andrebra
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Post by andrebra on Jun 14, 2024 15:28:49 GMT -5
Yeah, I feel like Taylor isn't concerned at all about losing the very minute portion of people who would even know about variants or variant strategies. Hell, she spoke against her own fans with this album. Pretty sure she's gotten pushed further and further to just not give a damn altogether. At this point, if you take issue with variants or their implementation as a means to maximize chart performance, you might as well bow out of Taylor Swift fanhood (honestly don't even know why you'd still be here considering she's been doing this for 5 years). It's not stopping anytime soon and is likely to only get worse (across the board for all artists mind you with Taylor spearheading). It would take more than variants to get me to disavow her music, but I understand everyone's limits are different. :) For me, the variants themselves are not the problem (although I personally don’t understand the draw for them from a fan’s perspective… but to each their own). My issue is the way she uses them to block other artists and basically turns the charts into one big game. The beauty of the charts is to showcase the most popular music of any given week. It is pretty clear Brat was the most popular album in the UK this week and it’s frustrating that she can levy some random variants to take that kind of moment away from someone else. I just fear she’s going to make more enemies in the industry than we think if she keeps this up. As for me, I obviously know she couldn’t care less if she has my business or not, I’m just disappointed since I’ve been a fan of hers for so long :/
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Post by suburbandreams on Jun 14, 2024 15:54:24 GMT -5
Yeah, I feel like Taylor isn't concerned at all about losing the very minute portion of people who would even know about variants or variant strategies. Hell, she spoke against her own fans with this album. Pretty sure she's gotten pushed further and further to just not give a damn altogether. At this point, if you take issue with variants or their implementation as a means to maximize chart performance, you might as well bow out of Taylor Swift fanhood (honestly don't even know why you'd still be here considering she's been doing this for 5 years). It's not stopping anytime soon and is likely to only get worse (across the board for all artists mind you with Taylor spearheading). It would take more than variants to get me to disavow her music, but I understand everyone's limits are different. :) For me, the variants themselves are not the problem (although I personally don’t understand the draw for them from a fan’s perspective… but to each their own). My issue is the way she uses them to block other artists and basically turns the charts into one big game. The beauty of the charts is to showcase the most popular music of any given week. It is pretty clear Brat was the most popular album in the UK this week and it’s frustrating that she can levy some random variants to take that kind of moment away from someone else. I just fear she’s going to make more enemies in the industry than we think if she keeps this up. As for me, I obviously know she couldn’t care less if she has my business or not, I’m just disappointed since I’ve been a fan of hers for so long :/ Charts have been gamed from the very beginning. Hell she has been a victim multiple times. See Lil Nas X releasing new remixes to block Me! and YNTCD! (grateful for that through) TTPD outstreamed Brat and Brat barely cleared more than Bon Jovi. It was her signed copies that have taylor the boost to get the #1 this week not variants. It sucks for other artists but that has always been the chart game. artists giving up weeks at #1 has never been a thing. both artists are just doing their job. Charli was powered mostly by her own vinly variants. It's a brutul business but artists who have been in it for a while know better than to take it personally.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 14, 2024 16:03:25 GMT -5
Can’t be mad at her for playing the game! Music charts are based on sales and streaming numbers and data that’s just how they work. And I’m all for artists releasing multiple variants. It’s nice to see albums at #1 with more than 40k in sales.
Taylor won’t always be at the top. Others will study and play the game just as well or even better.
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schnetzka
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Post by schnetzka on Jun 14, 2024 16:13:06 GMT -5
Honestly, given Taylor's leverage in the music world, even if she wants to keep doing the variants, I think it would be nice if she made a post about the big releases on Fridays of other artists to celebrate their albums. Artists supporting other artists is always nice to see.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 14, 2024 16:30:42 GMT -5
Honestly, given Taylor's leverage in the music world, even if she wants to keep doing the variants, I think it would be nice if she made a post about the big releases on Fridays of other artists to celebrate their albums. Artists supporting other artists is always nice to see. That makes no sense. She supports other artists. She doesn’t have to prove it every Friday on social media.
