Taylor Swift: introduction

Taylor Swift: introduction

Taylor Swift is one of the most commercially successful figures in the global music industry, having been a star from a young age and working in a range of genres including country, pop and rock. The media company Bloomberg has estimated her wealth at just over $1billion. She was the most played artist on Spotify in 2023 and was Time magazine’s Person of the Year (2023). The financial magazine Forbes ranked her as the fifth most powerful woman in the world (the women above her in the list were all politicians).

Taylor Swift is a millennial artist (born 1989) whose (often very devoted) fans, known as ‘swifties’, range from young teens, Gens X and Z, millennials as well as the baby-boomer generation (‘senior swifties’). The persona she constructs across online and social media reflects the need to address these different target audiences. Swift is also a very influential figure in an industry context, credited with shifting the power relationships between the music industry and individual artists.

Source: AQA CSP booklet. 

Taylor Swift: websites

You can check out Taylor Swift's main website here and her tour microsite here.

Taylor Swift: social media

Taylor Swift uses social media very deliberately to create impact. In 2018 she wiped all her social media before returning to platforms a couple of days later with a snake video that was designed to kick off an album announcement. 

Taylor Swift: representations 

Taylor Swift is the perfect example of a modern celebrity – fully in control of her persona and able to skilfully construct her representations across multiple media platforms and through her live performance. She has also highlighted the representation of women in the media and music industry.

Taylor Swift: Language and Representations blog tasks

Narrative

Go to our Media Magazine archive (issue MM79) and read the feature All Too Well on Taylor Swift and how she controls her own narrative. Answer the following questions: 

1) Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums? 

Her original label sold her music rights without her consent.

2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'? 

Taylor Swift chose to make the short film "All Too Well" to visually express the story and feelings behind the lyrics while connecting with her audience.

3) What other examples are provided in the article of Taylor Swift using media to construct her own image? 

• Music Videos
• Social Media Engagement
• Documentaries
• Public Appearances
• Merchandising

Taylor Swift textual analysis

Work through the following tasks to complete your textual analysis of Taylor Swift's website and social media. 

1) Go to Taylor Swift's website. What do you notice about the media language choices - text, font, images, page design, links?

• Clean Layout
• Bold Typography
• High-Quality Images
• Colour Palette
• Interactive Links

2) Now visit her Eras tour microsite. What do you notice about the construction of this site in terms of images and website conventions?

 

Thematic Imagery

Interactive Features

Consistent Branding

Bold Typography

Clear Navigation

3) Visit Taylor Swift's Twitter feed. Analyse her use of tweets/posts - are they promoting her music, her tour, or something else? Can you find any that are socially or politically oriented? 

Music Promotion

Tour Updates

Engagement with Fans

Event Highlights

4) Look at Taylor Swift's Instagram account. What do you notice about the selection and construction of images, reels and posts?  

High-Quality Visuals

Personal Moments

Promotional Content

Engagement with Fans

Storytelling Approach

5) Research Taylor Swift across any other social media accounts - e.g. Facebook. Do you notice any differences in how she represents herself on different platforms? Comment on text, images or tone/content.  

Facebook

• Longer Posts
• Event Promotion
• Community Engagement
• Visual Variety

Instagram

• Visuals
• Stories and Reels
• Candid Moments

Twitter

• Updates
• Real-Time Engagement
• Humour

Influencers and celebrity culture

Influencers and celebrity culture

Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine 72 has a feature linking YouTube influencers to A Level media theories. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM72 and scroll to page 60 to read the article ‘The theory of everything - using YouTubers to understand media theory’. Answer the following questions:

1) How has YouTube "democratised media creativity"?

YouTube has democratised media creativity by providing a platform where anyone  can create, share, and make their content.

2) How does YouTube and social media culture act as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation'? 

YouTube and social media culture often promote American values, lifestyles, and trends, leading to cultural imperialism by overshadowing local ideas.

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies? 

Influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies by promoting consumerism, showcasing brand partnerships, and encouraging followers to live lavish lifestyles.

4) How can YouTube and social media celebrity content be read as postmodern, an example of hyperreality? 

YouTube and social media celebrity content can be seen as postmodern examples of hyperreality, as they blur the lines between reality and representation.

5) What are the arguments for and against regulating online content such as YouTube?

Arguments for regulating online content like YouTube focus on preventing harm, protecting minors, ensuring accountability, and promoting fairness, while arguments against it highlight concerns over free speech, the subjective content.

6) How can Hesmondhalgh and Curran & Seaton's ideas be linked to online media debates?

Hesmondhalgh's emphasis on the importance of cultural industries and Curran & Seaton's focus on media power dynamics highlight how online media centres around issues of control, commercialisation, and the influence of large platforms on content diversity.

7) How can Gauntlett's ideas around identity and audience be applied to YouTube and influencer content?

Gauntlett's ideas on identity and audience can be applied to YouTube and influencer content by presenting how creators create a personal identity, allowing audiences to engage with diverse representations and narratives.

8) What is YOUR opinion on celebrity influencers? Are they a positive, democratic addition to the contemporary media landscape or a highly constructed product promoting hegemonic capitalist ideologies?   

Celebrity influencers provide diverse voices and content creation, they often construct images that promote hegemonic capitalist ideologies, prioritising consumerism.

