Could a Taylor Swift format work?

[michael hagerty]

Great. But percentage wise, young people don't vote, compared to over 50's, who do vote.

60% of US voters were over 50 in 2018, 64% were over 50 in 2022.

Chart is halfway down the page of this Pew Research article.

1. Voter turnout, 2018-2022

American Trends Panel: Pew Research Center’s online probability survey panel, which consists of more than 12,000 adults who take two to three surveys each month. Some panelists have been participating…

www.pewresearch.org

That's looking at it sideways. What you want is the percentage of young people who voted, not the percentage of all voters who were young people.

Researchers say 2022 election had second highest young voter turnout in last 30 years

Story at a glance Turnout in battleground states was even higher for this key demographic, at around 31 percent. In previous midterm elections, young voter turnout hovered around 20 percent. …

thehill.com

As BigA notes, Taylor Swift fans are not all young.

The comments that started this were CTListener saying "half of them aren't old enough to vote" and 101.9 La Calle saying "bold of you to think that swifties are old enough to vote."

 

[boombox4]

You're assuming TS fans are all young. Some are over 50. Read the article.

OK, fair enough, but probably 70% of her fans are under 50 (66% under age 42, plus half of the 21% GenXers). Obviously, her music has wide appeal. That is quite true. I liked two or three of her songs. And I'm a Gen Jones rock, blues, and metal fan.

As Elvis once said, there's room enough for anyone in music.

 

[boombox4]

That's looking at it sideways. What you want is the percentage of young people who voted, not the percentage of all voters who were young people.

The Pew Research survey is relevant, as it not only covers the 2022 election statistics, it also shows what percentage of actual voters fall into which age ranges.

 

[TheBigA]

The Pew Research survey is relevant, as it not only covers the 2022 election statistics, it also shows what percentage of actual voters fall into which age ranges.

Also in my linked article is the statement that TS fans are more politically active that other people of their generation.

 

[michael hagerty]

The Pew Research survey is relevant, as it not only covers the 2022 election statistics, it also shows what percentage of actual voters fall into which age ranges.

Right, but if the suggestion is that Swift's fan base is young and doesn't vote, the percentage of people 18-29 who do vote gives a clearer picture of engagement than the percentage of all voters who are 18-29. And what I posted covers 2022, as well and gives historical context to youth voting.

 

[CTListener]

Stop being obtuse! No one is saying all TS fans are of voting age. No one is saying no TS fans are of voting age. The FACT is that TS has many young fans who are ineligible to vote. Subtract those fans from the voting-eligible TS fans, then subtract the large percentage of barely-eligible late teens and 20s who are unlikely to vote, and you have a number that is dwarfed by the total number of Americans who aren't TS fans and/or hold opposing political views from TS. All leading to one conclusion: Taylor Swift could not possibly win a presidential election.

 

[michael hagerty]

Stop being obtuse! No one is saying all TS fans are of voting age. No one is saying no TS fans are of voting age. The FACT is that TS has many young fans who are ineligible to vote. Subtract those fans from the voting-eligible TS fans, then subtract the large percentage of barely-eligible late teens and 20s who are unlikely to vote, and you have a number that is dwarfed by the total number of Americans who aren't TS fans and/or hold opposing political views from TS. All leading to one conclusion: Taylor Swift could not possibly win a presidential election.

Nobody (I suspect even the original poster) took "Taylor for president!" seriously. The discussion is about the audience for an artist in her early thirties, who's been an established hitmaker for 16 years. There seems to be a belief that the demographic is exclusively tweens and teens, and that's simply not true.

 

[TheBigA]

All leading to one conclusion: Taylor Swift could not possibly win a presidential election.

I would hope that voters would base their decision on more than if they like their music. Since she hasn't detailed her proposals, it's hard to say who would vote for her. I doubt people voted for Reagan based on his movies.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Pro-vaccination ad leaves NFL's Kelce in misinformation crosshairs

Vaccine skeptics are attacking Travis Kelce for participating in a Pfizer advertisement, recycling conspiracy theories about Covid-19 shots as the NFL star is getting attention for his rumored romance…

www.france24.com

Travis Kelce Tackles 'Two Things at Once' in Campaign for Flu and Covid Vaccines

Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansa City Chiefs, multitasks in a new Pfizer ad — and his mom Donna makes a cameo

people.com

Rob Schneider under fire over Travis Kelce comment

"Not true just more lies," one person wrote, while another added: "Not sure Travis knows who Rob even is."

www.newsweek.com

Tomi Lahren Taylor Swift remark goes viral after Travis Kelce Pfizer uproar

"You MAGA get triggered really easy over needles, POC, and successful women," wrote one social media user, while another accused Lahren of being "jealous."

www.newsweek.com

Taylor Swift for president!

I doubt Taylor Swift is considering that but here's this one that Taylor is facing political rants for some reason even though there is no evidence of anybody connected to Swift running in the 2024 elections. An NFL Star who is apparently an ally of Taylor Swift is getting political attacks over appearing in a PSA to get NFL fans to update their vaccine status with Flu and COVID-19.

