Is Taylor Swift really a good lyricist, or just writing like a teen diary?

Question

To me, Taylor Swift writes the way a teen with many exes writes in her diary or types in her text messages. When she misses an ex, she writes in a diary-teen style. When she’s angry at an ex, she vents. Her lines are so primitive and conversational that they feel like they were taken directly from texts she sent to a friend.

She uses the average person’s vocabulary, not to mention the cursing and swearing, which cheapens her lines even more. And one more thing: imagine writing about your exes while dating a new guy. How would she show her song to her boyfriend? “Honey, I just wrote a song about my ex.” “Which one?” “Well, I wrote several songs about my recent exes, but this one is about [she mentions the name].” “Wow, so well written! I love the part where you said how much you miss him.”

Cyfris · Accepted Answer

Some of the stuff she writes is really good. Yes it is a teen diary. but thats ok.. good charlotte did that into their 40s. She is a terrible musician and not much of a vocalist. But some of her stuff. I did something bad, blank space for instance are great songs and have been proven to be so. That pop goes punk blank space cover is one of the best songs ever performed. I think if she wrote songs for people with more musical skill they would be songs heard throughout history if her overwhelming popularity doesn't get them there anyway. I don't know everything about music but it is a topic I study quite a bit and in my experience the best songs aren't music but feelings that are can easily be interpreted but a large number of people in their own way. Not the most musically accurite. Also the same reason most The Voice and AGT winners never make it very far because it takes more than skill. You have to make them feel it. Also the scariest part of the music industry and what destroys the chester's and chris's because feeling that hard on stage every night need leave nothing for yourself.

lightbulb27 · Accepted Answer

no, but she found a formula that works. It's like making "sauce"... she has a recipe and keeps making and selling it getting filthy rich. That's smart, regardless of her lyrical skill.

We used to call her music "bubble gum" music. There were teen female heartthrobs before her singing bubble gum music.

After she's married, she better be careful complaining about him in songs. So she's got to evolve... or take up golf.

FreyaRed · Accepted Answer

Didn't she have few years back trouble with song licenses? Ergo. She didn't write most of her song, maybe some crappy guitar song as she started her career.
She isn't talented as members of Beatles or Mick Jagger who written most of their songs, she just sings songs others written for her.
Everything she makes is 100% faked commerce created by multibillion dollar media corporation, even her diaries that's why she behaves like an AI with fake identity

thegreenyogi · Accepted Answer

I think I agree with you on this one. That's why in my personal opinion Taylor swift is okay if you listen to one song on the radio because her tunes are quite catchy but a whole album? It gets really boring. So as far as lyrics go, not the best I've heard. However one thing she's great at doing is selling her product which is Taylor Swift.

drummerdude25 · Answer

Charli XCX has far and away been my favorite female pop artist since the mid 2010’s… it’s in the way she explores current, emerging sounds and does something progressive with catchy hooks. Her voice and the way it melds with the use of autotune too, it’s unique. And as a drummer, I appreciate how rhythmic the music is and all the shifting beats.

Her music is a real vibe. Other more popular artists don’t even come close in my opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rj6dwEBmBJA

Razp_Sorbet · Answer

She's not written any songs recently about uow much she misses an ex lmao... in fact im not sure she's ever written about missing any exs. People who think like this have only ever listened to her hit songs. "Average vocabulary " the average person has to look up what some of the words mean in her songs 😂.

Just say you don't like her music, thats perfectly fine but to say she isn’t a good lyricist is just plain false.

Screenwriter · Answer

Her lyrics and subject matter play to her audience and she's made billions. She has talent enough to keep them interested, but there's little rich or interesting about her subject matter. It's tuneful and pop and it works. Not complex or deep.

But she does write about what she knows: herself and her life and her exes. Not a teen diary, but hers.

Apulu_backagain · Answer

I think listening to her once in a while is fine, her whole theme is repetitive and just lacks flavour. I completely agree with what you said.

MrChinaski · Answer

The thing is, she is writing for teenage girls. I'm not a fan, but she's hitting the mark. At least my teenage daughter says she is.

SixFootSexy · Answer

Taylor Swift could preform live in my kitchen and I still wouldn't go. Low IQ lyrics and feminist, actively making young women (and by proxy, society) worse.

AviatorTom · Answer

Taylor Swift understands what her fans like... and gives it to them.

It has nothing to do with being a good lyricist. It has to do with understanding your market and being able to cater to it. Taylor Swift does that very well.

Shrimpenjoyer · Answer

Yeah I think that her talking about her exes all the time in her songs is boring and gives a bad example to young girls. i like how she never oversexualised herself though, like almost all the other female pop stars. This and the fact she writes her own songs makes her generally cool in my eyes.

jazzy34 · Answer

Never been a fan of hers. To me, Taylor Swift just another average pop singer. Nothing special or unique about her.

Nikki1989 · Answer

That is very subjective. Compared to most mainstream artists, she is good; compared to a Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos or Kate Bush, just to name a few, her lyrics are largely forgettable.

NathanDavis · Answer

she's a really good teen diary song writer...

NaultD · Answer

It's capitalism and ability to produce sales.  She was able to remake and get her followers to buy them under her umbrella. That's nothing to sneeze at.

Sunshinelips · Answer

Whatever people think of her, she’s made a LOT of money.

zagor · Answer

She certainly is no Bob Dylan. A lot better looking tho...

ChicoFromThe305 · Answer

I don't know I've never seen a woman struggle so much to find a good relationship, at this point the issue is more than likely her taste

Jeff51 · Answer

Yea if you like lip singing and autotune. No one knows how to sing today. Its fake.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Compared to whom? Most modern "stars" could write a jingle for diapers. Compared to Robbie Robertson or Carole King or Joni Mitchell, etc. she is not in the conversation.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

You're 36, aren't you going to get married armenian girl instead of reading taylor swifts's lyrics? 🤣🤣

AngryCarl3 · Answer

Lyrics aren't really that important if you think about it, but there are no great riffs in her songs either. Her success is baffling to me.

msg321 · Answer

She is one of participants of famous Hollywood pizza parties

Sammy098 · Answer

She's highly over rated. I don't like her songs. Didn't know people still talk about her

Likes2drive · Answer

I knew she always wrote about her exes, but somehow she makes it work in her music, I guess she’s lucky She has a good voice.

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

Her music is awful, and she comes off as a little mentally unstable to me

queenofcardio · Answer

No, it's average

slatyb · Answer

I think Lana Del Rey is much better.

Iron_Man · Answer

Tell her that

Guanfei · Answer

She's mediocre, in my opinion.

strateguy632 · Answer

just writing like a teen diary.

LazloValenka · Answer

I believe she writes like a teen.

Cubus · Answer

She hasn't had a hit in a decade.

LC75LC71 · Answer

Whatever, I look at her on mute.

Staximus · Answer

Taylor Swift is not that great

Is Taylor Swift really a good lyricist, or just writing like a teen diary?

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Is Taylor Swift really a good lyricist, or just writing like a teen diary?

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