Hello, my name is Johnny and I’m a Taylor Swift-holic.
Before we start, Red isn’t even a guilty pleasure, it’s an absolute masterclass in pop music. I can already see your eyes rolling back into your skull, but I’m right. It’s statements like that, however, that triggered raw and unparalleled laughter amongst my mates, colleagues and family members. Taylor Swift is someone you aren’t allowed to like if you want to be considered as someone who is into music. She’s reserved for little kids and crybaby superfans. She’s for the screamers and the screeches, not for someone who also counts The National as one of their favourite bands.
But Taylor does something The National do not. Whilst Berninger brings in a delightful grey cloud, Taylor brings a confetti cannon of rainbows, unicorns and glitter. She’s a bundle of joy and in dire times – like when you stub your toe or Boris Johnson becomes the actual, real-life Prime Minister – you need something mind-numbingly fun to take your mind of all the shit in your life.
But even that, that’s doing Taylor a discredit. Whilst the new stuff is pure chart-pop, people are too quick to forget Taylor’s country origins. People are too quick to forget that Taylor Swift was and is a decent songwriter. People are too quick to forget that listening to music is meant to bring a smile to your face – Taylor Swift does exactly that.
Find Taylor Swift on Spotify and Apple Music.
