Why Taylor Swift is Bad for the Music Industry

Her reign over popular music is a symptom of a much larger problem.

On July 23rd of this year, I penned a long journal entry that I thought nobody else would ever see. My wife initially cautioned me against posting this on Instagram, especially during the Taylor Swift mania that was gripping Seattle at the time. I figured It would stay buried unless I showed it to friends who asked me to see it.

However, frankly, I want to give something to the handful of wonderful folks who are paid subscribers, even if it gets me in some hot water with TS fans.

So here’s some pictures of my journal entry along with a very lightly edited transcript to fix my bad grammar and punctuation.

Enjoy, and please don’t forget to tell me what an idiot I am in the comments. I welcome being challenged in this.

Why Taylor Swift’s Music is Bad for [the Music Industry]

An Unedited, Self-Indulgent Rant by Cole Bratcher

On the off chance I actually show this to anybody, let me start by making it clear what I’m not saying: 

• I’m not saying you shouldn’t listen to Taylor Swift. I truly believe that when it comes to art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I also truly believe that some art is unhealthy.

• I’m not saying you’re dumb, unrefined or uncreative if you listen to Taylor Swift. I’ve met some extremely talented and brilliant people (more so than me) that to my bafflement enjoy Taylor Swift’s music. I just think these people would be even better people by listening to less pop music.

• The issues I have with Taylor Swift are not unique to her. (In fact, that’s part of the problem.) I’m just focused on her at the moment because Seattle is in a tizzy right now due to her upcoming concert.

• I’m not saying Taylor Swift isn’t talented. Heck, She’s certainly more talented than me, but talent alone does not make music edifying [or good].

• I’m not implying that I make better music. I make weird shit that nobody likes or pays for. (I’m learning to be ok with that.) Nobody who likes Taylor Swift is going to like the “Sonic Vomit” (Great band name!) that I produce.

• I’m not saying you should listen to what I listen to. I am obsessed with music, and I pride myself in finding unique and interesting artists. I think if I got to know someone I could find at least one performer we enjoy in common; but a lot of what I listen to is an acquired taste, some of it is ridiculous, and a little is downright stupid. “Bad” music has its place, and some of it I thoroughly enjoy.

• I’m not saying all pop music is bad. Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Stevie Wonder: all excellent [semi] pop artists. Groups like Hiatus Kaiyote, Dirty Projectors, Nikka Costa and Brotherly have at least one foot on pop territory and are superb. The one they have in common: They are unique.

And this segues nicely into my first problem with TS’s music. It’s not unique.