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Irix

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VoodooLounge13

And for those stating who knows if she'll be around in 50 years, she's already been around for 18.

In the 1980s/90s, Madonna and Michael Jackson were hyped as the Queen & King of Pop .... but how much of this hype will be left after 50 years?

Its hardly 'hype' when you've had that growing level of success for almost 20 years. She's been around for as long as the Stones had by the time they were making Tattoo You.

If Michael Jackson was still alive he would be about 55 years into his career and still hugely successful. Madonna is still doing pretty well after over 4 decades in an industry where its harder for women than men to be accepted as they age.

Swift seems to have been able to do what Madonna did in that she reinvents herself artistically in a way that her audience grows with her. Maybe even more successfully in fact as most acts who become the biggest stars on the planet do so early on in their career. She'll be massive for decades.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2024-03-04 19:34 by Gazza.

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Irix

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VoodooLounge13

And for those stating who knows if she'll be around in 50 years, she's already been around for 18.

In the 1980s/90s, Madonna and Michael Jackson were hyped as the Queen & King of Pop .... but how much of this hype will be left after 50 years?

I feel as if King and Queen are used too much these days........Queen of Hip-Hop, Queen of Pop, Queen of Rock, King of Soul. Solomon Burke called our boys the crowned Kings of RnR. I suppose that's fairly accurate these days, but really they are just the epitome of Rock n Roll Legends/Royalty.

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yorkshirestone

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Irix

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VoodooLounge13

And for those stating who knows if she'll be around in 50 years, she's already been around for 18.

In the 1980s/90s, Madonna and Michael Jackson were hyped as the Queen & King of Pop .... but how much of this hype will be left after 50 years?

Curious on this one so just looked it up. MJ had 6.5bn streams on Spotify in 2023, so holding up pretty well 40 years after his biggest album (for context Taylor was top streamed artist at c.30bn)

MJ is probably the closest thing to Taylor Swift. In terms of sheer fan adulation, new album release build-up, following, and being a solo artist. But even he pales against the level she has obtained. Certainly a true - though tortured - artist in his own right.

But if I remember correctly, Michael Jackson didn't release albums that often, but when he did they were instant big hits. And it wasn't just the music that made him popular, but also the overall mystique surrounding him. All kinds of strange stories that turned his life into one big circus and he had his own amusement park and zoo and so on. He met world leaders and when he was in the country it was on the news and he visited hospitals and so on. To me as a child at the time, he seemed like some kind of superhero, or an invented figure like Mickey Mouse. Compared to that, Taylor Swift is just "just" a singer, a much more "boring" person.

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NilsHolgersson
But if I remember correctly, Michael Jackson didn't release albums that often, but when he did they were instant big hits. And it wasn't just the music that made him popular, but also the overall mystique surrounding him. All kinds of strange stories that turned his life into one big circus and he had his own amusement park and zoo and so on. He met world leaders and when he was in the country it was on the news and he visited hospitals and so on. To me as a child at the time, he seemed like some kind of superhero, or an invented figure like Mickey Mouse. Compared to that, Taylor Swift is just "just" a singer, a much more "boring" person.

Is it hard to imagine that people younger than you idolize her like you idolized Michael Jackson? She is a superhero to many regardless of how you feel about her. And, Michael Jackson's mystique caused many to distance themselves from him (alleged inappropriate actions with children), rather than draw closer.

The NFL has reached an agreement with Taylor Swift for the artist to perform at the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show, according to reports

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NilsHolgersson
But if I remember correctly, Michael Jackson didn't release albums that often, but when he did they were instant big hits. And it wasn't just the music that made him popular, but also the overall mystique surrounding him. All kinds of strange stories that turned his life into one big circus and he had his own amusement park and zoo and so on. He met world leaders and when he was in the country it was on the news and he visited hospitals and so on. To me as a child at the time, he seemed like some kind of superhero, or an invented figure like Mickey Mouse. Compared to that, Taylor Swift is just "just" a singer, a much more "boring" person.

Taylor does a lot of charitable events/things as well. Many of them are on the down-low. Doesn't make her any less of a person because of it. I agree with the frenzy that surrounded MJ - like I said, he is probably the closest to her in terms of popularity and all of that.

