#obviously the big release of the week is taylor's new album

[buscandoelparaiso]

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[wavesoutbeingtossed]

TTPD Track Speculation/Prediction: @wavesoutbeingtossed Edition

Against my better judgment, I’m putting down my predictions before I am proven completely wrong on April 19.

on the other hand I did correctly attribute all of the 1989 TV vault track teaser lyrics to their songs before it was released so maybe I’m just that good jk.

I’m putting everything under a cut because it’s long and mostly just shooting the shit but it’s a long weekend so what the heck!

I started writing this the night the album was announced at the Grammys in February, so obviously things may have evolved in the meantime. It will be very interesting to see just how wrong I am!

Here be speculation, musings, jokes and more! Enter at your own risk!

SOUND:

I honestly have NO CLUE. I’ve said many, many times that I would be absolutely gagged for an Americana-folk type sound like Carolina/Safe and Sound/some of her acoustic performances on tour. I don’t really expect TTPD to sound quite that stripped back, though. (Prove me wrong, Taylor!)

I am kind of feeling pop-rock-y though, à la WCS, TTDS, based on absolutely nothing but that is also a genre/sound I love that I am begging to hear more on albums.

Completely off the wall guess: Something more jazzy-big band-y, based on nothing but her styling in recent months on the red carpet that harkens back to golden age of Hollywood vibes (especially the Grammys), the inclusion of Clara Bow (renowned flapper girl) on the track list, and the way she keeps talking about being grateful fans accept her bending and switching genres over the years and support her when she does “weird” things.

FORMAT (?)

OK this is just me spitballing, but I said awhile back that I am just getting vibes that there may be, like, a story within a story with this. As in, using some fictional settings as an allegory for the story about herself. The example I used then was The Lumineers, and how they wrote their album III about three generations of a fictional family dealing with addiction, which was an allegory for the lead singer’s own family’s experience with it (without directly calling out the family member in question at the time). There were characters in the album, but many of the songs were sung from an “I”/“you” perspective. I may not be explaining myself well, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are “fictional” stories in that they’re sung about characters (e.g. Clara Bow?), but it will be obvious to fans that she’s using the characters to speak about herself and her experiences. I’m just getting big “storytelling” energy from the hints. Which means I’m totally wrong!!!! Don’t listen to me!!! (I do think there will be some shades of this somehow, though.)

TRACK LIST SPECULATION

Fortnight: Think you are all on the money about it being the time between the start of tour and when Joever happened for good. Sort of a “two years of uncertainty coming to a head in two weeks” thing. Spending two weeks agonizing over what to do. Two weeks for your whole life to blow up. Finally being removed from the situation and grasping onto your dreams that have been on hold for years and realizing your mind’s made up because you won’t give this part of you up even if it means letting go of what you thought your future held. But another thing I’ve thought of: some common wisdom claims it takes two weeks for a new routine to become a habit, so… outside chance it’s like, two weeks go by and you’re finally used to/accepted whatever it is you’re trying to kick? Also had a thought that there could be many two-week periods that can mark your life and give pause. 

The Tortured Poets Department: No idea really lol. For some reason I feel like this is going to be a little more experimental, “laying the groundwork for the defense” type of vibe, kinda like Mastermind, or using the investigative/academic metaphor to delve into it like, Mad Woman or Vigilante Shit. (Or: it could be super petty roasting the infamous group chat lol. In all seriousness though I would doubt that because I feel like this album is very much about Her… unless said group chat was so insufferable she needs to blast it on main.)

My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys: I saw some talk on my dash about this giving renegade themes (you fire off missiles because you hate yourself but don’t you know you’re demolishing me), and I totally thought the same thing. Also those of you who pointed out the parallels to Cardigan are geniuses (when I was an old cardigan under someone’s bed you put me on and said I was your favorite). Again kinda think there might be some more metaphor in this but guessing it may be along the lines of “he’s only doing this because he knows I won’t leave” themes? It instantly gives dark and uneasy. It gives, the people you love are the ones you hurt the most. All signs point to Not Good.

(Or this is about Benji destroying his spin toys or is that just my cat that does that.)

Down Bad: Someone said (on Jaime’s blog I think*) that this is giving False God but icky and I can TOTALLY see that. (Then again I’ve always found False God sad in the sense that it’s like, “even when we fight so bad we can’t communicate we still have the sex holding us together.”) But, Taylor does like to take sayings with common meanings and twist them on their heads, so I also wouldn’t be surprised if “Down Bad,” isn’t referring to being down as in being horny for someone, but being down as in, feeling devastated/hopeless. (Or, even worse, mean both at the same time. 😵‍💫)

(*I wrote this post in February after the announcement, I don’t have a clue when any of this was said anymore sorry)

So Long, London: like a lot of people, I feel like this is her goodbye to the life they had and more importantly/poignantly, the dreams she had of their future. (I don’t know but, “remember looking at this room we loved cause of the light, now I just sit in the dark and wonder if it’s time” just feels like it’d be part of this story.) So because I’ve said that, watch it be an excoriation of London Boy lol. (You know I’m mad at a London Boy / who just really won’t leave Camden / Market in the afternoon / he hasn’t seen my American smile / in two months cause he won’t come to see me / when I have a show to do…) Feel like it’s going to gut us. BUT, also wonder if this is her “I’m getting the fuck out of dodge ROCK FLAG AND EAGLE” anthem haha. (Or: she ran away to London to escape the Bad Stuff but then got stuck in another kind of Bad Stuff living there for so long…)

But Daddy I Love Him: Pretty obviously the Little Mermaid reference. Very curious if the actual quote is in the song, or if it’s just named that to set the scene but the song instead is an expounding on the theme of giving up her voice for the sake of the relationship like Ariel. Also wonder if this is an overtly diaristic song or if she is going to use characters/figures/fiction to expand on the theme subtly, a little like Maisie Peters’ History of Man or Florence & The Machine’s Cassandra or even more pointedly like her own Last Great American Dynasty or The Lucky One. I do assume the overarching theme is going to be the push-pull between keeping her love and giving up things that are important to her to make that love work.  (Watch this be about her arguing with her father about marrying *** lol.)

The theme of giving up your voice/what you hold dear for love is so loaded, and has some parallels to Clara Bow’s story, which is also on the track list so… Lots to chew on I’m sure.

Fresh Out The Slammer: Totally think the reference to her locking herself up for years at home because she was scared in the Time POTY interview is a likely link to this. Feeling free after the weight of this decision is off her shoulders, yet the sheer terror at now being on her own and rebuilding her future. It could be uplifting but I could also see it being like pure chaos. BUT, a thought I had earlier is that, if this is a song that was written pre-Joever, maybe it’s about the aftermath of a rough patch. Like, we just got our get out of jail free cards, we made it through the other side of this Big Thing that almost ended us (e.g. the final blow in YLM), where do we go from here?

Florida!!!: Emphasis on the “!!!”!!! Honestly it had me at FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE. I’m soooooo curious and sooooooooooooo pumped for this one. I don’t want to let myself hope it’s going to sound like a Florence song BUT I HOPE IT SOUNDS LIKE A FLORENCE SONG. I’m going to guess it may be a reference to the first stop on tour after the news broke. Wasn’t that also a show where a ton of things went wrong? I can see it going so many ways! Is it a hopeful “Florida I’m coming for you you’re a symbol of my great escape my prison break my entire life crumbling and rising again”? An introspective “I never thought I’d have to rebuild my whole world after it imploded, in Florida of all places?!”? Is it a sarcastic “fucking Florida always the scene of the crime I can’t believe my life is falling apart and I need to go to FUCKASS FLORIDA oh great every thing that can go wrong with my show is FLORIDA!!!!”? Is it a rant about the corporate mouse? Or a scathing takedown of Republican politics ahead of the 2024 elections? (lol) Who’s to say?!

Guilty as Sin?: Sooooooooooo curious about this. I’m a Carolina Stan and I know there is 0% chance there is a link between the two songs other than the lyric which is a common term, but it does make me happy. My first thought about this one is that it’s going to be biting or self-reflective — kinda like the bridge of Is It Over Now? Or the chorus of Anti-Hero. As in, “what is it exactly that you think I’m guilty of?” (E.g. ambition? Drive? Seeking attention? Being selfish? But could also be sad: Loving too hard? Caring too much? Being too needy? Hmmm.) I’m kind of feeling like it’s a “if it’s wrong to be guilty of these things I don’t want to be right.” Again if I had to guess I’d wonder if it would have the same vibes as the bridge of YLM. (For some reason, with the question mark, I don’t necessarily think it’s going to be accusing someone of something…)* I also had a thought about the seven deadly sins and this title and… THOUGHTS ARE THINKING**.

(*I may not have found it accusatory in February, but with the benefit of hindsight in March I… reserve the right to change my mind about this.)

(**Future Waves here: the thoughts may have been thinking for February Waves but March Waves has no idea what she was talking about.)

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?: I don’t knooooooooooow. At first the title kinda gave me Blank Space vibes, like, you don’t know how much I could fuck this up if I wanted. Then some people mentioned the similarity to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? And now that’s absolutely all I can think about. If you’ve ever seen the movie (or the play), it is rooooooooough. Watching George and Martha drunkenly eviscerate each other as their guests watch on in horror is… oof. (As someone who has seen this happen in real life and was trapped on a boat with a couple in full unhinged mode… OOF. Just OOF.) Of course there’s the Burton-Taylor of it all too so… (there’s also an interesting theme in Virginia Woolf about buying into illusion to avoid the messiness of reality… and Martha resenting George’s lack of ambition.) Is this song cheeky? Or a threat? Is this a Better Than Revenge/Vigilante Shit rebuke or is it Bejeweled owning her personhood?

(Like any of these songs, there’s also the chance that it’s heartbreaking and is really a reflection on how the things that make her her can be weaponized against her… Or how her struggles/vices alienate her to the person she loves a la Anti-Hero…)

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can): My first thought is this is going to be one of her sarcastic/satirical/funnier ones, based on nothing except that this sounds like it could be an Olivia Rodrigo cheeky song lol. (Like, I immediately start singing this to the tune of “Get Him Back.”) Never beat those allegations, Taylor, we’ve all been there. It definitely feels like a stereotypical tale of “girl tries to fix a man who doesn’t want to change and refuses to give up.” Watch this actually be a sad ballad about the flip side of renegade and trying to help a partner through a crisis 😬 

loml: the quiet menace in this list!!!! Obviously we’re all immediately thinking “love of my life,” but because this is Taylor, we should not rest easy. The fact that it’s all in small caps is curious to me and calls back to text speak, so is this a term of endearment that turns into a final parting sign off? Is it from an email ahem? Is it a sweet song about the good parts of being together? A wistful song about a lost love? BUT THEN, because it’s Taylor, I can totally see this being a bait and switch and it standing for something else as some of you pointed out, like loss of my life, or love OR my life. Or something entirely different. I’m pretty convinced that this one is going to be devastating in some fashion. I just feel it in my bones.

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart: Like many of you, I’m fairly certain this is going to be a bittersweet Long Live-esque ode to the Eras tour. The pick yourself up by the bootstraps, get out of bed, the show must go on and the show is saving my life story. Just thinking of the quote from the Time POTY interview where she said, “I know I’m going on that stage whether I’m sick, injured, heartbroken, uncomfortable, or stressed.” And in those early weeks, it seems like she might have been all of those things at once. Just trying to talk yourself into getting out of bed when all you want the earth’s core to swallow you whole and never come back. Kind of like, I can pick up the pieces of my life and carry on even when I am dying inside. 

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived: Obviously this is about one Benjamin Button, please. OK, in all seriousness, it’s giving, well… *shots fired*. It’s giving “your integrity makes me seem small.” It’s giving “I’m a monster on the hill, too big to hang out.” It’s giving “all you are is mean.” So, part of me thinks it’s going to be turned on its head a little bit, just because… it seems to point to something directly and sometimes Taylor enjoys a bit of misdirection. So is this about someone who takes shots at someone else and in so doing, displays their own insecurity? Another thought I had is: Is this about someone who retreats into their own world so much that they’ve shut out everything and everyone else? Their whole world gets shrunken down to the four walls around them? I have a strong feeling this is an allegory-type song, using a fictionalized and possibly fantastical story to tell the real life one, but obviously I could be wrong.

