Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off"

[Az Paynter]

POP:
-- 40 TAYLOR SWIFT Shake It Off 842 0 842 6.877

+842 Spins
+842 Bullet
+6.877 Audience

HOT AC:
-- 43 TAYLOR SWIFT Shake It Off 289 0 289 2.615

+289 Spins
+289 Bullet
+2.615 Audience

[Ed The Pacifist!]

YAAAAAASSSSSSSSSS at the song already in the top 40! #LoveIt

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

This is going to have a brutal 8th day with a first day like that

[cause_for_celebration]

I wish this was on Spotify!

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Aug 19, 2014 3:18:15 GMT -5 andrea55 said:

Amazing song but it feels like a copy of Happy

Hunh?! Where do you people get this stuff?

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Aug 19, 2014 4:42:01 GMT -5 Pikachu. said:

This is so much better than WANEGBT, and that one was so much more pop than this, don't get the "she's abandoning country" stuff when she's already done this since that single.

Not even close. That song miles better than this one.

[jjose712]

Well, i love it. My favourite Taylor's song is Safe and sound wich is totally opposite of this, but i find it catchy and funny, and i love the video. She showing some sense of humour it's exactly what she needs, sometimes she has a too serious image, and she needs to laugh at herself a bit

There's no way in hell that country radio play this, so i think it will be a good idea to have a more country song in store to release there

[Deleted]

I'm telling you, this is fab for a cardio routine. :)

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Aug 19, 2014 6:36:20 GMT -5 cause_for_celebration said:

I wish this was on Spotify!

I had thought it was reported it would be on all the streaming outlets yesterday too? I guess they want to drive up iTunes sales in the first week and figuring YouTube will give them enough streaming points.

[JamaicaFunk²]

Aug 19, 2014 6:31:36 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

This is going to have a brutal 8th day with a first day like that

Actually, they were probably smart to premiere the song later in the evening. Next Monday will have full day of play to go against these numbers. But, it'll probably be -500 spins and -4 million audience. Not so bad.

[sapphire]

Aug 19, 2014 7:08:36 GMT -5 Musicguy said:

I'm telling you, this is fab for a cardio routine. :)

That's actually what came to my mind when I first heard this. 

[bornfearless2000]

Maybe it's just me but this song reminds me of Avril's Best Damn Thing so much

[A2Townie]

It's like an awful pop interpretation of Vampire Weekend - Diane Young. The bridge is made of secondhand embarrassment.

[Mack]

Aug 19, 2014 4:42:01 GMT -5 Pikachu. said:

This is so much better than WANEGBT, and that one was so much more pop than this, don't get the "she's abandoning country" stuff when she's already done this since that single.

Wrong. 'WANEGBT', 'Begin Again', and 'Red' were serviced to country radio, and she was featured on Tim McGraw's 'Highway Don't Care'. This era will be the first time that she completely ditches the country format.

[kanimal]

Aug 19, 2014 7:02:23 GMT -5 jjose712 said:

Well, i love it. My favourite Taylor's song is Safe and sound wich is totally opposite of this, but i find it catchy and funny, and i love the video. She showing some sense of humour it's exactly what she needs, sometimes she has a too serious image, and she needs to laugh at herself a bit

There's no way in hell that country radio play this, so i think it will be a good idea to have a more country song in store to release there

If she's to be believed, this is a 100% pop album.  There will be no "country" song, so it will be up to country radio to play her pop stuff or ignore her.

We'll see if that tune changes, but that was the big takeaway from yesterday's announcement.  She is in no way country anymore, and she is not claiming to be genre-neutral.  She's a pop singer.

I also find it interesting that people are insisting this song is unoriginal, yet are listing about 15 different things that it "sounds" like.  It's somehow like Happy, Girlfriend, The Best Damn Thing, Diane Young (huh?), and general songs by Karmin, Kesha and Colbie Caillat.

No two of those artists are alike, so if it is simultaneously derivative of all of them, then it is a completely original sound.

It's like an awful pop interpretation of Vampire Weekend - Diane Young. The bridge is made of secondhand embarrassment.

Aside from "some indie record that's much cooler than mine," the "So he calls me up..." section of We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is that song's most memorable moment.  This completely smokes that part.

[Pikachu.]

