There will always be certain standards as to what qualifies as a certain kind of music. You wouldn't look at, for example, Nine Inch Nails and call it country, would you? To be properly called a country artist (or indeed an artist for ANY form of music) requires certain standards as to what qualifies as that form. In Taylor Swift's case, for example, WHY call her a country singer? What is it about her music that ever sounded like country? What qualifies her, now or in the past, to be able to lay claim to being a country artist? Think about it. Sorry for mentioning Charley Pride (didn't know there were so many haters) but let's consider, for example, Dire Straits. I might argue that their last album (On Every Street) qualifies them as a country act, since not only does it have a steel guitarist as a permanent member of the band, but also Vince Gill sings backup on it - hell, he was even invited to join permanently as well!
^ This discussion sounds very similar in spirit, to how some hardcore heavy metal fans attempt to define what is "metal" and what isn't. Even more amusing is when such metalheads attempt to define what is a particular subcategory of "metal". (ie. Power metal, thrash metal, death metal, etc ....). Such never ending long arguments over nothing in the end.
Here are some songs that shaped my musical views. [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycze0tiMAPw[/yt] Love that transcends obstacles--parents dead-set against it, death, etc. Learning from one generation to the next, you lineage, seeing the power of love. [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9fwSu8qEFE[/yt] On being young...friendship, drinking, water, cars, experiences that shape who you are today. [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLA8sUvCLeU[/yt] Love that stops you from moving on. A goodbye that was never supposed to come. It's a true loss. I don't have a high-end taste in music. I like country. But I don't like Taylor Swift and the reasons have been stated previously in this thread.
Most of the places that bash her are the places whose job it is to bash everyone. I wouldn't take it to harshly. She gets hate on the internet because others can slander anomalously. She doesn't exist to me, not my kind of music at all, but I can understand why she is popular as well. Just doesn't appeal to my sensibilities.
Well, the people who cut her checks, make her contracts, publish her albums, consider her to be a country music artist. That's really all there is to it. Most country music is in the form of ballads, and such, and often use guitars, banjos, and violins. The genre does change over time, just like any other musical genre, but even if you don't like it, she fits the bill of a country music artist. Actually, I like Charley Pride. I was just pointing out that liking an artist doesn't mean they fit the definition of whatever "real" happens to be at the moment.
Nothing wrong with that! To each their own. I've listened to a number of her songs, and while they're not generally my taste, they do have that bubblegum feeling to them, and can be quite pleasant.
^ If Taylor Swift recorded metal, I'd buy it. Maybe it'd be like Y Kant Tori Read. Oh yeah, I went there.
She's gone more and more Mainstream, but she started out Country. Being in Country music is kinda like the Mafia, you can't really leave. (Unless they kick you out)
Taylor Swift fan arrested at Pittsburgh concert for alleged online death threats, claims singer ‘is with Satan’ I guess it was only a matter of time...I haven't heard of anything this crazy before with her.
I figured when Taylor Swift got to the bottom of the dating barrel it would be some nobody schmuck (like me ) not Satan. Good job Satan.
Love to see the album of anti-date songs Taylor would write about the devil. Or maybe it'd be the reverse.
Dude, that's a lot of hate. That guy needs some medication. I just don't like her music and I wish she would fade into obscurity. I don't want her to be protested against (Westboro) or to receive death threats.