The Alchemy: gonna be real with you all: I didn’t know that alchemy was the practice of turning base metals into something that looks like gold. I think I was mixing it up with apothecary or something, lol. I thought it was the practice of making potions and whatnot. #TheMoreYouKnow ANYWAY, I think the idea of “turning nothing into something that shines” is going to be important. Is it about using her best colours for a portrait to hide the cracks underneath? Is it about trying your best to make something work and thrive but ultimately coming up empty because the foundation is gone? Is it about turning these base experiences into art that fuels her? There are so many possibilities! (@taylortruther’s post about The Alchemy and other comments got me thinking too about the magician/illusionist scenario in So It Goes and now my brain is on fire.)

Clara Bow: Soooooooooo intrigued by this one too. People have pointed out so many of the interesting coincidences and parallels in their lives. Clara Bow was a silent film star who found her voice in the talkies — that right there is one metaphor about finding your voice in your art and your life. But it’s also an interesting parallel that she managed to parlay her success in silent film into talkies, at a time where few actors enjoyed a successful transition, which mirrors Taylor’s transition from country to pop. There’s the way Clara’s private life was splashed all over the press, driven by salacious rumours about her sex life and her perceived revolving door of lovers, which seems like something Taylor would empathize with. There’s the way she had a breakdown and left Hollywood, which may have some shades of 2016. Or that she got married and started a family, but insisted on keeping it a secret for many years to maintain privacy, which is interesting because in this case it seems like *Clara* was the one driving the need for secrecy, not her husband. (At least I read that in one article somewhere, sorry if that’s wrong!) Ultimately though, she died relatively young and was forgotten by mainstream Hollywood, a relic of a past uninteresting to all but the most diehard of film buffs. I’m getting vibes of “The Lucky One,”  (and “Nothing New”) both in themes and in storytelling. So, watch it be completely different and not a story about Clara Bow but instead just have it be an off-hand line lol.

BONUS TRACKS

The Manuscript: I’m veeeeeery intrigued by this one. (I know I say that about all of them. That’s because they all intrigue me.) I love the idea that this wraps up the “standard” album; the chair(wo)man of the Tortured Poets Department has submitted her thesis for review, and it’s up to the board to draw their conclusion. OR: the idea that this is the unfiltered submission to a publisher, before the editor’s review that will cut and tighten and ultimately make it better, but loses the author’s initial vision in the process. (Like self-editing to share the most palatable story to your reader. Which… Also gives Dear Reader/Midnights in general vibes.) OR EVEN: this is the author’s story, submitted to the audience for their review, leaving it up to them to draw their conclusions and annotate. There are sooooooo many ways I can see this going. 

The Bolter: A curious one indeed! I feel like of all of the bonus tracks at least, this is the one I have the least idea about. My immediate guess is that it refers to a person who runs, which would have all kinds of implications. Running from the law (unlikely lol), running from commitment, running from conflict… running for your life. Like running from commitment because you’re scared of being tied down (single girl version) to running from commitment because you’re scared of being tied down (bitter wife* version). (*NOT saying there was a secret wedding lol. I mean as in, that’s the future that was in store if one stayed.) I saw other takes saying bolter is also slang for jailer, which is also interesting with the Ready For It of it all. 

The Albatross: So much has been said about this one, so I don’t think I have much to ado about this one! The famous poem is rife with all kinds of allusions: the bird soaring on its own for up to six years, but being brought down by man’s cruelty. The bird looking majestic in the skies, but the burden of its wings dragging it down on land, slowly killing it. The story being a metaphor for how the very thing poets are exalted for in society are the things they are punished for personally. I think it’s safe to say this one is going to hurt regardless, whether it’s a reference to herself, to ***, or something else entirely.

The Black Dog: Also another one I’m not sure I have many thoughts on yet. The black dog being a metaphor for depression is likely the inspiration, and I’m assuming this has the potential to be one of the most vulnerable songs yet. I have a feeling most of this album will be, but the imagery of this — the black dog being a constant companion, wanted or not, casting a pall over its master’s every move — points in a pretty obvious direction. And one that is probably going to gut us.

Well there you have it folks! I am ready to be completely wrong!

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Not to poke a hornets nest but have you seen the song titles for Swift's new album? They're truly beyond parody at this point

god okay.

Fortnight (feat. Post Malone) - risky title on account of Fortnite, but not actually wrong or bad. only point of interest here is the presence of Post Malone, which is... interesting.

The Tortured Poets Department - I mean this one is obviously terrible. I think someone as big as Taylor Swift probably shouldn't be allowed to release an album called the Tortured Poets Department regardless; this shit would be weird and off-putting from anyone but, like, Lana Del Rey, since that's sort of her entire brand and always has been. but fresh off a year in which she was maybe the most inescapable aspect of all of popular culture? shut up, Taylor. when were you a tortured poet? was it hard having the biggest tour of anyone ever? being responsible for more co2 emissions than some small countries? I'm so tired.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys - this is the title of a song that's made to be played while hyping up booktok's dark romance darling of the week

Down Bad - okay

So Long, London - the long-awaited sequel to London Boy, which was bad

But Daddy I Love Him -

Fresh Out the Slammer - do it, Taylor. do a blaccent. I dare you.

Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine) - no one in their right mind should be this excited about Florida. also god can someone please get Florence out of there.

Guilty as Sin? - I don't actually have anything mean to say about this title but the question mark is an odd choice

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? - god this album really is going to be reputation 2.0. anyway this is so nitpicky but I really do think having two songs in a row with a question mark at the end looks goofy.

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) - stop it stop it stop it stop it you are a JOKE

loml - lol. lmao even.

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart - sure. fine. this one is fine, whatever.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived - [insert obligatory Ben Shapiro joke here]

The Alchemy - okay

Clara Bow - honestly? tentative interest. Taylor's narrative songs have been the only ones I've found halfway tolerable for like the last five albums. sure, Taylor. tell me your thoughts on golden age hollywood starlet Claa Bow.

The Manuscript - sure

[reggies-eyeliner]

THE CLASSIC MATCHUP - @littlelilbun

THE "HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH WITH YOU" COUPLE

#now playing ... video games by lana del rey!

miguel o'hara had never been big on physical touch. or talking. or purposefully making funny jokes. he actually wasn't a big fan on a lot of things. the only person he really regularly talked to was lyla, but that was only because he had to in order to get things going in the spider society-- but someone he could never find himself pushing away from was you. at first, being completely honest, he'd been so busy with monitoring the whole spider society that he'd neglected to realize that you and lyla were attached at the hip. both of you got along great, both having similar wardrobes and the occasional matching sunglasses. what began with conversations with solely lyla, even after work hours, ended with miguel joining in with the occasional wry joke every now and then. that slowly began to grow more into full fleged conversations with the three of you, and you and miguel had created a bond that seemed to be just about unbreakable.

he isn't big on romance, he likes to think, because he doesn't have the time for it. sometimes miguel says the words "the fate of the multiverse" and you and peter b. look at each other and snort a little, but sometimes you see the the corner of his lips twitch.

the first time miguel o'hara does anything remotely romantic is in battle, when some random universe's doc ock decides that you'd be the perfect victim. you weren't awake for most of it, but lyla tells you that miguel had practically dropped everything to save you, refusing to acknowledge the possibility that you wouldn't make it. he had stayed at the hospital every night to look after you, and every day grew into a week into two weeks before you were discharged, and during that time, both of you talked like there was no tomorrow.

when miguel actually realizes that he's in love and he's not having some sort of allergic reaction, he kind of sneaks in a small, quick question, even leaning against the wall to sound extra casual to lyla, "hey uh what's that new album taylor swift released" and lyla drops everything because . why is this man even asking this question . but it doesn't take long for her to connect the dots, and realizes that he wants to know more about your interests and what you like. lyla tells you, obviously, and fortunately, things progress from there.

once you two are actually together, miguel treasures lazy saturday mornings and cozy friday evenings. he even loves the "i'm so exhausted i might die" monday mornings on his way to the spider society, because he's with you. if you struggle with anxiety, while he might not know the best thing to do at first, he'll talk you through it every step of the way. but he won't ever pity you or see you as something broken, he sees you as someone who's deserving of respect, and most importantly, love.

oh man this guy starts keeping an extra hair tie on his wrist for you, or he literally keeps make up wipes in his storage cabinet (he asked peter b advice on what he keeps on hand for his wife 😭<33), and he definitely thinks it's awesome that you're studying six languages, and he'll also definitely ask you about it !! also he loves holding you while sleeping beacuse if a man is touch starved it's him

RANDOMIZED TROPE:

" SHARING A BED "

-> within two weeks of dating, miguel o'hara has realized a lot of things, mainly being that you thrive on physical touch-- something he's tried his best to shake himself away from. but as he watches you, arms opened wide for an embrace laying on a hospital bed after a particulary taxing day fighting doc ock, his heart stutters. slowly, hesitantly, he takes your hand, lying down beside you. he immediately warms up to your embrace, letting your head fall to his chest. lyla takes photos<33

a/n: thank you so so much for the request!! i am so so sorry that this took so long!!! if i missed anything please let me know >:D!<3 i hope you're doing alright + things are going okay for you!! remember to hydrate and eat well, take care!!!

[lambertdiary]

heyy so obviously i'm a big swiftie and i know you like taylor swift so i was hoping you'd be down to write something about Dalton staying up with you to listen to the new album (or 1989 tv) but he's too tired and falls asleep in your bed and feels guilty next day

happy youre back btw! i missed concept fridays

YES I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT! I definitely stayed up to listen to 1989 tv last week and I have to admit I’ve barely listened to anything else since it came out. (Also I’m sorry if this one is too niche or specific, and it came out REALLY long and cheesy for some reason 😭)

The clock almost struck midnight, and Y/N couldn’t be any more excited about it. The new Taylor Swift rerecording was about to come out and she was counting down the minutes to finally listen to it.

She knew it was gonna be a long night if she wanted to listen to the whole album, so she told Dalton she wouldn’t be able to make it to breakfast next morning, but he immediately insisted he’d stay up with her, anything to spend time with his girlfriend.

Dalton wasn’t unfamiliar with staying up this late, given he had a complicated relationship with sleep which is why Y/N didn’t feel too guilty about having him to stay up with her, he insisted anyway, but he had been doing that every single night this week and right now, it felt like his body was begging for the sleep he didn’t get during the week.

“So this album came out in 2014?” He asked her as she handed him his dinner, climbing on her bed and sitting next to him.

“Yes, but she’s releasing Taylor’s Version tonight” “But why?” “Dalton, we’ve been through this before”

Dalton gave her a smile, he knew exactly why but he just loved to listen to her talk about the things that she loved or cared about “I know. And don’t worry, I promise I won’t interrupt you when you’re listening to it”

“Baby, it’s not like I’m gonna bite you” She laughed, but Dalton’s yawn interrupted her “You know you don’t have to stay with me, you can go back to your dorm”

“No! I offered to stay with you so I will” He stopped for a moment before saying “Unless you don’t want me to”

“Stop, of course I do” She leaned in for a quick kiss, softly smiling against him “I know you don’t really like her music but-”

“Who says I don’t?”

“I guess you did” She replied with an unsure tone as she tried to remember if he had ever said such a thing.

“I never said that. Plus, I kinda have to, that’s pretty much all we listen to” They laughed and Y/N could feel her face get red and her heart skip a beat, if there’s anything she loved the most about Dalton it was the way he showed interest in the stuff she cares about, instead of shaming her for them.

“I love you” She leaned in for another kiss, this time longer one. But not too long, since the alarm on Y/N’s phone went off and interrupted them.

“It’s out!” She took her headphones and handed one to Dalton. 

He happily took it and smiled at the sight of his girlfriend being so happy and excited to listen to the rerecording “What are we gonna listen to first?”

“I guess in order, I’m too nervous to jump straight to the vault tracks, or even to my favourite song”

After a moment of staring at the album cover, she took a deep breath and finally pressed on play.

“Oh my god!” She exclaimed as soon as ‘Welcome To New York’ started, Dalton’s smile growing.

Y/N listened to the songs carefully, paying full attention to every little detail on it and when it ended, she briefly shared with Dalton her thoughts, and he could easily tell she was loving it so far. 