Aug 19, 2014 8:23:44 GMT -5 Mack said:

Aug 19, 2014 4:42:01 GMT -5 Pikachu. said:

This is so much better than WANEGBT, and that one was so much more pop than this, don't get the "she's abandoning country" stuff when she's already done this since that single.

Wrong. 'WANEGBT', 'Begin Again', and 'Red' were serviced to country radio, and she was featured on Tim McGraw's 'Highway Don't Care'. This era will be the first time that she completely ditches the country format.

I mean sound-wise. WANEGBT sounds much more teenpop and juvenile to me than this, and we have yet to see if there is gonna be another single to release to country from the album, unless I've missed the announcement that there isn't gonna be one. (Haven't really paid attention)

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Aug 19, 2014 8:25:15 GMT -5 kanimal said:

Aug 19, 2014 7:02:23 GMT -5 jjose712 said:

Well, i love it. My favourite Taylor's song is Safe and sound wich is totally opposite of this, but i find it catchy and funny, and i love the video. She showing some sense of humour it's exactly what she needs, sometimes she has a too serious image, and she needs to laugh at herself a bit

There's no way in hell that country radio play this, so i think it will be a good idea to have a more country song in store to release there

If she's to be believed, this is a 100% pop album.  There will be no "country" song, so it will be up to country radio to play her pop stuff or ignore her.

We'll see if that tune changes, but that was the big takeaway from yesterday's announcement.  She is in no way country anymore, and she is not claiming to be genre-neutral.  She's a pop singer.

That doesn't mean there is nothing on the album that would be serviceable to country radio, either in its original version or in an alternate mix. The singles from Red had country mixes. This is obviously not going to get that treat (at least I hope), but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is nothing on the album that country radio would play. Taylor owes too much to country radio to totally cut them out of the era, and if she ever wants to go back to making country music, she can't leave them feeling jilted. Country radio doesn't forgive and forget.

[ss8]

Not at all feeling this lol. That said..prob. still be huge hit simply due to her name brand and mega fan base (at least out of the box). Overall, I've been reading pretty mixed feedback. People are either loving it or think it's one of, if not her worst song and video. I think it'll technically do well chart wise (again 'cause of who it is) but wouldn't be surprised if this ends up a textbook frontloaded situation ultimately. Outside of the U.S. I'm not seeing this do much (esp. in places like the U.K. etc..). 

[kanimal]

Aug 19, 2014 8:35:32 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

Aug 19, 2014 8:25:15 GMT -5 kanimal said:

If she's to be believed, this is a 100% pop album.  There will be no "country" song, so it will be up to country radio to play her pop stuff or ignore her.

We'll see if that tune changes, but that was the big takeaway from yesterday's announcement.  She is in no way country anymore, and she is not claiming to be genre-neutral.  She's a pop singer.

That doesn't mean there is nothing on the album that would be serviceable to country radio, either in its original version or in an alternate mix. The singles from Red had country mixes. This is obviously not going to get that treat (at least I hope), but that doesn't necessarily mean that there is nothing on the album that country radio would play. Taylor owes too much to country radio to totally cut them out of the era, and if she ever wants to go back to making country music, she can't leave them feeling jilted. Country radio doesn't forgive and forget.

In my post, I allowed for the possibility that Taylor might backtrack a little on yesterday's announcement, perhaps to secure country airplay if it is deemed necessary.

But her announcement was VERY clear - this is a pop album.  It is something Taylor had never said before.  "Red" might have featured some irrefutable pop songs, but it did not ship with the overt "pop" label and thus did not explicitly distance itself from country.  Specific singles were still sent to country, and it still competed for country awards.

I'm not saying Taylor can't or won't do the same this era, but she absolutely can't and still reconcile that action with yesterday's declaration.

There is a reason people are talking about her "pop" claim yesterday, and there is a reason the CMA sent that scathing Tweet wishing her "good luck in her new venture."  It was Taylor, for the first time ever, effectively declaring that she isn't at all country.

[Jack]

I always think a good test is to imagine a single from a returning superstar were a debut single, would it still be a big hit? I don't doubt with all her momentum that she'll be able to take this to the top, and the promotional budget will make this work, but I don't for a second this is an undeniably big hit in anyone's hands, nor is it all that great of a song. In the way that, say, I think most major label artists new or established would have a big hit with I Knew You Were Trouble. If G.R.L. released this is a single I wouldn't see it doing anything for instance. If Taylor released Ugly Heart however, I could see her making that far bigger than she will make this.

