1989 AND THE SPECIALIZED CRITICS

HOW THE GURADIAN RECEIVED TAYLOR SWIFTT’S POP REINVENTION

Abstract

This article presents a critical analysis of Taylor Swift's album 1989, published by The Guardian newspaper, from the perspective of French sociologist Antoine Hennion, focusing on the specialized critical reception and the consequences of this evaluation for Swift's career. Based on Hennion's concepts of “criticism”, “mediation” and “taste”, the role of criticism in constructing the album's cultural conception will be evaluated, considering the preferences and possible bias of the selected media outlet. Before becoming a pop star, Taylor Swift was already an established country artist. With the release of 1989 in 2014, she underwent a radical change in musical style, consolidating herself on the pop scene and achieving great commercial success.