The Music Industry

Claire Doll
MSMU Class of 2024

(3/2023) "A man writing about his feelings from a vulnerable place is brave; a woman writing about her feelings from a vulnerable place is oversharing or whining."

Taylor Swift is arguably the most successful woman in the music industry—in fact, she has been called "the music industry"—but unfortunately, to many, all she is known for is writing "too many heartbreak songs" about her exes. Or dating songs. Or songs about her emotions.

But in reality, to many women all around the world, Taylor Swift is a feminist icon, a childhood inspiration. She writes her own music. She has ten original studio albums, two re-rerecorded studio albums, and has won 11 Grammys (with around 42 total nominations). In 2018, she sold out her stadium tour (with 53 shows), and in 2023, she is touring again, selling out stadiums in record time. You can find her at the top of Billboard 100 Chart, or on the radio, or crashing Spotify whenever she releases a new album.

She’s amazing, yet she has received so much backlash for simply being.

But, in honor of Women’s History Month, I will portray my favorite artist in a new and radiant light. Taylor is so brilliant, yet people choose to overlook her accomplishments and talents and define her based on her dating life. Or on how "mainstream" she is. Or on how she changes her image too much, or how she’s been "cancelled," or how she appears on a certain day.

Taylor Swift is currently in the process of re-recording her first six studio albums because her former record label would not let her buy the masters to her own songs. "The reason I’m rerecording my music next year is because I do want my music live on. I do want it to be in movies, I do want it to be in commercials. But I only want that if I own it." Taylor is forging a new and revolutionary path in the music industry. She is reclaiming her songs but transforming her image, becoming more passionate about her feminist identity and securing the rights to her own records.

This means that the songs I related to when I was growing up—the songs I would sing into my hairbrush, or cry to in my car, or blast on the radio—are being re-released as Taylor’s Version. She now has and will be gaining full ownership of her own music, which is so exciting. I, and many other girls, can relive my childhood and teenage years all over again.

Taylor Swift’s songs capture so much more than feelings of heartbreak and despair, although these are relevant and valid themes featured in her discography. Taylor explores the excitement and hardship of growing up. She writes about friendship, about isolation, about family and loss, about super personal and sadly relatable topics. This is what forges the connection between she and her fans, and this is what makes her songwriting so beautiful. In fact, she shares topics that are deeply personal.

"She’s too skinny. It bothers me," someone remarked about Taylor Swift’s body. In her documentary, "Miss Americana," Taylor opens up about her eating disorder, a raw and individual experience that has characterized part of her career. "It’s no good for me to see pictures of myself every day." She remarks that when she would see a picture of herself where she felt her stomach was too big, it will trigger her to "starve a little bit—just stop eating."

In her most recent album released in October 2022, Midnights, Taylor Swift has addressed this topic in songs such as "You’re On Your Own, Kid": "I hosted parties / and starved my body / like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss." By revealing these struggles and acknowledging this deep and personal past, Taylor relates strongly with her fan base. It’s important that young girls listen and look up to figures that speak to these problems. "I work on accepting my body every day," says Taylor.

The same with heartbreak. Songs such as "Forever and Always" and "All Too Well" and "Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve" are all about heartbreak, each one from a uniquely different perspective and situation. The first is an angsty, rage-filled, catchy song about a breakup, written when Taylor was 18. The second is heartbreaking, like poetry, written when she was 22. The third is a layered song, written when she was 32, reflecting on the regrets and trauma of a past relationship. And she has more, such as songs within the theme of heartbreak, about loss, being cheated on and falling out of love. This is especially important for young girls to hear, as heartbreak and love are experiences that most teenagers endure. Instead of shaming girls for having these emotions, or making fun of them for it, Taylor gives them a space to relate, inspiring female empowerment.

"She made teenage girls—heretofore hardly taken seriously—a market force to be reckoned with," says Billboard. "She showed that young women are not meant to simply be placated with boy bands, but catered to with perspectives that mirror their own."

As a young adult myself, having Taylor Swift as my role model and absolute favorite artist has been so important. I find myself relating to so many emotions that I once was ashamed of feeling. I, myself, journaled and wrote poems and stories about how I felt; others would deem it as "whiny" and "too much." Females, for some reason, have always been criticized for being overemotional. For their "madness." For their success.

But Taylor Swift is changing this view. By rereleasing her albums, connecting with her loyal fanbase, and writing deeply personal and relatable songs, Taylor will easily go down in history as one of the most successful women in the music industry. Or rather the music industry, as she is called. As one of her song lyrics goes: "I could build a castle / Out of all the bricks they threw at me." Her wildly independent and open character is an inspiration to all women, especially young girls, who dream of being where Taylor is today.

Read other articles by Claire Doll