Photo illustration courtesy of junior Talia Doane

  Starting in 2006, Taylor Swift released her very first album titled, “Taylor Swift,” at age sixteen. Over the past 15 years, Swift has released a total of 9 albums. Students and staff at San Luis Obispo High School are either Taylor Swift fans or haters, although hating her would be a lie.

  Taylor Swift’s music varies from country to pop to alternative/indie. Swift’s music is something everyone has at least listened to or heard once in their life, and her music is impossible to truly hate.

  Expressions set out to find students who love, or even “dislike” Swift and uncover the truth.

  “Taylor Swift is one of the best artists and celebrities of our time. Gen Z has been raised and simultaneously grown with Swift as the years have passed. She nurtured us in her younger teen years with her albums Taylor Swift, Speak Now, and Fearless which were all country and upbeat love songs that now give us overwhelming nostalgia. This was the beginning of her career which was young, innocent, and sweet just like our younger years. As she matured into pop with her albums Red, 1918, Reputation, and Lover we were brought into a never-before-seen era of Taylor that was daring, bold, scandalous, and timeless just like our younger years of adulthood. Her pop era started in early 2014 and at the time, was a bittersweet and pivotal moment for Gen Z-ers all around,” said sophomore Mana Kiaha.

  Swift’s second most recent and eighth album “blasted off with approximately 80 million global Spotify streams. That’s the biggest album debut for a female artist in Spotify history, surpassing Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next, which bowed with 70.2 million streams in 2019,” states an article by Forbes.

  “Now that we are all coming to the dawn of adulthood, Taylor has created yet another age of music which is much more brooding, reminiscent, and reflective. Her newest albums Folklore and Evermore were in the alternative genre and reflect sadder but remarkably deep emotions.  Everything from Taylor’s public battles of gender equality, relationships, and struggle to find her voice as a Woman have inspired and led to the heartfelt affection we all have for her. She has grown with us, and for us, as she continues to cater her music to the consciousness of society. It is an understatement to say that Taylor Swift is a great artist, she is the best,” said Kiaha. 

  It is often said that Taylor Swift’s music is not for everyone. Whether it’s too country, or too pop, people always seem to have a reason to dislike Swift.

  “Taylor Swift’s music just isn’t my taste in music. I haven’t really intensely listened to her songs, but from what I’ve heard, it’s not my style,” said junior Gus Stork.

  While this may seem true for some people, Taylor swift actually has music that caters to everyone’s taste. With her earlier albums being country, the middle being pop, and most recent being alternative, everyone has to appreciate her music and lyrical abilities for songwriting and composition.

  If you “dislike” Taylor Swift, think again. Listen to her music and become a fan like everyone else, even if it’s secretly. 

Sources: forbes.com