Some days, I love my job, and some days, I’m just trying to get through the day without the Snake Fam putting my head on a spike. It’s going to be a bad day, I know. Taylor Swift dropped her big 4/26 project and it’s a… single and music video. With the same pastel/girly/sugary aesthetic she’s been previewing for the past few weeks. The big surprise here is that her first single is a big collaboration with Brendon Urie from Panic! At the Disco. Here’s the video for “ME!” which is totally the name of the song, swear to God. As of this writing, the video has already racked up more than 20 million views and it’s only been out since about 1 a.m.
Random thoughts:
The SNAKE poofs away and becomes a hundred pastel butterflies, which means that Taylor Swift is coming for Mariah Carey’s Butterfly Crown. Seriously, though, Mariah OWNS THE BUTTERFLY IMAGERY. Besides that, I guess we’re not supposed to make any snake references to Tay now? Too bad, Snake Fam.
Taylor referring to Olivia and Meredith (her cats) as her daughters in French is really something.
Taylor is as good an actress as she is a dancer.
“I know I went psycho on the phone” – I mean… how many dudes dumped her on the phone? Several.
I guess the visual story is that Taylor is no longer “dark” and “hard” and “snakey,” and that she’s reclaiming ownership of her lighter, fluffier, pop-girl persona.
The song is pure pop, in that it says nothing except “I know I’m A LOT but I’m worth it, here’s lots of pink and unicorns and bad dancing.” The message is easy enough I guess, and I suspect the message and the song is not for women my age, it’s for girls aged 11-15.
The whole thing made me think about Ariana Grande and how she too embraces Girl Culture so hard, and she manages to be very girly and cutesy and all that… and still sings about substantive relationships and sex and how complicated it can be. Like, Ariana is ALL girl and yet she sings about real sh-t and you always know that she’s a sexual being (with her own agency). Taylor was on the verge of that in Reputation, which I still maintain suffered because she was trying to do too much and settle too many grudges. But generally speaking, if “ME!” is indicative of her new album, this definitely feels like a complete regression.
Photos courtesy of Taylor Swift and Backgrid.
“Taylor is as good an actress as she is a dancer.”
LMAO savage
I’m still basking in the Avengers glow so I’m not gonna ruin it by watching Taylor’s new ode to vanilla. Maybe next week.
Edit: couldn’t resist, I watched it! And yeah she’s not a great dancer but this was really cute and joyful. I liked the song more than the video but the video was cute.
Watching it with the sound off was pretty hilarious.
velourazure right?! …I couldn’t even make it through without the sound off, I was laughing so hard
I know it’s not the ‘cool’ opinion but I liked the video. The part where she was like “in front of your young daughters!?” is something I’ve absolutely jokingly said to my husband referring to the cats and the dog.
But Brendan Urie is a gorgeous man with a gorgeous voice. And teenaged, emo Erinn was/is SO in love with him. He can do very little wrong and that is a hill I am prepared to die on.
I thought it was fun! I also don’t think she’s trying to be taken seriously as a excellent actress.
Notice her albums, themes, colors, all literally correspond to corporate trend? She could sell fashion, furnishings and new age relationship seminars, all on the theme of albums. We’re all victims to corporate fashion- even the Kondo thing of out with the old in w the new….
I thought it was fun, too. And the jab at Karlie was cute when she “shook off” flowers and a ring in favor of another kitty…funny!
Hahaha me too, Erinn. I love the Meredith and Olivia cameo. It’s a fun video. Whatever.
Guys, if you have Brendan OR cats in a video, I’m going to watch it. If you have both, I’m probably going to love it. Meredith and Olivia are such stunners.
I will add that my husband was on top of this before I was … and started singing to the dog when we let her out of her crate to take her to do her business this morning “I promise that I’ll always take you to pee. Juuu-oouu-noooo (Juno) let’s go peeeeeee. I promise that your mom won’t ever love you like meeee” because there’s a constant battle over who is winning over what pet at the time haha.
Hilarious!
This just makes me smile. That’s adorable and hysterical.
Erinn, you have a great marriage. That is adorable!
Picturing this made me actually laugh out loud. Your life sounds awesome:-) And your pets are lucky.
I like the video and the song. It’s cheerful easy pop music and I need this in my life sometimes. 🙂
I’m here for that, Erinn. I actually like the video better than the song itself LOL it was fun, and I really love the “In front of our DAUGHTERS!” (pan to cats). I literally LOL’d at my computer. It wasn’t supposed to be deep, it was sugary and fun, I liked it.
I thought it was fun to watch, and the song is catchy.
@Erinn: I’ll join you on the battlefield! Everything you said re: Brendon Urie, ×100.
Now I have to try to sleep with the chorus to “I write sins not tragedies” stuck in my head.
I saw a headline this morning (I wasn’t reading the whole thing, SORRY! lol) about how Taylor’s fans are presumed to be in their teens, but they are closer to 30, because she basically has the same fans now that she had 10-15 years ago, they’ve aged with her.
Which makes her music seem odder to me, TBH. I can see when she is trying to appeal to 15 year olds, but not if her primary audience is 30 year olds.
But like I said, I didn’t actually read the article, so maybe there was more info there, ha.
Anyway, another song I’ll skip on the radio when I hear it. I really am not a Taylor fan.
A shocking amount of my girlfriends are huge Taylor Swift fans and I’m 34. So I could see it.
