How Musicians Change Over The Years

Taylor, aged 16Frizzy, untamed, blonde hair establish her as a young and, therefore, childish (untamed) girl

Her summer dresses and cowboy/girl boots establish her as a stereotypical country artist, as well as her jewellery (made from natural materials) and the flowers she holds.

The truck behind her is another stereotypical country reference; country music was formed in the Southern states of America which are very hot and dated. A lot of people drive pick-up trucks in the South, and many country artists sing about them (e.g. Carrie Underwood – Before He Cheats)

Controlled curls suggest maturity and glamour, establishing her as a more sophisticated woman and artist who can appeal to an older audience now, rather than younger girls that she related to before.

The dark brown, straight hairstyle is a representation of many girls who are considered ‘cool’ and ‘popular’, associating Taylor with the genre of pop, which, of course, is short for ‘popular’ music.

Her pastiche-style music video creates a fun and bright atmosphere which also reflects on the pop genre and Taylor has swiftly become a pop artist, as well as being an established country singer.

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Taylor, aged 19

Flat-caps are often associated with the hip-hop genre as well as large diamond jewellery, such as the dollar sign necklace she wears. She also wears baggy clothing to associate her with the genre, presenting herself as a hip-hop artist.

Though this song is a pastiche, it was targeted at, not only her established fans, T-Pain’s fans and fans of hip-hop, increasing her fanbase if any of these fans liked the song. She raps in it, completely setting the song apart from her others, and establishes herself as a versatile artist, as she can perform in a hip-hop style.

Taylor, aged 20Taylor’s new sleek, straight hairstyle demonstrates the trend of the year, reflecting on Taylor as a fashion icon and, therefore, a ‘typical’ pop star.

The sound of her Speak Now album is not determined through each song. Some songs, such as Mean, are very influenced by country whereas other, such as Back To December, also feature pop influences. The Story of Us, however, sounds more pop than it does country, with added rock influences. The album features many fusions, appealing to the large fanbase Taylor had acquired by the time of its release.

Taylor, aged 22 Collaborating with B.o.B has established Taylor, yet again, as a versatile artist, with experience in country, pop, rock, hip-hop, RnB and rap genres. This helps her obtain a larger fan base.

Unlike Thug Story with T-Pain, Taylor does not rap in this song, but sings prior to B.o.B and during the song. The instrumentation of the song includes a light stringed instrument such as a ukulele; Taylor still represents her country background.

Artists seem to change their sound and image to fit with current trends, making them seem more appealing to their audiences. They also change

their sound to attract audiences of other genres so as to widen their fanbases and become more successful. The reason for their change is

almost always to help their fanbase grow.

In Conclusion…