A Swift Backlash: Will Taylor's Album of the Year Grammy Hurt Her?

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 1st 2010 01:20PM

Taylor Swift has been the music industry's golden girl ever since Kanye West jumped on the stage at the VMAs and interrupted her win for best female video. (And maybe even before.)

But will her incredible run atop of everyone's lists end soon? Last night at the Grammys, Swift took home the album of the year Grammy, surprisingly beating out Lady Gaga and Beyonce. And Swift's 'Fearless' really pales in comparison to Gaga's 'The Fame' and Beyonce's 'I Am ... Sasha Fierce.'

Swift prides herself as being a country princess who writes all of her songs and plays the instruments to accompany them. (Kudos for that is surely deserved.) But when her album beats out those more deserving, and her live performances are clearly lacking, we wonder what will happen next.

Since Kanyegate, everyone's been cheering her on. But will that end now that she's won awards she may or may not deserve?

Upon accepting album of the year, Swift didn't even thank the other nominees, as is standard in most speeches, she just rambled on about how much the award meant to her -- a move that could further condemn her in the industry's eyes.

It seems as if our readers have already turned on her. More than a few Facebook commenters were not happy about her triumphs..

"This is a sympathy-win for all the drama created by Kanye. I guess if there are any other struggling artists who want to win, they know who to call!" Stephenie N. wrote.

Adding to her undeserved bulging trophy case is the fact that Swift has yet to wow us with her live performances. She seemed terribly nervous and her voice wobbly at the Grammys when she sang with Stevie Nicks on 'Rhiannon' and 'You Belong With Me.' Listen

Next to Nicks, Swift looked and sounded like a terrified kitten who wandered up on the stage. And watching Lady Gaga and Beyonce dominate vocally reinforces Swift's own shortcomings.

PopEater fans agree. "As much as I love Taylor Swift...she continues to be HORRIBLE live! No power in her voice, she misses all the high notes, ugh...its embarassing [sic] watching Taylor win ALL these awards, only to see her perform terribly! And really Stevie?! You lowered yourself to sing BACK UP for that tripe? You're so much better than that..." JosieGrosie commented.

But you can't just chalk that up to nerves on a big night, because other times she's been just as bad. Her 'SNL' performances weren't up to par. Listen

Maybe you could have blamed her iffy VMAs showing on Kanye's mic-stealing, but considering her track record, we won't let her off the hook for this one. Listen

A string of more bad live performances coupled with big award achievements may hurt Swift in the long run. You can only ride the Kanye-train for so long, Taylor.

Tags: beyonce, Fearless, grammys, i am ... sasha fierce, kanye west, Lady Gaga, taylor swift, The Fame

Comments

(1376)

Monday 01 February

By Bug

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

OMG! I am so tired of Swift's canned OMG and phony surprise speech. At least when she got album of the year her reaction was real.

Also, untill she sang her hit near the end, she was way off key with Stevie Nicks...that was a bomb and I don't mean that in a good way.

She Sux

By shell517nj

Vote down Vote up Report this

why would they team her with stevie nicks for a duet. big mistake...

By jessica dubois

Honestly the first time i ever heard her sing live, i think she was awesome, i found no problem at all. She deserved that grammy award. Her vocals are not that strong, that may be true. But she made that song "you belong with me" much longer before Kanye dissed on her.Damn well she deserved that award.

By vinny

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I think sales and who is currently hot effects the grammy's
.If it were based truly on talent,The Dave Matthews Band Clearly should have one.The rest will slowly fall by the wayside.Meaning their 15 minutes of fame are almost up!!!

By sammi

Vinny you are right on the money here!! I am still trying to figure out how The Dave Matthews Band was beat out by these flash in the pan people. They have been around for 19 years+, and every member of the band has more talent in their big toe than any of the other nominees. Their Grammy performance was inspiring and gave me chills! It was awesome!! Truly DMB deserve the award, but the great thing about them is they don't need it. Their fans are the true testament to their greatness!!

Tuesday 02 February

By Brellsm0114

agreed!!!! They make real music not overplayed garbage.

By ofalaska

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Taylor's voice IS getting worn out from constant live performances and maybe she needs a break, (she's been going non-stop for three years since seventeen!) but as a song writer, singer and someone who can touch millions in her generation who is devoid of the same rehash BS ass-grabbing tit bouncing hip-hop poop she stands alone. Kanye didn't make a dent in her either way, and the sooner he disappears from the scene (which seems to be happening) the better! Fearless is an album that you can listen to over and over and get more out of because she has the depth, intelligence, arraingments and yes, voice to carry it, and will be classic fifty years from now. Go, Taylor, take care of yourself, and see you in fifty years!

By Turbokat

The only ones who deserve a backlash is you guys for your mean spirit.

By Jim

What ball bag wrote this article. Maybe he or she or they should name themselves instead of hiding behind "staff". Whoever they are they're full of crap and obviously are pushing an anti-Taylor agenda.

By gary lee

Jim I totally agree!! Don't hide behind "staff" and say who you are....you ask us to!! What's the real agenda, here?

By Tell It Like It Is

They're anti- everybody.

By Lisa

Ballbag is right on! Any snake-charmer can write a mealy-mouth, little bottom-feeder can write trash. I only read this because it was about Taylor Swift, a young kid making a difference for alot of young people.

By bilsansing

I hear U ! The writer of this article is clearly a Taylor Swift Hater and Basher. He starts the article off by talking crap. Maybe he's a want a be artist with no talent and he is trying to make himself feel better !

By JT

Beyonce and Lady Gaga have some one else write and play their music. They just pick what it is they want to sing. All they really do is sing and dance. The writer of this trash article seems pretty bias and one sided. The only true artist here is Swift.

By sue

Gaga writes her songs.

By hollowgrl3108

actually if you checked who the song writers are for the songs they were nominated for, you would see that both Gaga (all) and Beyonce (partially) write their own music.

By queen

there is a difference between having other people write your songs and other people asking you to sing their songs. Songwriter's reps rely on artists who sell and that's why Beyonce sing sons written by others...hint she has won an award for her songwriting abilities.

By bigboi

I'm sick and tired of this damn girl! Thanks to Kanye her ass is wining everything! Taylor swift lil plain Jane Counrty looking self don't hold a candle to Beyonce! and that is the truth will be so damn glad next time around her 15 min of fame will be over! She is the real fame monster! P.S where is the second hit single all i ever here is " you belong to me" damn write something else!

By Amanda

Are you serious?! She has had more than one hit single! Our Song? Love Story? Should Have Said No? Teardrops on My Guitar? White Horse?

By JLB

Listen people! It’s simple; Taylor had the best selling Album of the year. Screw Kanye West, I defy you to find someone in the industry he hasn’t verbally assaulted. Taylor had fans in both country and mainstream before Kanye rushed the stage. Hello, the girl sings “country” and got a VMA without Kanye. I don’t think Swift has the voice but her talent and creativity are undeniable especially in someone so young. Give credit where it is due. Taylor Swift helped to save the music industry, accept it or not it is the truth. So at the end of the day if she gets a gold trophy for her contribution in what was a difficult year in music then so be it.

Page 6 of 69