As a self-proclaimed “swiftie”, the controversiality of Taylor Swift is something I contemplate more often than I probably should. Every artist in the world has their fair share of criticism and haters that come their way, but why is it so different when it comes to Swift? It seems like every time the artist comes up in conversation, people need to preface whether they absolutely adore her or they despise the ground she walks on. Additionally, either way you swing in the debate, you will get judged for it by the other side. I’ve never witnessed a divide to this extent before regarding a music artist, and I’ve found it has to do with a variety of reasons, ranging from the subjects of her songs to her copious private jet usage. In researching these causes, I’ve also found it’s important to note the sub-debate of separating the art from the artist. I’m still questioning if it is possible to do this – appreciate one’s art while ignoring the underlying ethical implications and the profit they receive from their work. We will explore this idea more as we consider all the aspects involved in the Taylor Swift dispute.
The number one thing that lures listeners in is Swift’s authenticity and relatability in her songwriting, as well as her vast progression of genres. Her ability to market to a big audience of women, young and old, is remarkable. Swift began writing her own music in the early 2000s, eventually releasing her debut country album, Taylor Swift, in 2006. She pursued country for her next two records, Fearless and Speak Now, and started a slow transition into pop with her fourth release, Red. She fully embraced the pop genre with 1989 and followed suit with Reputation and Lover shortly after. During quarantine, Swift dropped two folk albums titled folklore and evermore within six months of each other, then quickly reverted back to pop with Midnights and a combination folk-pop release The Tortured Poets Department. Currently circulating is her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, but we will touch on that one later. The jumps from genre to genre make being a fan exciting because we never know what she’s going to do next, and her versatility offers something for everyone. Another detail that ties into this is her aptitude for storytelling. In her eighth studio album, folklore, Swift manages to write a story of a love triangle, utilizing songs “betty”, “cardigan”, and “august” to voice each point of view involved in the teenage love story, while simultaneously leaving the ending up to interpretation. She puts them in conversation with each other to invite listeners to react to each character and lyric, which in return makes her fandom uniquely interactive.
Swift’s discography is mostly known for her songs about her own love life, including falling in love or breakups. For women everywhere, a lot of her lyrics resonate and create a feeling of shared experience. However, she faces criticism because of this, many claiming her songs are all different variations of the same thing, and the only thing she knows how to write about is her failed relationships, when in reality, that is not the case at all. Swift has called out this hypocrisy before, stating that no one blinks an eye when a male artist like Ed Sheeran or Bruno Mars sings about their love lives, and it seems there is only a problem when a successful female artist does it. Not to mention, she has plenty of songs not about love, such as “this is me trying”, “marjorie”, “Soon You’ll Get Better”, “The Archer”, “I Hate it Here”, “Look What You Made Do”, and so many more.
Swift also has a very strong connection with her fans. This is shown through the interactivity she has within her songs mentioned before, the “easter eggs” she plants to hint at her next moves, the exchanges she shares with Swifties on social media, and the invitations she has extended to fans in the past to listen to her album before release day. She is known for leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for fans to pick up and dissect to potentially figure out things such as future release dates and album titles. This makes being a fan fun because her hints evoke excitement and allows people to put together a puzzle. Swift has also been very active on social media, especially in the past, messaging fans on Instagram and talking to them on livestreams. Not so much now, but she still likes and comments on fan posts, making sure that she knows how appreciative she is of the support she does see. However, a lot of people criticize Swift’s fandom, specifically how ride or die they are for her. There are loads and loads of fans who won’t accept that she can do any wrong at all, and the haters hate that, because of course she is a human like anyone else, not a representation of a good and perfect individual.
