Heartbreak is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music
By Rob Sheffield
It’s quite possible that I know more about Taylor Swift than I should. I can sing along to every single one of her hit tracks and can rattle off her extensive list of former flames with ease. Thanks to her recent romance with Travis Kelce, I’ve even picked up on the intricate social dynamics involving his teammates with the Kansas City Chiefs—details that, frankly, I’d rather not know. I find myself listening to her music nearly as frequently as the average American, which is to say: constantly. Swift has effectively become America’s soundtrack, her songs playing in our favorite cafés and her life serving as the fodder for the tabloids.
In Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music, Rob Sheffield explores how Swift, who skyrocketed to fame by penning relatable songs for teenage girls (while still being a teenager herself), has achieved such cultural omnipresence. He argues that although her overwhelming popularity might sometimes overshadow her artistic prowess, every conversation about her inevitably circles back to her remarkable songwriting talent.
Sheffield, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, regularly doles out enthusiastic reviews of Swift’s seemingly endless catalog. In this book, he takes a step back to delve into the roots of her widespread appeal. He notes that Swift has “always possessed a unique gift for crafting songs in which listeners can see reflections of themselves.” Her music traverses generational and cultural divides in ways that often leave others in awe. Sheffield asserts that she has a knack for transforming her personal experiences into “public property,” effectively molding her life into a captivating narrative that engages the audience.
Swift’s self-mythologizing extends beyond her musical endeavors, evolving into a collaborative storytelling experience that captivates even her critics. As her devoted fans label themselves “Swifties” and curate an expansive Taylorverse of analysis and speculation across social media platforms, they also find ways to involve her detractors in their narrative. This collective effort casts their billionaire idol as a nuanced and resilient protagonist.
A character becomes more compelling when faced with challenges and imperfections. Sheffield aptly observes, “Taylor’s hubris, her tendency to go overboard, her narcissism disguised as even more narcissism, her inability to step back from being Taylor for even a brief moment—it’s a lot to take in.” He concludes, “You can’t fully appreciate her without acknowledging the wide range of visceral reactions she evokes in people.”