He was listening to her with pleasure while he ate his dinner, and once he was done with it he asked Y/N if they could cuddle. He was feeling a little tired and he figured laying down for a moment might help. 

She had her back against the headboard as she nestled Dalton between her legs, his head using her front as a pillow and her laptop resting on his lap. 

He started to feel better, his mind and body immediately relaxing as his breathing synced with hers. What he didn’t realise is that he was feeling too relaxed, and he didn't even notice when his mind started to doze off.

“Oh, it’s time for vault tracks” She looked down at Dalton as she waited for an answer, but an even bigger smile appeared on her face when she saw his peaceful face.

She carefully took her laptop and put it next to her, placing a kiss on the top of his head before taking out Dalton’s headphone.

Y/N didn’t know for how long she stayed awake, but she listened to the vault tracks a handful of times before officially going to bed.

The next morning Dalton was the first one to open his eyes, squinting at the sudden light that was coming through the window. He yawned and rolled over to face Y/N, immediately remembering why he woke up there.

“Oh no” He whispered as he looked for his phone to check the time, he was sure it was somewhere under the covers.

The sudden movement made her slowly open her eyes, softly smiling at Dalton before greeting him “Hey”

He looked at her, an apology written on his face “Sorry baby, did I wake you?”

She let out a giggle “Kind of. What are you looking for?”

“My phone”

“On the desk” She pointed at her desk and Dalton thanked her as he reached for it, laying back down next to her after he looked at the time.

“I’m sorry”

“Why?”

“For falling asleep, I said I’d stay up with you”

“Dalton it’s okay, I know you were tired”

“But I promised-” “And you were here with me” She cut him off “Honestly it was really nice to listen to the first half with you, but I don’t care that you fell asleep, if anything it made it less embarrassing to freak out about the vault tacks”

“Why would that be embarrassing?” She shrugged her shoulders, her shy eyes trying to avoid his stare “Well, I still wish i didn’t fall asleep so I could freak out with you”

She blushed as she got closer to him, gently placing a kiss on his lips “We can still listen to them, you missed like half the album” “And what did you think of it?” “It was amazing, and she released a deluxe version with Kendrick Lamar”

They went to town to get some breakfast, listening to the rest of the album on their way there. He didn’t care what they were doing or what they were listening to, and she didn’t care if he fell asleep, as long as they were together, they were happy.

[allietaylorsversionsblog]

I’m obsessed with TTPD. It’s been streaming for me non-stop. But I’ve seen on tiktok the discussion of TTPD rollout vs. Anthology and in general how a few changes could have made it stronger as a collection (each song still is a masterpiece but in terms of big picture album concept). I do think Taylor shines to just a whole new stratosphere when she challenges herself with a strong concept (1989, Folklore), so here’s my idea for the stricter concept-ification of TTPD:

The Tortured Poets Department:

1. Fortnight - obviously a lead single, and something that just sets the tone of someone in an imaginative but spiraling mental breakdown.

2. So Long, London - sets the tone right off the bat that we’re in a confessional treasure trove of an album with some sharp ass writing.

3. TTPD - a red herring, because on first listen you’re thinking this one song is going to encapsulate her troubles with a certain flaky poet type. Oh how wrong you will be.

4. But Daddy I Love Him - picks the energy up, so funny and delulu, iconic surprise baby moment, a bop. This also has to come before Smallest Man so needs to be up top.

5. How Did It End? - this is Track 5. If this had been on the initial album it would have gotten the loml treatment. The concept of TTPD is about the breakdown of a person while on display to the public (I was tame I was gentle til the circus life made me mean), and HDIE is THE song that brings this concept and the level of emotion to the track list.

6. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived - builds off the raw and quiet devastation of HDIE to anger and a scathing bridge, a TS instant classic. Orients us to the turmoil we never knew was under the surface.

7. Guilty as Sin? - taking a break from the emotional hits for a moment of bopping

8. Down Bad - ditto, but bringing back the essential truth that this is a desperate spiral album

9. The Black Dog - masterpiece, and leads beautifully into..

10. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? - the culmination of all the anger and accusations within the depression that is TTPD

11. loml - bringing it back to a raw, honest examination of the heartbreak(s) at the core of the album. The quiet sobbing after an explosion of anger.

12. I Can Do it With a Broken Heart - I think this lands so strong toward the end of the album. This is a reminder of the sparkling Taylor we know, tied back to everything we just heard. She’s saying ‘and don’t fucking forget who you’re dealing with, gave you the eras tour while writing all the above’

13. The Prophecy - as an album closer I think this does something insane to the listener, especially long time swifties. The way this subtlety and cynically ties to the concept of eras is the other side of the coin to ICDIWABH and is just such a punch of an ending for TTPD concept.

Okay that’s my perfect TTPD as a wholistic work although I do weep to lose some favs. THEN 3-4 weeks later Taylor releases the deluxe version, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, with the below bonus tracks in this order

- Fresh Out the Slammer

- Chloe et al

- imgonnagetyouback

- The Bolter

- Clara Bow

- So High School

- The Manuscript

Basically these are all essential TS tracks that don’t fit as squarely in the initial 13 track concept but all add a beautiful insight into the narrative nonetheless. Kind of like the side character episode, prequel, etc. that adds a different but enriching perspective to a show.

TTPD is amazing and in my top either way (same for most fans I think) but my opinion is this concept would have just been more award bait/critical darling material 🤍🐾

[rabbitechoes]

wow, very slow news week right guys? oh well, at least it was a pretty eventful week for new music! i kid, i'm exhausted on both fronts. there were plenty of great tracks released this week and plenty of new projects announced that i'm incredibly excited about. here are my thoughts on some of the most noteworthy tracks that dropped this week!!!

to see last week's post, click here!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"Le Risque" - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ featured on Flight b741 (not yet released) ◇ genres: boogie rock, glam rock

Eclectic and busy rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have returned with a new single that sees them diving back into their boogie shoes. It's fun and it has a silliness to it that makes it hard to hate. This groovy instrumentation paired with the misanthropic lyricism is pretty cool too. This song also features the band's drummer, Michael Cavenaugh, on vocal duties for the most part and he holds his own very well. Adds a bit of a different flavor to it. I'm still playing catch-up with this band - I still need to listen to their stuff from the last few years - but I'm looking forward to take a flight on Flight b741!!!

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"The Answers to the Questions" - Chrystabell & David Lynch

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ featured on Cellophane Memories (not yet released) ◇ genres: dream pop, trip hop, ambient pop

Chrystabell & David Lynch have returned with a new single leading up to their collab album coming in a few weeks. "The Answers to the Question" has that same atmospheric quality as the previous track, but it's a lot less desolate sounding. There's a bit of a trip hop flavor to it that freshens things up a lot. Chrystabell's layered vocals are haunting, they're as chilling as they are beautiful. The subtle lulls in the instrumentation are pretty signature in both Lynch and the late Angelo Badalamenti's style and I'm glad it's present here. I'm curious to see how this album will sound on the whole. I'm a massive David Lynch fan so obviously I'm excited, but I'm also hoping the pair aren't afraid to implement new sounds throughout the record. I don't want this to be a complete retread of the musical tropes Lynch and crew have played around with for decades. I'll probably still enjoy it, but I'll be a little disappointed.

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"Fortnight (Acoustic Version)" - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ genre: folk pop

The day after Billie Eilish overtook Taylor Swift as the 2nd most listened to artist on Spotify, God Queen Swift conveniently dumped one of the many exclusive alternate versions of a song from her most recent record onto streaming services everywhere. This has been a controversial marketing gimmick behind The Tortured Poets Department where Swift will release exclusive alternate editions of the album with an extra iPhone demo or acoustic version tacked on at the end. This has allowed her to game the charts ever since the album dropped. I'm not denying it's an incredibly successful record, it just feels scummy. Perhaps the most egregious example had to be when Charli xcx's album BRAT was geared to debut at number one in the UK, but before that could happen Swift released an exclusive version of her album for UK fans only. It all feels targeted. It's clear Swift and her team care about metrics and accolades, they'll do anything they can to get them even if it means obstructing the success of those around her.

Which, longwindedly, leads me back to this acoustic version of "Fortnight" which leaves me without much to say about the actual music. It's only here to boost her streaming numbers, because being 3rd most listened to artist in the world seemingly isn't enough! I wasn't a big fan of this song anyway and this acoustic version doesn't change that. It's hard not to be extremely cynical about this whole thing. This is music that feigns having a genuine heart, but it's really only a ploy for record-breaking chart success by any means necessary.

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"Key103" - Floating Points

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ featured on Cascade (not yet released) ◇ genre: progressive house

Sam Shepherd, Floating Points, has announced a new album coming later this year as well as this new single "Key103." This week I finally got around to listening to his album Crush from 2019 and I loved it. That blend of IDM with real instrumentation is just a match made in heaven. These new songs, however, see him leaning more into the dance and house side of things to very great effect. This is an absolute jam. It's punchy as hell and has a groove that just gets you. That glitchy bridge that segues into the synth switch-up is exhilarating as hell. I'm beginning to notice that nearly everything Shepherd touches is impeccably crafted and this track is no different. I'm super excited for Cascade.

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"Gold Coast" - Moses Sumney

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ featured on Sophcore (not yet released) ◇ genres: neo-soul, alternative r&b, alté

Moses Sumney is coming back with a new EP on the way in a few weeks and "Gold Coast" was released alongside that announcement. Sumney's work always has impeccable production and that's on display here as well. His vocals are heavenly, but I sometimes wish they had a bit more weight to them - luckily "Gold Coast" balances the heavy and light very well. He sounds fully in control here. I also love the little Latin guitar flourishes throughout, it really adds some nice depth to the track. Looking forward to see what else he has in store on this Sophcore EP.

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"She Rained Down" - This Is The Glasshouse

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ genres: indie rock, noise rock

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of As Small As Ants, This Is The Glasshouse has released this stripped-back noisy version of his song "She Rained Down." That record was one of my favorites from last year and even though at times it wore its influences on its sleeve, there was enough heart and craft behind it to outweigh that. His songwriting was also a big highlight and that shines through on this track in particular no matter if it's the album version or this one. The demo is very different, but I kinda love it. It's noisy and at times it reminds me of a lo-fi version of a Strokes song. Really, really digging this one and I'm anticipating whatever comes next from him.

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"Forever Young (Live at Seattle Centre Coliseum, Seattle, WA - February 9, 1974 (Afternoon))" - Bob Dylan & The Band

◇ released: July 9, 2024 ◇ featured on The 1974 Live Recordings (not yet released) ◇ genres: folk rock, singer-songwriter

Bob Dylan is releasing a 27-disc box set containing "every single surviving soundboard recording" of his and The Band's prolific early 1974 tour. This was the same tour that made up the Before the Flood album, one of my personal favorite Dylan live albums. This rendition of "Forever Young" from the tail-end of the tour is fine. I love Dylan, but I can't say I'm so much a Dylan nut that this kind of box set appeals to me. For archival purposes it's pretty cool and it's always a treat to hear Dylan and The Band make magic together - I just don't see myself sifting through over 29 hours of material looking for hidden gems.

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"Patterns" - Laura Marling

◇ released: July 10, 2024 ◇ featured on Patterns in Repeat (not yet released) ◇ genres: singer-songwriter, contemporary folk

Laura Marling has returned with this gorgeous new track and a new album on the way. "Patterns" is a simple, clean, and very pretty folk cut that just surrounds you. She says she wrote a lot of this album while adjusting to becoming a new parent and you can absolutely hear it. There's this serene existentialism to it all, like a reflection on not just your own life but also the new life that you have brought into the world. This track is simply gorgeous. Marling stated that each of her albums have acted as "time-stamped chapter[s] of [her] life" and also that she's approaching this new album with an entirely new perspective. I really loved her last album, Song for Our Daughter, and after hearing this new single I can't wait for Patterns in Repeat.