All of this raises the question of is it possible to be an ethical billionaire? Taylor Swift’s current net worth is estimated somewhere between $1.6 and $2.1 billion according to CNN and Forbes, which is an unfathomable amount for most. Of course, a lot of Swift’s income comes from her song streams, but she makes loads off of selling multiple variants of CDs and vinyls for each album, tour sales, and merchandise. Many wonder if this is all an attempt to make money or if she is being genuine in what she markets. Fans have notably grown tired of Swift’s excessive vinyl and CD variant releases, claiming it feels like a money grab and they are being taken advantage of. By 5 days after the release of her most recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, she had released 20 CD variants and 8 vinyl variants, not to mention that most of these were announced for pre-order before the album even came out. From a consumer standpoint, fans were not able to make an informed decision and were forced to choose if they should buy without hearing what the album would sound like since most of these releases were limited time only. It can come across as very out of touch and insensitive because Swift knows the loyalty the public holds towards her and she will most definitely get a few dollars out of it.
Another thing that left even die-hard fans disappointed was The Life of a Showgirl. Many ran to social media to voice that the dedicated and particular songwriting and production we all know and love felt lazy, sloppy, and messy. Many songs were underdeveloped and rushed, and also didn’t fit the overall vibe that Swift’s team had marketed it as with the photoshoots they released. This caused the masses to consider the fact that Swift knows her audience and she knows she is able to release whatever she wants without getting a dent in her pocket. However, all fans ask for is a little more careful consideration when constructing her pieces because we know she is capable of a lot more than what we were given.
One of the key aspects of Taylor Swift’s controversy is her private jet usage. According to the Carbon Market Watch, Swift’s “private jet usage amounted to an estimated 8,300 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2022 – that’s about 1,800 times the average human’s annual emissions, or 576 times that of the average American and about 1,000 times that of the average European” (Faeks). Swift’s team has claimed they are working to offset the emissions released, however the only way to do this is to fly less frequently. It’s a difficult thing to think about because since she is such a high class celebrity, she needs to be able to fly to reach tour destinations in time and cannot access commercial planes the same way the average person would. However, it’s a matter of the unnecessary flights she takes, and what measures can be taken to limit the amount of necessary ones.
Additionally, many football fans were displeased to see Swift at almost every Kansas City Chiefs game when she and her now fiance, Travis Kelce, began dating. Swift’s face was all over television screens for at-home viewers, which enraged all the “dads, Brads, and Chads” in Swift’s words. It is a fair thing to express that the NFL showed her excessively when all she was doing was watching her boyfriend play football. But, it is unfair to blame Swift herself because all she was doing was watching her boyfriend play football. To counter this argument more, she brought in roughly $1 billion in brand value for the NFL between September 2023 and January 2024, says NBC. Her presence also contributed to the growth of young women’s interest in watching football. So, blame the NFL, not her.
Lastly, Taylor Swift’s political stance is the root of many people’s issues with her, depending on the viewer’s own political stance. Swift endorsed Kamala Harris in opposition to Donald Trump before the 2024 election, and she has made it very clear she opposed Trump on everything, as he does with her. Swift advocates for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, however, recently, she has not spoken up for the people of Palestine or any other matter, only encouraging people to vote. Those who share her same views on human rights, including me, have shown disappointment in her silence on certain worldly issues because she is such a huge public figure. However, it’s important to note that it may be dangerous for her, as she’s had many stalkers and targets on her back in the past for voicing her opinion. Like her private jet usage, it becomes a slippery slope, as there are many different things to consider when thinking about Swift’s life compared to the average person.
So, again, are we able to separate the art from the artist? Is it moral of us as consumers to let someone continue to profit off of work we may like if we disagree with them as a person? Like I just stated, there’s so many elements to consider. It’s important to not get too caught up in celebrities’ lives because they live so differently than the average person, and placing them on a pedestal is dangerous for everyone. We need to work towards finding a healthy balance of holding those in power accountable for their actions and lack thereof, while also remembering what their job is in the first place. Swift’s career is in entertainment, but she is such a prominent individual in today’s society, which makes the topic of her so divided and creates discourse regarding if that is her duty to maintain. I invite everyone to reflect on these different aspects of her controversiality and think about what’s really important at the end of the day, how all of this influences us as citizens, and what we can do to make the world for our fellow citizens a better place.