Opinions and Editorials Section
By Giulia Gutzwiller, Arts and Entertainment Editor
It has become glaringly obvious in the past few months that popstars prioritize money over artistry.
Once artists reach a certain level of fame, they seem to put less effort into creating meaningful projects that resonate with their audiences. Instead, they care more about breaking records and making as much money as possible.
New releases like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend” and Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” embody pop mediocrity, with bland lyrics and no distinct sound. Both albums broke numerous records this year and have achieved commercial success.
Although these albums maintain their listeners’ attention momentarily, they are boring and forgettable. Despite a few standout tracks, both albums struggled to reel me in for a second listen.
This is not just an issue with Carpenter and Swift’s music; however, their examples stood out to me as a dedicated fan of their music. This year has truly been the year for pop album letdowns.
“Man’s Best Friend” came out less than two months ago and it has already faded into the background of this year’s pop releases. A few vapid TikTok trends to songs like “House Tour” and “Tears” have kept the album at the top of the charts, but “Man’s Best Friend” did not have the same cultural impact that her previous album had.
Carpenter reheated her own nachos with “Man’s Best Friend” for financial gain and TikTok fame, when she could have enhanced her raunchy lyrics and explored new themes. While I can forgive a pop album for not being groundbreaking, I draw the line at lazy cash-grabs like “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Swift is known for quickly adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the music industry. From switching from country to pop to folk, she is no stranger to innovation. When given the opportunity to take her artistry to new heights with her latest album, she dropped the ball.
Arts and Entertainment Editor, Giulia Gutzwiller, argues that the biggest singers right now are producing music without any artistry and instead are only searching for monetary gain.
The album’s lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” is riddled with attempts to maintain Swift’s online relevance. She included a well-known literary figure in the song’s title to live up to her “English teacher” nickname, and the song’s music video features a short and simple dance that has already gone viral on TikTok.
Most of the other songs on this album are severely underproduced, cringe-worthy and filled with online slang. Notable lines like, “Did you girlboss too close to the sun?” from “CANCELLED!” highlight how her lyricism has gone downhill since her “folklore” and “evermore” eras.
As one of the biggest popstars in the world, Swift does not have to lift a finger to pump out another No. 1 album. Whether her music is reinventive or not, she will still make millions with her Swifties’ support.
One critique I have seen across social media platforms is that a pop album does not have to be revolutionary for it to be good. Pop music, even at its most generic, is supposed to be enjoyable for everyone.
There is nothing enjoyable about out-of-touch artists releasing lifeless projects to secure their millions with everything going on in the world today. Swift once wrote “Only the Young” about empowering today’s youth to engage in political activism, but she is now selling multiple vinyl and CD variants of the same album and beefing with other pop artists who threaten to overthrow her No.1 spot. Pop artists need to realize that their effort, creativity and authenticity might not immediately propel their albums to the top of the charts, but it will allow their music to stand the test of time.