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"Image" - Magdalena Bay

◇ released: July 10, 2024 ◇ featured on Imaginal Disk (not yet released) ◇ genres: synthpop, dance-pop, chillwave, nu-disco

I had a feeling we were on the cusp of a new Magdalena Bay album and here we are!!! Imaginal Disk drops next month, but we're getting our second taste of the album in the form of "Image," an expectedly incredible synthpop cut that shows a pop duo at the top of their game. This has everything you want in a synthpop song. Arresting production, addictive hooks, and a palpable rhythm. The two verses are opposite each other and it adds to the song - and seemingly the album's unique concepts. There's this anxious feeling underneath it all that only reveals itself on repeat listens. This is without a doubt one of my most anticipated albums of the year now. I came to the realization, and hopefully it doesn't age like milk, that Magdalena Bay are the best pop act of the decade thus far. Nothing has disproven that for me yet!

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"Call It Love" - Nilüfer Yanya

◇ released: July 10, 2024 ◇ featured on My Method Actor (not yet released) ◇ genres: indie folk, singer-songwriter

I somehow missed a whole single and album announcement last month from Nilüfer Yanya, but I'm here now for this new single! "Call It Love" has her scaling things back while not sacrificing a good groove. It's a song Yanya says is about being able to "fully trust your instincts" - you can hear it. There's a conviction to every word she delivers here. The instrumentation is light, bar the hazy synth riffs, but Yanya is a very commanding presence. Can't wait to listen to this album in full.

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"Snl" - Mustafa

◇ released: July 11, 2024 ◇ featured on Dunya (not yet released) ◇ genres: folk pop, singer-songwriter

I really enjoyed Mustafa's debut album When Smoke Rises from a few years ago, but ever since then he's regrettably flew under my radar ... not anymore though. He has a new album on the way along with this new sinlge "Snl" which is just incredible. One of the prettiest songs I've heard all month, the acoustic guitar and subtle percussion are just beautiful. His vocals and lyrics all feel so seamlessly confessional. Like catching up with an old friend. Absolutely loving this track and I need to listen to his other recent singles sooner rather than later.

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"Woman's World" - Katy Perry

◇ released: July 11, 2024 ◇ featured on 143 (not yet released) ◇ genres: dance-pop, electropop

Katy Perry is lost. She's had nowhere to go for the longest time so she's retreating back to the formula that people knew her most fondly. She freshens things up here and there, making a song that at least sounds like it could've been made in 2021 or so. She's never ahead of the curve, she's simply standing there. "Woman's World" has the flair of one of her early pop hits, but it feels so hollow. The ironic neoliberal feminist aesthetics seeping over the music video and the song's sentiment - all the while being written and produced predominantly by men, most notoriously her old collaborator and alleged sexual abuser Dr. Luke. An attempt at irony that turns into something even more sinister and gross. Certainly is a "Woman's World" to one Katy Perry isn't it? This is empty slop and I feel sorry for anyone dumb enough to eat it up uncritically.

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"American Fever" - JOBA

◇ released: July 12, 2024 ◇ featured on unnamed JOBA album (not yet released) ◇ genres: progressive pop, art rock, glam rock

2024 seems to be the year every former BROCKHAMPTON member starts pumping out their solo material. I can't say I've been crazy about all of their solo efforts as of late - despite me being a massive fan of the group when I was a teenager - but this new single from JOBA is a real treat. Totally unexpected sound, it feels almost like a glammed up Billy Joel piano rock track. He carries himself with so much swagger and confidence that really elevates "American Fever" to the next level. Both Kevin Abstract and Matt Champion have taken unexpected turns in their solo sound, but none match the sheer energy JOBA displays on this track. If this is a sign of where he goes from here, this upcoming project of his might be one you can't miss.

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"Pray For Me" - Mustard

◇ released: July 12, 2024 ◇ featured on Faith of a Mustard Seed (not yet released) ◇ genres: drumless, spoken word, gospel

Mustard has been thrown properly into the limelight recently following the use of his beat on Kendrick Lamar's proverbial dancing over Drake's grave track, "Not Like Us." He also was featured at Lamar's Pop-Out Concert on Juneteenth and made a big impression there as well. He's gearing up for his own solo album soon and this new single "Pray For Me" isn't what you would expect from him at all. A 10-minute drumless track that has him reflecting on how far he's come. Mustard hasn't been an "unknown" by any means, but this really feels like a turning point for his career and he seems to recognize that too.

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"Death Valley High" - Orville Peck & Beck

◇ released: July 12, 2024 ◇ featured on Stampede (not yet released) ◇ genres: alternative rock, country rock, rap rock

I was left disappointed by the first volume of Orville Peck's Stampede project and it's looking like I'm gonna be disappointed by the rest of it too. This new duet with Beck is a style clash in the worst way. It's like they're fighting for your attention, it's like mixing oil and water. It sounds like they're not trying to match each other's freak and instead trying to snuff each other's respective freaks out. This is a mess. I've been disappointed by Beck's new stuff for years now, but I don't want Peck to be dragged down by this any longer than he has to. Get Stampede over with ASAP.

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"Still What I'm Looking For" - Mac DeMarco & Ryan Paris

◇ released: July 12, 2024 ◇ genre: soft rock

When I was in high school, like a lot of weird indie kids, I became transfixed with Mac DeMarco. Having grown up a bit, I mostly look back at his stuff in a bit of a novel sense. His disappointing Here Comes the Cowboy album made me lose track of him a bit and his recent work hasn't wowed me that much at all when I have heard it. This new track, a collab with Ryan Paris, is a pleasant little number though. Sweet and to the point. It feels like DeMarco isn't too concerned with evolving his sound, he likes being a weird reclusive guy who pops up every now and then for a vibe. This doesn't make me excited for his new material, but hearing his guitar licks activated a very specific part of my brain that hasn't been activated in so long. I'm like a sleeper cell agent and my mission now is to re-listen to Salad Days and This Old Dog and become an insufferable indie guy once more.

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"고통없이 (Painless)" - Parannoul

◇ released: July 12, 2024 ◇ genres: shoegaze, noise pop

Korean shoegaze artist Parannoul has dropped yet another incredible single in the form of "Painless." "Gold River" from a few months ago was one of his strongest tracks to date and this song also deserves that distinction. He seems to be on the verge of something incredible. He's become an even more excellent songwriter, crafting melodies that stick out even under the waves of noise overtop it. His songs leap over any language barriers and just hit as close to home as possible. He's had an incredibly fruitful few years and he doesn't seem to be losing steam anytime soon. I adore this song and if there's a whole album full of songs like "Painless" and "Gold River," it could very well be his strongest album to date. Potentially one of the best of the decade so far, I'm serious. If you're not on the Parannoul train at this point, what are you waiting for?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ thanks for reading :3

psssst. i made a discord server called COSMIACORD ... if u wanna join and have fun, talk about music, play fortnite, or whatever here's the invite :3 https://discord.gg/rsHMenTU

[thechanelmuse]

Labels Want to Prevent ‘Taylor’s Version’-Like Re-Recordings From Ever Happening Again

Warner Music Group, have recently overhauled contracts for new signees, according to top music attorneys, some demanding artists wait an unprecedented 10, 15 or even 30 years to re-record releases after departing their record companies. “The first time I saw it, I tried to get rid of it entirely,” says Josh Karp, a veteran attorney, who has viewed the new restrictions in UMG contracts. “I was just like, ‘What is this? This is strange. Why would we agree to further restrictions than we’ve agreed to in the past with the same label?'”

For decades, standard major-label recording contracts stated artists had to wait for the latter of two periods to expire before they could put out re-recorded versions, Swift-style: It could have been five to seven years from the release date of the original, or two years after the contract expired. Today, attorneys are receiving label contracts that expand that period to 10 or 15 years or more — and the attorneys are pushing back. “It becomes one of a multitude of items you’re fighting,” Karp says.

“I recently did a deal with a very big indie that had a 30-year re-record restriction in it. Which obviously is much longer than I’m used to seeing,” adds Gandhar Savur, attorney for Cigarettes After Sex, Built to Spill and Jeff Rosenstock. “I think the majors are also trying to expand their re-record restrictions but in a more measured way — they are generally not yet able to get away with making such extreme changes.”

Read more

Slow asses lol. I knew👏🏽 this shit was on its way from these losers. Majors are always left behind in the creative direction of music evolution and are determined to stifle an artist's level of (loopholed) independence within the machine. Taylor is out here doing peak-2000s CD era, first-week numbers on her old "new" shit (before that Dell Glover shift 🙃) and collecting luggage-size bags. Crash course:

In order to use the sound recordings from her first six albums, Swift would be required to license or buy them back from Shamrock Capital. However, as Swift owns the musical compositions and accompanying lyrics, she always had the exclusive right to perform and create adaptations of her songs subject to the terms of her original contract with Big Machine. Once the restriction periods in her initial record deal began to expire (around late 2020 and likely determined from the date that each album was recorded), Swift began re-recording the music from her first six albums so that she would finally be able to own new master recordings of these songs. So far, Swift has released re-recordings of three out of six of her first albums, with her highly anticipated fourth re-recorded album to be released on 27 October this year. The re-recorded albums are being released as "Taylor's Versions". By doing this, Swift is able to own the copyright in the musical composition, lyrics and master recordings of her music, placing her in a stronger position to control the licensing and use of her music for better promotion and financial compensation. (x)

T.S. on all that shit. They are bothered bothered, honey. She's not the first to do it (think JoJo rerecording her first two albums after her forced release from Barry Hankerson, who tried to own her voice and name in perpetuity on some Ariel shit) nor the last (think Ashanti gearing up the re-recording of her debut album post-Irv Gotti). But Taylor's the first of this caliber (6 albums) and turnaround time. Artist-writers, who don't own their masters, been taking notes. But the main note they should've been taking is from that writer's strike. They been needed an overhaul. Working without ownership and nothing to show but fame and lint-balled pockets.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 16/03/2024 (Ariana Grande's eternal sunshine, 4batz/Drake)

For a fourth week, Beyoncé holds the throne on the UK Singles Chart with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”. Outside of that, it’s Ariana Grande week, so welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

Before we get to Ari or, well, anything else, we always start with our notable dropouts, those being songs dropping out of the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the more prestigious top 40. This week in particular, we bid adieu to: “Overcompensate” by twenty one pilots (not a surprise there, it seems like a pretty inaccessible lead single), “Forever” by Noah Kahan, “On My Love” by Zara Larsson and David Guetta, “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, “Perfect (Exceeder)” by Mason and Princess Superstar and finally, “Popular” by The Weeknd, Playboi Carti and Madonna.

As for our re-entries and gains, God, it was a big day for those this week, especially given not much else was going on between the top 20 and well, everything else. Mitski’s “My Love Mine All Mine” is back at #75, “Make You Mine” by Madison Beer is back at #53 (great!) and two well-deserved awards show boosts are present here - Jungle, the BRIT Awards’ Best British Group, re-enter at #43 with the incredible “Back on 74” and thanks to Billie Eilish getting her Oscar win for Best Original Song, the equally incredible “What Was I Made For?” zooms back at #16. It’s pretty impressive that there are four re-entries here, all in vastly different spaces of the chart, and they’re all fantastic. As for the gains, we see a lot, scouring pretty much all of the chart, so let’s any% speedrun this section: “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by FBI’s top six most wanted criminals at #68, “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift at #65, “Happier” by The Blessed Madonna and Clementine Douglas at #61 and okay, break - that song apparently samples “Du hast” by Rammstein, which I just didn’t hear last week when it debuted. Despite being a classic on rock radio all over Europe, the song never charted in the UK’s top 100, and I always preferred “Sonne”. Now back to the list: “Would You (go to bed with me?)” by Campbell and Alcemist at #60, “ONE CALL” by Rich Amiri at #59, freaking “Baby Shark” at #57, “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves at #55, “Green & Gold” by Rudimental and Skepsis featuring Charlotte Plank and Riko Dan at #54 (not really excited for how a trend of the 2020s is having so many artists credited), “FE!N” by Travis Scott featuring Playboi Carti at #41, “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners at #37, “Austin” by Dasha at #25, “Kitchen Stove” by Pozer at #22, and finally, thanks to the release of her album, “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande rebounds to #6, just outside the range for our next segment.

Now for our top five, starting with “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims at #5, “End of Beginning” by Djo at #4, and Ariana Grande landing her second top 10 hit in this week, the clunkily two-titled “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” at #3. Obviously, there’s more on that later. As for the rest, it’s to be expected: Beyoncé leads and the pack and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” isn’t far behind at #2. Now for… less beautiful things, let’s dissect some of the new entries we have here.

