Taylor Swift – “1989” – SWR1 RP

Taylor Swift’s secret to success

Taylor Swift is the most successful female artist right now. With an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion, she was recently named the richest musician in the world. With her records, she could quickly publish her own Guinness book. To name just a few: At 19, Taylor Swift became the youngest artist to win the Country Music Awards’ Entertainer Of The Year award. At the age of 20, she was also the youngest artist to be awarded the Grammy as “Artist of the Year”. She is also the only woman to have won the Grammy for best album of the year three times, including for “1989.”

But it’s not just the success that makes “1989” a milestone. It’s the way Swift packs personal experiences into her songs, reaching people across generations. Through her authenticity, she creates a great closeness to her fans, which they absolutely accept.

About Taylor Alison Swift

Her fifth studio album “1989” is named after her birth year, 1989. Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania. She grew up on a Christmas tree farm and was named Taylor after the American singer James Taylor.

She worked her way up diligently and learned to play a twelve-string guitar as a child – which is very demanding, especially for small children’s hands. Taylor Swift is an ambitious, strong-willed person. At the age of 11, she applied to record labels in Nashville with karaoke demos. At the age of 12 she started writing songs herself on the guitar. And at the age of 14, she was signed to Sony – the youngest songwriter ever signed to Sony.

“1989”

“1989” signals not only a personal, but also a musical new beginning. After Swift failed to win a Grammy in 2013 for her fourth album “Red,” she decided to refocus herself musically. Away from the mix of pop and country and towards 80s synth-pop without having to listen to a record label. They only wanted to work with the best in the industry, especially the producers who had co-written the hits “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Know You Were Trouble” from their record “Red”: Max Martin and Shellback .

Taylor also reached a personal turning point in 2013: she moved to New York, cut her hair and, after a lot of public hostility in the press about her private life, spent a lot of time with her friends.

Taylor Swift describes “1989” as her first official pop album – and it shows. In her super hit “Shake It Off” she is combative against all negative news from the tabloid press and in “Blank Space” she takes on relationships, ex-boyfriends and, above all, the media.

Producer Max Martin plays a key role in her success; he gives her the artistic freedom she needs and accompanies her as a producer at the appropriate points. Martin is also known, among other things, for his collaboration with Britney Spears in the 1990s. He has had the most number 1 hits on the US charts after Paul McCartney and created the song that is the most clicked song ever uploaded to Spotify with more than 8 billion views: “Blinding Lights” by The Weekend.

“Shake it off.”

The lead single “Shake It Off” is an anthem about accepting yourself as you are, with all your flaws and quirks. The song aims to encourage people, especially girls, not to let negativity get them down, but to focus on the positive and move on. For Taylor herself, it’s the negative press, the fake love and everything that isn’t good for her.

Taylor’s version

In 2023 the album “1989” was re-released as “Taylor’s Version”. The reason for re-recording her albums is a legal dispute with her former record label “Big Machine Records”, which ultimately forces her to take this step – even if she wasn’t enthusiastic about it from the start. But with the new recordings she not only earns a lot, but can now also decide on licensing requests for cinema, TV and advertising herself.

The Swifties and their connection to Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift fans affectionately refer to themselves as “Swifties.” They feel connected to their music and their own life experiences. By incorporating her personal stories into the songs, her fans can identify with her – and this creates a great deal of loyalty.

Accordingly, the interaction between Taylor and her fans online is extraordinary; the fans are strongly behind her and she herself repeatedly interacts with them personally. This close connection is also evident in their “Secret Sessions”. In 2014, the singer invited exactly 89 of her fans to her private living room to play the new album “1989” in an intimate atmosphere on their cell phones before its official release.

“1989” – A milestone in music history

You can find out where the hype about Taylor Swift comes from, what the Swifties are all about, their very personal hit secret and much more in the Milestones Podcast for “1989” by Taylor Swift.

View notes

These songs from the album “1989” are discussed in the podcast

(02:50) – “Welcome to New York”
(03:28) – “Bad Blood”
(15:53) – “White Space”
(28:57) – “Style”
(34:27) – “Shake It Off”
(42:40) – “Wildest Dreams”
(1:00:45) – “Out Of The Woods”

These songs are also discussed in the podcast

(09:58) – “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift
(10:19) – “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred
(25:52) – “Mean” by Taylor Swift
(28:26) – “Mr. Perfectly Fine” by Taylor Swift
(28:34) – “Dear John” by Taylor Swift
(28:43) – “Begin Again” by Taylor Swift
(31:54) – “One More Time” by Daft Punk
(32:09) – “Call On Me” by Eric Prydz
(41:24) – “Umbrella” by Rihanna
(42:02) – “One More Night” by Maroon 5
(1:00:16) – “Out Of The Woods” by Ryan Adams