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Dylan :)
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Post by Dylan :) on Jun 14, 2024 16:43:06 GMT -5
She performed This Is What You Came For X Gold Rush and The Great War X You’re Losing Me tonight! I missed the second one by one night!!
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Jun 14, 2024 17:39:51 GMT -5
For me, the variants themselves are not the problem (although I personally don’t understand the draw for them from a fan’s perspective… but to each their own). My issue is the way she uses them to block other artists and basically turns the charts into one big game. The beauty of the charts is to showcase the most popular music of any given week. It is pretty clear Brat was the most popular album in the UK this week and it’s frustrating that she can levy some random variants to take that kind of moment away from someone else. I just fear she’s going to make more enemies in the industry than we think if she keeps this up. As for me, I obviously know she couldn’t care less if she has my business or not, I’m just disappointed since I’ve been a fan of hers for so long :/ If you notice I also said "or their implementation as a means to maximize chart performance", which addressed the very thing you went onto say you had an issue with. Btw the charts have literally ALWAYS been a numbers and timing game with labels and artists. You best believe if a label's artist is within striking reach of a #1 title, they're doing everything in their power to take it if they're any good at their job. There have always been tactics and techniques behind the scenes to maximize performance or best a competitor, it's just variants are more in your face about it. That's it. Taylor isn't close to these artists and doesn't owe them anything just like they don't owe her anything. Honestly, given Taylor's leverage in the music world, even if she wants to keep doing the variants, I think it would be nice if she made a post about the big releases on Fridays of other artists to celebrate their albums. Artists supporting other artists is always nice to see. This is hilarious to me, because it's so absurd of a notion to think anyone would suggest or expect Taylor (or any artist for that matter) to publicly champion/highlight every other artist's album release every Friday, as if they were signed to her label. lol Her success is off the back of her own talent and decades of hard work. It wasn't given to her freely, nor from the hands of her contemporaries. She had to fight and work her a** off to get this leverage. She doesn't owe any artist anything, but she STILL has supported other artists. Like her deal with Spotify, a contention of which was on the basis of EVERY artist getting paid a more fair/equitable wage for their material. It's not like a lot of these mainstream artists support her. Even when she does vocally support other artists they have, at times, just come back to spit in her face (like all the low-key digs Billie has been throwing her way as of late etc). She does support artists, in her own way, and that is more than most do and more than enough.
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Post by ificanthaveyou on Jun 14, 2024 17:54:46 GMT -5
Y’all can stop buying Taylor’s variants or stop supporting her, SHE DOESN’T NEED YOU. One minus 2.5 million debut is still 2.5 million 😂
And Taylor would be silly to listen to all the chirping from other fandoms that literally already dislike/hate her. Why should Taylor “play nice” anymore when people will find new ways to hate her regardless. I feel like she played nice her entire career only to deal with the Kimye fallout and other artists being shady af to her.
Also, news flash, if you didn’t want to be blocked from #1, maybe change your release date to a time Taylor isn’t such a juggernaut. Don’t cry when you got blocked for thinking 70k would secure you a #1 album
“I'll tell you something right now I'd rather burn my whole life down Than listen to one more second of all this griping and moaning I'll tell you something about my good name It's mine alone to disgrace I don't cater to all these vipers dressed in empath's clothing”
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irice22
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Post by irice22 on Jun 14, 2024 17:58:54 GMT -5
The general public is still behind her I don’t think she cares if she loses the support of a handful of us on Pulse. Of course she's huge... but lol, no it's not just a handful of people on Pulse. I can't go through five TikTok scrolls without someone talking about it. Anyone with a slightly above average interest in pop music is aware of it and it's hard to defend.
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Jun 14, 2024 18:03:56 GMT -5
The general public is still behind her I don’t think she cares if she loses the support of a handful of us on Pulse. Of course she's huge... but lol, no it's not just a handful of people on Pulse. I can't go through five TikTok scrolls without someone talking about it. Anyone with a slightly above average interest in pop music is aware of it and it's hard to defend. Ok, personal anecdotes don't really paint a reliable picture either. Let's be real, this isn't going to impact Taylor or her career in any notable way and I think that was the point being made. Hell, Taylor has a lil hate train going right now, and she's still dominating, as she will continue to do, barring an actual scandal. I know people are salivating for her collapse, but it's gonna have to be something more scandalous than variants.
