The Story of Us

May 24th, 2011 | 8:01 pm by Nick Minichino

Taylor Swift Grows Up In “The Story of Us,” But Boy Trouble Still Follows Her Around

Taylor Swift may have just released a music video two weeks ago on CMT, but while country radio has taken to “Mean,” it’s “The Story of Us” that’s been picking up steam on pop radio. So here we are, with “The Story of Us,” which literally just premiered on MTV. In fact, if you’re reading this in the first half hour it’s been posted, turn on MTV right now to see Sway interview Taylor Swift live on air and ask fan questions that have been submitted since Friday through MTV.com or via Twitter (using @MTVNews and the hashtag #AskTaylor).

But if you missed the special, you can still watch the new video, above. It’s more in the schooltime vein of “You Belong with Me”, though Swift has graduated (geddit?) to some sort of Gothic collegiate campus, though she’s still having boy trouble. Look how sweet she is:

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May 20th, 2011 | 5:28 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Taylor Swift Trades Twang For Crunchy Power Pop On “The Story Of Us” (Video Sneak Preview)

During her short (and wildly successful) career thus far, Taylor Swift has never been accused of being “too Nashville” to succeed with mainstream music fans. Rather, her songs seem to contain just enough torch and twang to appeal to country music aficionados (if not necessarily country “purists”) AND pop music fans alike. However, her latest single, “The Story Of Us,” is the furthest that Swift has dared to venture from the kind of sound that most would classify as “country music” to date.

In fact, the song would be more aptly classified as “power pop” than anything else, what with all those crunchy guitars and that propulsive drumbeat. It’s the closest that T-Swizzle has come to Kelly Clarkson territory, and represents as a very interesting career decision for her. However, it’s one that’s hardly without precedent. After all, Shania Twain wrote the crossover playbook back in the mid-90s, fusing country-based sound with radio-friendly rock production techniques, courtesy of superproducer Mutt Lange, and moving some 48 million albums in the United States alone. Still, “The Story Of Us” is the furthest that Taylor has dared stray from the Nashville hegemony, a choice that spells interesting things for the rest of her career as an artist who clearly wants to appeal to everyone.

And while we’re on the topic of Taylor, we’ll have the full video for “The Story Of Us” premiere for you at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24. But that’s not all! For more exciting news on the Taylor Swift front, follow along…

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