Anthony, I had something to say about all of these questions, but left those details out (those pesky word limits). First, Swift is perhaps the first young artist I can remember in a long time that has embraced her "unhip" status. There is nothing cool about Swift at all, her management has embraced this, it's all over her latest set of songs and, I imagine, this is a big relief for many of her fans who would rather not learn the rules of indie cred. Having a pizza party... totally uncool. Buying your pop stash at a Walgreens... makes every purchase at Hot Topic drip with hepness. It may be sad, but I read "Red" as mixed because it often celebrates being liberated enough to actually enjoy small moments of liberation to their fullest, something that, to my ears and eyes, has been long missing in indie culture. In that sense, buying from chains, enjoying the disposable deposits her firmly in the arena of early punk (see Ramones, etc.). The branding stuff, well, that's where the pop kicks in. The thing I was really struck by is the assertion of physical proximity in brand distribution. As one distributor said to me in December, "Never underestimate the laziness of people". His point was in a world where people have millions of choices, most will choose the easiest option. In other words, getting the brand to a place where it cannot be avoided is of utmost importance if you wish to maintain mainstream dominance. As her audience grows, BIg Machine will have to find ways to stay in front. I can imagine deals with Nordstroms and other high end retailers in her late 20s.

Just like any career "pop star" her star will change as she does. This is always one of the more interesting aspects of pop: how the star must be invested into malleability. I love "Red" precisely because its complexities begin at the surface. Her CD cover is more of a nod to Joni Mitchell or Rickie Lee Jones than anyone has yet to point out. However the music is poppier than anything those two ever embraced. As Mitchell and Jones "matured" they went away from folk and toward jazz. To watch Swift move further from Nashville country and into Nashville pop has just been terrific for this media studies professor. I wonder if it has been as exciting for her fans, many of whom have become older and more urbane over time.

Karen, The issue of proximity and physicality is one the largest issues that the music industry has had to negotiate. By being dragged into digital, the industry has lost not only retail spaces but about 60 years of best practices in terms of distribution (please note, I consider distribution to be both the movement of and promotion of goods). The deal made with Papa John's didn't really result in huge numbers re disk sale as far as I can tell, but it was an interesting experiment. All of my research right now points to this one fact: the industry is in the experimental phase of a paradigm shift where best practices are being discovered and developed. The largest consideration now isn't just the sales of records, but brand extension. Sales count, somewhat. But the issue lies in the margins. For example, the sale of CDs gain large margins, even if they are collapsing. The artist on a label may gain relatively little in terms of royalties, although I doubt that is the case with TS, but the label needs those margins, which are far wider than those of MP3s and the like. Even wider are T-shirt sales and other merch. In a way it doesn't matter, TS is most likely signed to a variant of a 360 deal and Big Machine receives income streams from multiple sources. The issue of physicality, though, has another goal and that is to act as a continual reminder that an artist exists. And the truth is a CD is just easier than an legal or illegal download. Parents and kids alike understand a $12 CD that can be spun in their car or ripped into iTunes. It's different with downloads. You have to make an account, give someone a credit card (you may not have one), have an internet connection (may not have one of those either), and then there is the issue of sharing. Physical goods are easier to swap with others. We think everyone is digital, but we are still in transition. The absence of Red on Spotify is due to licensing disagreements over on-demand per stream royalties. These are done on a label by label, sometimes artist by artist basis. Unlike the compulsory license that Pandora can acquire (totally different set of legalities and standards apply to streaming when it is not by demand), there is no standard on-demand rate. Artists such as the Beatles, Led Zep and TS want more than Spotify is willing to pay, so there you go. I bet if the rates were higher she would gladly take the money with the understanding that the loss of recordings sold would be overcome by this new income stream.

I almost talked about that as well, but Target's content exclusivity is more of a deal to benefit these retailers who do have the infrastructure and demand such treatment. And, of course, Target and Taylor's brand dovetail well (both are upwardly mobile, interested in mainstream pleasures and wares, etc.). I haven't explored these deals in great detail, but I think they are deserving of some analysis. I didn't explore the Target issue re merchandise, but are they carrying merch other than the record? When I was at the Walgreen's today I noticed that the TS "Woven Blanket" would fit perfectly on a Target shelf.

Cameron, I think the dorkiness is interesting and is something that you see a lot in pop. It's a vulnerability I often think is under analyzed in star and celebrity studies. I often think that the dork factor is one of those things that works well in pop. You see a lot of this exposed in pop magazines like "Bop" and "Tiger Beat". It puts a premium on the awkwardness of adolescence and deflates some of the emphasis on "sexuality". I don't know the lit on this, but I think there is something here. As for TS the real person, I have no idea who she is. My guess is she is gifted songwriter whose upper middle class background has steeled her with a confidence that most young songwriters (and people) don't have. Who else walks away from re-upping on a Nashville publishing deal as a teen?