My Brilliant Taylor Swift/Madonna Career Arc Parallel Theory
Taylor Swift (2006)/Madonna (1983):
BEHOLD! An irrepressible sparkplug that won't be ignored!
Fearless (2008)/Like A Virgin (1984):
You thought she'd settle for one genre? She's a POP STAR.
Speak Now (2010)-Red (2012)/True Blue (1986)-You Can Dance (1987):
One of the best, biggest pop stars EVER! What a SONGBOOK!
1989 (2014)/Like A Prayer (1989):
The biggest pop star. We're building college courses around this shit.
Reputation (2017)/Erotica (1992):
Ok, we don't find you that fascinating. Well, a few million do. But not everybody.
Lover (2019)/ Bedtime Stories (1994):
Don't get us wrong. You're still a huge deal.
Folklore-Evermore (2020)/Ray Of Light (1998):
In fact, you are a multigenerational ICON. An artist who demands respect.
Midnights (2022)/Music (2000):
Damn, you might actually be running this shit forever.
The Tortured Poets Department (2024)/American Life (2003):
Hold up.
Now, it's possible that Swift's upcoming album will not wind up a humiliating, pretentious misfire amidst the horror of a potential World War and one of the most absurd, depressing primary seasons in the history of the United States. But I wouldn't rule out the possibility.