Taylor Swift: Why People Love To Hate Her

Taylor Swift is one of the best-selling artists of all time, but despite her chart-topping hits, the public’s perception of her is divided. From the girl next door and country pop sweetheart to a white female victim and rebel and recently a snake, Swift constantly makes headlines, attracting supporters and haters alike.

One might ask how someone as talented, gorgeous, relatable and who almost has everything be hated as the same time? Listed below are the reasons why the public is hating on Taylor Swift.

1. Her main priority is to sell

In 2014, Swift pulled out all her songs from music streaming platform Spotify. The move shocked fans, but Swift defended her decision stating that music is art and art is valuable; therefore, it should be paid for.

“It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is,” Swift wrote in an essay in Wall Street Journal. “I hope they don't underestimate themselves or undervalue their art.”

Forty million subscribers at that time were disappointed and felt that Swift robbed them of the accessibility to her music. On top of that, she copyrighted her 1989 album on YouTube, a strategy she made so that fans will purchase her albums if they want to listen to her. Swift’s songs were also made available on Apple Music after she won the battle against the company for a higher compensation.

While Swift has settled disputes with Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube and her music is now accessible on these platforms, Swift left a lasting unfavorable impression to listeners. Below are just some of the criticisms she received due to her ditching these streaming platforms in the past.

“In order to force people to buy her albums. If her songs are there, they'll be blocked by her company. These are all about wanting money. I really think the lights has blinded her.”

“Don't get fooled and buy her album. She need your money only and not your love. She is greedy.”

“Because having it free in Spotify causes lower albums sales for 1989. She wanted to sell more cd's and make even more money. I hate to admit it, but it bothers me a lot.”

2. She continues to play the white female victim

The world sympathized with Swift when Kanye West infamously interrupted her victory speech at the MTV Video Music Award when the latter won the Best Female Video category for “You Belong With Me” over Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” video. This started the years-long West-Swift feud, which temporarily ended when rapper Jay-Z helped patch things up between the two artists.

The feud was revived when West’s song “Famous” used Swift’s name in the lines “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex” and “Why? I made that bitch famous (God damn).” Swift’s team fired back at West for the misogynistic message. West’s team said that he called Swift and she knew about the lyrics. The feud fueled up, and both parties resisted each other indirectly through songs and speeches.

In 2016, West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, released portions of a recorded call between West and Swift. The reality series “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” released the full audio where Swift was heard saying, “Yeah, I mean, go with whatever line you think is better.”

West and Kardashian threw shade at Swift for a period of time (hence the snake reference was born), and the last response was from a deleted Instagram post from Swift. After that, Swift became quiet and focused on her music instead.

Swift has also reportedly feuded with Katy Perry, Ronnie Cremer, Camilla Belle, Nicki Minaj, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Demi Lovato and several of her exes.

3. Swift kicks out squad members

“Look What You Made Me Do” singer Swift popularized the hashtag #SquadGoals and ruled Instagram. The lineup of her BFFs are no less than Hollywood celebrities, top models and chart-topping artists like her. The Swift Squad used to be out with her in music videos and concerts and on her social media accounts, but fans do not see much of them now. Why?

Some of Swift’s squad members’ MIA status is acceptable due to their own busy lives. But the fans could not help but notice that some of her squad members’ names are not included in the video “Look What You Made Me Do.” Whose names were out? Perry, Kloss and Lorde’s names, once famously tied to #SquadGoals, were absent in Swift’s T-shirt full of her BFF’s names at the closing of the music video.

4. She keeps a long list of famous exes

A young beautiful and talented lady like Swift could get any man she wants. What bothered a lot of people was that she seems to have been linked to too many men — not just any men, though, but famous men ranging from older pop artists to teeny boppers, from hunky wolf actors to villains, and the list goes on. Some people perceived this as Swift’s ladder to fame.

5. Swift banks on her public image

Swift’s critics and haters might not admit this, but Swift can turn almost anything into gold. Even with her suffering image from an interrupted award winner to a cheated girlfriend, Swift can turn things around in her advantage. She fell disgraced from her feud with Kardashian after the latter leaked an audio recording where she appeared to be lying despite her playing objectified by West.

Swift returned as a villain in her “Reputation” album, using the snake symbol that Kardashian once threw at her. Swift successfully portrays herself as she pleases and basically cashes on it.