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VoodooLounge13

Taylor does a lot of charitable events/things as well. Many of them are on the down-low. Doesn't make her any less of a person because of it. I agree with the frenzy that surrounded MJ - like I said, he is probably the closest to her in terms of popularity and all of that.

I've just finished reading a 550+ page book called "1963 : The Beatles". It's a terminally nerdy exhaustive day by day account of (shorthand) the growth of Beatlemania in the UK through 1963.

Reminding me of those events really made it clear that nothing that has happened anywhere since - be it Glam Rock, MJ, George Michael/Wham, Taylor Swift - has come remotely close to the impact that The Beatles had in the UK that year.

Captain Corella

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DiegoGlimmerStones
The NFL has reached an agreement with Taylor Swift for the artist to perform at the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show, according to reports

Source of those reports is an "Exclusive" in the US Sun.

[www.the-sun.com]

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bye bye johnny

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DiegoGlimmerStones
The NFL has reached an agreement with Taylor Swift for the artist to perform at the upcoming 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show, according to reports

Source of those reports is an "Exclusive" in the US Sun.

[www.the-sun.com]

I believe she had claimed she would do it when she was done re-recording her old albums, of which she has 2 left. So its reasonable to think those will be released this year, then she'll basically wrap up this last 2 year jaunt with the Super Bowl.

Though I could also see her playing the super bowl literally any year she'd want so there's really no rush. Besides the fact that her boyfriend Travis Kelce has said the Chiefs want to go for a 3-peat, and then he'd probably retire after that. So Chiefs Super Bowl, him retiring, and if they're still together she'll be there anyway? Makes sense.

Taylor Swift - 'Wildest Dreams' - Sandro Reggae Remiix 2024 - Vanuatu

video: [youtu.be]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-03-11 00:35 by Zotz.

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NilsHolgersson
But if I remember correctly, Michael Jackson didn't release albums that often, but when he did they were instant big hits. And it wasn't just the music that made him popular, but also the overall mystique surrounding him. All kinds of strange stories that turned his life into one big circus and he had his own amusement park and zoo and so on. He met world leaders and when he was in the country it was on the news and he visited hospitals and so on. To me as a child at the time, he seemed like some kind of superhero, or an invented figure like Mickey Mouse. Compared to that, Taylor Swift is just "just" a singer, a much more "boring" person.

Michael had 3 uberselling albums, Thriller, Bad & Dangerous spanning 1982-1991.

Off The Wall was big, but I don't count it as stratospheric in the same way and that "mystique" really only started with Thriller, which of course made him a superstar. Time will tell whether Swift is considered "bigger" than MJ. I will say that to have a superstar of her status, at this time when the music industry is so fragmented is pretty monumental.

Tortured Poets sells 1.6MM copies and debuts at #1 - no surprise there. First album to sell a million copies since her own Taylor's Version of 1989 last year. And all 31 tracks of the new album were streamed over 240 million times!!!!! These are special, special times to watch what's happening in music, regarding Ms. Swift. Believe these are all Day 1 figures, but I could be wrong about that - wasn't totally listening to the news in the hotel room this am....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-22 15:34 by VoodooLounge13.

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VoodooLounge13
Tortured Poets sells 1.6MM copies and debuts at #1 - no surprise there. First album to sell a million copies since her own Taylor's Version of 1989 last year. And all 31 tracks of the new album were streamed over 240 million times!!!!! These are special, special times to watch what's happening in music, regarding Ms. Swift. Believe these are all Day 1 figures, but I could be wrong about that - wasn't totally listening to the news in the hotel room this am....

Had to listen to the new album because my daughter is a fan.

Well crafted pop but not my cup of tea.

C

Absolutely not against her, as I've enjoyed her other albums as I've gone back, though I did think most of this album was sitting at a piano and just rambling. She's obviously allowed to put out whatever she wants, and she could sing the phone book and it would sell, but I didn't really feel these were great "songs" and its hard to not argue 30 songs is just a lot. It doesn't feel like a crafted album, it feels like she's the biggest artist in the world and won't do any quality control or editing and would rather just release anything she has. Just my feeling though, obviously others certainly enjoy it, and I can't help but applaud her output, especially since it was all recorded while she was on a record breaking tour.

Maybe this will be her "White Album", her "Exile". Those albums weren't really understood at the time too.