As for the video. She is trying much too hard for somebody as big as she is. She may be a great songwriter with mass appeal, and incredibly commercial brand, but a charismatic/charming/cute performer or character she is not. Simply put, I don't think she's nearly as charming as she appears to think she is. The whole thing is like a more elaborate version of her hamming it up for the cameras when she's dancing in the audience at awards shows; it's self-aware, calculated, awkward and very inauthentic. I'll ignore the culture appropriations and finish by saying the video is like some sort of Glee/Tampon commercial amalgamation sponsored by Target.

[👑 Eloquent ™]

Lead on itunes expands to .4899

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Is it weird to anybody else that the album pre-order isn't in the Top 150 while Cheek to Cheek is #6?

[dzjx]

I wish people would just shut the fuck up about cultural appropriation, its getting old now.

[Hefty Hanna]

Lol @ this being #40 already based on, what, 7 hours of airplay? So huge.

[Bhad Bill]

Not a huge fan of the song yet (I'm sure I will be) but that video is everything! Those outfits are perfect, and she looks STUNNING.

My favorite outfit is the cheerleading one, with the TS on the front. (Although I have to say that for Oh Santa, Mariah Carey had her back up dancers wear cheerleading outfits with MC on them, and when you combine that with her song Shake it Off...)

Anyway excited for this to be #1!

[trebor]

Checked this out this morning (last man on earth to do so) and by the rave comments I expected it to be a master piece...

Conclusion:

The production is pristine and the instrumentation is a brave new approach (sax & co.) which works very well.

The video is safe and clean which will comfort all soccer moms :): and so secure the kiddie market (see fast & colourful clip). :)

Pure pop at its best.

Review:

As previously noted it is heavily reminiscent of "Mickey" by Toni Basil.  :| Max Martin should have known better.

The "impromptu" rap is unnecessary and quite embarrassing; and as mentioned here also, the bridges are akward. :|

She also has neither improved nor matured since RED.

Judgement:

All in all, it will deliver the goods. A surefire Hot 100 Number One.

May even crack the bottom of the Country Airplay Charts on audience impressions :|

Not my cup of tea; but pleasant enough.

Have rated it 7/10 because, well, it is our Taylor, isn't she?

[kanimal]

The "impromptu" rap is unnecessary and quite embarrassing

"Embarrassing."

I'm betting Taylor is going to have a really tough time showing her face in public after that one. I also find it funny that you put that comment adjacent to the notion she has neither "improved nor matured since Red" when the spoken word/rap breakdown here is a million times better than the one on We Are Never.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Aug 19, 2014 9:08:36 GMT -5 dzjx said:

I wish people would just shut the f**k up about cultural appropriation, its getting old now.

That's easy to say when its not your culture being appropriated and exploited for profit...

[K.]

I like the song and really cute video. She's a really good pop songwriter.

[dbhmr]

Aug 19, 2014 8:59:51 GMT -5 Jack said:

I always think a good test is to imagine a single from a returning superstar were a debut single, would it still be a big hit? I don't doubt with all her momentum that she'll be able to take this to the top, and the promotional budget will make this work, but I don't for a second this is an undeniably big hit in anyone's hands, nor is it all that great of a song. In the way that, say, I think most major label artists new or established would have a big hit with I Knew You Were Trouble. If G.R.L. released this is a single I wouldn't see it doing anything for instance. If Taylor released Ugly Heart however, I could see her making that far bigger than she will make this.

As for the video. She is trying much too hard for somebody as big as she is. She may be a great songwriter with mass appeal, and incredibly commercial brand, but a charismatic/charming/cute performer or character she is not. Simply put, I don't think she's nearly as charming as she appears to think she is. The whole thing is like a more elaborate version of her hamming it up for the cameras when she's dancing in the audience at awards shows; it's self-aware, calculated, awkward and very inauthentic. I'll ignore the culture appropriations and finish by saying the video is like some sort of Glee/Tampon commercial amalgamation sponsored by Target.

A day later, this is exactly how I feel, particularly about the video. I also think that the positive response here demonstrates the good favor she is in here--had Avril or Katy Perry released this, I think it'd be a different conversation.