"Dear Travis Kelce, did you know the @Pfizer drug you are pimping has been found to really hurt A LOT OF PEOPLE?!" Schneider wrote.

"'Nearly 1 in 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients Suffered Neurological Side Effects:' - Study," he added.

People were quick to condemn Schneider's comment, pointing out that the article he linked from The Epoch Times was biased.

"Not true just more lies," a third person commented, while a fourth added: "Not sure Travis knows who Rob even is."


"Nothing to see here [Kelce's] soul just had a price, the usual," one person wrote.

"He doesn't care...he got $20 million dollars and then they pimped Taylor Swift onto him to push that poison. He has no principles. He is not a man," posted another.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I can't link to it and it's probably too political for this part of the site anyway, but I saw a newspaper column which claims Taylor's song "Mean" shows what is wrong with Republicans.

Actually, I can link but I don't know how many people will be able to get in.

https://www.proquest.com/docview/2888740067/417681ED7DFC416BPQ/16

 

[gr8oldies]

Nobody (I suspect even the original poster) took "Taylor for president!" seriously. The discussion is about the audience for an artist in her early thirties, who's been an established hitmaker for 16 years. There seems to be a belief that the demographic is exclusively tweens and teens, and that's simply not true.

Anecdotally I can tell you that my stepdaughter is 36 and drove 400miles to see her.
Those young fans who are barely old enough to vote, or will be in a couple of years need to pay attention if they don't want to live under Project 2025.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I just heard Stacey Kent on online radio. What a voice! Now there are other ways to put on a good show.

 

[davideduardo]

I can't link to it and it's probably too political for this part of the site anyway, but I saw a newspaper column which claims Taylor's song "Mean" shows what is wrong with Republicans.

Fortunately, the depth of Taylor's lyrics are nowhere as deep as the writings of James Joyce. "Mean" is about a boy she broke up with 13 years or so ago.

Anyone can put any meaning to songs, going back beyond the "if you play it backwards" phase in the later 60's.

 

[boombox4]

Nobody (I suspect even the original poster) took "Taylor for president!" seriously. The discussion is about the audience for an artist in her early thirties, who's been an established hitmaker for 16 years. There seems to be a belief that the demographic is exclusively tweens and teens, and that's simply not true.

Being that her first hit was in 2006, even if those fans were teens and tweens then, 2006 was 17 years ago -- a 13 year old fan in 2006 is 30 now. An 18 year old fan then would be 35 years old now -- middle age. Obviously, her fans are older than the perception.

Doesn't mean they vote, though. Which still means nothing, as Taylor would probably never run for any office.

It does make for an interesting sidetrack to the conversation.

 

[michael hagerty]

I was out of the country when this happened, so I’m a couple months late learning about it:

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/22/1201183160/taylor-swift-instagram-voter-registration

 

[Kelly A]

Wait, returning to the OP: After all this time, the answer is still no.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Being that her first hit was in 2006, even if those fans were teens and tweens then, 2006 was 17 years ago -- a 13 year old fan in 2006 is 30 now. An 18 year old fan then would be 35 years old now -- middle age. Obviously, her fans are older than the perception.

Doesn't mean they vote, though. Which still means nothing, as Taylor would probably never run for any office.

It does make for an interesting sidetrack to the conversation.

Olivia Rodrigo Says It’s ‘Insane’ to Get 6 Grammy Nominations: ‘Such An Honor’ (Exclusive)

Olivia Rodrigo exclusively opened up to PEOPLE about receiving six Grammy nominations at the 'Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' premiere in Los Angeles on Monday

people.com

How much of this stereotype is that some people have not updated trends going on with people in their teens and early 20's.


I know Taylor Swift audience on average has to be late 20's to late 30's as of 2023. However there is a pop star who is most likely to some of her fans who are still in their teen years it's Olivia Rodrigo and she's been hyped up as the "Next Taylor Swift" by promoters to her concerts.

Olivia Rodrigo - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[michael hagerty]

Here's the best guidance I can give to a Boomer trying to understand Taylor Swift:

Picture Joni Mitchell's personal songwriting combined with Linda Ronstadt's popularity circa 1974-76.

Multiply the popularity severalfold.

The hit streak is 15 years and counting instead of six or seven.

Take your current age and picture someone you knew who was that age in the mid-70s.

Ask yourself if they had any idea then what Joni and Linda were actually doing and why they mattered.

Move forward in time 47-50 years.

That's you now.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I have an easier time identifying with Joni Mitchell and even Linda Ronstadt. Especially since I mostly think about Ronstadt as a standards artist.

 

[TheBigA]

Picture Joni Mitchell's personal songwriting combined with Linda Ronstadt's popularity circa 1974-76.

Unfortunately neither of them had the power of social media to embed themselves into the psyche of their fans.

Because of social media, the fans feel they know her personally. That's a very different relationship.

She has 95 million twitter followers. Mitchell & Ronstadt together didn't have that kind of impact.