op-eds

Taylor Swift Wrote an Op-Ed About the State of Music in The Wall Street Journal

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 20: Taylor Swift is seen in the East Village on June 20, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Alo Ceballos/GC Images)
Photo: Alo Ceballos/GC Images

For no obvious reason, but presumably because she wanted a stipple, Taylor Swift has an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. It’s about the future of the music industry and how she has hope despite declining album sales (which, as many have noted, is easier to say when you are one of the only artists still selling albums by the million). A sample: “I’d like to point out that people are still buying albums, but now they’re buying just a few of them. They are buying only the ones that hit them like an arrow through the heart or have made them feel strong or allowed them to feel like they really aren’t alone in feeling so alone.” Albums like hers, you see. Swift goes on to say that she does realize “it isn’t as easy today as it was 20 years ago to have a multiplatinum-selling album,” but “that should challenge and motivate us.” To form that bond. To make that arrow album. To take those selfies:

There are a few things I have witnessed becoming obsolete in the past few years, the first being autographs. I haven’t been asked for an autograph since the invention of the iPhone with a front-facing camera. The only memento “kids these days” want is a selfie. It’s part of the new currency, which seems to be “how may followers you have on Instagram.

And can you guess whom she’s talking about here?

A friend of mine, who is an actress, told me that when the casting for her recent movie came down to two actresses, the casting director chose the actress with more Twitter followers. I see this becoming a trend in the music industry. For me, this dates back to 2005 when I walked into my first record-label meetings, explaining to them that I had been communicating directly with my fans on this new site called Myspace. In the future, artists will get record deals because they have fans—not the other way around.

If Taylor’s vision comes true, you’ll be seeing lots more YouTube celebs and Vine stars crossing getting record deals. As for Taylor herself? Here is her parting wish: “I’d also like a nice garden.”

Taylor Swift Wrote an Op-Ed in WSJ.