For her fans, Taylor Swift embodies closeness and friendship. But there is much more to her unprecedented career. A look at Swift and her songs at the start of her Germany tour.
US superstar Taylor Swift is coming to Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday, and a few days later to Hamburg and Munich. Hundreds of thousands of fans, mostly young women in sequined outfits, will cheer her on. What’s behind the hype about Swift’s “Eras Tour”? An explanation – and a playlist:
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – The Music
The 34-year-old has managed to do something that is becoming increasingly difficult in times of streaming services and social media: to remain musically relevant over a period of almost 20 years while managing her own career. “Quality paired with continuity” is the main factor for her success, says cultural scientist Jörn Glasenapp from the University of Bamberg. Her list of well-made, catchy hits is longer than that of other pop stars – this is also reflected in the list of her chart successes and awards.
It all started in country music. Wealthy parents enabled the teenager to move from Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee, and try her luck as a singer. She released her debut album “Taylor Swift” at the age of 16. With her fourth studio album “Red” (2012), Swift built a bridge to pop – the single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” became her first number one hit in the US Billboard charts. The following records “1989”, “Reputation” and “Lover” cemented her place at the top of the pop industry.
“The Prophecy” – The lyrics
Swift’s most important characteristic as a musician remains her lyrics. She has retained her country storytelling and her eye for everyday moments. She writes about herself and her life, and uses her stories to communicate with her fans. Her verses are now also being discussed at universities – not least at Harvard University.
The lines are about friendship and growing up. The dominant themes, however, are often love and heartbreak. Swift deals with her reputation as a “heartbreak writer” on her current album “The Tortured Poets Department”: “I’m so afraid I sealed my fate / No sign of soulmates,” she sings in the song “The Prophecy.”
“Cardigan” – The Swifties
Swift’s songs offer young women in particular a place to identify with. Her fans call themselves Swifties; 283 million people follow her on Instagram alone. Swifties are considered romantic – they exchange friendship bracelets with each other at concerts, for example – but also enthusiastic fighters for their idol.
With her albums “Folklore” and “Evermore” (both 2020), which include the song “Cardigan”, Swift has made it into the feature pages, says Glasenapp. Since then, she has been dismissed much less often as an “artist for little girls”. “That was the case for a long time because our patriarchal society unfortunately likes to devalue what young women or teenage girls are passionate about.”
“Mastermind” – The “Eras Tour”
Even though Swift has been a superstar since “1989” (2014) at the latest, her world tour, which started in 2023, has fueled the euphoria once again. The “Eras Tour” is a ride through the singer’s entire career. Each concert lasts three and a half hours, and the set list includes 45 songs. Swift dedicates its own stage sets to each album, i.e. each era of her music. The show, which is full of attention to detail, has been discussed almost continuously online since its premiere. Swifties repeatedly praise the singer as a “mastermind” – in reference to the song of the same name.
The demand after a previous five-year concert break was so great that the Ticketmaster sales system collapsed in the USA. The “Eras Tour” film, which was released in cinemas last year, is already considered the most successful concert film of all time.
The musician’s last tour of Germany was nine years ago. Now she is giving seven concerts. These were also sold out within a few minutes. Gelsenkirchen is the first stop. The city in the Ruhr region is expecting 210,000 concert guests over three evenings, Munich around 140,000 and Hamburg around 100,000.
“The Man” – The economic factor
Swift has built an economic empire with her fan base, says Viennese music economics researcher Peter Tschmuck. The regions also benefit from this: In the USA, Swifties spend an average of 1,300 US dollars on a concert visit, including accommodation, food and merchandise, according to a survey by the Common Sense Institute. The Dehoga regional associations also expect an increase in the hospitality industry and in leisure spending in the German “Eras” cities – especially for stays beyond the day of the concert.
Concert tourism is booming. Since tickets are more expensive in the USA and Canada than in Europe, Swifties also fly across the Atlantic. “The audience at each of their performances is completely international,” says Glasenapp, who has attended several “Eras” shows. “It’s obviously a disaster for the climate, that has to be said.” In Facebook groups, international fans exchange tips on accommodation and public transport in Germany.
Swift certainly has the opportunity to influence the ticket market in the USA by foregoing huge advances, explains Tschmuck. But she has decided against it. Swift would probably respond to this criticism by saying that restraint is rarely required of male stars. With “The Man” she has dedicated a song to the expectations placed on women in the music industry.
“You Need to Calm Down” – Politics
At the beginning of her career, Swift was criticized for being an apolitical country singer. That changed at a younger age – she began to use her voice for diversity and LGBT rights, for example in the song “You Need to Calm Down”. She also spoke out for the US Democrats. Following a call from Swift on Instagram, 35,000 new voter registrations will be counted in a very short time in 2023.
“Taylor is a phenomenon that is diametrically opposed to the divisive Putins and Trumps, the hyper-masculine old men,” says Glasenapp. Her feminism is not particularly intersectional – that is, it does not take into account groups that are multiply discriminated against – but it reaches many people. Whether Swift could try to prevent Donald Trump from being re-elected as US president has been discussed for months. Glasenapp is certain that she will speak out at a time “when it hurts Trump the most.”
“Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” – The Mainstream Queen
The gifted songwriter, the clever businesswoman, the radiant friend next door, perhaps the most powerful woman in the USA – Taylor Swift combines these people into an overall picture that has now shattered criticism. “She is a star who is perceived as diverse, colorful, inclusive, feminist – and yet profoundly American,” explains Glasenapp. She is “mainstream in the very best sense.”
Swift stands for the young, female, American dream. She gave a rare insight into this life in 2020 with the documentary “Miss Americana”, based on the song “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince”. And because nothing is a coincidence with her, every concert on the “Eras Tour” begins with this song. “It’s been a long time coming,” she sings in it – it’s been a long time coming.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
