Read to the end for a post about Botany Horror.
I don't know why, but I feel the need to preface this post with this fact: I am by no means a "Swiftie" but I am someone who listens to almost every genre of music. I appreciate the art and can acknowledge talent even if it's in songs or areas that I don't listen to too often.
Taylor Swift has dominated 2023. I want to say that's overstating things or a generalization but her music is everywhere. Every. Freaking. Where. Her Eras tour, as expected, is a massive event and for her fans it must be an experience getting to see her live. The tour is a jaw-dropping 44 song set spanning three hours. I have been to dozens of concerts in my life and only one was even close to that level of depth.
Her tour has been filmed and it's playing in theaters right now. This live performance grossed $73 million its opening weekend. Because that's Swift's power. She's on TV. She's on streaming. She's on the big screen. You cannot escape her.
This past week I saw a featured new release on Apple Music called "Cruelest Summer". This was a 3-song EP by Swift but really just two remixed tracks accompanied by the studio version of Cruel Summer off her Lover album. Now, I'll say that Lover is a good album. I like it. I even own a copy on vinyl. The production is solid (Jack Antonoff was a major contributer too) and the songs are catchy. Cruel Summer is interesting in that the song's bridge has a catchy cadence but also repeats a second time. I'm a sucker for lyrics that continue for 2-3 words into the next verse. Pair that with "Summer's" melody and you've got a winner.
I listened to the two remixes and thought they were good. Then I moved on with my day. A few hours later, the studio version came on. Then in the afternoon in my car it came on both FM and XM stations I'd been flipping through. That's a LOT of a single song in a single day.
When I took a weekend getaway a couple weekends ago, my fiance and I noticed that every shop we stopped in had a Swift song playing. It wasn't even subtle. Browse in a small store and one track was audible. Minutes later in a different shop a different song was on. It was constant. And this wasn't the radio either. This was likely streaming music because no DJ voices were heard.
I guess this is a huge nod to Swift's work ethic. Who in their right mind decides to rerecord all their past work because of a business dispute? Who could even fathom performing 44 songs for multiple hours on a tour that will last over a year? Who has made Travis Kelce a household name by simply being at a football game?
You don't have to like her music. You don't have to care about her social life, tour, gossip, or anything else. But when it comes to dominating mindshare, nobody currently beats Taylor Swift.
I hope you have a great week.
-Aaron
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