1989
Taylor Swift

We’ve listened to a lot of the pop divas this year, because that’s what my daughter’s been gravitating to of late. (Don’t worry, she also likes Twisted Sister.) I knew a bunch of songs off this album and like a fair few of them just fine. But yeah, when you compare this to some of her contemporaries, Swift really truly sounds like a teenager who can’t sing or write as well as the older, cooler, meaner girls who have already been through some stone cold shit. I understand why certain people of a certain age worship her. I need to listen to some of the more recent stuff, but I don’t know - I still suspect there are more interesting and talented pop stars to hitch my old ass cart to when I need a ride to Top 40 Town.

3