that fans have any say in her personal life choices. So many people who seem disappointed that she didn’t choose the wedding venue or style *they think* she should have… it’s well past time to stop claiming that Taylor’s closeness with fans justifies this kind of demand.

Note bc this always is the rejoinder — this is NOT saying that fans or others have no right to criticize Taylor for anything, but specifically justifying their “disappointment” bc of their special fan relationship is NOT valid. And on something that truly does not involve fans at all — like a choice of wedding venue — fan investment in her music does NOT give them a stake in this matter.

(Caroline Polachek is a great musician and you should check out her music)

For fun this week, two polls!

This one is “happy” or positive songs about weddings or wedding-adjacent things. Specifically TS songs!

NOMINATE your fave in the comments

UPVOTE the ones you enjoy

DEBATE the true meaning of happiness if you want!

That’s it, that’s the poll, enjoy!

For fun this week, two polls!

This one is “sad” or negative songs about weddings or wedding-adjacent things. Specifically TS songs!

NOMINATE your fave in the comments

UPVOTE the ones you enjoy

DEBATE if a song is sad or not if you want!

That’s it, that’s the poll!

A huge undercurrent of current TS discourse is that Taylor wanting fame, awards, chart positions or even a big wedding at a famous location is somehow morally problematic.

In general, the internet moralizes the idea of “attention seeking” — in reality desiring attention is morally neutral, and in fact for people who enjoy attention becoming a performer is a great choice!

Some of this discourse is of course bc Taylor is more than just famous, but some of it is stemming from a philosophically suspect principle that a person who continues to have ambitions and desire recognition when they have already achieved it is doing something wrong.

Why do you think people try to make this a moral issue?

How does this discourse intersect with the anxiety some fans are feeling about it what married life will mean for Taylor’s future career?

Post your (serious or humorous) predictions for the weirdest thing the media is going to “report” this week here.

Today’s song is the title track and a single from the album Lover.

To be upfront — the word “lover” and I have never gotten along. I am on the record as someone who doesn’t believe in cringe, but the use of the word “lover” for a romantic partner sets my teeth on edge and there’s just nothing i can do about that. That fact means that this song was fighting an uphill battle with me from the start.

People love this song, and see it as very romantic! Taylor herself has said that she wrote it as a timeless wedding reception song. Of course, she also later put it on her “Denial” playlist, so…

I do not find most of this song to be romantic. The music is slow and waltzy and lacks interest to me. The lyrics… conceiving of this song as a wedding/marriage song is baffling to me, since at its central point it is deliberately subverting the wedding vows. That’s confusing to me!

Individual lines have sweet sentiments (sometimes verging on saccharine), but other lines seem (to me, a person who first heard the song post-2022) anxious and seeking reassurance. In the broader auto-fictional context of TS’ music work this (now) makes sense but at the time, I wonder how it was really viewed? I am the last person to mock Taylor for “trying too hard” but to me, the effort of crafting this song shows, and not in a positive way.

I will say that I appreciated the Live from Paris version much more musically, which goes to the fact that my number one problem with Lover songs is usually the production. However I just can’t get over the twee-ness combined with the anxiety and there’s only a few interesting lyric choices, which all together makes this song one of my very least favorite TS songs.

Favorite lyric: have I know you twenty seconds or twenty years?

Instrumental: 4/10 album 7/10 live from Paris

Rating: 3/10