I’m 32 and it’s the same with my female friends. I admit I looooove 1989 and still listen to it. (I sat out reputation, tho, and couldn’t name a single song off that album lol.) But 1989 got me through a rough depressive period. I think I listened to it on loop for 1.5 years until I got to a good place in therapy and felt I could let go. So for that reason I’ll be loyal to her music to some extent and at least try it. Exception Reputation lol. I suspect a lot of women mg age have thatexperience, that Speak Bow got them through their high school crush being overheard telling other dudes he thought they were ugly or something. I’m not being flip, because little things like that can be devastating based on your age and experience.
I’m one of those fans, and several of my friends are as well. sometimes I just want to listen to some easy pop, I don’t see why that’s so surprising to people.
I’m not a crazy super fan or anything, but she’s fun to sing along to.
I’m not necessarily surprised if people like her (clearly lots of people do!)I am more surprised at the age range, because I do still think of her target fans as being much younger, but I guess that’s just because she’s in my head as this teenage pop star. I don’t hate on people who like her though, I’m not one who judges people for their musical taste (everyone just likes what they like!)
I think a lot of it is that her fans have grown up with her. I’m sure she still has plenty of teen fans as well, but her first album came out when I was in high school and now I’m 30. 🤷
Well, that’s kind of most people, isn’t it? You generally stick with the bands you grew up with. I have plenty of albums from musicians who no longer have the celebrity capital they had in the 90s but are still producing. I like Taylor’s music well enough – more the pop than the country, and I’m in my thirties.
I just turned 32 this year so also grew up with Taylor Swift and while I wasn’t always a big fan or even a super fan now I can appreciate her for what she is. I love catchy pop music, it’s fun and easy to listen too and what’s wrong with that? I listen to a huge range of music and won’t feel bad for including pop on my playlists. I’m a married mom of 3 and I’ve been reading this site for years but never commented but I have to say everyone hating Taylor’s ascetic makes me feel bad enough to leave one today. I love pastels, rainbows, unicorns, colors and I guess too many that makes me “too girly” or not a women. It feels very policing to me and it really doesn’t sit well. I own my home, take care of my three boys have a wide range of interests and hobbies and I also happen to love traditionally girly things which I guess doesn’t make me grown up enough? What’s wrong with some sugary pop and splashes of color?
Its not really true for me, but I’ve always been an old soul when it comes to music. I’m 37 and Stevie Nicks has been my favorite for well over 20 years, lol.
No matter how old you get the songs that accompanied your growing up years seem to stay with you forever. For me the female singers I loved like Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro and Carole King will forever bring back memories of being young and embarking on life. I wonder how many young fans TS actually has as compared to the women in their 30’s who were her original fans.
Hey Louise,
Sorry the comments here are painful. No one (I’ve seen) has been saying you’re less of a woman for liking Taylor’s music or her style. They say it seems young. Rainbows and unicorns really are a youthful vibe. But, adults like that stuff, too. It’s ok.
Her current aesthetic isn’t for everyone, just like not everyone liked the snake phase. And some people just don’t like her. That’s just how it is.
Relax! It’s not about you.
She still has a lot of little kid fans. My nieces (2, 6 and 8) LOVE her, as do all of their friends.
It sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack of a second rate Dreamworks movie. Not even the main theme, just filler on the album.
SPELLING IS FUN!!! What the hell is that?
The song title, how on point.
Exactly! When I was watching this morning, my husband walked in the room and asked if I was watching High School Musical. I was like….you’re totally right. (But Brendon Urie has a delicious voice.)
Accurate. That’s exactly what i thought.
it does feel like a regression. it reminded me of we are never ever getting back together and shake it off, which are fun poppy songs that leave a lot to be desired lyrically. hopefully this is like those albums, where the lead song is poppy fluff and then the rest of it is really good.
I’m a Taylor Swift fan and I’m definitely not impressed with this first single. I’m still looking forward to her CD and the rest of her music.
Mon dieu. I’m coming down with a severe case of pastel indigestion.
And why the terrible French?! I’m sort of offended. I love pastel but I barfed a little in my mouth, it’s too much, she’s too much
I always dislike her first singles. She picks the worst song on the entire album, usually the one with the shallowest lyrics. But this is even bad for her. Boring. Pedestrian writing.
RED was a lyrical masterpiece and 1989’s sound will be classic pop. How does she go from those two albums to Reputation and ME?
I really liked reputation personally, although I think she picked terrible songs has the singles throughout that whole cyclewith the exception of delicate, which coincidentally was also the only song of that album that I heard with regular airplay.
Agree! The big pop singles (with the exception of Delicate) weren’t great.
I really liked reputation too. Apart from all the singles (not including delicate) the rest of the album was fantastic. I’d love to know the reasoning behind the choices she makes for singles because Dress, New Years Day, So It Goes were 100% better than LWUMMD, ready for it and the awful awful gorgeous
I feel like New Year’s Day, I Did Something Bad, and Don’t Blame Me would have made great singles. I also think This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things should have been the lead single.
I pretty much never listen to End Game (which I hated), Ready For It, or Look What You Made Me Do, but I listen to the rest of the album a ton!
I really liked some of the songs from Reputation – before I had always disliked her music. “End game”, “delicate” and “ready for it” were great pop songs to me. I also thought she had noticeably improved vocally.
I hadn’t liked any of her previous songs/albums. This new single certainly seems dated and is something I’d prefer to never hear again
Her confidence was really shaken with all the backlash that led to Reputation and then Reputation was heavily criticized. I think she’s letting her insecurities get the best of her and playing it safe. She also doesn’t have as much inspiration. It’s all rainbows and unicorns with Joe apparently. He doesn’t come off as particularly complicated. She had a thing for complicated guys during the Red and 1989 eras.
