I made an offhanded comment on Facebook earlier in the week that said “Ryan Adams’s take on 1989 is the record Taylor Swift wishes she could make.” I’ve since thought that perhaps that sounded a little dismissive, and maybe even a touch disrespectful to the source material. I’ve got some thoughts on why Ryan Adams complete re-recording of 1989 is resonating so well, and sharing them seemed like a great reason to give the blog a little kick along, as I’ve neglected it of late.

Taylor Swift’s 1989 has sold a staggering amount of copies since it’s release last year, well over 6 million, and in an industry where you need to sell about 3 hard copy albums to qualify for a gold record, that is no mean feat. The album, in my humble opinion, is a complete masterclass on how to make a pop record, especially one that doesn’t alienate everyone over the age of 18. Continue reading →