2023 Grammy Awards

[Bog]

She is like if Jennifer Garner released an album tomorrow full of mediocre pop songs with objectively poor lyrics about Ben Affleck and Chad Lowe, and every review of the album hailed it in the same breath as OK Computer.

Maybe the MOST phenomenally put together sentence I've read in a long time!

[Franz Ferdinand]

For what it's worth, I do find her popularity fascinating as well, if only because this must be the closest thing to Beatlemania in my lifetime - can anyone speak to the hysteria around, say, Michael Jackson or Wham! at their absolute peak and how it compares to the blanket coverage that Swift receives? She is not a multi-hyphenate musician like Prince. She's not excessively weird like Michael Jackson. She doesn't have the bangers of Janet Jackson. She doesn't take big theater-kid swings like Lady Gaga. She is like if Jennifer Garner released an album tomorrow full of mediocre pop songs with objectively poor lyrics about Ben Affleck and Chad Lowe, and every review of the album hailed it in the same breath as OK Computer.

As for the current era of female artists, there is a plethora of others, including the ones Sonic names below (and others who won Grammys like SZA and Victoria Monet), who are infinitely more fascinating than Swift. I am genuinely fascinated in why her, and why so extreme. Like, it's almost a foregone conclusion that she will break up with her NFL-ing boyfriend in the time between the Super Bowl and the release of her new album on April 19, which is incidentally the day before Record Store Day, which will of course lead to about 57 different color variations of vinyl for her fanbase to shell out for. I guess it's wild after all.

[danfrank]

I didn’t watch live, but fast-forwarded through it yesterday to catch the baby boomer-friendly acts (LOVE that New Yorker cartoon) as well as a couple other performances.

Tracy Chapman was and is such a great contrast to the pyrotechnic tendencies of so many performers (who have their place, of course). Her quiet beauty and depth is always stunning. It was so great to see her.

I just cried through the entire Joni song.

The other performance I’ll highlight is Billie Eilish. That song is really beautiful and her vocals are otherworldly. If the silly Ken song wins the Oscar over this one I’ll be sorely disappointed.

Points to Olivia Rodrigo as well. I agree with you, Sonic, about modern female vocalists. Golden Era.

[Sabin]

Sonic Youth wrote
The Swift backlash was going to happen anyway.

Right, but who had money on a "She's a psyop" backlash?

Also, I think she's great, and I think you're right about our current era of pop.

[Sonic Youth]

The Swift backlash was going to happen anyway. She's so inescapable that she was due one sooner or later. I mean, we're all a bit weary of her by now, aren't we?

My daughter is not a Swiftie, but she's in a play where they sing Taylor Swift songs with comical lyrics. Because of this, I'm getting to know some of her material (with the real lyrics). And you know what? She's quite good. If you haven't given her a chance, try it. We're in a very interesting period of what passes for mainstream pop music right now, and I've been really impressed with the high quality that young female artists in particular have been churning out for the past 10 years or so. And not just Swift, but Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish and Beyonce, and now Olivia Rodrigo and boygenius. Compare them with the pop music of the 1970s. Maybe the 70s hits are a bit catchier, but as far as lyrics go there's no question today's songs are superior in that department.

[Okri]

Yeah, I've youtubed the Tracy Chapman/Luke Combs performance a few times now.

[Mister Tee]

Yeah, Franz Ferdinand, I don't know what your awareness is of American politics, but Taylor Swift right now is at the zenith of her popularity with people whose acquaintance with her music is glancing or non-existent, for the simple fact that the Republican right has decided she must be demonized for the sins of being a Democrat/having a boyfriend who's an NFL player/showing up to watch his games. They're pushing a lunatic theory, that the CIA is fixing the Super Bowl to set up a Swift endorsement of Biden...all of which just makes her more popular with her already-zealous fan base, and why-not?-popular with Democrats and other decent humans.

In short: I'm not saying the Grammys weren't perfectly capable of choosing her in any case (as, you note, they have multiple times before -- plus, young white girls won most everything they gave out on air last night)...but this felt to me a bit like when Candice Bergen won yet another Emmy for Murphy Brown, the year Dan Quayle decided to get into an argument with her.

Incidentally, the notion that Swift ignored Dion is being hotly denied by both camps, as they're long-time friendly acquaintances. The moment I assume you're referencing seems more a matter of Swift being concerned about Dion's frailty and not wanting to take a chance on hurting her.

I don't usually watch the Grammys either, and didn't watch end to end, but I found I got drawn in more than usual by the Chapman appearance, the lengthy but emotional In Memoriam, the Dion appearance, and, of course, Joni Mitchell. About which, a great New Yorker cartoon:

https://www.newyorker.com/cartoon/a28674

[Okri]

I think that the Taylor Swift "backlash" as it currently exists is being promulgated by the MAGA right certainly prevents her from being dethroned any time soon. As someone who has yet to hear a full Swift song (I think), I'm basically fine with it - I find her and her fans fascinating.

[Big Magilla]

I watched the Grammys for the first time in 40 years to catch Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, and Billy Joel.

They were the highlights.

I've never been a fan of Celine Dion, but it was nice to see her looking well after all the rumors of imminent passing.

[Franz Ferdinand]

Did anyone tune in to the Grammys last night? Really rote and disappointing to see Taylor's continued dominance of these awards considering what an absolutely middling work Midnights is - but then again, what could be more on-brand for the Grammys than bringing up the world's most famous person; they need her way more than she needs them, hence her feigned "oh shucks, me??" reaction to winning Pop Vocal Album and immediately turning the acceptance speech into a soapbox to announce a new album with ruthless calculation. The endless cutaways to her in the audience; totally ignoring actual legend Celine Dion waiting to present her with her fourth (!! - that is a record she breaks away from Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder) Album of the Year Grammy - I keep waiting for the backlash but it appears it is in the distant future at this point.

That said there were some great moments, namely Joni Mitchell's shiver-inducing performance of "Both Sides Now", and Tracy Chapman coming back to perform "Fast Car" as if no time had passed (aided greatly by Luke Combs deferentially staying out of the way). But otherwise, Grammys continue to Grammy and it's a pretty dull way to spend a few hours on a Sunday evening.