Paste Magazine Pens Taylor Swift Review Without Byline to Duck Violent Threats From Fans

[Celerity]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/paste-magazine-publishes-t-swift-album-review-without-byline-to-duck-violent-threats

Paste Magazine on Friday published a scathing review of Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Tortured Poets Department—but didn’t include a byline for the review’s author.

That’s because the last time it published an album review for Swift, in 2019, its journalist received a deluge of hate mail that included “threats of violence from readers who disagreed with the work,” the magazine wrote in a statement.



That onslaught, something a segment of “Swifties” have become infamous for in recent years, was apparently enough to make Paste not want to risk it happening a second time. “We care more about the safety of our staff than a name attached to an article,” the magazine said.

As for Paste’s opinion on the album itself, the it characterized it as being a “relentlessly cringe” flop that showed just how out of touch Swift is with her fans and the real world. Not long after the review published, a writer—who declared she had “nothing to do” with the piece—posted screenshots of messages she was receiving from Swifties who were adamant that she wrote the review, including one who’d baselessly called her a “loser.”

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Autumn]

1. 'Threats of violence' because of criticism of a famous person? In 2019?

Sounds kind of familiar.

[Celerity]

3. A shedload of Swifties are fucked up people. There are many homophobic ones, for instance.

Many on this board are super new to the whole thing, and some seem to be under the incorrect notion that most all Swifties are wonderful liberal Dem/Biden fanbois and fangurlz.

https://www.reckon.news/honey/2023/12/perspectives-it-was-a-disappointing-year-to-be-a-swiftie.html

snip

But most pressing for queer Swifties was what we call “Lavendergate” – and its homophobic fallout. It may come as no surprise that Swift’s (often conservative) fanbase tends to be homophobic. Indeed, a 2023 report on harassment dynamics within the fandom found that 28% of online accounts dedicated to Swift contribute to harassment, mass reporting, targeted attacks, and doxxing of “Gaylor” accounts (Swift fans, like me, who explore queer subtext in her work and life).

https://public-assets.graphika.com/reports/graphika_report_now_we_got_bad_blood.pdf

[Autumn]

5. I'm not a fan but it's amazing how she has climbed to the top.

[Celerity]

6. as far as pop female superstars go, atm my favourite is.....

Olivia Rodrigo - obsessed (Official Music Video)

[stopdiggin]

8. +1. and thanks for bringing to the fore

that, yes - a lot of DU participants are relatively clueless about the Swift phenomenon and fan base (hand raised here).
and 2) that a decent portion of the so called 'Swifties' - border on obsessive and cult like immersion - and additionally do not fall into the category of reliable liberal Dem/Biden fangurlz - that DU denizens most likely imagined.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[maxsolomon]

2. Can't say as I blame them.

I'll say one thing for Swift, she cranks out product. World tour, film, now a new double record. She knows the time is now to make bank.

I won't comment on the record, because I'm a 60 year old man and her music isn't made for me. Despite her being ubiquitous for the last year, I can't name 1 TS song.

[Celerity]

4. here is new one that is both really good and an easy title to remember (Florida!!!)

Taylor Swift - Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine) (Official Lyric Video)

[WarGamer]

7. Mad cult of fans... reminds me of something else.

I can think of a 100 more talented female singers in the modern era.

Having said that, she's ONE HELL of a performer, song writer and businesswoman.

Her business acumen looms over the mediocre voice.

And I like her influence on society...

For those who might ask...

I like a voice where I practically feel her breath on my neck... like Natalie Merchant.