New Entries

#71 - “if u think i’m pretty” - Artemas

Produced by Artemas and Daintree

Alright, I’ll bite: who the Hell are Artemas? Or Daintree for that matter? Well, Artemas Diamandis is a budding singer-songwriter with a questionable moustache who’s popular on social media, with this being a breakout hit from October last year, though it now of course has slowed and sped-up versions because the world is not safe from TikTok’s impact on popular music. Daintree seems to be Artemas’ go-to producer, and the two wrote this alt-pop song about a toxic relationship where to put it bluntly, he needs to pick up his standards. There’s a unique androgyny to Mr. Diamandis’ voice and it actually meshes very well - at least his falsetto does - into the vaguely eerie synth distortion and haunting elements very fitting for a song released in late October. I think the effects end up a bit overdone sometimes, attempting to make up for an underwritten song, and I really don’t like how the snare sounds, even if the constantly repeating vocal chop, and the way the lead vocal melody ends up stuck in a jam with it, is really clever, there was a lot of effort put into the song’s sound design, it just doesn’t really translate into a full song for me, especially at barely two minutes. Cool ideas are definitely here though.

#70 - “Uh Uh” - Clavish and Fredo

Produced by KP Beatz

We don’t have many other new names here: Clavish, Fredo, Nathan Dawe - they’re staples of UK chart weeks in the 2020s - and Drake and Ari are inescapable, so this’ll be a pretty familiar episode I feel, which is kind of refreshing. I mean, I’ve been listening to ratrace90210 and Yeat and Butterfly Boy, there’s something relaxing about knowing partly what you’ll have to say about something going into it. With that said, even I was surprised with how cheap and basic the piano and flute sounds in this beat were, the piano in particular really sticks out and unintentionally sounds off-beat due to just how basic the loop is. I would prefer for more layers of the RPG-sounding flute, but once the trap beat comes in, it’s easy to ignore some of the lacking melodies, it goes pretty hard and has much more of a pace than Clavish’s usual output. He’s definitely improving as a rapper too, the sheer length that he goes on for considering the wordy flow and delivery he chooses is kind of impressive and there are some interesting lines, particularly when he… denies living the life in his raps which is just surprising if anything. The way the “uh-uh” ad-lib is implemented sounds a bit tacky sometimes but given the rhyme scheme often delivers a similar sound, it can be pretty seamless sometimes as a call-and-response, it’s just a shame that Clavish doesn’t have the personality to sell it more. Fredo does though and this is an incredible verse from him. His cold rhetorical questions, much more developed rhyme schemes than Clavish, and how much more command he has of his flow despite using a similar one to his fellow rapper and even taking time to be further off of the beat… it really shows who’s been in the game for longer. “I hit any girl I want like a woman beater” is a crazy bar though, I have no idea how to feel about that, and he doesn’t really give you the time to think about it.

#66 - “We Ain’t Here for Long” - Nathan Dawe

Produced by Nathan Dawe, Neave Applebaum and Punctual

Nathan Dawe and its three ghost producers are back in the top 75 with a song I… already had liked? Yeah, this song is from early February, and I don’t know in what context I heard it but I should say that this is, for Dawe’s standard, a pretty great track. The singer is Sam Harper, a songwriter who’s worked with… BTS? Damn, well, okay, make that bank, girl, you can probably live off of that and don’t need to take credit for the heavily filtered vocals here that stand out in a mix that feels a bit barebones: it has the boiled-down essentials of a modern Eurodance jam but not much more, and that really picks up the pace in an “end-of-the-world” kind of way. She sings that she’s barely holding on and she’s got to live her life before it’s gone, with every element of this song feeling like it wants to just make way with itself and flee, and that’s definitely a compliment in this case, there’s a certain frantic sense to how the ATB-esque acoustic guitar drop is placed into staccato formation like old video game music. With how much the song wants to be done, you’d think it’d peter out by two minute, but no, we get that fizzling and striking bridge where Harper laments how much she’s doing for other people just to feel empty in return. We immediately get back to dancing of course, but after that resonant bridge, it hits way harder than it did before, with both Harper and Dawe adding little tricks into the final chorus, whether that be a change in the inflection, an added refrain of “I gotta live my life” or a flashy pre-drop glitch. It’s all very obsessed with desperately wanting to stop existing and for a trance song in an ever-increasing dystopia of how we live now, this feels particularly relevant… and it would be pretty poetic for the UK in particular to make this a hit in 2024. And please do, it’s great.

#18 - “act ii: date @ 8” - 4batz featuring Drake

Produced by Untitled Beatz and 40

Okay, firstly: Official Charts Company finally correctly recognises a remix’s popularity and credits accordingly. Nice. Secondly… sigh. So I gave a lukewarm review to Bryson Tiller’s “Whatever She Wants” on its debut week but pretty much immediately, I’m talking the day after, it clicked with me and I’ve been slightly obsessed with it. It actually has me excited for how rappers, singers, rap-singers and sing-rappers are going to implement non-Atlanta trap elements into R&B and vice versa as we get more diversive rap landscape with hyphy, Detroit trap, drill, Jersey club, dembow, Afrobeats and more competing for further influence in mainstream rap. Tiller and the beat both chug at a constant level and only stop to murmur tensely before piling right back into action. The beat sounds like if Rick Ross was on a treadmill and instead of really trying to sing, Mr. Tiller just tries to keep up, even if it leads to him doing brief harmonic riffs and pausing for sound effects. The original “act ii: date @ 8” by 4batz, which lands on its chorus by accident, has a similar appeal in its vintage shimmering keys and more organic-sounding bass, though I hadn’t heard it before the Drake remix. 4batz goes for an adolescent delivery that makes its determined, one-minute-and-done young love feel even more weightless and fluttery. I wish it didn’t go for the cop-out not-really-all-that-chopped and only-technically-screwed outro of course, but otherwise, it’s pretty decent and oh, the big-name remix essentially plays the song unchanged and then has Drake rap over that exhausted, slowed-down version. The youthful, Hell, maybe even childlike, lovestruck song empowered by its brevity is extended to a lethargic nearly four minute track, the majority of which consists of what sounds like a reject from not even For All the Dogs, more like Certified Lover Boy. There’s an oddly homoerotic passage in the middle, then he interpolates the original just to rhyme it with “I’m a stand-up guy like Dave Chappelle”. Sure. If this helps a newer and more interesting R&B artist to launch a career, it’ll be a net positive, but this version is a butchering of the original’s spirit in my opinion.

#13 - “bye” - Ariana Grande

Produced by Ariana Grande, Max Martin and ILYA

Okay, let’s get this out of the way: I liked two tracks off of Ari’s #1 album eternal sunshine: “the boy is mine” and “I wish I hated you”. Like always, her intro was pretty sweet too. I have vaguely more long-form first impressions on RateYourMusic, but I’m mostly just turned off by the nothingness the album presents: a trendy, vaguely pleasant pop-R&B album for sure, but not one that takes many risks - which Ariana can do - or makes use of its more cinematic production to help the songs get any stickier. Sometimes she sticks the landing, but mostly I did not care for it and couldn’t get myself immersed. Yet I’ve been listening to abstract cloud rap, underground plunderphonics of both the folkish ambiance nature and layered nu-disco instrumentation, and primarily, nu metal, so take all of that with a grain of salt. Like I said about 4bats, sometimes I’m not sure why I still write this show. With that said, there’s a lot less I have to say about these Ariana songs than I think I’d have wanted to. This one, strikingly, has had Ariana speak on it being too emotional and her not wanting to erase ALL of the humanity from it. Huh. That’s definitely reflected in the rote disco groove and oddly fuzzy bass which does add some texture but doesn’t make the lead vocal melody in the chorus any less… obvious. In fact, that’s really my main problem with this record: it’s obvious. The pre-chorus sounds genuinely brilliant, this is a gorgeous vocal performance from Ari and that swell is fantastic, but it ends up going for a kiss-off that’s undetailed and non-specific outside of name-dropping her friend Courtney… who the fuck is Courtney? The whole album’s vulnerable but never in a way that fully immersed me, it feels a bit closed-off not in an aggressive way but in a “the bridge over the moat has yet to be lowered kind of way”. Drake’s whole passage about his three different Jasons in “Away from Home” accurately displays my emotional connection with eternal sunshine but the difference here is that Drake very much knows that you don’t know who these people or events are and plays into that to construct his narratives. These Ariana Grande songs just feel oddly distant, and for a triumphant dance-pop song, I want to be IN the moment, not a peasant looking up at a celebration in the tower. Just saying.

#3 - “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” - Ariana Grande

Produced by Ariana Grande, Max Martin and ILYA

More than half of our debuts this week are in lowercase, I guess this really is a muted week. Speaking of muted, this was oddly a bit of a sleeper hit within the week, having its music video and SNL performance give a lukewarm first day room to breathe and a bit of a boost for the whole album but especially this… and it’s a blocky synthpop pastiche, and I MEAN blocky. One of my least favourite tracks on the album and really one of Ari’s worst ever in my opinion, this goes for the one thing I don’t think she could ever sell: a discussion of Ariana’s relationship with the media, doubling as a relationship story. You can see similar interpretations of thank u, next but even if I don’t like that record, I will give it props for its depths and honestly, its stakes and the tragedy that surrounds that album and its predecessor. This track though... what informed this? What informed the backlash-to-the-backlash towards critics in the chorus? What informed the tumultuous nature of Ariana’s pop culture ups and downs this time? What informed the grotesquely unwarranted orchestral outro? Oh, right, nothing to care about. I used to be a Kanye fan, artful self-indulgence is not something I’m opposed to - Hell, go for it and more - but when the writing is purposefully secretive and vague, the lead vocal melodies are so staccato that Ari has to push character out of them through just her inherent personality, which itself is a fragile beast and most importantly, it sounds a cloudy fuzz of parodic ass with conveyor-belt synths standing sore in the mix… I’m left questioning why I should allow myself to give it my time. Given that ending line of the second verse, it also makes me wonder if Ms. Grande even wants me to. Hard pass on this - “the boy is mine” was right there as a single, this feels like an easy cop-out for an album that had a shaky first week.

Conclusion

Yes, Ari gets Worst of the Week for “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”, as much as I wish she didn’t, with a Dishonourable Mention to… Drake. Drake gets the Dishonourable Mention for ruining a promising song in “act ii: date @ 8” by 4batz. As for the best, it should be an obvious lock for Nathan Dawe with “We Ain’t Here for Long”, as Artemas taking an Honourable Mention for “if u think i’m pretty”, I could see some better songs coming from this guy if we give him more than one chance at a hit. I don’t envision much of intrigue in the coming week, but regardless, thank you for reading, rest in peace to Eric Carmen, and I’ll see you next week!

[sillyfun214]

So I need to vent (quasi-publicly which is very weird for me but I am very frustrated). This is a bit of a long post.

So being a low-key Swiftie I was obviously super fucking excited when Taylor was finally able to start re-releasing her music and re-take ownership of the songs she poured her heart and soul into.

I knew this was a big deal and the concept of getting people to buy new versions of albums they (might) already own was confusing to a lot of people. And it was about setting a precedent for artists owning their work - which has majorly wide reaching effects for music and beyond.

Fearless (Taylor's Version) is announced and I buy the first physical CD I've bought since high school. It arrives. I'm thrilled. Then Red (Taylor's Version) is announced. I decide I need to go vinyl on this one and order it.

At this time there are news articles about vinyl shortages and delays in production. And the email confirmation says some items are expected to ship in 12 weeks. So I prepare myself for a long wait.

I check the website and my email pretty frequently for a few weeks. I also ordered a Fuck the Patriarchy keychain for my friend. Eventually, I kind of forget about the order.

About 7 weeks later I get an email saying the keychain shipped. I was like cool, hope the record ships soon. (The email subject line re: the keychain said "the last item in your order has shipped", but I didn't put 2 and 2 together).

I received the keychain, but no record. Okay, I thought, must still be delayed - especially since I hadn't received notification that it shipped.

Once again, I kind of forget about the record. I would occasionally remember, but only at the most inconvenient times, of course - driving, in the shower, at work.

