Taylor swift: Album of the year?!?

TAYLOR SWIFT: ALBUM OF THE YEAR ?!?

This years Grammys had tough competition with many talented performers up for awards. The varying performances were mainly excellent and the awards were spread pretty evenly amongst the artists. But the shocker of the night was when a novice young country singer, took home Album of the Year, an award usually reserved for a veteran.

            Raising many eyebrows, most agree that Taylor Swift did not deserve such a respected award for her album Fearless. Going against Lady Gaga, Beyonce and the Black Eyed Peas, personally, I felt all were above her in winning that award. At a mere age of nineteen, Taylor Swift has toured the country singing songs of teenage drama. Her song writing is amateur, limited to only a specific audience of mainly teenage girls.  While the Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga all have songs for a varying audience, each song on their albums differing in rhythm, style, and message. While Taylor Swift has the consistent message of a boy breaking her heart, or her falling love, nothing revolutionary or thought provoking.  Also, her music is only nationally known, while all her other competitors have hit the top lists in clubs across the world, especially in Europe.

            At the Grammys, Swift performed her own song, “Today was a fairytale,” but many reviews said her voice was flat and not as superior as it should be for such acknowledgment. To her defense her agent said, “This is not ‘American Idol.’ This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator. It’s not about that technically perfect performance.”  After hearing this, Kelly Clarkson quickly came to defense, a previous Idol winner saying “…Thank you for that ‘Captain Obvious’ sense of humor because you know what, we not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the ‘right’ notes as well.” Even performing artists such as Clarkson agree that Swift’s vocals are not up to par.

            All in all, this country girl has the same talent any number of girls across the world may have. While talent from the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce, is irreplaceable. All we can do is hope that in the future Grammys; such an outstanding award is given to the artists worthy of it.