The music scene has had its share of global phenoms throughout the decades. The 50s had Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. There was the British invasion in the 60s and the Beatles. The 70s ushered in disco, and the Bee Gees took center stage. The 80s featured larger-than-life figures Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, The Police, and U2.
The 90s brought the alternative rock craze from the likes of Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M. (What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?, my fave!). It also gave us girl groups and boy bands such as TLC, Boyz II Men, ‘N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys. The 2000s ushered in the growing popularity of Spanish language music, the rise of K-Pop, and Beyoncé’s meteoric superstardom as a solo artist.
The Greatest Show-woman in Show Business
The biggest performer of the modern era is 34-year-old Pennsylvania native, Taylor Swift. She passed the Beatles’s record for the most weeks (384) in Billboard Magazine 200’s Top 10 albums chart. She has sold over 200 million records since her self-titled debut in 2006.
Her eleventh and latest project is a sprawling 31-track double album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” Yes, I said album. Long live vinyl! In just five days after its release, the record has the most streams of all time – approximately one billion – and sold over 700,000 units on vinyl.
Swift has a staggering social media following: 80 million on Facebook, 284 million on Instagram, 25 million on TikTok, and 95 million on X (formerly Twitter).
Wrangling from Every Angle
Political pundits, depending on partisan bias, classify her as either a boon to voter enthusiasm and turnout — particularly among young people — or a viable threat in the upcoming presidential election. In the eyes of the latter camp, Swift is a “psychological operative (psyop)” or a government agent to influence a population’s opinions and attitudes.
Because Swift endorsed Democratic candidates in previous election cycles, those in conservative circles are mounting an all-out effort to minimize any possible impact she might have.
The church is employing a similar strategy for Swift on social media for different reasons. While Swift laces her project with expletives, subtle messages like these from the album’s set, “Guilty as Sin,” are its cause for a greater sense of urgency:
I’ll tell you something right now
You ain’t gotta pray for me
Me and my wild boy and all of this wild joy
He was chaos, he was revelry
If all you want is gray for me
Then it’s just white noise, and it’s my choice
I’m a father to a teenage daughter, and these lyrics make this Christian’s and songwriter’s eyebrow raise, too (in Mr. Spock fashion). However, instead of agonizing over how to cease and desist, it can be a welcome opportunity to engage and discuss. Why do words like these resonate with Swift’s listeners? Are we quick to silence the singer not only for coarse language but because she speaks for unheard young people and exposes a dereliction of duty to listen to what they’re going through?
Opening the Door for Exploration
That thought weighs on me. The aforementioned mentioned R.E.M. song, “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?,” was a critique on the media’s stubbornness to understand the struggles of Generation X (and I’m a proud member).
I try to provide a space for my daughter to respectfully express herself. She loves our discussions, and it warms my heart, I tell you! That said, she told me when I talk to her, I remind her of former President Barack Obama not because of cadence but of style: professorial and long-winded. I chuckled when she first made that observation, and she was right! So I’m retooling my flow somewhat to make sure I’m talking to her and not talking at her.
The Base for Truth to Our Youth
My spiritual father always says church begins at home. The corporate gathering should reinforce what a child hears from their mother and father. That’s why I believe parents should constantly ask God for His direction. Although I strive to model and instill a love for God into my daughter, He’ll only work in her life as much as she allows Him to.
I take delight in knowing I’m simply God’s messenger — a flawed poet, per se — to influence my daughter. As I plant and water, I’m confident that God will produce in her an ongoing willingness to submit to Him.
To Console the Tortured Parental Soul
To the tortured Christian parent, yes, these are unprecedented times to raise children. Don’t be afraid. Fear inevitably brings torment and drives us to extremes where we can win culture wars and yet lose our kids (1 John 4:18). Jesus promises in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
If Christ is your Savior, you’re a son or daughter of the most famous and influential Person in history. Your child’s heart is in His hands. He can guide it wherever He wants at any given time (Proverbs 21:1).
Music is often an outlet for young people to voice what’s going on within. They’re speaking. Let’s be swift to listen.
Sources for links in the text:
Website: Taylor Swift
Article: “Taylor Swift Passes The Beatles for Most Weeks in Billboard 200’s Top 10 in Last 60 Years” by Keith Caulfield, published February 26, 2024 – Billboard Magazine
Article: “All The Records Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Has Broken (So Far)” by Molly Bohannon, published April 22, 2024 – Forbes Magazine
Article: Taylor Swift – Wikipedia
Article: “The Meaning Behind R.E.M.’s ‘What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?,’ Which Is Not Actually About Dan Rather” by Al Melchior, published January 2024 – American Songwriter
Scripture reference links are from the New King James Version, New International Version, and New Living Translation. They go to bible.com, courtesy of YouVersion, makers of the Bible App available for iOS and Android devices.
