On the surface, Taylor Swift’s new album “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD) doesn’t have much in common with the creator economy. But the sheer power the pop star has is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
And if recent collaborations are anything to go by, she holds the entirety of the social media infrastructure in the palm of her hand.
Deals, Deals, Deals
We’ve already heard about how she got her songs back on TikTok (a luxury not afforded to other creators). But now, Taylor Swift seems to have struck up a second deal with the social media app: one where audiences can get an exclusive profile frame if they complete certain ‘challenges.’
But if you were hoping to get some Swift-related respite by scrolling on some of your other social media apps, we have bad news for you. It looks like she also recently had a deal with Instagram, where visiting her profile would send you to a countdown page for TTPD. If you have WhatsApp, a widget might also show up on your homepage dedicated to the musician.
And let’s not forget YouTube Shorts’ #ForAFornight challenge, which encourages creators to film snapshots of their lives over two weeks.
Then, if you try to ignore socials and work on some emails, I hope you’re ready for every brand you’ve ever signed up for reminding you that TTPD is being released. You know, just in case you forgot.
With all this in mind, is a “digital restraining order” from the singer in order?
The ‘Platformization’ of Taylor Swift
As internet culture expert Dr. Jess Maddox puts it, what we’re seeing is the intense “platformization” of Taylor Swift.
While she notes that fan communities on the internet are nothing new, what makes Taylor Swift unique is how the social media “platforms themselves have begun implementing features to deal with and be a part of big Taylor Swift moments.”
“I refer to this as the platformization of Taylor Swift because we see the cultural force of her stardom becoming intertwined with technological experiences,” she adds.
Maddox says reasons for this platformization range from Swift’s “power as a star” to social media sites wanting to be “in” on the most popular cultural moments.
But one thing is clear. Taylor Swift isn’t leaving our social media feeds any time soon.
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