More musical categories exist than "high-brow" or "low-brow". I don't need to say what genres usually fall into these buckets, but they don't represent the larger picture. Art's more of a quadrant, with the second axis being "smart" and "dumb". An art film can be pretentiously unfulfilling, while a cheesy blockbuster can be virtually orgasmic

Taylor Swift's 1989 is the blockbuster of 2014 music. It's not another manufactured product plopped out of an assembly line With a combination of on-point lyrics, complimentary production, and a whole bunch of transmedia going for it, 1989 is 2014's big pop release because of Taylor's and her crew's musicality
While Beyoncé ventured from the conventional, Taylor rules the three-minute verse-chorus structure. In "All You Had to Do Was Stay", her verse churns from section to section. Taylor expresses desperation in this "why-didn't-you-save-this" song that some of her contemporaries can't emote as well

The production's aesthetic stands out. Not particularly flavorful, but absolutely delightful. The drums from "Shake It Off" reminded me how iconic Rihanna's "Umbrella" was when it came out. "Shake" isn't that mindblowing, but both song share the dropping in and out of certain instruments, making a danceable interplay that have even changed lives

Meanwhile, "Blank Space" is the one song that demonstrates Taylor's awareness. You know how both the media and listeners lambast her for her many lovers? She addressed it not with an anvil, but by taking the sentiment to an extreme. Taylor as a Yandere? If you want some fun, sing these lyrics while you're alone in your kitchen:Screaming, crying, perfect storm
I can make all the tables turn
Rose gardens filled with thorns
Keep you second guessing like
"Oh my God, who is she?"
I get drunk on jealousy
But you'll come back each time you leave
Cause darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydreamAnd the music video, which we at Pop Genius broke down, bows the package. Swift stabbed the pen to paper, and created a character many will remember

It's cheating, but external factors enhance 1989. Taylor Swift the persona influences how you perceive it. If you have her in mind, it makes songs like "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood" all the better as you cast her in your mental image. Oh, and don't forget the marketing campaign. And those Polaroids:


"Out of the Woods" stands out too. Taylor might turn 25 this week, but she cranked up the nostalgia on this one. She seizes the hook by drawing out the words "looking at it now", and the repetitive chorus hammers in her anxiety. Taylor might not be the most soul-baring, but considering it's more of a catchy kind of song, the extra parcel is appreciated. She sets the scene well:Your necklace hanging from my neck
The night we couldn't quite forget, when we decided
We decided, to move the furniture so we could dance
Baby like we stood a chance
Two paper airplanes flying, flying, flyingSimilar in nostalgia is "Style". The funk guitar helps with picturing her and her lover (nudge-nudge) cruising the highway, before dipping into the dreamy chorus

Deluxe track "The New Romantics" reigns with one of the album's best lines: "I could build a castle, out of all the bricks they threw at me." It summarizes how Taylor has taken her fame, and use it to create an album of her own choosing. She could've made another country album to please her label. Instead, she took a chance, threw out the acoustic guitars, and had pop's best selling release since 2002, in an uncertain, declining industry. That can't be attributed just to hype

1989 is not the best album of the year, nor is it 2014's best pop album, but it's a testament to those working as much as they can to prove that mainstream radio can have integrity -- which Taylor certainly has
- Chihuahua0Come back tomorrow for album #22 and follow along with the list here!