There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift

This astute debut study from Evers, an editor at Harvard Business Review, examines how business savvy helped Taylor Swift conquer the music industry. He recounts how a 14-year-old Swift exited her songwriting deal with RCA, who wanted to wait until she was 18 before launching her as a musical artist, so she could sign with a smaller label that released her debut album when she was 16, tapping into an underserved market of young fans who wanted to hear someone their own age sing about problems they could relate to. Evers suggests that the singer’s transition from country to pop mirrors Nike’s growth strategy of breaking into new markets by introducing products related to its established offerings. Swift excels at adapting to new technologies, Evers argues, contending that revealing the track list of Midnights on TikTok ahead of the album’s release inspired rampant speculation about the meanings of the song titles and demonstrated Swift’s ability to dominate social media. She also adjusted to the rise of streaming by releasing more songs at a quicker clip, likely hoping that the greater quantity would increase her odds of getting picked up by algorithm-generated recommendations. The sharp analysis of Swift’s branding and financial dealings reveals how a canny business sense is as integral to stardom as artistic talent. It’s a unique take on the ubiquitous musician. (Apr.)