Cut to October 20th of this year - my motivation and my memory lined up and I acted. I emailed customer service. It was terrifying! Having been in customer service, one of my biggest fears is being somebody's Asshole Customer. Overall, I think I was polite.

Attached to my 10/24 email were screenshots of all the emails I had received and the order status page. To clarify, this is still how the order status page reads - does not say it was shipped or delivered!

While I understand that it is now the one year anniversary of placing the original order, how the fuck was I supposed to contact them within 60 days of the item being shipped if the item was never shipped!?

Long story short, if anyone has a vinyl copy of Red (Taylor's Version) they want to send my way, I am very open to it. I'd even be willing to pay shipping (again) (as long as it actually ships).

On the bright side, I did just buy tickets to the Eras Tour. Unless there's a shipping problem with my digital tickets. 👀

[reputayswift]

🐈‍⬛

Hello all! The animal today is a black cat in accordance with Halloween and (more importantly) Midnight's release in less than a week! I think we have an exciting week ahead of us, eh? So I want to know, what is your favorite thing about release week? Mine personally is being surprised by all the little fun things Taylor does during the week! And of course getting new music (duh?) So what is yours?

Let's share what we're most excited for this week and remember to tag animalanon (if so desire) so we can all share our excitement for this new album and show Taylor (and each other) some love! And remember, each of you are wonderful and deserving human beings who are very much loved 🥰. Now let's have a party!l (squirrels are not invited) 🥳 🥳🥳.

-animal anon

Omg hi <3

I have to agree, it’s all the little surprises! I love finding out how the track titles fit into the songs (it’s so satisfying when you can hear the lyrics/rhyme scheme setting up to drop the title). I remember listening to Mirrorball for the first time and being like ooooh “I’ll show you every version of yourself / I’ll get you out on the floor, shimmering beautiful / when I break it’s in a million pieces / etc.” It’s why I’m so confident when we listen to Midnights we’ll be like, “oh, obviously, that’s why it’s called that!” And then I also love the few days after when your brain is playing snippets of all the songs at random even though you don’t quite know the lyrics yet :’)

NOT THE SQUIRRELS 😭 We actually have one of those squirrel-sized picnic tables for them 🥲 And there’s a tree with a hollow in it by my house where sometimes you can see one sunbathing with its head sticking out <3 I know some big city squirrels are built different though

[mysmorgasbordoffantabulosa]

New to the fandom, so asking this question. What is the controversy with the charts especially Billboard? Have they actually changed the rules without notice, as some fans claim?

Until a few years ago, the charts weighted digital downloads the same as physical sales almost the same as streaming/radio. But then BTS started doing really well in the charts, mostly from digital downloads because of the lack of playlisting on spotify (a known Payola systems designed to over inflate streams) and radio playlisting (an even more established form of payola, and one that is still believed to be alive today).

So when BTS started doing well they started changing the rules. Now initially they would do this after BTS... here are some of the key ones in recent years:

This mostly effected albums, but oddly not BTS and was more of a blow to artists like Taylor Swift who sold concert tickets / merch with albums. BTS never did this. It also introduced YouTube Streams as part of streaming numbers as streaming became more prominent.

Physical sales where changed to only count once they ship not on day of release, and may thought this was specifically directed at BTS considering the disproportionately more physical sales that BTS (and K-Pop artists in general) always made.

Next big change was...

The big change here was on digital downloads. Whereas previously "up to four purchases of a single digital track were recognized for a single user (account) per week." The new ruled limited this to "only one purchase per week."

This rule was further tighten earlier this year to that it was linked to an email 1 song per email per week.

Most of these changes were implement weeks / months after their anouncement.

So why are ARMY up in arms... Well this...

Billboard filtered more than 100,000 digital download sales for the second week of Like Crazy's run on the charts. So why did it happened...

Well Billboard it appears has implemented an additional change to the 1 song per email per week rule by taking out the 'per week', without announcement or notice during the second week of Like Crazy's sales.

So Brian solo stans a obviously pissed, but so are the wider ARMY as this also impacts on others in the group and the wider K-Pop community.

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

And another thing while we’re at and is again me stating the obvious and repeating what we’ve all said but the way Taylor and Travis have handled the public vs private thing is a masterclass in pr/comms issues management in a lot of ways.

Because as we’ve all said they’re “public” in the spaces that we’d expect them to be. Like for instance, Travis’ games or Taylor’s shows — they’re literally work functions for them respectively, and it’s never a secret when the other shows up. So yes, Travis showing up on stage and committing to the bit is “public,” but it’s not the biggest stretch because everyone knew he was going to be there. They’re kicking it up a notch, but in the end, she’s performing for 90k people in a stadium and however many thousands at home on livestreams in a public space, and ultimately him showing up there (or her showing up on the field at football games) falls into that expected professional realm. It’s not like they’re broadcasting a talk show from their living room.

Which I think has made it even clearer how hard the “home” boundary is for them, at least for the time being. The way Travis always deflects and shifts the conversation when it comes to people (mostly good-naturedly) fishing for a scoop is masterful. He shares publicly available information (eg the pop tart anecdote) but is firm on not sharing anything actually personal.

And I bring this up only because it feels to me that that’s probably one of Taylor’s firm boundaries and/or boundaries they’ve chosen together. For people who are surprised at Taylor being so “public” or how she’s changed — she hasn’t in a lot of important ways. She’s loud and exuberant and not afraid to show off on stage, but she also hasn’t done any significant press to speak of that I can think of since Midnights’ release almost two years ago, and even that wasn’t much. She literally just dropped an album in the middle of tour two months ago and peaced out.

It just seems like at least at this point in her life, her personal life is pretty much off limits. There’s the odd tidbit (eg the Fortnight video), but she isn’t talking to the press and even though Travis hosts a podcast every week, he isn’t saying anything that we haven’t all already seen in the news. Obviously the shenanigans this weekend cross the personal boundaries a little, but it’s likely also because, well, there are some major life changes afoot so those lines will too.

I’m just rambling but it’s just like… Taylor is open in so many ways and flourishing in others that maybe she didn’t even this we’re still possible, and it’s so so touching to see her come out the other side of everything she went through. And she’s changed only in that she’s healing and she’s starting to reconnect with parts of herself she’d kept buried.

But she’s still fiercely protective of her life and it’s just incredible to think that as big and as public facing as she and Travis are, in the end, we don’t really know much about their personal lives and I think that’s really important. I’m sure those boundaries will shift as their lives evolve and things feel better or don’t feel better and they reassess. But it’s just kind of funny that for all the microscopes they’re under, the noise around them is kind of smoke and mirrors because they themselves are tightlipped to the public. (Different relationships and all that, but compare how Travis speaks about his home life — or doesn’t — with Taylor to how Jason and Kylie speak about theirs and it’s clear that there are very different boundaries there. Which is fine! Everyone navigates their own!)

So as the hype has built up this is weekend (and will likely continue this week…) and things are probably going to hit a fever pitch in the media and online, it’s going to be funny to hear the inevitable takes about PR and flaunting their relationship in public and moral judgments on it (ahem) when in reality… they really don’t share anything other than places they’d already be seen anyway. That may all change and maybe they’ll give a tell all, I don’t know, but I suspect not. (And if it does then great! Good for them that they feel comfortable enough with it!)

It’s just a really good exercise in how they give enough to make it seem like you’ve gotten something, without really giving anything at all. Like the show bit — it’s shocking and goofy and flirty, but on the flip side, is it really unusual for a committed couple to flirt with each other? Nope. Same with the PDA at the football games: it’s shocking because of their fame and Taylor previously being notoriously private. But in the end, it’s really not a shock for a person to show up at their partner’s work event and support them, and in the case of the Super Bowl, it’s not a surprise for a loved one to come down onto the field and show affection to a player who’s won their game. It’s different because it’s her, but it’s otherwise pretty standard protocol.

I’m just glad for her and for them in the end that they’ve found some sort of balance that works for them where they get to show up and support each other how they like, without feeling like it’s going to collapse their personal life. They’ve kind of hoodwinked the world into thinking they’re massively public when it’s really “professional but make it sparkly”.

[sitpwgs]

Hi! I'm sorry you're still not feeling well. It seems like it really sucks I hope you were still able to have a good and fun weekend with your friend though! I hope the new medication helped as well but from your latest update, it seems like it didn't. Aww I really hope you feel better before your birthday and the holidays coming up. I've never had black forest cake I don't think..or is that the one with cherry filling in the middle? If it is, then I have and I think it's yummy too. I do love Oreo cake, vanilla, and just plain chocolate or double chocolate. But I have a lot of favorite desserts too..but it's mostly brownies and cookies. I like chocolate chip and double chocolate and ice cream but I don't love it when it's cold. I've never had tiramisu I don't think though.

I want need to be released too but mostly just cuz all of the girls was already released so I hope it is and it is like False God. I think cuz it sounds so different from any Taylor song to me. When I first heard it, I think it sounded more like a Selena Gomez song..maybe in the verses more than Taylor..but I do love how Taylor shows her vocals in the song and I do know other people love it a lot. The only thing about that is then it would be technically the last rerecording to be released and idk if it should end with that but I do see how it kinda works. Unless she puts out an eras rerecording doc or something as a thank you for the tour, then it would be the next best thing. I do still like to play it around Christmas sometimes. She also has a show on her birthday next year so that's exciting enough too.

Haha wow. I actually listen to something new like everyday so I could never get burnt out on new music haha. Basically my sister has a long drive everyday so we pick a new album to listen to everyday and kinda have a theme for each week based on genres. That's how I discover so much new music and we add a few songs to a big hours long playlist all year and play it near the end of the year haha and then we will pick our favorites. Obviously if it's an artist I really like, I play their albums for at least a week. I also play a lot of recommended radio so that's how I find new artists too. So what's your top artists and songs for Spotify wrapped since it came out? I think there's an equivalent with apple music if you use that. But I'm so excited to know and I will add anything you recommend to my list. I wasn't really surprised..obviously Taylor was my top artist lol but I feel like it also matters how long an album is and for top songs it's how much a certain song will play on your recommended radio and if you let it play. Oh I forgot about those but will listen eventually of course..along with the fruitcake EP soon.

As for books, I'll have to work on my list and I can tell you what I'll be reading more specifically later. Sorry it's just not something I'm focused on right now but I did find a few more books to add to my list recently so idk and I'm always looking for new recommendations too so I'll look at your post whenever its updated. Oh that's so cool and exciting. I've recently getting more educated on the publishing world which sounds exhausting so that's actually pretty cool. I honestly haven't read Hunger Games in a long time but that sounds like a pretty good plan if you get to it.

Oh I like her music but I'm not sure she would fit as Eurydice..cuz her voice is too soft almost? Thanks for the link! I will go thru it later and give my full opinion. Oh I mentioned a doc about the rerecordings earlier but would absolutely love this too! Beyonce had a little bit of this in her movie which I thought was really cool and made it different than eras. She would talk for a few minutes about something that would kinda lead into the next song so the transitions were pretty smooth and didn't distract from the show. Also it's always very cool to see her talking and share stuff from her personal life which we don't get to see as much. I'm pretty sure she didn't cut anything either which was impressive! I couldn't help comparing it to Eras but more so in a fun way cuz I love both of them and you can really see how much artistry and care they put in the work and that's a really cool thing to see. Taylor also supported Beyonce at her premiere just like how Beyonce did for her and I loved her dress so much..it was really on theme haha. I also paid attention to the sets and it's something I have to pay more attention to in the eras movie again. Another cool thing Beyonce's movie did was show all the different outfits she would wear for a certain song and I kinda wish eras movie did that now lol. Also Beyonce showed all her special guest performances in her movie too. It was kinda cool cuz it was almost set up in eras too but in a different way I guess cuz it wasn't by era..but she did start from the beginning of her career and mixed in a few songs. Also her opening songs started out slower in the show but I think that's pretty typical of Beyonce..like she gets more energetic as the show goes on. She also did not sing a song from every album..there was nothing from Lemonade but that's also a personal album for her or maybe didn't fit this show. But she sang every song from Renaissance and somehow made them work in the order of the album...and she even included the performance of songs she only sang at a few shows. I think seeing it was fun too cuz I didn't know the full show as well as eras even if I saw a few clips online and having it professionally recorded helps a lot too. Even if you don't love her music, it's definitely worth a watch at some point.

