Taylor Swift accused of using tactics to 'prevent' pop rivals Charli XCX and Billie Eilish from 'shining'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: During Taylor Swift's joyful days on the Eras Tour, filled with cherished memories, she now confronts bitter accusations of orchestrating efforts behind the scenes to hinder her pop rivals on the charts.
Recently, critics speculated that Swift and her record label might have employed tactics to prevent Charli XCX's album 'Brat' from reaching the top of the UK albums chart.
These allegations emerged following previous claims that Swift had mobilized her fanbase against Billie Eilish during a competitive chart showdown.
Taylor Swift is being accused of blocking pop rivals on charts
The controversy began earlier this month with the release of Charli XCX's highly acclaimed album 'Brat,' currently regarded as the most celebrated album of 2024 by Metacritic.
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'Brat' was expected to debut at No. 1 on the UK charts, poised to dethrone Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' after its five-week reign at the top.
However, midway through the charting week, Swift surprised her fans by unexpectedly releasing several new UK-exclusive versions of 'TTPD.'
This strategic move resulted in a significant surge in sales for Swift's album, surpassing Charli in mid-week predictions, as per DailyMail.
These exclusive versions were only available temporarily and were withdrawn by the end of the chart tracking week, leading to speculation that the move was intended to secure 'TTPD's No. 1 position.
Swift's tactic proved successful, securing 'TTPD' as her longest-running No. 1 album in the UK, while Charli had to settle for second place.
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Critics and influencers weighed in on the controversy, with suspicions rife that Swift had deliberately blocked Charli from the top spot.
Pop enthusiast and TikTok star Sam Murphy commented, "Taylor was going for her longest-ever streak at number one on the UK album charts. And just after the news broke that Charli was in number one, [Swift] pulled this move and dropped more special editions of The Tortured Poets Department."
In a video titled 'Taylor Swift is Petty,' music critic Anthony Fantano, with 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, criticized the singer, saying, "These moves just continually reek of desperation on her part [and] a total lack of shame on her part."
Meghan McCain also joined the discussion on her podcast, 'Citizen McCain,' questioning Swift's focus on chart positions over artistic integrity.
"There are people coming up who could have their first No. 1 and you have the power to let them have No. 1 or not. … I just don't know how classy it is" Meghan remarked.
Taylor Swift has previously been accused of preventing artists from ‘shining’
(Getty Images)
Last month, Swift competed with Billie Eilish, who released her third studio album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' on May 17.
During that period, Swift's album 'The Tortured Poets Department' maintained the No. 1 position on Billboard's album chart for a month.
Critics suggested that Swift maintained her top spot by periodically releasing different versions of the album to enhance sales and streams.
When Swift dropped two new editions on the same day as Eilish's album release, many viewed it as an effort to overshadow her.
Following the move, Eilish's manager Danny Rukasin shared and then deleted a tweet accusing Swift of "breaking her neck doing everything to prevent other artists from shining," citing past incidents with other artists like Katy Perry and SZA.
Despite Eilish's album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' having the highest first-week sales of her career with 339,000 units, it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 due to Swift's strategy.
Beyond chart tactics, tensions between Swift and Eilish reportedly stem from January 2022. Blur frontman Damon Albarn criticized Swift, alleging she "doesn't write her own songs" in an interview, prompting a response from Swift refuting his claims.
In April 2022, Eilish invited Albarn to perform with her at Coachella, which may have added to the friction with Swift.
Eilish also made comments in the media that were seen as indirect criticisms of Swift, such as describing long concerts as "psychotic" and criticizing the release of multiple vinyl versions of albums as "wasteful."
Internet divided over Taylor Swift's chart tactics and pop dominance
After discovering the critic's remarks about Taylor Swift preventing younger pop rivals from reaching number one, many users have shared their opinions, as per dailymail.
One neutral fan said, "Just sour grapes. Taylor is bigger than Michael Jackson. Not her fault that the world wants her music constantly."
Another wrote, "I like Taylor’s music but selling so many versions of the same cd is just wrong."
The third user suggested, "Sounds like an excellent business move! It’s working and that’s all that matters. Other artists can do it too. No one is stopping them."
The fourth claimed, "Jealous haters are always going to try and dethrone the person on top. Nothing new here. Maybe they should be more concerned with their art than the charts."
The last user asserted, "She is a shrewd business woman. She's at the pinnacle of her career and she intends to stay there even if it means crushing other artists on their way up."
This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online
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