Genre Analysis:The Secret Genius of Taylor Swift

“The Secret Genius of Taylor Swift” by Zoe Chase is an informative audio essay explaining the success of the new Taylor Swift album, Red. Red by Taylor Swift sold 1.2 million copies within the first week of being released. Chase focuses on informing the reader of how Taylor Swift has reached this success through an explanation of how savvy the young Swift is in the field of branding and marketing herself and her music. This is done successfully and entertainingly through the use of good vocal tone, sound effects, and an interview with someone who would know Taylor Swift the best, a seventeen-year-old girl.

            Chase explains how there are so many different methods of releasing music in the electronic world that we live in. Many artists choose to release a single on Spotify or similar websites which allow the consumer to listen to new songs before they purchase them, giving little to no profit to the artist. However, most artists need to do this in order to get their names out to the public, which causes people to buy their albums once released. Taylor Swift, however, has no need for this. Rather, she released her album all at once, which forced listeners to pay full price for her songs and album. Because of her strong fan base she was able to do this and still have an album on the top of the charts.

            The way Chase uses an interview of a seventeen-year-old girl illustrates the enthusiasm in which Taylor’s fans have for her and for her music. She repeats, “she’s past that” when explaining the other forms of releasing music, showing how Swift is more than an artist, but in fact a brand. In a time when music is so easy to get for free and download illegally, it is impressive that so many young people are willing to use their money to buy Swift’s album, especially when CD’s are almost a thing of the past. Chase also uses sound effects, sampling Swift’s music form her new album, Red.

            This audio essay could be considered an informative essay, as well as a economic/social one. It informs the listener of the new ways in which music is released, as well as showing the new social norms for buying and listening to music. It also focuses on economics and marketing when describing the way Swift is a brand in herself and how her fans are willing to purchase just because it is by her. It also shows the way that Swift must be a major icon in today’s social media for teens to use their money to purchase her CD. The audio essay uses information, facts, an interview, and audio clips in order to be an informative essay showing the social and economic news in the music industry.

Project 3 ideas: Sorority life at ASU (Alpha Phi) and how they play a role on campus whether it is through philanthropy or other school events.