Joe is not ALL rainbows because they had that fight out in the rain, he ran after her and called her name!
Lol this song is comically bad to me
@Kebbie Well, fighting in the rain is new for her. She’s been kissing in the rain in multiple songs.
Reputation had some really great songs it, but they got dragged down by 2-3 really mediocre songs that really do nothing for the album. It also lacks a certain cohesion that 1989 had in spades. It’s not one of her stronger albums, but it’s not absolutely awful, either. The problem is that it happened to follow up one of her best – if not her actual best – albums.
I’m sorry, @Emily, but “lyrical masterpiece?” Disagree here. Lyrical masterpieces are reserved for things like: The Beatles Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Led Zeppelin IV and Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. I get Taylor is a pop artist and not a rock artist, but in 30 years will anybody still be listening to Red? Highly doubt it.
I get that people like Taylor and her music, but I hate it when people say that she’s a songwriting ‘genius’ or she deserves the same accolades as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, etc. She’s nowhere in their league.
On the flip side, my grandfather used to work for Columbia and got rid of The Beatles first albums because he felt they would never amount to anything. He definitely didn’t think they would be still played today. Heck, people still listen to early Madonna and it’s not like that’s super amazing music, and it’s been almost 40 years.
So I would bet people will still be listening to her in 30 years. I also think she’s a fairly talented songwriter. Red is probably her peak – I don’t think I’d call it a lyrical masterpiece, but songs like All Too Well are written fantastically.
Seems like all your master lyricists are old white men.
Honestly, I consider Taylor a fairly good lyricist. Reputation is one of her weakest entries (as is this), but she’s got some real gems in her previous work – and I wasn’t a really a fan of her music until 1989. She may not be on the level of musicians like, say, Hozier or Kendrick Lamar, but they’re also writing for very different genres with more room for lyrical and musical experimentation than radio hits allow. I wouldn’t call her the greatest of her generation by any means, but I would hardly call her untalented, either.
Oh, gatekeeping. My favorite.
Umm what a white, male, and British list you’ve thrust upon us (exception of Springsteen obv).
Which by the way most British rock of that era (sacred Beatles included) is a fairly blatant rip off of earlier Black American rock, blues, jazz, etc.
I think you would do well to keep your hot takes on lyrical genius to yourself, because they’re ridiculous.
Hmmm.
Will she still be doing teen music when she hits her 40’s?
If it sells why not?
Gwen Stefani does.
My speaker connection is broken, so I can only judge the video based on the visual, alone.
I thought it was kind of fun, like cartoonish fun. It doesn’t look like she’s taking herself seriously in this; it all seemed very tongue-in-cheek, which is a very nice change from the snake stuff.
Ooof…She REALLY wants to keep her fan base in the tween demographic, doesn’t she?
This really is a song for 11 yo. You right. Snooze.
Yup my 11 year olds twins love it! They did not like the last album. I say go for it Taylor the world is dark enough. This is fun, light and positive.
The song is really bad. I usually can find her songs catchy, even if they’re lyrically dull (i.e. Shake it off) but this is just not good. It’s quite cheesy, and I know her fans say not to take it too seriously, but I mean this is very Troll soundtrack. Not debut single off a new album by a 30 year old woman.
well, Justin Timberlake’s song on the Troll soundtrack worked pretty well for him hahaha. much better than anything on his album!
Justin Timberlake peaked at Future Sex/Love Sounds. I just don’t think popular=quality, and I’m not sure why Taylor and her fans do. She is capable of making decent songs with substance. Idk, I think this is just incredibly lazy to me. Make a stupid, catchy song really quick, but add an elaborate video to gain popularity. She did it will bad blood and shake it off too.
I think her first single is usually pretty fluffy and light. Honestly most of her lyrically interesting songs are not released as singles. Shake It Off, Look What You Made Me Do, ME!, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, etc…there seems to be a pattern. The first single is usually just supposed to be fun I think.
I also think she’s pretty bad at picking singles, but it seems to be successful so what do I know.
I can see your point, but I actually really enjoyed the song and video. I didn’t like any of the singles / videos / lyric videos off Reputation, and didn’t purchase the album because of that. I have her previous 3 albums before that and used to wear them out. Still listen to 1989 on the regular.
This song was so fun and silly and catchy. You’re right, no substance, but it wasn’t hugely problematic to me like some of her other songs from the last album. The visuals were so over-the-top and screamed “millennial” (I feel like blush pink and unicorns and sorbet have already peaked, no?) but still. This was fun. Loved the cat cameos. Would I have liked some more substance? Sure. But I didn’t care for the vengeful vibe in Reputation. Maybe it was where I was in my life at that point. I’m happy to go running and dancing around my house to this song, and hopefully more from this album.
For reference, I’m 35. Wouldn’t consider myself a super fan, but her music gets regular play when I’m working out, cleaning and driving my preschoolers around. As others have said, I’ve been listening to her music since I was in high school and I like to sing along, still.
All of this is me too. I’m 32. Not a super fan but I listen to the songs on the radio or when I’m running. I hated almost all of reputation, so in that way I’m happy to see this new single.
I liked it.
And again, I’m always surprised how many people will crap on liking silly pop songs. I’m in my 30s and I’ve been loving the new Jonas Brothers stuff, this song is fine, I like more of Ariana’s stuff. I dunno. Sorry I don’t listen to like, weird hipster music like most people my age I know, but I don’t like it 🤷♀️
I also love the new Jonas Brothers! I actually didn’t like them before but now I do.
