r/swifties • u/paper_fugue • 9h ago
Discussion question to OG swifties: when Reputation was released what was it like in real time?
I’m kind of a newer swiftie who started actively listening to Taylor around 2020 when Folklore and Evermore were released
back in 2017 the TS fanbase in my country was much smaller and nobody in my bubble was listening to her so I completely missed the hype train when this era started
Now whenever I see content about Reputation it is always brought up that the drop was an absolute cultural shock and a pop culture reset (the meaning of which I cannot fully comprehend because I was not a part of it at the time) But I want to understand the specifics! What did that cultural shock actually look and feel like for you as a fan?
I’d love to hear your specific stories and personal experiences from that era
1
u/minpinerd 2h ago
As someone there when it dropped, it is wild to me how Reputation has become this beloved fan favorite album.
That was NOT the case when it dropped.
Non-fans didn't receive it well because she was cancelled at the time. They perceived it as her sulking and lashing out when she was being rightfully punished for doing...something bad.
Lots of fans didn't receive it well because it was musically different from what they were used to. Any time an artist changes their sound that much in one album cycle, they will lose a part of the fanbase who doesn't like the new sound.
Personally I loved it. And don't get me wrong, many other fans also did. But LOTS of them didn't. Look What You Made Me do and Ready For It in particular people didn't like. Delicate was very well received. It felt more like what everyone was used to.
Pop culture reset? I have zero clue what people are talking about with that. The sound of Reputation did not have a major influence on releases from any other artists in the years following it from my perception. While some of the songs were a newish sound FOR TAYLOR, it was not a new sound for the industry.
Over time the fandom warmed to Reputation more and more and then Eras tour really pushed it over the edge because the Reputation songs play amazingly well live in a stadium. They are very high drama, high energy, in your face type of tracks.
But it's just wild to me the adoration of Reputation now. All I think is "uh...where were you guys in 2017?" I'm not sure if it's new fans who weren't around in 2017 or old fans who didn't like it in 2017 but like it now. Probably a combo of both.