… I can strongly argue that Taylor Swift is what’s wrong with music today. She took a huge country career, built upon her personal story married to hooks and melody, and turned to the world’s greatest hitmaker, Max Martin, to make her into a pop star. Pop stars come and go, the legends are forever. And today there’s really only one pop star, Mr. Martin, his fingerprints are all over not only Taylor Swift’s music but the Weeknd’s too, never mind Furthermore, Martin has a coterie of apprentices who churn out more hits, and you’ve got to give him credit, but if you’re looking for honesty and innovation from a fortysomething Swede, you’re looking in the wrong place. We’ve never had a Swedish Bob Dylan, and if you’re a legend, you write not only your own music, but your lyrics too.
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And if I hear one more superstar say they’re doing it for the little people, I want them to sign a document ensuring they won’t complain when their time is done and they can no longer get on the chart and the little people are replacing them. They’re doing it for themselves. Jay Z and Madonna ain’t altruistic, nor is Taylor Swift. That paradigm went out with the sixties.
Ouch. Lots of snark in this article, but lots of truth too.
Source: Lefsetz Letter » Blog Archive Taylor Swift In Vanity Fair – Lefsetz Letter