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liddas

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VoodooLounge13
Tortured Poets sells 1.6MM copies and debuts at #1 - no surprise there. First album to sell a million copies since her own Taylor's Version of 1989 last year. And all 31 tracks of the new album were streamed over 240 million times!!!!! These are special, special times to watch what's happening in music, regarding Ms. Swift. Believe these are all Day 1 figures, but I could be wrong about that - wasn't totally listening to the news in the hotel room this am....

Had to listen to the new album because my daughter is a fan.

Well crafted pop but not my cup of tea.

C

Haven't listened to any of it other than watching the video for Fortnight, which left me underwhelmed. I'm not a big fan of these haunting albums, as I call them, due to how the sound is. Her Midnights album was similar in style overall and was a huge step backward, IMHO, from Evermore. There were really only 2 good songs on it. Again, haven't listened to all of Tortured yet, so don't know if it's all in the vein of Fortnight. Hoping not. I'm on the road traveling all over the upper Midwest atm, but I expect at least 2 of my 4 copies to be waiting for me when I return home. Figuring at some point a physical copy of the 2am edition will be released - maybe RSD Black Friday? or a Japan only edition.

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NilsHolgersson
Maybe this will be her "White Album", her "Exile". Those albums weren't really understood at the time too.

As much as I love the White Album, is there any arguing against it being a mess? It's hardly a "Beatles" record, it's all 4 of them trying to get their songs on there and working separately. I, and I suspect many, have come to love it for what it is, but I'd personally never argue its cohesive. Thats precisely what makes it the White Album and interesting, but I'm not sure I'd compare this to that, as this just sounds more rambling to me, than the White Album which is 4 very distinct voices, and some essentially demos that made it onto the record. I also wouldn't really say The White Album is one thats become more "understood". It just kind of is, which I've always seen as very different than an album like Exile on Main Street, but that's just me.

For me, the White Album has always been an overhyped record. One that could be scaled back to an excellent long EP or a very short LP, depending on how one looks at it. There are some most excellent tracks on it (Julia, Good Night, Dear Prudence), but there is also a bunch of rubbish.

It's weird because I rarely listen to The Beatles anymore, and they were my #1 before '97. But even then, my favorite albums have always been Abbey Road, Let It Be, and Hey Jude (I know this is just a compilation, much like Flowers - another favorite), and coupling these 3 with a US-only collection called 20 Greatest Hits was really all that I felt one needed for them. Over time, I did expand to include Rubber Soul, but really other than that, for me, I can leave the rest.

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VoodooLounge13
For me, the White Album has always been an overhyped record. One that could be scaled back to an excellent long EP or a very short LP, depending on how one looks at it. There are some most excellent tracks on it (Julia, Good Night, Dear Prudence), but there is also a bunch of rubbish.

The thing with the White Album is no one can agree on the tracks you'd keep if its a single album. For example, I don't think many would keep Good Night. But I love something like Why Don't We Do It In The Road that many would lose. I agree that the White Album is overhyped, but again I almost don't even think of it as a cohesive album. Its just a collection of songs, that is mythologized because its the Beatles.

This is all I'd keep:

Dear Prudence
Ob-La-DI
Blackbird
Julia
Mother Nature’s Son
Sexy Sadie
Helter Skelter
Good Night

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NilsHolgersson
Maybe this will be her "White Album", her "Exile". Those albums weren't really understood at the time too.

Albums like this have many songs to jack up the streaming numbers. Same thing with Beyonces Cowboy Carter or those albums by Morgan Wallen. They’re not misunderstood double albums, they’re playlists… pick the songs you want, don’t worry about the others, put them in a bowl and shuffle. Albums are old fashioned and pretty soon a thing of the past. Streaming ruined it, but here we are.

‘It’s the bloody Beatles White Album. Shut up.’ - Paul McCartney

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RollingFreak

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VoodooLounge13
For me, the White Album has always been an overhyped record. One that could be scaled back to an excellent long EP or a very short LP, depending on how one looks at it. There are some most excellent tracks on it (Julia, Good Night, Dear Prudence), but there is also a bunch of rubbish.

The thing with the White Album is no one can agree on the tracks you'd keep if its a single album. For example, I don't think many would keep Good Night. But I love something like Why Don't We Do It In The Road that many would lose. I agree that the White Album is overhyped, but again I almost don't even think of it as a cohesive album. Its just a collection of songs, that is mythologized because its the Beatles.