How to build a social media brand: case study

Read this excellent case study on how to build a celebrity social media brand and answer the following questions: 

1) What are the different ways celebrities manage their social media accounts? Give examples. 

Celebrities manage their social media accounts through branding, content, engagement with fans, and collaborations; for example, Selena Gomez uses a mix of personal posts and promotion.

2) Why is 'voice' important in celebrity social media content and what examples are provided? 

'Voice' is important in celebrity social media content because it allows relatability, allowing celebrities to connect with their audience; for example, Taylor Swift uses her platform to share personal stories and engage with fans on social issues.

3) What different goals may celebrities have for their social media accounts? 

Celebrities may use their social media accounts to promote personal brands, engage with fans, advocate for social causes, and promote campaigns.

4) What types of content can be found from celebrity social media posts? 

Personal Updates

Promotional Content

Behind-the-Scenes 

5) How does social media allow influencers to interact with fans? Give examples. 

Social media allows influencers to interact with fans through  Q&A sessions, responding to comments, sharing content, and hosting interactive polls; for example, influencers like Bella Poarch use TikTok to directly reply to fan comments.

Guardian article: Social media harming young people

Finally, read this Guardian article reporting that social media and celebrity culture is harming young people. Answer the following questions:

1) What did the YMCA's report suggest about social media content and celebrity culture?  

The YMCA's report suggested that social media content and celebrity culture significantly impact young people's self-esteem and body image.

2) What examples are provided of how this can have a damaging effect on young people? 

The report provided examples such as increased anxiety, depression, and body image issues among young people who compare themselves to the idealised images of beauty and lifestyle.

3) What is YOUR opinion on this topic? Do you feel social media is dangerous to young people? Should age restrictions be enforced? Explain your answer.

 

I believe social media can pose dangers to young people by presenting unrealistic standards and normalising comparison, making age restrictions important to protect their mental health.

Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky: End of audience blog tasks

Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine 55 has an overview of technology journalist Bill Thompson’s conference presentation on ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ It’s an excellent summary of the internet’s brief history and its impact on society. Go to our Media Magazine arc

hive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 13 to read the article ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ Answer the following questions:

1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson?

• increased access to information
• Global connectivity 
• Support of innovation
• Empowerment of individuals

2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet?

• privacy concerns
• misinformation 
• division
• cybersecurity threats

3) What does ‘open technology’ refer to? Do you agree with the idea of ‘open technology’?

A policy that allows users to access platforms with few restrictions, making me believe that depending on the website, there should be more/less restrictions.

4) Bill Thompson outlines some of the challenges and questions for the future of the internet. What are they?

• maintaining open/free access
• protecting privacy 
• misinformation
• managing AI
• cyber security threats

5) Where do you stand on the use and regulation of the internet? Should there be more control or more openness? Why?

There should be more regulation on the internet as for most apps you have to sign up using your personal information like DOB and your full name, allowing people to see practically everything about you.

Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody charts the way social media and connectivity is changing the world. Read Chapter 3 of his book, ‘Everyone is a media outlet’, and answer the following questions:

1) How does Shirky define a ‘profession’ and why does it apply to the traditional newspaper industry?
 

Clay Shirky defines a profession as a group with special knowledge that controls access to the internet. He argues the internet is reducing this control, allowing more people to do whatever they want. 

2) What is the question facing the newspaper industry now the internet has created a “new ecosystem”?

The newspaper industry now faces the challenge of a "new ecosystem" created by the internet, which has disrupted and reshaped how news is consumed and distributed.

3) Why did Trent Lott’s speech in 2002 become news?

Trent Lott's 2002 speech became news because he praised Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign, sparking controversy and accusations of allowing racist policies.

4) What is ‘mass amateurisation’?

'Mass amateurisation' refers to the internet and how it allows large numbers of non-professionals to create and distribute content, like content creators.

5) Shirky suggests that: “The same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets.” How can this be linked to the current media landscape and particularly ‘fake news’?

Shirky's idea shows how the widespread the same content can be presented across numerous non-professional platforms and can present misinformation, contributing to the spread of 'fake news'.

6) What does Shirky suggest about the social effects of technological change? Does this mean we are currently in the midst of the internet “revolution” or “chaos” Shirky mentions?

Shirky suggests that technological change leads to significant change in old systems that are disrupted, indicating that we are currently in the middle of the internet "revolution" or "chaos".

7) Shirky says that “anyone can be a publisher… [and] anyone can be a journalist”. What does this mean and why is it important?

Shirky's statement presents why content creation is so important, where digital platforms allow anyone to share news and information, which is important because it challenges traditional roles.

8) What does Shirky suggest regarding the hundred years following the printing press revolution? Is there any evidence of this “intellectual and political chaos” in recent global events following the internet revolution?

Shirky suggests that the following of the printing press was shown by political chaos as people adjusted to the new technology, and recent global events like the rise of misinformation.

9) Why is photography a good example of ‘mass amateurisation’?

Photography is a good example of 'mass amateurisation' because digital cameras have allowed people to capture, edit, and share high-quality images easily.

10) What do you think of Shirky’s ideas on the ‘End of audience’? Is this era of ‘mass amateurisation’ a positive thing? Or are we in a period of “intellectual and political chaos” where things are more broken than fixed? 

Shirky's ideas on the 'End of Audience' present a shift towards participation in content creation, which can be seen as both a positive and negative. It allows creativity and diversity, however allows misinformation to be spread as well.