I’d love to know what kind of music is ‘acceptable’. I have a pretty wide ranging taste in music. I’ll listen to 2000’s emo, a ton of indie/alt rock, occasionally 90s pop, harder rock, punk, 90s alt/grunge…a few older favorites… it’s all over the place. My playlist can go from blasting Slipknot/Stone Sour to Motion City Soundtrack, over to some of Swift’s stuff and back over to Beck or Bon Iver… I’m just all over the place, and it’s largely depending on my mood. I just bought concert tickets and an album from PUP.
Sometimes I want to listen to something fluffy. People freak out over Adele and I find her very talented – but very boring. Same with Sam Smith. I don’t want to feel like sobbing while listening to music lol. I cant’ stand Ed Sheran, Bruno Mars got played to death to the point where it felt inescapable, Cardi is alright, but I don’t typically seek her out. I’m just curious to what other people are listening to that makes this SO bad. It’s not meant to be super serious. It’s just fluffy music – and in the same way that I sometimes read fluffy young adult novels, I like to listen to fluffy pop at times.
@Erinn …do we have the same music library?! Hahaha.
@Erinn I feel like we like the exact same, very diverse music, lol. Korn, Soundgarden, Taylor Swift, Green Day, and Mumford & Sons all live very happily together on my phone lol.
I mean…. the video is kinda cute? I can see all the work that went into it? But that song. It sounds like a romantic comedy theme song that starts playing as the camera pans further and further away from our kissing lovers across the landscape of probably LA.
OMG that. It’s so…nothing.
I love Brendan and Panic and I’m so sad he’s a part of this pastel monstrosity. The sound is catchy enough but I can’t get past the ridiculous lyrics and video.
Her cats are adorable though.
Panic hasn’t been Panic since he ostracized literally every original member until he was about to make it all about himself, like he always tried to back when they first came out. Brendon is literally THE WORST. Worse than Taylor.
ugh. I actually like taylor when she does it right, this isn’t it though.
I am just here for Urie. 😍😍😍
It’s such a contrast between her crap vocals and his singing, not to mention the worlds apart they are on charisma.
But why is she lamaze breathing throughout? He he he, hoo hoo hoo. It’s all I could think of.
One more comment that would not be GFY-approved: she has Duchess Kate posture and that suit swallows her entire neck. I just always think of her as Taylor Giraffe and now she looks stooped.
She looks like she’s cosplaying Blake Lively cosplaying Cate Blanchett in those suits. Like a poor imitation of a poor imitation…which is insane because she’s tall and thin, it should be a breeze for her to pull those off.
This is super subpar, but her lead singles (Look What You Made Me Do, We Are Never Getting Back Together, Shake It Off) are always the worst. This sounds like it was made for an animated film, though. I’m kinda of of two minds about it — for what it is, it’s extremely catchy and cute, and Brendon Urie is awesome. I genuinely like it — for what it is. But it’s not what I was expecting or hoping for from her.
Just as a general fandom FYI, I was on the Taylor Swift Reddit page last night. Fan were overwhelmingly unhappy with it. Because as mentioned above, a lot of her fans are around her age and this is just not…a step in a mature direction, exactly.
I’m 44 and I loved it. It made me happy to watch. Just light and fluffy and honestly with so much dark in the world I’m ok with it! Plus anything with Brendon is amazing. I love Panic at the Disco.
I’ll be 41 in a month and I agree with everything you said! I don’t listen to Top 40 at all anymore but this is entertaining, catchy and fun. I liked it!
Well, this is going to cause a bit of an existential crisis for my 14 year old. She loved TS when she was 11 and all things bubble gum pop. She would have loved this video then. But now she’s in her suburban teen edgy phase (that pretty much just means experimenting with black eye liner and rolling her denim shorts up an extra inch) and Brendon Urie is one of her idols. She is not going to know what to make of this collaboration.
I was thinking the same thing — my edgy 14 yo is going to tear down her Panic posters. I must shield her from this as long as I can… (of course, they may not be long for this world anyway since I’m now getting, “Have you ever heard of System of a Down?” blech. I mean, fine, but blech.)
LOL. I have a weird thing about System of a Down. I get such a gross feeling when I hear their music. And it’s not that I think it’s awful per se, but it gives me this weird feeling of dread. And it’s crazy, but it’s always freaked me out.
lol ohhh system of a down. reminds me of such high school angst, much yelling, loud noises.
system of a down is awesome! lol I will never not love them
So here was her response in the car this morning: “(the spelling part starts, the whole no I in team thing) No…nooooooo. No, no, no. I do not like this. Make it stop.”. Poor kid LOL. Good news is she is a Supernatural fan and has “discovered” classic rock. She just asked for an AC/DC t shirt last week. Teen tastes are fickle.
I didn’t play it, I just told her and she was like, “no.” and just walked away.
My older kid (20s) grew up surrounded by indie and punk every day – her dad owns a record store, we were in bands, etc. – so she is Drake all day, every day. The younger one will say something like, “We should go see Green Day!” and I’ll say, “Ugh, I’ve seen Green Day like 14 times.” She gets so mad.
She wants to get on the Ariana Grande girly-sweet-innocent-popsugar-bandwagon. Too bad there is no room.
Ariana’s sound is soooo much more mature than this, though.
I’m probably a minority here, but I haven’t ever enjoyed Ariana’s music. I’m impressed with her accomplishments, and loved her latest music videos but not the music itself.
I love Ari’s recent music. Honestly, I think Thank U Next (the album and single) is a pop masterpiece from start to finish. This just pales in comparison.