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schnetzka
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Post by schnetzka on Jun 14, 2024 18:08:52 GMT -5
I will say that all of this money she is earning with the variants should go toward another music video because how is "Fortnight" the only one with a video so far??? The album is 31 tracks long, like c'mon lol.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 14, 2024 18:11:57 GMT -5
The general public is still behind her I don’t think she cares if she loses the support of a handful of us on Pulse. Of course she's huge... but lol, no it's not just a handful of people on Pulse. I can't go through five TikTok scrolls without someone talking about it. Anyone with a slightly above average interest in pop music is aware of it and it's hard to defend. You see on TikTok the things you want to see. I only see negativity on here but that’s because I don’t look for it on TikTok and IG to justify my thoughts and behaviour.
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irice22
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Post by irice22 on Jun 14, 2024 18:15:58 GMT -5
Of course she's huge... but lol, no it's not just a handful of people on Pulse. I can't go through five TikTok scrolls without someone talking about it. Anyone with a slightly above average interest in pop music is aware of it and it's hard to defend. You see on TikTok the things you want to see. I only see negativity on here but that’s because I don’t look for it on TikTok and IG to justify my thoughts and behaviour. I'm huge Swifty, not sure why I'm seeing so much of the negativity then. The topic is the top link on popheads subreddit right now and major pop music creators talking about it. It's not like it isn't in the zeitgeist ya'll, let's be real.
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Soundcl🕤ck
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Post by Soundcl🕤ck on Jun 14, 2024 18:16:42 GMT -5
Honestly, given Taylor's leverage in the music world, even if she wants to keep doing the variants, I think it would be nice if she made a post about the big releases on Fridays of other artists to celebrate their albums. Artists supporting other artists is always nice to see. lol, I imagine it'd be like: Swifties, this is the album we're gonna block from #1 this week. Below are two links: the first one is the artist's album on Spotify and the second one is to buy two new variants of my album.
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Jun 14, 2024 18:47:37 GMT -5
You see on TikTok the things you want to see. I only see negativity on here but that’s because I don’t look for it on TikTok and IG to justify my thoughts and behaviour. I'm huge Swifty, not sure why I'm seeing so much of the negativity then. The topic is the top link on popheads subreddit right now and major pop music creators talking about it. It's not like it isn't in the zeitgeist ya'll, let's be real. Literally no one is arguing that no one is talking about it. We're generally saying it's going to have no notable impact on her career and the only people who are paying close attention to it are people who don't represent the majority in any way. Personally, I don't feel bad about her blocking Billie after I watched Billie make several digs that could very easily be interpreted to be about Taylor (especially after bringing the one Taylor detractor up on stage and after what Finneas said). I'm not sure how I feel about Charlie, pretty irrelevant as of now, but I heard she could have referenced Taylor as well in her latest album so who knows what's going on between the two of them. Taylor after all doesn't start sh*t for no reason for the most part. Either way, I don't feel bad for any artist being blocked from any position (Taylor included) as they all are already incredibly privileged and wealthy for the most part so they're not missing out on much by not having a #1. I think the result at best is just mere fan wars.
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Wavey✨️
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Post by Wavey✨️ on Jun 14, 2024 19:15:36 GMT -5
The "Variant" era❤️💜💚🩶
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Choco
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Post by Choco on Jun 14, 2024 19:18:59 GMT -5
Honestly excited for the tour to end. It's been forever. But no way the last two TVs drop before December. Creatively I think she needs this retrospective era to end already. Maybe we get rep soon and debut around November? Let's hope.
Not even gonna comment much on the chart tactics. We already said most of the things being posted again way back when Billie dropped her album and most of it is still true. At this point it's generating way more negative reactions than support from what I've seen but honestly I don't think she gives a f**k and it won't impact her significantly.