I do think it was cool of her to sing it for the end of the year and cuz there's a bit of a break on tour and I agree with how it makes her feel. I just think the chorus could be better cuz she repeats the same lyrics or used thing more than once and I don't love the melody but some people love it. Its just there to me and some songs are just like that I guess. I feel similarly about Illicit Affairs but I like it on tour and maybe even Off the top of my head, the first two opening nights had the best songs! Mirrorball and Tim McGraw and State of Grace and This is me trying but i would probably pick night two. Another one would be the eras movie pick or I Can See You and I think Maroon? Also Getaway Car and Maroon! I got pretty lucky with Right where you Left Me and Castles Crumbling too!!! I liked yours too! What about you?

Aside from seeing the Renaissance movie, I also got a haircut after a long time which was nice. I will probably also be busy for the next few weeks just letting you know. The end of the year is always stressful to me so I'm sorry if I don't reply as much. I hope your weekend with your friend was still fun! Happy Monday and I hope you have a great week!!! 🩷

hi friend!! it was one of the best weekends ever, i think — just something that i very much needed + very good for my soul, but i am very tired and just quite sad now! long distance friendships are so so hard :( i've mostly been feeling a bit better aside from my voice which just does not want to return to me for some reason!! but that's okay — the good news, is that it gives me an excuse to not be super super social at the work party on wednesday (which i'm lowkey dreading haha).

and yes! black forest cake is the one with cherry in the middle — i don't really like cherry, but i do loveeee black forest cake for some reason! i am not a huge fan of super sweet sweets (and often, brownies are too sweet for my taste) but one of my friends has been talking to me about brownies all week and now i really really want one. i think i'm going to try to get one on wednesday when i go to my work party as a pre-party treat, actually! tiramisu is delicious — if you like coffee (i don't know if you do, actually — i don't think we've talked about coffee! do you like coffee? what's your coffee order?) which i do!

i would love love love more BTS for eras and the rerecordings! i just think all of that is so interesting, i want to know about the costumes + the thought behind the dive, the choreography, why the piano is painted with those flowers, why debut was cut from the setlist :(, whose idea it was for those very specific visuals, etc. i just want to know everything!

there is an apple music equivalent — it's called apple replay! my top 5 artists were: the 1975, taylor, holly humberstone, maisie, and sabrina carpenter — but replay also gives you your top 15, so here are the rest of them: inhaler, gracie abrams, the japanese house, noah kahan, beabadoobee, del water gap, olivia rodrigo, lizzy mcalpine, haim and charli xcx! and my most listened to songs are: oh caroline, happiness, if you're too shy (let me know), lost the breakup, body better, me & you together song, you're just a boy (and i'm kinda the man), the good witch, about you, i'm in love with you, pressure, menswear, scarlett, heart out and the sound! which is so funny because i don't even remember listening to a good half of these that much (probably in the first half of the year). my most listened to albums were: the good witch, emails i can't send fwd, notes on a conditional form, the good witch (deluxe), speak now (taylor's version), paint my bedroom black, reputation, barbie the album, the 1975 (deluxe), guts, cuts & bruises, i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it, good riddance, in the end it always does and midnights (3 am edition)!

and you don't need to apologize — just know i'm excited for your favorites when you have them! i will try to figure out my list as well! and ahhh, the renaissance film sounds so so good! i'm excited to watch it when i get a chance to 🤍

and yeah, i have a really hard time picturing her as eurydice! but i think she'd be a great girl in once, if she ever did that!

tied together with a smile was my favoriteeeee. it just means so much to me as a song, and i'm so so glad i got to hear it! honestly i really lucked out with my songs — and i think everyone that i went with was really happy (my friend bailey loves ttwas too, my friend mansi got a reputation song night 1 — this is why we can't have nice things, etc.)! just very special! very lovely evening. i'd loveeee to hear mirrorball, or anything debut though. i'm really just manifesting something from debut for my mom :")

and no worries about replying either!! 🤍 take your time, i know you're busy + things are goin on! happy monday + hope you have a good rest of the year friend!!

[path-of-my-childhood]

‘Willow’ Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto Didn’t Know Taylor Swift Had a New Album, Either

By: Claire Shaffer for Rolling Stone Date: December 14th 2020

When award-winning cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto started working on the video for “Willow” with Taylor Swift in November, he didn’t know that it was a part of her new surprise album, Evermore.

“I thought maybe it was a video for the previous album. I didn’t even know what the song was at our first meeting.”

Prieto wasn’t the only one in the dark about the new record; Swift dropped Evermore last week with a very similar rollout to her previous LP Folklore, complete with a self-directed music video released at midnight along with the album: “Willow.” The video serves as a narrative continuation of the story in the “Cardigan” music video — which Prieto also worked on — featuring a ton of visual references to tracks from Folklore.

As with the “Cardigan” video, Swift, Prieto and the production team not only had to keep the shoot under wraps, but also find innovative ways to film the project under Covid-19 safety protocols without endangering the lives of the crew. Prieto spoke to Rolling Stone about the production this time around, and how the team brought Swift’s witchy vision for “Willow” to life.

How did the “Willow” shoot differ from “Cardigan”? It looks like you guys were able to have other actors on set this time around, but how did that change the safety measures you had to follow?

It was still very, very strict. A big part of it was the whole testing protocols, which we also did last time. But when we were doing this video, we knew more [about the virus], and the safety guidelines were more specific. We followed the same ones the DGA has done, that my union Local 600 has done, SAG — they’ve all put in place these protocols that we did follow, and were very careful about it.

For instance, in the scene with the choreography around the tree and the clearing, you know, with a sort of dance around these magical orbs, there was a limit on how many actors and dancers we could have there. That was created by visual effects, actually — they added in more dancers. I think the actual number was 10 dancers when we were filming, and they all have masks on, actually. We can’t see their faces, and that’s partly because they have masks.

There’s only really one moment, in the cabin, where she’s in close contact with [another actor], with the man that she’s been missing at all these different moments. But, of course, both were tested, and they’d only take off their masks in the moment where we’re actually shooting. Everyone else would always wear masks on. And similar to last time, anybody who was in the immediate vicinity of the scene had to have a red wristband — it was all color-coded, in terms of who could be close to the scene and the actors. And certainly, it was very important to have not only a mask, but a face shield whenever we were anywhere close to Taylor or any of the other actors or dancers.

I still used the remote camera on a crane, so there wasn’t even a camera operator close to anybody. We were still following all the guidelines very closely, but now, it felt more relaxed in the sense that we have more information. We could just follow all these protocols. And we knew that we’d be safe because it was all pretty strict.

You mentioned last time that communication could sometimes be difficult on the “Cardigan” set because everyone had to kind of yell at each other or point to things since they couldn’t get in close proximity. Was Taylor able to be more hands-on in her directing this time around, like she was while you were shooting the music video for “The Man?”

That was still was the case — especially when you have a mask and a face shield, and you’re six feet away, you have to be a little louder to be heard. So we did maintain that protocol. But she was still very involved. I would stay at my monitor at the DIT [digital imaging technician] station, because it was the best image, but everyone would all be kind of looking at it from a distance, from six feet away.

But there was one moment that was unforgettable. And she actually has mentioned it, which was, just as we were starting to film on November 7th, we got the news of the election result. We were both looking at the monitor at the DIT station, and she got a text alert or something like that. Obviously, at that moment, we were all working on the video, but in the back of our minds we’re all like, OK, what’s gonna happen? And she was the only one who could actually look at her phone, because in fact, everybody had to relinquish their phones in the beginning so that nobody would take photos of anything, except for a few people like myself, who could sometimes use our phone to take a photograph as reference. And I was only using it very, very sporadically for that sort of thing.

So Taylor ended up being the messenger for the election results on set.

Exactly. So, she’s next to me — six feet away, but she was next to me. And she got this text, and she showed it to me. So I learned of the result from her at that moment, and what I told her was, “I will never forget this moment,” both because it’s such a historically important moment and because she was the one who showed me this information, you know. That was pretty special. Yeah. I felt like celebrating and doing a little dance, but I didn’t — we’re professionals and we’re working and also, I wanted to be respectful of anybody who had voted differently. But it was a very incredible moment, and just the beginning of a three-day shoot that turned out to be an adventure.

This video makes so many references to songs on Folklore and older songs from Taylor’s discography, both obvious and hidden. How did she lay out her vision to you?

The first meeting was talking about the story and the ideas. I still didn’t know the song, but the first thing was figuring out that it’s a continuation of the previous one we did together. At that moment, she was still kind of developing her ideas and trying to figure out exactly what was going to happen — for example, the ending wasn’t quite clear yet. She knew that she wanted to finish again in the cabin and that [the man] would be there, right. But during that meeting, we decided to have them both leave the cabin. That was an idea that came to us as we were talking as a team.

And then we went back and forth — at first she thought it should be night outside because it’s always been night, and then she changed her mind and said it should be daytime, so we were like, OK, what does it look like out there? Is it just the limbo? And then Ethan Tobin, our production designer, said it should be this sort of autumn forest. She was very much appreciative of that and really listened to everybody’s ideas.

There was also discussion about that moment in the clearing, about whether it should be a bonfire or not. First of all, with production, we would have had to shoot it outside and that would have been very complicated. But also she felt that, even with special effects, it was not a good thing to show with all the wildfires going on in California. So she came up with the concept of some type of orbs, something more magical, and Ethan Tobin came up with a bunch of different reference photos for that. That was the way we developed these concepts — even with the willow tree, Ethan sent some images and ideas, and one of them had these magenta leaves on the ground, which was weird and magical. Taylor and I loved that. It was that kind of back-and-forth in the pre-production phase, before we even heard the music.

It’s amazing how you were able to pull this off under such complicated circumstances — communicating back-and-forth over Zoom, and then with the actual video shoot itself.

It’s pretty tricky to get such a complicated and really technically challenging shoot off the ground, but we planned it all beforehand. Ethan Tobin was working with his art director Simon Morgan on designing the sets over Zoom. So, it was all overhead plans, and then you have to go to the set and map it out. For that clearing scene, for instance, Simon Morgan and myself, and my gaffer Manny Tapia and my key grip Donald Reynolds, we went to the soundstage first and taped the space in the center where the magic orbs would be. And then we measured the distance to the background with the blue screen, and taped where all the trees would be, and then figured out where all the lighting would be for there and the carnival set — everything had to be very, very precise, and the distance had to all be worked out. It really helped when we were actually shooting, because it went very smoothly. So, that’s how we made it.

[snowonthebeachmp3]

July 2016

Jul 3rd - Taylor's 4th of July festivities kick off at her Rhode Island house. Guests include Tom Hiddleston, Abigail Anderson, Matt Lucier, Claire Winter, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner, Austin Swift, Ruby Rose, Harley Gusman, Halston Sage, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Britany Maack, Ben LaManna, Martha Hunt, Jason McDonald, Uzo Aduba, Chioma Aduba, Jordan Masterson, Kesha, St Vincent, Ed Sheeran, Cherry Seaborn, Rachel Platten, Kennedy Rayé and the Haim sisters. (x) (x) (x) (x)

This is the day Tom wears the infamous 'I <3 TS' tank top while they're all at the beach. (x)

Jul 4th - The online mockery for the 'I <3 TS' shirt is quick to pour in. Daily Mail commenters are yet to shut up about it in 2021.

The party continues with a giant inflatable waterslide, body painting, karaoke, charades and fireworks. (x) And also Kesha and Haim getting tricked by Cara, Uzo and Ruby into thinking they heard scary noises in the night, and trying to call the police but not knowing their own location. (x) (x)

Jul 5th - The day after the party, when all the guests post their photos online.

Britany posts a photo of her & Ben, Blake & Ryan, and Taylor & Tom. (x) The internet has a field day with Ryan's unimpressed facial expression. (x) (Ryan later says that it's just his resting bitch face as he wasn't aware a photo was being taken. (x))

Taylor posts several photos to Instagram of her celebrating the 4th July with friends, but doesn't post any pictures with Tom. (x)

Claire Winter posts a bunch of Polaroids, including one of Taylor and Tom kissing. (x)

Abigail posts a photo to Instagram showing the banners Taylor put up to celebrate her engagement to Matt and the anniversaries of Cara & St Vincent (real name Annie Clark) and Ed & Cherry. (x)

Jul 6th - Taylor and Tom fly out of Rhode Island (x) and arrive at LAX that evening. (x) They then get on a plane to Australia.