I really liked thank u, next (the album). I disliked everything else.
Ariana looks like a little girl, but her music is so much more mature than Taylor’s. Taylor’s lyrics could be written by a 13 year old girl with her first boyfriend, Ariana’s couldn’t.
Ariana gets slut-shamed for it though, while Taylor Swift doesn’t. If Ariana did a video like this, there would be a whole bunch of pearl-clutching accusations about her ‘trying to appeal to pedophiles’ and other scapegoating bullshit, even though Taylor Swift is older. Personally, I have no problem with adult women doing this, but people at least need to be consistent. Either all women get to dress however they want without being blamed for what abusers think and do, or stupid-ass Talibangelical rules for everybody.
I gave it a chance, giving due to Brendon. Ugh. What was he thinking. Did he even anticipate all this pink candyfloss. And how am I not surprised she made a song “me” in capital letters with an exclamation point?
I liked it. I really didn’t want to but I thought the song and video were cute and fun.
MEH!
I just tried to show my five-year-old who loves Taylor Swift. After about 10 seconds into the song, she said, “I would like to eat my breakfast now”
Your five year old is fantastic!
Lol they say kids are the best judges of catchy music. This is a disappointment.
Agree. It’s pedestrian writing which is sad bc I could always at least count on her to write differently to everyone else. ME! just sounds like vapid manufactured pop. It somehow reminds me of S Club 7. Still looking forward to the album and hope something real is in there.
how dare you insult S Club like that!
I LOVE Brendon Urie. I appreciate that she feels the same way. Fun fact! His wife looks a lot like Katy Perry.
The last time she hit the nail was Shake It Off. And I’m NOT a fan.
I liked the video, not the song. Her acting was bad but that’s not unusual in videos. But what kind of ruined the video was her dancing. Urie was so natural looking which made Swift look all the worse. If you would have asked me at one time if anyone could learn to dance, to make some basic moves look good, I would have said yes. But Taylor seems like she works hard yet there is no teaching that girl. Won’t her role in Cat’s require acting and dancing?
Good question about cats, I’m not sure if it requires dancing. It’ll definitely require acting.
I hate to be like “just stop trying to dance!” Because everyone should be able to dance and have fun, but she’s so bad. I watched her reputation concert on Netflix, and I couldn’t stop laughing at her random “dance moves.” It is so awkward looking, but she’s got this confident attitude, like bizarrely confident. More power to her, I guess.
Urie is also a much better singer. I think my main takeaway from this song and video is that Brendan Urie is really talented.
I couldn’t help but think of the Catherine Deneuve movie, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, when watching this. Wonder if it’s an intentional homage.
my first thought as well, all the pastel and umbrellas.
The first two minutes of this, absolutely. Same thought. And Young Girls of Rochefort (also Jacques Demy).
What on earth did I just watch?
It’s one of those songs I’d sing along with when it’s on the radio and then instantly forget about.
My first thought watching the video is, who the hell do these people think they are? They are making huge messes all over public streets and leaving it for other people to clean up. How elitist. Maybe I’m just stuck in the throes of spring cleaning and am fed up with nobody in my house helping me out, but seriously – pastel paint dumping down and filling the street, and then they just stomp off? That shit ain’t gonna clean itself. Thanks. And I’m what community does everybody’s suitcase match? My own outfit hardly matches half the time. I just can’t with this.
And flying around with those umbrellas like that! People are trying to walk, they don’t need you floating down from the sky on their heads, thankyouverymuch.
In the past I was able to look past her mediocre vocals because so many of her songs were fun to sing along with. I loved “Shake it Off” from the moment I heard it. I loved a lot of her other earlier songs. My then teenage daughter and I used to bop and sing along in the car. I wasn’t here at all for Reputation. 🙄 This ME! is just plain boring. The video is ok. The song is just so nothingburger.
Are there no other word options to rhyme with “me” and “you”?
She’s had a lot of plastic surgery or am I the only one seeing that?
MAybe. Boobs and veneers and nose. Anything else was done discretely. Is it a lot or pretty standard for Hollywood?
Her kidneys are looking really well.
I think her weight fluctuation in the last couple years makes her look different. She’s probably got an extra 40 pounds compared to her in 2016. She’s definitely had a boob job or two, and probably a minor rhinoplasty.
She looks good with her face filled out. She looked like a rat when she was super thin, all teeth and nose or something.
the more i listen the more i like it…ugh…this b*tch. lol
HAHa I have a feeling it will be popular, not as popular as the troll song but in the same way, like you don’t want to like it but can’t resist.
This song is yuck. It is a complete regression (I agree with everyone on the tween demographic thing). The song, the fluffy bunny lyrics, the imagery, all that would make sense coming from some 15 year old protege who is cross marketing from some Disney show. Tay tay is too old for this. You can be almost 30, joyful, and not sound like you’re vomiting up cotton candy and rainbows. I’m so annoyed, I expected better.
I’m not that big of a Taylor Swift fan and I’m a pretty big Ariana fan, and, while Ariana has better videos, Taylor is way better IN her videos than Ariana is. There is nothing that gives me more second hand embarrassment than Ariana trying to act or lipsynch in her vids-and she was supposed to be some sort of actress in a past life. Taylor is a bad theater kid actress that chews scenery, which to me makes better for videos.
I think they both leave a little to be desired performance-wise. Ariana tries to play up the “Lolita” thing a bit too much, but Taylor is so awkward and has absolutely no rhythm. The difference for me is in the vocals, in that one of them has them (Ari) and the other does not (Taylor).