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irice22
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Post by irice22 on Jun 14, 2024 19:29:07 GMT -5
I think it depends on how many singles she can get out of TTPD. In my opinion, there's an obvious three. If she agrees with that, I don't think we are getting the other two TVs until next year with TS12 coming in 2026.
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clsvltn
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Post by clsvltn on Jun 14, 2024 19:59:02 GMT -5
What songs are still left she has not performed yet on this tour ? I Remember someone was keeping a list
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daddy
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Post by daddy on Jun 15, 2024 5:14:36 GMT -5
I don't think she cares about the negative reactions, nor should she.
The anti-varient folks have a right to their opinions and can choose not to purchase the variants.
Those interested in owning the varients can purchase them if they’d like.
It really isn't harming anyone. One might even say the other artists that Taylor is blocking are getting more visibility due to the conversation and therefore selling more than they would otherwise.
Regardless, it’s just music business.
If it was any other industry and one company was being more aggressive with their sales tactics to sell more of their products than their competitors, few would comment.
Because it happens all the time.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Jun 15, 2024 7:24:22 GMT -5
Part of me believes she’s trying to hit those records I mentioned earlier in this thread, for the longest streak at #1 from its debut. She’s at Week 7 officially now, with eight more weeks left in order to break Carole King’s record. These loads of variants are proving to be the most effective method in achieving this; so there’s no way she’s stopping them. I have no issue with the variants personally; my main gripe was with the bonus tracks being spread out, only to ultimately be put on streaming literally two hours after the album’s release. She has enough of us diehards in her camp that she might be successful in breaking Carole’s record.
And I have to say….I wonder if people who weren’t fans of The Beatles felt the same way some of these people do now.
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HEADOFTHEPACK
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Post by HEADOFTHEPACK on Jun 15, 2024 8:48:41 GMT -5
Reading this thread made me realize I have mild variant discourse PTSD from Billie’s release week 😂
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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Jun 15, 2024 8:51:03 GMT -5
Personally, I don't feel bad about her blocking Billie after I watched Billie make several digs that could very easily be interpreted to be about Taylor (especially after bringing the one Taylor detractor up on stage and after what Finneas said). I'm not sure how I feel about Charlie, pretty irrelevant as of now, but I heard she could have referenced Taylor as well in her latest album so who knows what's going on between the two of them. Taylor after all doesn't start sh*t for no reason for the most part. Either way, I don't feel bad for any artist being blocked from any position (Taylor included) as they all are already incredibly privileged and wealthy for the most part so they're not missing out on much by not having a #1. I think the result at best is just mere fan wars. Exactly, it’s the fan wars making this personal against every artist who gets blocked from #1, but so too is saying you don’t feel bad because so-and-so once took a dig at her. Is it a business decision to keep #1 or is it personal because the artist with the new album was once mean to her? Stans have made the music business pettier than any variant (and that itself already cheapens the music beyond all hell).
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Wavey✨️
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Post by Wavey✨️ on Jun 15, 2024 12:16:43 GMT -5
General question- how many variants are available from this era?
EDIT: Nvm, its damn near just as much as the initial two track lists lol
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Jun 15, 2024 17:04:36 GMT -5
but so too is saying you don’t feel bad because so-and-so once took a dig at her. Is it a business decision to keep #1 or is it personal because the artist with the new album was once mean to her? Stans have made the music business pettier than any variant (and that itself already cheapens the music beyond all hell). I'm not interjecting it's mere business nor it's personal for Taylor, because I don't know. I'm just theorizing on possibilities. Either way, as I've said all along, I don't feel bad for any artist who is "blocked" from #1, because the chart system itself is a game of numbers and metrics soley. I don't feel bad for Taylor being spoken about either tbh. lol I just see it as a potential motive IF the variants were personal in the discussions where some were saying it was (I look at things from an analytical perspective). At the end of the day if you have the potential to sell the most or stream more than any other album then you deserve that top spot. Period.