Joe attends the Warner Music Group summer party in London. (x)

Rumours are swirling that Tom is no longer in consideration to be the next Bond, due to his relationship with Taylor. (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

Jul 8th - Taylor and Tom are flying on a commercial Quantas flight so someone is able to take a pic of them on the plane. (x)

According to another passenger on the plane, Taylor plays Scrabble during the flight (presumably on her phone because nobody takes big physical board games on commercial flights and the creepshot of Hiddleswift on the plane suggests she wouldn't have had anywhere to put the board anyway). In hindsight, knowing how Taylor and Joe play lots of Scrabble together including online Scrabble aka Words With Friends, and how they stayed in touch largely via texting that summer, it’s very possible she was playing against Joe.

Taylor and Tom arrive in Sydney, where Tom is about to start filming for Thor: Ragnarok. (x) Aussie media, including daytime TV, goes nuts over Hiddleswift's arrival in the country. (x)

Flying from LA to Australia involves crossing the international dateline, so they would have left the US on the 6th July local time and arrived in Sydney approx 15 hours later on the 8th July local time.

Calvin's new song Olé, written for John Newman, is released. There is speculation that it's a Hiddleswift song, written from Tom's perspective and containing lyrics implying that Taylor cheated on Calvin with Tom. However, sources also told multiple outlets that the song was written and recorded months earlier, and its supposed links to Hiddleswift were just for publicity. (x) (x)

Jul 9th - Tom goes out for a run (x) and avoids answering questions about Taylor. (x)

Jul 10th - Taylor and Tom go out for dinner to Gemelli Italian restaurant in Broadbeach on Australia's Gold Coast. (x)

Jul 11th - Taylor is named as the highest earning celebrity on the 2016 Forbes Celebrity 100 list, with earnings of $170m mostly due to the 1989 World Tour. If she and Calvin had not split up, they would have been the top-earning celebrity couple. (x)

Jul 12th - Taylor visits Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in South Brisbane. (x)

Jul 13th - Us Weekly makes a wild claim that Tom is planning to propose soon, and Taylor is going to say yes. The magazine cover also claims they're already talking about babies. (x)

TMZ claims that Taylor wrote TIWYCF, and that Calvin disrespecting Taylor following its release was the reason for their breakup. (x)

Taylor Swift really is the creative brains behind Calvin Harris' monster hit "This is What You Came For," and their relationship fell apart because he disrespected her when the song was released ... this according to sources connected with Taylor.

It's a fascinating story. We've learned an early fan rumor about the song is true, but to a deeper extent than anyone suspected. During their relationship, Taylor wrote the song, sat down at a piano and did a demo into her iPhone. She sent it to Calvin, who loved it. They both went into a studio and did a full demo with Taylor on vocals and Calvin doing the beat.

They both knew the song would be a hit, but Taylor wrote it for Calvin and both agreed it was a bad idea to let the world know they collaborated as a couple ... it would overshadow the song.

So Taylor, who kept the publishing rights, used the pseudonym Nils Sjoberg on the credits.

//

The problem in the relationship came the day the song was released. Calvin appeared on Ryan Seacrest's radio show and Ryan asked, "Will you do a collaboration with your girlfriend?" Calvin responded, "You know we haven't even spoken about it. I can't see it happening though."

We're told Taylor was hurt and felt Calvin took it too far.

It was a quick downward spiral from that point. One source called it "the breaking point in the relationship." The Met Gala was several days later, when Taylor danced with Tom Hiddleston.

Tree confirms to People magazine that Taylor did write TIWYCF under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. (x)

Calvin also confirms that Taylor wrote TIWYCF and goes on a Twitter rant:

Katy Perry tweets a gif of Hillary Clinton with a smug/'told you so' expression. (x) She also retweets an older tweet from May 2015 which reads, 'Time, the ultimate truth teller.' (x)

#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty trends on Twitter (x) (x) and Taylor's Instagram comments are spammed with the snake emoji. (x)

Following Calvin's tweets, TMZ publishes another article claiming he is downplaying Taylor's involvement in the song as she wrote the melody in addition to the lyrics. (x)

Jul 14th - Taylor goes out shopping in Gold Coast. (x)

Tom mentions Taylor in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter: (x)

You're in the middle of a cultural frenzy right now because you're dating Taylor Swift. How would you respond to people who claim that you're involved in some sort of publicity stunt?

(Laughs.) Well, um. How best to put this? That notion is — look, the truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt.

Martha says at a Pepsi/World Emoji Day event that Taylor and Tom are 'both happy and free together. It's amazing, I'm all about people being happy in love.' (x)

Kim talks about Taylor and the Famous controversy in a clip from an upcoming episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. (x)

“I never talk shit about anyone publicly, especially in interviews. But I was just like I had so had it,” Kim says in the clip to her sister Kourtney. “I wanted to defend him in it. She legitimately quote says, ‘As soon as I get on that Grammy red carpet I’m gonna tell all the press. Like I was in on it.’”

“And then she just didn’t like the reaction?” Kourtney says in response.

“Yeah, and you know just another way to play the victim,” Kim replies. She then brings the infamous VMAs moment from 2009 by saying, “It definitely got her a lot of attention the first time… I just don’t think he should be punished for it still to this day.”

Jul 17th - Kim posts an edited recording of Kanye and Taylor's phone call. In it, they discuss the 'I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex' line and Taylor says, 'Go with whatever line you think is better. It’s obviously very tongue in cheek either way. And I really appreciate you telling me about it. That’s really nice.' However, nowhere in the Snapchat video does Kanye consult her about the line, 'I made that bitch famous,' which is the line Taylor insisted she had never approved. (x) The other Kardashian sisters retweet and support Kim. (x)

(The full recording of the call, leaked in 2020, confirms that Kanye never told Taylor he was going to call her a bitch. It also shows her reminding him that she sold 7 million albums before he had even heard of her, in response to him suggesting the lyric, 'I made her famous.')

Kim takes to Twitter to call Taylor a snake.

Taylor posts a statement on Instagram responding to Kim's Snapchat video. (x)

Selena tweets, 'There are more important things to talk about… Why can’t people use their voice for something that fucking matters? This industry is so disappointing yet the most influential smh' (x)

Katy Perry tweets, '#RISE above it all' and links to her new single. People interpret it as a dig at Taylor. (x)

Martha Hunt tweets, 'It's pathetic how quick our culture is to sensationalize a fabricated story...' (x)

Jul 18th - #KimExposedTaylorParty spends the day trending at number one worldwide on Twitter. (x) To the point where 0.8% of all tweets posted in the entire week from the 18th-24th use the hashtag. (x) (Assuming that 1/7th of the week's total tweets were posted on each day, that means more than 1 in every 20 tweets on the 18th used the hashtag.) #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty also returns.

TMZ claims to have a copy of a letter from Taylor's lawyer, dating back to February, demanding that Kanye destroy the recording of their phone conversation and reminding him that it is a felony to secretly record a phone conversation in California. (x)

Taylor changes the name on her writing credits for TIWYCF on the BMI songwriters database. She is now listed as Taylor Swift instead of Nils Sjöberg. (x)

Camilla Belle, the subject of Taylor's 2010 song Better Than Revenge, posts a quote to Instagram which reads, 'No need for revenge. Just sit back & wait. Those who hurt you will eventually screw up themselves & if you’re lucky, God will let you watch.' (x)

Abigail tweets against Kim and Kanye, saying, 'May God forgive you & your wife for doing to others the very things you pray are NEVER done to your daughter.' She deletes the tweets after receiving death threats but leaves a tweet which reads, 'Guys…I will always stand by my best friend. There's no point in fighting over that.' (x)

Joseph Kahn (director of many of Taylor's music videos) defends Taylor on Twitter. (x)

The aunt of Dinah Jane from Fifth Harmony tweets, 'I always knew @/taylorswift13 was a SNAKE! Trying 2 break up my girls & use @/camilacabello97 as her protégé bitch bye you’ve been exposed!’ (x) The tweet is soon deleted and she claims her account was hacked. (x) (Camila quit the band at the end of 2016 and has since said that Taylor had nothing to do with her decision to leave.) (x)

Paula Erickson, Taylor’s former publicist from 2007 until 2014, likes a two-and-a-half-week-old tweet dragging Hiddleswift for being a badly executed bit of PR by Taylor and Tree. (x)

James Corden spoofs the recorded phone call on the Late Late Show. (x)

Calvin is rumoured to be dating Tinashe. (x)

Jul 20th - Todrick Hall defends Taylor, saying, 'She's one of the most genuine people I've ever met in my entire life.' (x)

Uzo Aduba says Taylor is 'a beautiful person and strong' and that she will overcome the Kimye drama. (x)

Paula likes another tweet shading Taylor and Tree. (x)

A graffiti artist creates a mural in Melbourne 'in loving memory of Taylor Swift' (misspelled as Smith). According to the artist, they are then contacted by Taylor's lawyers and threatened with legal action. (x)

Jul 21st - Taylor's Wikipedia page is vandalised with insults. (x)

Taylor and Tom fly back from Australia into a private airport in LA, and are seen out and about. (x) (x)

Jul 22nd - Fergie, who had Kim appear in her M.I.L.F. $ music video, says she thinks the Kimye-Taylor feud was planned and 'they’ll probably all come together at the MTV Awards or something.' (x)

Taylor goes to the gym in LA. It is the first time she has appeared in public since Kim posted the edited video, and her phone screen is now shattered. (x)

She also returns to Instagram to wish Selena a happy birthday. (x)

Jul 23rd - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

Tom is at Comic Con in San Diego. (x)

Calvin lip-syncs to Kanye's song That Part in a video posted on his Snapchat. (x) He also attends J-Lo's birthday party and is photographed with Kim. Apparently they have a friendly chat. (x) A source claims to E!, 'When Kim walked in Calvin saw her and stood up. He was clearly excited to see her and said 'hi' to Kim backstage.' (x)

Jul 24th - Taylor blocks the snake emoji from her Instagram comments section using a new Instagram feature. (x)

Tom is seen at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills with members of Taylor's security team. (x)

Jul 26th - Tom flies back to LA from NYC, where he has just spent a couple of days. On the same day, Taylor's plane arrives back in LA from Nashville, where she has spent a couple of days. (x)

VMA nominations are announced. Taylor is not nominated in any category, despite Out Of The Woods and Wildest Dreams being eligible, leading some people to think she has been snubbed. Gossip Cop, an outlet widely used by celebrity publicists to quietly squash rumours, says that Taylor did not submit any videos for consideration this year. (x)

Jul 27th - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

John Newman, singer of Calvin's song Olé, jokes, 'Supposedly we had a holiday where he was movin’ on from his ex-missus,' referring to the trip to Mexico to film the music video, which involved girls and a yacht. He also says he doesn't think it's his place to say what inspired Calvin to write the song. (x)

Taylor and Tom go for dinner at Hillstone restaurant in Santa Monica. One source claims they 'seemed to really be enjoying each others’ company.' (x) It is the last time they are papped together.

Kanye makes a surprise appearance at Drake's concert in Chicago where he responds to Kim's Snapchat video for the first time, saying, 'All I gotta say is, I am so glad my wife has Snapchat. Because now y’all can know the truth. And can’t nobody talk shit about ‘Ye no more.' (x)

Cara appears on James Corden's show and talks about how she, Uzo and Ruby pranked Kesha and Haim at Taylor's 4th of July party. She mentions consulting Taylor and Tom first so that security knew what they were up to. She also says that Taylor and Tom got woken up at one point by all the noise they were making, and came upstairs together to find Cara and Uzo still making ghost noises. (x)

Jul 28th - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

Jul 29th - Sources close to Calvin deny rumours that he is planning to collaborate on music with Kanye. (x)

Abigail likes E! News' Instagram photo of Tom and Taylor going out for dinner on the 27th, which has a gushing caption about them. (x)

Jul 31st - Taylor is seen entering her gym in LA through the back door. (x)

A fan sees Tom and Taylor at The Church Key restaurant in LA. (x) The outing is not papped.

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