10 Years Ago Today Taylor Swift’s Music Reached a Pivotal Turning Point and was “Never, Ever” the Same
DANCING WITH THE STARS: ALL-STARS -- THE RESULTS SHOW - "Episode 1506A" - Multi-platinum recording artist and six-time Grammy(r) winner Taylor Swift performed her mega hit single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," from her new blockbuster album, "Red," on "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars -- The Results Show," TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30 (8:00-9:01 p.m., ET) on the Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Taylor Swift made an appearance in New Jersey this week. This morning Joel and Maryann in the Morning learned and shared that it was ten years ago today, September 1, 2012, that Taylor captured the one thing that had eluded her in her otherwise amazingly successful six-year career: a number one hit on Billboard‘s Hot 100.
The song that achieved the feat was “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The tune was the first single from her Red album and was co-written and produced by legendary pop music mix masters Max Martin and Shellback. Taylor said that song was inspired by an encounter in the recording studio.
During an interview with Billboard back in 2012, Taylor said, “This guy who walked in was a friend of my ex’s. And he made some comment about how he heard how I was gonna get back together with my ex. And after he left I was talking to Max and Shellback and was like, ‘We are never ever getting back together!’ And after that happened, I just grabbed my guitar.”
Taylor had been #2 on the Hot 100 several times, but “Never Ever” did better. Entering the chart at seventy-two and flew to #1 the next week thanks to six hundred and twenty three downloads sold, which was a record at the time.
While Taylor wouldn’t fully make the move to pop music until 2014’s 1989, “Never Ever” was the first indication she was trying “to be different from what I’ve been, and somehow end up where I’m going,” she said in the Billboard interview.
Since “Never Ever,” Taylor has had six Hot 100 number one pop singles and a number one for “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” which was a rerecording of another song from Red which also picked up a couple of MTV Video Music Awards this week. Meanwhile, she has a presence and success in country music, with recent hits on Billboard’s country charts with “Betty,” “No Body No Crime” and “I Bet You Think About Me.”
If you’re still wondering which ex inspired the song, see if you can find the scarf (2:05 mark) in the video for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
My Favorite "Weird Al" Songs and Videos in Honor of his Upcoming Biopic [Trailer]
Weird Al Yankovic is currently spanning the globe on his Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour with absolutely zero stops in New Jersey. However, we will be able to see his (parodied) life story very soon in the comfort of our own Jersey living rooms because the trailer for the rock biopic about Weird Al, “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story” has been released this week.
The film stars Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays a young Weird Al Yankovic, making his way through life while enduring all of the standard Behind the Music style highs and lows, setbacks, and bad decisions. Everything from his parents not believing in him to doing drugs to reaching worldwide fame and fortune. I have a friend who works for Weird Al and I’ve heard some rather interesting stories, but none of them as outrageous as the one where he sleeps with Madonna (Watch the trailer below).
Very few would disagree that reaching fame and fortune with an accordion is a pretty difficult task to accomplish. But Weird Al did it. Nothing could be truer than saying that Weird Al Yankovic is, by far, the leader in the parody music genre. It’s not even close. If you search “best parody singer” he’s at the top of a list of names, many of which are not recognizable.
The movie also stars Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute from “The Office) as Dr. Demento, Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) as Madonna, and Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte as a record executive.
I can’t say I consider myself a Weird Al Yankovic fanatic, however, I have enjoyed many of his songs and admire his creativity and success. It’s pretty impressive what he’s been able to consistently accomplish all these years.
“Weird” will be available on November 4th on The Roku Channel, about a week after Weird Al Yankovic’s sixty-third birthday.
So, in honor of Weird Al and his upcoming biographical masterpiece here’s the trailer followed by, in no particular order, my favorite Weird Al songs and videos. Enjoy!
Joel Katz is the Morning Show Personality, Assistant Program Director, Podcast Host, Voiceover artist, audio producer, and Digital Content Writer for Magic 98.3. Joel has been working in New Jersey radio since college and started at Magic in 2002 as the Morning Show Host, “I can’t think of another place where I’d fit more perfectly; it’s just a great company with awesome people.” Joel is married to Kathleen, his elementary school sweetheart (they were each other’s first dates at age 9), shares a birthday with his oldest son, Ty, and has twins, Kiera and Liam. Joel runs at least 3.1 miles every day and enjoys playing basketball, doing laundry, saving his turn signal for when he really needs it, kissing dogs through a fence, using coasters, making that cool noise by rubbing his fingers on balloons, and chasing after ping pong balls on a windy cruise ship.