I had to watch a lot of Victorious and Sam & Cat because my stepdaughter was in that target demo, and she was actually a pretty good actress. I think she can only do comedy though – which is why she was also great on SNL. When she tries to be sexy it just seems awkward.
Okay.
This video and song is…odd. I’m a huge TS fan, since day one, and I will admit I never like anything the first time I hear it but this was different. I still listen to Reputation on repeat , so I was expecting a more mature sound.
SPELLING IS FUN?! I’m so confused. I’m sure I’ll come around and I can’t wait to get my ears on the whole album. That’s all I have for now.
The Ariana Grande comparison doesn’t stand as Grande, like so many others in pop these days, doesn’t write her own music.
She may not write them completely by herself, but she still has credits. Taylor doesn’t often write songs by herself anymore either.
Ariana wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on “Dangerous Woman” and she wrote every song on “Thank U, Next.” Most of the tracks on “Thank U, Next” include only one or two other co-writers, like Taylor does with Shellback, Max Martin, etc. Also, vocals. I think at this point in her career, Ariana exerts almost the same amount of control and direction over her music and her career that Taylor does.
nor does Taylor write all her own – she brings in other songwriters all the time. hasn’t taylor even used Max Martin, prince of late 90s/early 00’s manufactured pop music before?? let’s not pretend she’s some indie artist doing everything herself, taylor swift is a product and there’s a machine behind it.
I can’t believe the same person who wrote All Too Well, Blank Space and even New Year’s Day wrote this. But like many people have said, her first singles are usually the worst so I’m still hopeful about the album.
Now a nice thing: she looks really pretty and she seems very happy during this new era.
I mean, she also wrote Bad Blood, Shake It Off, and Look What You Made Me Do. She’s always kind of balanced strong writing with some really weak but fun stuff, IMO.
Oh the french part is so cringy
It’s like they rehearsed the hell out of the only French they’ll know lol
I mean, it’s FINE. It’s a serviceable pop song. It’s more of a let down because you’d expect something higher caliber out of a collaborative piece between two major artists.
I loved the video. It was fun and filled with joy and a little poking fun at herself.
She is so extra, do we really need countdown websites for single releases? This album promo cycle is going to be a lot.
For real though. I thought for sure it was going to be something major like a full album or clothing line or something…but all that just for a single/music video?? Jesus. I’m not looking forward to the rest of the album cycle….
I feel like she should be embarrassed that she did a countdown for THIS SONG. It’s got to be the worst she’s ever put out, so to build it up so much..she’s shameless.
The French at the beginning hurt my ears and I never got into the song after that. It’s like they stuffed the video with unicorns and rainbows to hide how empty it is.
As someone who stans Taylor..god this song is so bad. Like wow so bad.
I wish I understood the appeal. Such a complete, nasty narcissist.
Amen!
This video looks expensive and super cheap at the same time. It’s impressive that they managed that. I don’t like it, it’s a vapid song that sounds like it was written for a weight loss commercial. Maybe she’s run out of things to say? Can she make interesting music when she’s happy? Or at least as happy as she says she is…
I hate that Brendon Urie is in this. His voice gives me intense teenage nostalgia and not in a good way. Just flashbacks of my general awkwardness and cursed lowrise skinny jeans. ugh
Oh my god, you’re right! it is like a weight-loss commercial jingle!
I like “way-back-when” Taylor through 1989. Some of the Reputation stuff was okay. This…this is just awful.
“I suspect the message and the song is not for women my age, it’s for girls aged 11-15.” Exactly but yesterday’s comments from 25+yr old women fan girling her showing that they will eat this saccharine right up! I’m a fan of Brendan since he has a set of pipes that put Taylor to shame and can really make a great tune. That’s all I can say about this song…today is just another day closer to GOT
Taylor Swift: For Becky By Becky
This all day!!!!!
The video looked like fun. Very Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
Standard TSwift I’m special and anyone singing along should feel special too. I don’t hate it but it’s not omg I love it have to keep listening to it. And I’ve had a lot of TS on repeat at various times. I do have Ariana Grande on repeat right now (break up with your girlfriend and bad idea).
You know, I was trying to be put my finger on what the aesthetic reminded me of, but Willy Wonka is exactly right lol.
Das catchy.
Maybe it’s weird, but I prefer Reputation non-singles to anything else she did. It’s strange how she chose her singles in Rep era – basically the weakest songs from the album. But I really like Getaway Car, Dancing With Our Hands Tied and Dress, among others. I was hoping the pastel thing would be a part of some country/folk visual album, but this feels so backwards.
“Don’t Blame Me” is my favorite off of Reputation. Whoever described it as “Hozier meets T Swift” pretty much had it nailed. Great song. But yeah, with the exception of “Delicate,” pretty much everything else on Reputation was better than the singles released. (“End Game” is super catchy, but it’s still a mediocre pop song at the end of the day.)
Same. Don’t Blame Me is like a religious experience. I listened to Ready For It, I Did Something Bad, and Don’t Blame Me a lot, but the album as a whole I don’t love.
I agree! I didn’t like any of the singles (Delicate is okay, the rest are blehhh) but there are so many songs on that album that I genuinely really like and listen to a lot. Don’t Blame Me, I Did Something Bad, Getaway Car, New Year’s Day, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things….I will never understand how she picked the singles she did for reputation.
And I thought I was one of few to like these songs. And yeah, Don’t Blame Me is great. If she only followed that with more experiments with this style, or went more folk, or anything that’s any progress… The more I listen to ME! the more it disappoints me. She’s a good songwriter, has endless possibilities of evolving her music and this is what we get.
