So, I don't generally dig Taylor Swift - I'm a middle-aged dude - but there's something to be said here for her hands-on approach. The article can make fun of

So, I don't generally dig Taylor Swift - I'm a middle-aged dude - but there's something to be said here for her hands-on approach. The article can make fun of the "Shake It Off" chorus, but the meaning of a song is rarely found in the chorus itself, the meaning is found in the verse. In this case, the verses are effectively about how she does a whole lot of things all by herself - songwriting, singing, dancing - that other pop stars don't, and she doesn't get credit for working through the whole package. It's not a joke - compared with most other pop acts, which are largely corporate creations, Taylor Swift seems to be actively trying to take control to make sure that her music, videos, tours, the whole deal, is her creation. That's in no way average these days. You don't have to like it, but it's real hard to criticize someone who is clearly trying to keep control as an author and, at the same time, clearly moves so many people. I'm not a fan, but shit, I admire it.