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Jun 17, 2024 9:29:22 GMT -5
Regarding the people who want Taylor to step down and give others a chance at being #1 (what kind of participation trophy ass mentality is that lmfao), this makes some incredible points.
Meanwhile, I was wrong about the Carole King record. Tapestry spent 15 consecutive weeks at #1, but not from its debut week onwards. In fact, only two female albums in history have debuted at #1 and stayed for eight weeks:
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thezatch
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Post by thezatch on Jun 17, 2024 10:19:31 GMT -5
Regarding the people who want Taylor to step down and give others a chance at being #1 (what kind of participation trophy ass mentality is that lmfao), this makes some incredible points. Agreed. That tweet needs pinned to the top of every page of this thread, and quoted whenever someone complains about how Taylor Alison "The Music Industry" Swift stays at the summit.
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Post by dwmusiccollector on Jun 17, 2024 14:15:12 GMT -5
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Choco
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Post by Choco on Jun 17, 2024 16:06:28 GMT -5
Reading this thread made me realize I have mild variant discourse PTSD from Billie’s release week 😂 Yeah like at this point I'm ok with Billboard giving her the 60 weeks she wants to beat Beatles by default so we never have to discuss this again. Sadly it has started popping up a lot more on social media for me instead of just here. I'm guessing the "just-for-the-UK" variant restock on the single market Charli was any sort of threat made more noise than Billie somehow? Probably because Billie may get revenge during awards seasons meanwhile Charli...
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Eloqueen™
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Post by Eloqueen™ on Jun 17, 2024 17:27:31 GMT -5
Can I get an amen?!! That's the thing a lot of folks I'm finding are having a hard time grappling the concept of: understanding Taylor has no peers in the current mainstream commercial business and they're comparing her strategies to that of artists who aren't on her level in any capacity (commercially speaking). There are ZERO other artists who have her pull commercially. None. And this is an artist 17 years into her career mind you. That in context, to me, shows even more why she should be savoring and grasping for every bit of success she can at this point because this height won't be reached again and it's likely as successful as she's ever going to be so why NOT maximize it? She's never once said success wasn't important to her. Hell, if anything she's made it clear her success helps validate her "goodness", so it may be even more important to her than most, right or wrong. In the last few years she blown right past her contemporaries and into the stratosphere and people, can't, stand it. Mainly because they view her as "undeserving" and are hyper-critical of her success, given its magnitude, acting as if it was just given to her on a silver platter or on the back of white privilege and not by her own merit. No, she spent decades (and even her youth) ruthlessly pining toward a dream of being the biggest star she could be. Most artists, let alone people, would buckle under the intense schedule, microscope, and lense she operates routinely under and never would have had the stamina to do the work it took to get here. Very few people are genuinely built for stardom at this level and even fewer people ever achieve it. People just have a hard time stomaching it because they feel her voice isn't conducive to this level of popularity (because falsely most seem to only see validity in vocal range and don't understand that an artist is more than a singer, is more than a voice) or they don't particularly care for her style of music/image (which in most cases I've found boils down to Taylor not being edgy or "cool" enough for some to authenticate her actual talent). It's not cool to make music kids can also enjoy. It's not cool to care about your success. It's not edgy to be covered and clothed in a world of raunchy lyrics and imagery (of which I myself am a fan, but nevertheless). At the end of the day society LOVES to tear whoever we build up, right back to the ground, so now we're seeing people literally searching, rummaging, needlessly picking through her achievements and actions looking for any and every reason to drag her name and diminish her accomplishments as they have done so many before. Unfortunately for them, with a person like Taylor she doesn't have a sordid history or a prison record so they have to result to petty insinuations about her character, of which they know nothing about, utilize her skin color to make sweeping generalizations or unfounded defamatory remarks ("Aryian Princess"), or twist traditionally good qualities (hard work ethic, creativity, preparedness, ingenuity, determination etc) she possesses and twist it into something horrible and negative. It's all absurd and exhausting. Instead of seeing this woman, in all she has accomplished, and celebrating that for the achievement it is, they'd much rather have her humbled and torn back down to a level they feel comfortable with. Too bad for them.
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