I’m borderline obsessed with Taylor, but this was horrific. She should be embarrassed. When I heard the part “Spelling Is Fun!” I think my soul died a little bit. I can’t even wrap my mind around the monstrosity of this song. Like you go from Blank Space to this exceptionally juvenile crap?? WTF?!
I thought the lyrics were very juvenile. But this song will find many fans as plenty of little girls will love it.
The spelling is fun! thing made me remember her awkward “this sick beat” and “we are never getting back together…like ever” and “why? because she’s dead!” moments.
She really likes to stick super awkward and weird talking bits into her lead singles. Cringeworthy!
Lol it reminds me of “I thought the old lady dropped it into the ocean at the end”
hahahaha – well babe, I went down and got it for you!
The reviews are brutal and brilliant. Pitchfork, The Atlantic, and Vulture. LOLLL
They literally said that she borrowed a line from Sesame Street and remained that level…
It seems like a desperate attempt to win back the fans that didn’t like Reputation. Isn’t she over 30 now? It just seems like it’s time to move beyond the teenage pop songs? The “Spelling is fun!” part is the real low point…
She turns 30 in December.
I don’t really understand why she has to move beyond teenage pop songs – Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Madonna, etc never really did.
It’s the lyrics and tone that’s bothersome to those of us bothered by such things.
I listen to plenty of ditsy pop. I love Pink and Madonna, bebop to old school Mariah, listened to Whitney’s most upbeat lighthearted stuff on the way to work this morning, and I’ve slowly come around to Ariana Grande.
I find Taylor’s whole shtick including her lyrics to be regressive, anti feminist, perpetual victim shlock.
You mentioned Madonna who did a whole album about sex and owned her sexuality as a grown woman with desires tied to nothing more than her own turn ons. By contrast, Taylor’s lyrics frame her desires through a boy desiring her and probably hurting her.
Even Whitney who sand gleefully at least twice about messing with married men doesn’t bash the other woman or bemoan the dude’s behavior. The lyrics are about her feelings and how dude makes her feel.
Taylor’s lyrics continue to be juvenile, shallow, and asexual, focused more on ragging on other women, angling for a boy, and then blaming it all on him and/or the other woman when it doesn’t go right.
Her lyrics are the equivalent of a burn book.
I think people tend to hold her early albums against her, forgetting that she wrote them when she was in her teens and early 20’s – as in, they were juvenile because she was very young.
Aside from Bad Blood and a few knocks on Kanye on the last album, what you’re describing wasn’t really prevalent on 1989 or reputation. Red came out when she was what, 22, 23?
Hmm must have gotten the wrong message then from her little snake army and imagery she peddled the last go round.
Her music/lyrics are still reactionary and underdoggish and an attempt to keep painting herself as poor, misunderstood Tay Tay.
I wish she’d take ownership of herself instead of furthering a narrative.
Or at least pivot. I haven’t seen a clear pivot from her juvenile thought processes. Only a rebranding. It’s a double down
I’m Taylor’s age (almost exactly). I’m from the country in Maine and I fell in love with her 13 years ago and went and saw her open up for Brad Paisley and people were telling me and my friend to calm down and shut up because no one knew who she was lol. I really thought Reputation was a disappointment in general but I like this new song, even though the video could have been more mature.
I’m liking this song more as I listen to it without the video. The video is quite distracting and reminds me of Katy Perry/other pop stars. On its own, the song sounds more like a Taylor song. A huge Swiftie friend of mine is also finding a lot of lyrical and musical throwbacks to her older songs, so it’s not a simple as it sounds upon first listen. I dig it.
I didn’t like the song tbh. Brendon Urie and her cat daughters were very cute. As many of you said, imo she usually doesn’t pick the best songs of her albums as first single for whatever reason¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I hope the rest of the album is better
I read a review on one of the major websites earlier saying this song is designed to do literally nothing, offer nothing except be a commercial success that will be licensed to commercials and play on cruise lines (lmao.) Her lyrics were always so personal this just seems like it could have been done by anybody?
Uh I don’t like it. It sounds mediocre and I think Shake It Off was her best pop song. Kind of disappointed, I expected more from her (yea I think I’m a small fan lol).
I actually really liked it. The video was corny but was fun to watch. I enjoyed it. I wonder if a new Taylor album is accompanying that or if it’s just a single off the guy who sang it with her. (Forgot his name but he is so good in the song).
Ugh, I was determined to ignore anything Taylor Swift because I find her to be a super hard pill to swallow but then she had to go and make a song with Brendon Urie, whose voice I absolutely looveee! And now I have to at least listen to it. damn it
I have a soft spot for Taylor. I’m not a Taylor Stan but I have enjoyed most of her music and find it catchy and fun to sing along to. I really liked the Reputation album and even though everyone made fun of her dancing, I thought it was quirky and cute and wasn’t meant to be serious. Same goes for her acting – I don’t think she’s trying to be “taken seriously”. It’s supposed to be fun and funny.
All that said…this was kind of cringe worthy and I don’t like the song at all. I couldn’t even watch the full video. Maybe it’ll grow on me? Feeling a little disappointed to be honest! Ah well.
Calling the cats daughters was funny. I think it’s funny when she leans into the cat lady thing, it’s one of the few things she doesn’t take too seriously about herself.