I would. Its gorgeous. And the way the album is sequenced to have it close things out after the 9 minutes of sonic chaos that immediately precedes it is brilliant.

The White album was a product of the circumstances.

The Beatles didn't manage to find a new collective direction towards the end of the sixties in the way that the Stones had.

They could still come up with some wonderful music but were losing consistent interest and cohesion ...

...and there was thus a creeping element of "... bugger it, we're the Beatles, we can get away with anything"

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RollingFreak

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VoodooLounge13
For me, the White Album has always been an overhyped record. One that could be scaled back to an excellent long EP or a very short LP, depending on how one looks at it. There are some most excellent tracks on it (Julia, Good Night, Dear Prudence), but there is also a bunch of rubbish.

The thing with the White Album is no one can agree on the tracks you'd keep if its a single album. For example, I don't think many would keep Good Night. But I love something like Why Don't We Do It In The Road that many would lose. I agree that the White Album is overhyped, but again I almost don't even think of it as a cohesive album. Its just a collection of songs, that is mythologized because its the Beatles.

Yes, that's the thing with most double records. I think the reason that those albums are double records is that even the artists couldn't say which tracks are the best.

There's the popular opinion here that ABB would be better with half the tracks. However everyone has different opionions on which tracks that should be.

As for T.Swift. To me the first side (the single album) are clearly the most catchy and radio friendly songs. The second side then is more for the hardcore fans who really want to dive in deep into the storys.
Smart move.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-04-23 10:56 by StonedRambler.

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RollingFreak

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NilsHolgersson
Maybe this will be her "White Album", her "Exile". Those albums weren't really understood at the time too.

As much as I love the White Album, is there any arguing against it being a mess? It's hardly a "Beatles" record, it's all 4 of them trying to get their songs on there and working separately. I, and I suspect many, have come to love it for what it is, but I'd personally never argue its cohesive. Thats precisely what makes it the White Album and interesting, but I'm not sure I'd compare this to that, as this just sounds more rambling to me, than the White Album which is 4 very distinct voices, and some essentially demos that made it onto the record. I also wouldn't really say The White Album is one thats become more "understood". It just kind of is, which I've always seen as very different than an album like Exile on Main Street, but that's just me.

No argument here.

THE BEATLES is a mess (amazingly so, there were tunes left off - Hey Jude, the other version of Revolution, and a few went on the brilliant ABBEY ROAD).

What it isn't is more of a solo album than THE WALL.

THE WALL is a mess... and, like THE BEATLES, has some really great songs on it.

EXILE wasn't strictly recorded in France, it's a bunch of leftovers - it's a gumbo. It's not all focused rock'n'roll. It's a mess.

Although it's possible THE BEATLES has become more understood, when it was deluxe reissued recently there were some claims that it's better than SGT PEPPERS, what is apparent is it has gotten a lot more attention lately - and more people like it.

It does have great songs on it. It also has a bunch of yawners. Edited down to a single LP it's brilliantly fantastic.

Better than ABBEY ROAD? Not for me but that's subjective.

Live Stream of the European opening night for those interested:
[www.youtube.com]

Pretty cool that she's continuing to change up her set. I feel like it was a given with this new album, but just kinda shows that she's not resting on anything. Cool for European fans.

Michael Jackson's biggest tour was BAD with 4.4 million attending.

Swift currently sits at 4.35 million.

Above them so far (solo artists):

Harry Styles at 5 million (2021-23)
Bruce with 5 million (1983-84)
Garth Brooks with 5.5 million (1996-98)
Ed Sheeran with 5.8 million (2022-24)
Elton John with 6 million (2018-2023)
Garth Brooks with 6.3 million (2014-17)
Ed Sheeran with 8.9 million ((2017-19)

Of course, the amount of shows varies - Sheeran's all time record breaking tour was 260 shows, way beyond what the Stones and U2 set for records (U2 had 110 shows, Stones VOODOO tour was 134).

Taylor has quite a few shows to go yet. Money wise she's the most ever - period, just over $1 billion in 60 so far of eventually a total of 152 shows.

She might top Sheeran's attendance record? No way to figure that out that I can think of since there's never the same attendance for every show.