An essay I just wrote for my 1301 class. The requirement was compare/contrast and in the light of her new album being released, I decided to compare and contrast Taylor Swift's older album Fearless to 1989. It's not the best but it was requested to be put on here.
Taylor Swift, Then
and Now
The genre of pop music is a continuously changing industry
that demands constant adapting from the artists who occupy it. One of the most difficult
transitions is when an artist, originally from a different genre of music,
decides to cross over into the realm of mainstream music. However, in recent
years, one individual in particular has proved that a seamless conversion is
possible. As a public figure, Taylor Swift’s image is changing from small-town
country girl with a guitar to an adult woman with a popular modern music style,
connecting her to new audiences and increasing her flexibility as a musical
artist.
Initially, Taylor Swift began as a young country music
artist, arriving on the music scene at the age of fifteen. She had been
songwriting for years before, but only at that time had been signed to a record
label. Her eponymous album would start her career but nothing could compare to
the immense success her sophomore album Fearless would bring, winning
her many accolades and awards. The lyrics on the album’s songs pertain mostly
to the experiences Swift had encountered during her final years of high school.
Many songs make references to fairy tales or romantic novels, recognizing her
belief that her romantic relationships seemed “magical.” This shows a naive
perspective and lack of experience on Swift’s part, mostly due to the fact she
was only seventeen. Her most recent album, 1989, demonstrated artistic
growth. Written when she was twenty-two years old, the lyrical content on this
album shows the extensive maturing the singer had gained in little more than
four years. Much like her sophomore album, the lyrics explore Swift’s emotions
during romantic relationships. However, it is clear that the transition from
teenager to adult had a drastic effect on her songwriting, as the lyrics on the
newest record reflect on relationships from a mature standpoint instead of the
naive, fantasizing nature of her early songs.
When Taylor Swift released Fearless
in 2008, modern social media was in its early beginnings. MySpace had just lost
its prevalence as the main social networking website for young adults while
Facebook and Twitter were making their steady progression into popularity.
Swift utilized these sites to promote the album, as well as appearing on
various talk shows. Even with a good grasp on her own marketing, she was still
shielded under a “good girl” image by her management. This image was directed
toward a younger female audience along with their parents, who praised Swift as
a role-model for not involving herself in Hollywood’s popular vices such as
late-night partying. However, this alienated older audiences who perceived her
songs and image as “childish” and “immature.” This image would shift as she
grew older. For 1989, Swift practically did the promotion herself. She
frequently logs onto micro-blogging social networking website Tumblr, joking
and talking to fans like they’re her close friends. In recent events, the
singer has acknowledged that in the past she had included a potentially
homophobic lyric in a song and shamed women who dressed in short skirts. Now,
Swift considers herself a feminist and is an avid supporter of equal marriage
rights, proving that growth and maturity is possible even for a person who’s
grown up in the public eye. Swift has never been fake, nor not herself; she
simply has evolved into an adult woman who is fully capable of formulating her
own opinions.
The most noticeable change in Taylor
Swift’s music is the genre itself. The album Fearless contains elements
of the pop music genre, admittedly, but at its core is based entirely on
country music. Even the two most successful singles from the album, “Love
Story” and “You Belong With Me,” are predominantly country, with banjos and
acoustic guitars accompanying her shrill voice. 1989, on the other hand,
features almost exclusively pop and alternative songs. Popular tracks such as
“Shake It Off” and “Style” incorporate electronic beats and synthesized guitars
into the mix, straying completely from country music. This change in style
gained new audiences who enjoyed the new music, but unfortunately also resulted
in the loss of fans who preferred her country music style. This loss wasn't too
much to worry about though, considering 1989 sold over one million
copies its first week of release.
By comparing Taylor Swift’s albums Fearless and 1989, it can be inferred that her views on life experiences, marketing
techniques, and changes in her music genre reflect her maturing into an
observant young woman with a definite understanding of her career and how it
can be maintained. As long as Swift continues with the strategic actions she’s
taken so far in her career, it is certain that she will stay relevant and
successful for a very long time.
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