But this song is awful. I love pop music, so I’m not being judgmental about that. It’s just bad. The lyrics are hilarious, though I don’t think they’re supposed to be. I was afraid she was going to do this. I said yesterday it looked like she was heading for a massive regression. This is junior high juvenile, it just feels so childish. It’s sad because Red and 1989 were so, so good.
Look What You Made Me Do was hands down the worst song on Reputation, so maybe this’ll be the same and the rest will be okay.
yeah. feel a bit embarrassed for everyone involved. she’s done some good tunes. this is not one of them. the video is a big old cringe
I need an insulin injection after watching. And what’s with the infantilizing – she’s 30 ffs.
She really should consider growing up and maturing at some point. She’s going to paint herself into a corner like Katy Perry did. You can’t sing airheaded bubblegum pop music when you’re in your 40’s and 50’s.
But, Me me me. Me me me! This is the mantra that really starts my day. I need to feel that I’m living in harmony with my surroundings and contributing to the world, and what better contribution could I make than listening to Taylor Swift talk about herself. I mean celebrating myself. ME! Me. MEEEEEEE.
She has such a crazy fanbase that’s also quite large, so I believe she’ll be able to get away with being juvenile for a bit longer than Katy Perry. She’ll probably revisit country or move completely into songwriting in the next few years.
So I saw someone on twitter point out on the shot of the wall amidst the cats is a shot of the Dixie Chicks and that it is probably a teaser for the next single which will be another collab. Also heard the new album (assuming there is one) may be all collabs? Total unsubstantiated gossip but would be an interesting concept, and fit into the narrative of ‘pop music darling with lots of friends.’ I get that the lyrics are juvenile but the song was great background for my house cleaning today and annoyingly catchy after a few listens.
Y I K E S that song is aggressively horrible. Like, punching me in the neck with how bad it is.
I’m 35 and really didn’t want to like the song and video, but it’s cute and joyful and won’t offend my ears too much on the radio for the summer. Donald Trump and the GOP are burning America to the ground and keeping me up at night, so I’m cool with a fluffy, mindless Taylor Swift song right now.
I’m 46 and I don’t hate it. I don’t think it stands up at all to her best work (1989) but it’s fine and I agree when the world is a gigantic garbage fire I’m not going to send any hateration TS’s way, I have to save my rage for more important things. That said, I hope, I pray, that white girls see this image as a send-up and parody of TS’s lifelong brand of relationship aspirationalism, rather than strongly identifying with it. As parody and a gentle self-mocking, the video has merit. As life goals, it does not.
Agreed, Dee Kay, agreed.
I’m a pretty big fan of her music (I’m 31) and I don’t like this song.
I would very much like Brendon Urie to be excluded from this narrative.
Lol!
I actually really liked it. Not like- I’m gonna wear pastels all weekend and watch it on repeat / have an Emma Stone easy A moment obsessed with I got a pocket full of sunshine – moment, lol
But that last scene with the paint dress was everything. The mint green matching suits were kinda cool too. It was playful and cute. I’d be interested to know how much she actually contributed conceptually to the creative production and visual imagery that went into that video.
My 6 year old daughter is going to love this.
barf
I love it. It’s fun. It’s playful. It’s catchy pop with a cute video. The world is in flames – I’m good with a brainless and fun song. We
The thing with Taylor Swift’s music is that I generally try to avoid it, but I wind up listening to her stuff inadvertently on the radio or elsewhere and really like it–until I find out that it’s her, at which point I just go, “ReallY? Oh no.”
Her music is definitely catchy, but I’m let down by this reveal. She really tried to build up all the suspense a la Beyonce, but she doesn’t deliver. I’ll probably jam to this when it’s on the radio and then never admit to anyone that I listen to her stuff lol.
“I promise that nobody’s gonna love you like me”
Just ugh at those lyrics. Such a toxic and manipulative thing to say to someone. But I guess younger me, who thought “you’re not like other girls” was a compliment, would have thought it romantic. Bleugh.
There’s always been a heavhyhanded ‘she’s not like the other girls/Not That Kind of Girl’ narrative around Taylor Swift. It’s why people are ok with certain things from her that they’re not ok with from other female artists, despite her obvious thirst and problematic track record.
As a French speaker, the beginning dialogue was PAINFUL. The whole video is so cringeworthy I had to stop.
I did enjoy the cat tho 😘
I’m actually a fan but all I have in my head is sit still look pretty. That’s the earworm. Disappointed ☹️
I think it’s bonkers that people are treating Urie as some sort of victim in all of this….he PRODUCED the song. It’s hardly a “poor him” situation. I adore Panic and can stomach most Taylor music but let’s call a spade a spade here…he did this to appeal to a greater fan base and it will only benefit him.
Regression is exactly the word that came to mind when i watched/listened to this. I’ve been catching a lot of her old country pop songs on the radio (I didn’t follow her at all then) and she really is a good song writer. This is…not great.
Song is not my thing, pass. Video is artful, though! Kinda like the vid.
Thumbs down for the horrendous French at the start. I’m no fan of dubbing but the effect would have been 100% better had they dubbed his and her dialogue with native French speakers. That was rough on my ears and destroyed the effect. Why do actors/directors think they can get away with this??????
My bf said that the song is a Brendan Urie song, TSwift doesnt pull it off without sounding like she’s singing a song for a childrens afternoon show. Please just collab with Jack Antonoff again, you guys have a good formula!
I cannot in hear we’re she says kids spelling is fun. It’s sounded like song from a Disney movie
I mean, the song and video are cute? But not something I’d remember. What I LOVED though are her cats (how cute is that she referred to them as her daughters??) and the tiny kitten.