"Today Was a Fairytale," Taylor Swift

[CLEM]

On UK release schedule for 2/8. It's on the soundtrack to Valentine's Day. Pretty cute. Nothing new, but still cute.

[Grenade]

#1 on iTunes.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Seems she has a new song coming out nowhere once a month from some random thing.

[Grenade]

She does because she/her label is finding anything to cash in.

[Robert J]

This is actually not a bad track. I'm getting tired of tracks being release just for the sake of making money, but whatevs.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Added at Z100

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Debuts at #2 on the Hot 100

So technically this is a bigger hit than her two #1 Pop hits now. I think Billboard needs to re-evaluate their policy on songs that aren't sent to radio yet or something like that, because peaks are becoming more and more misleading.

[I HATE LA REID]

misleading? i don't think they are...the size of a hit is not always its peak position... and the hot 100 is a mix of both sales and airplay and a lot of people bought her song so it is representative.

[dperkins]

I'm so sick of her.

[CLEM]

Added on KIIS

[Dance In The Dark]

Jan 28, 2010 18:31:49 GMT -5 @dperkins said:

I'm so sick of her.

[DaveZ35]

Pop Mix goes for adds Feb 9th. This is worse than "Fifteen".

[irice22]

I heard this on the radio. It sounds great. I think this may be by second favorite single from her, behind "Love Story."

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

All of her songs sound the same. Same tempo, same subject matter, same story told in the lyrics, same vocal inflection, same production style, same everything. She's the definitive one trick pony.

[RedDragon]

I've only heard what she sang at the Grammys, it sounds dull. She seems to be everywhere, I wonder when her fairytale is going to end?

[Grenade]

"Fifteen" peaked at #12, which is a kind of a flop for her. I don't see this doing much better.

[Q]

Feb 3, 2010 15:34:48 GMT -5 TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur said:

All of her songs sound the same. Same tempo, same subject matter, same story told in the lyrics, same vocal inflection, same production style, same everything. She's the definitive one trick pony.

Seriously. She needs a break.

[Robert J]

Feb 3, 2010 15:54:38 GMT -5 RedDragon said:

I've only heard what she sang at the Grammys, it sounds dull. She seems to be everywhere, I wonder when her fairytale is going to end?

Even if her career as a singer fades, I'd be shocked if she doesn't see longevity as a songwriter. Yes, her material is all the same right now, but given the chance to live a bit and gather more life experiences and I don't see any reason she couldn't keep it going.

[I'M ON ONE]

Feb 4 2010 2:18 PM EST

The Taylor Swift Backlash Debate Continues To Rage
Comments from Swift's label head fuel the haters' fire.

By James Montgomery


It's still going on, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon: It's the Great Taylor Swift Backlash Debate, and it continues to rage among MTVNews.com readers.

It all started Tuesday when we published our "Why You Shouldn't Hate on Taylor Swift" article, a response to the backlash following Swift's Album of the Year win and performance with Stevie Nicks at the Grammys. The story was greeted with such response that we published a second article, this one letting the T.Swift haters of the world have their say.

Their voices were so strong that we figured we should let some of Swift's supporters have the floor too, and judging from the comments that story got, we figured both sides weren't going to be losing steam anytime soon. Then, the head of Swift's label voiced his support for the singer, and we were inundated with even more comments.

So, once again, we've rounded up the best of them, from the pro- and anti-Taylor camps, and presented them below. And if you (still) aren't satisfied, feel free to leave your two cents in the comments below.

"With all of the obvious help Taylor Swift receives on her hair, makeup and wardrobe, why can't she get a decent voice coach? They are not expensive to hire (certainly compared to renting designer gowns), and they can turn average singers (like Swift) into top-notch vocalists. Many of the mistakes that Swift makes (e.g. the difficulty holding pitch, the breathiness, the lack of resonance in her low register) could be corrected if she worked with a good voice teacher — these are all common and well-understood problems with known solutions. I just hope that she spends some of her recent earnings on improving her vocal technique so that she can prove Kanye wrong." - Caterina

"Album of the Year should have gone to an artist that has international appeal, an artist that can sing, an artist that can perform. That is Lady Gaga. Taylor Swift's performances are boring ... AND SHE CAN'T SING!!!" - Angelbx

"There's no pity party going on (unless it's plausible that a plurality of the 14,000 eligible voters in the recording industry are hopelessly soft-hearted). Complain to those that voted. The only self-serving point being made by the 'bashers' is that they know better than anyone else." - Spook

