7. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has had a very impressive year. To mark her 25<sup>th birthday she was serenaded by the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. She became the first female artist to replace herself as the number one single in the US with 'Blank Spaces' dislodging 'Shake it Off' from the top spot. She also took on Spotify, the music streaming giant, by refusing to have her music available for free.
On top of that, Swift's album '1989' was the fastest selling album in 12 years, selling more than 1.28 million copies in its first week. 'Shake it off' was the first single on the album and is an all-out pop song about not letting criticism unduly affect you.
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off,
I shake it off
The song appears to be autobiographical, responding to the gossip that surrounds her life. There is, for example, continual speculation about who she is currently dating, and she has been linked with Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor Kennedy and Harry Styles.
I go on too many dates
But I can't make them stay
At least that's what people say...
But this infectiously upbeat song shows that Taylor Swift is not unaffected by the criticism she receives. She is a global superstar with huge acclaim, lots of money and worldwide fame, but she still feels the need to respond to her critics. The song is in one sense an empowering anthem to be yourself and get on with your life no matter what people say. Part of its popularity is that sometimes we all need a song to help us shout back at our critics, even if it is when we're on our own, in the comfort of our car, with the radio turned up high.
On the other hand it's an admission that no matter how wealthy or successful you are, criticism still hurts. The song feels like Swift speaking to herself as a runner might encourage him/herself to keep on going. The fragility of our identity in the face of opposition raises important questions about where our ultimate sense of worth comes from in an age dependent upon affirmation from social media.