"I've been a fan of Taylor only since Fearless came out. I'm pretty disappointed by 80 percent of her performances, and I've never been to her show. If there's one thing about the entertainment industry that is certain, it's that being a performer is multidimensional. A person can be an incredible vocalist but lack the inspiration or charisma to succeed, or just the opposite. Taylor is special because she connects with fans through her music, and it's not about sex/ shaking your ass/ putting on a show. ... Something tells me that Taylor would continue to be successful with or without a Grammy. So no matter what anybody says, she will get the last laugh." - Lwmast

"OK, well, she would be a fine candidate for Miss Congeniality, not for a Grammy." - Aliann6

"Taylor deserves the Grammy for [Album] of the Year based on the merits of Fearless. She writes honest, well-crafted songs that resonate in your head and your heart. She sings them well and has a distinct style. Songwriting is a craft, and Fearless speaks for itself. It is a very strong musical effort. ... This is a young girl with sincere dedication and talent. The ability to hit the highest note (à la Beyoncé) or to turn a song into theater (à la Gaga) does not a hit record make. Think of the legendary singer/songwriters like Carole King, Cyndi Lauper, Thom Yorke and Bob Dylan. Each artist had a distinct style, marked by their ability to write strong lyrics, compose beautiful melodies and sing in their own distinctive manner. ... And there are a million fans to back me up." - Helena

"All of those nominees were deserving, more or less. Lady Gaga deserved that win more than anyone else, because her music was soooo different and sooo incredible! Her stories behind the lyrics were so diverse and so inspiring! Her music was everywhere! Nevertheless, that doesn't mean Taylor Swift was not deserving. Her music was everywhere too. There's no reason to take away from her. It is what it is." - Music_Tune

"Get over it, people! Awards shows are a flub the majority of the time. Taylor won, there's no changing that. So get freakin' over it!" - Sweet Pink

"How about she deserved to win because her peers in the music industry thought her album was the best and best-selling of the year? It crossed over from one genre to another and sold over 5 million copies in doing so. All these uninformed opinions are doubting those who are in the industry and actually get to vote because they have a clue what they are talking about." - JTF

[In response to Swift's label head claiming her vocal problems on Grammy night were due to "a volume problem in the ear."] "Yeah, I had a volume problem in my ear too — the problem was that my TV's volume was on when Taylor Swift was singing. Who is this guy trying to fool? Critics aren't the only ones bashing her. Just look at the comments on this article, written by regular music fans. Taylor needs to stop attending (and performing on) every single awards show, stop with the fake reactions to her victories, and stop thinking that she can get unlimited mileage out of her limited talent. The money might be nice right now, but if she wants to have a lasting career, she should disappear for a few months once her spring tour ends." - MCarpo

[I'M ON ONE]

Billboard singles reviews: Taylor Swift

ARTIST: TAYLOR SWIFT

Music

SINGLE: TODAY WAS A FAIRYTALE

NEW YORK (Billboard) - On the heels of winning an album-of-the-year Grammy for "Fearless," Taylor Swift has scored another hit in "Today Was a Fairytale," a new song written for the film "Valentine's Day." The lyrics are driven more by sweeping emotion than by the kind of specific, youth-focused imagery found in Swift's recent singles "Fifteen" and "You Belong With Me." Likewise, her vocals display a growing maturity that could entice her few remaining doubters. As Swift keeps growing as a songwriter and artist, songs like "Fairytale" will help her reach an even broader audience.

www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6145L320100205

Taylor Swift: 'Today Was A Fairytale'
Released on Monday, February 8 2010

By Nick Levine, Music Editor
4 Stars

Taking potshots at Taylor Swift is almost too easy. At times her glossy, poppy take on country can feel as authentic as those sparkly pink cowboy hats they sell outside Take That gigs. Vocally, well, she's no Faith Hill. Then there's the fact that Swift herself is every bit as wholesome as her million-selling odes to growing up in smalltown America.

Well, the naysayers will love clawing her latest single, whose opening salvo actually goes "Today was a fairytale / You were the prince / I was the damsel in distress." Taylor Swift, in case you were wondering, turned 20 in December. However, the rest of us will be suitably impressed by another elegantly-constructed, relatable song with a chorus good enough to make you think, 'Who cares if she sounded ropey at the Grammys?' And this is just something she's knocked out for a rom-com soundtrack.

[DaveZ35]

Most Added: 24 adds.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

This is not doing as well as I expected it to.

[Someone Like You]

Well she kind of lost steam after "Fifteen" flopped, and I think Pop is over playing her similar sounding songs over and over again. I agree she needs a break.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Top 20 at Pop.

Did this do anything at all at Country radio? It's really low on Hot 100 Airplay.

[irice22]

I think Country radio was focusing on "Fearless." I think for her next album, Taylor Swift will struggle on any format but Country. She will sell well, but her pop radio career is dying. There just isn't a place for her anymore.