Max nominated as PRODUCER OF THE YEAR!

[Rebecca]

Yes, it has been a huge year for Max and I hope you're right and Max wins.

[RoyFan]

Hi Roy, yes I see what you're saying and no I don't know those songs. I should have explained myself properly. I didn't mean it so much about the songs but about the artists that record Max's songs. Paul McCartney is a singer songwriter with a lot of credibility. Okay, sure Taylor Swift writes or co-writes her songs and Katy Perry also co-writes but they're not a Beatle. The voters won't be able to resist voting for the producer that worked with Paul McCartney.

Agree 100% Rebecca.  I saw a music critic on tv once saying that he thought Taylor Swift is a pretty good songwriter, but he didn't think she'd ever get credit for it because of her looks.  The old thing I guess about the beautiful woman who isn't taken seriously.  I guess our society hasn't made as much progress as we think on that.

Same basic thing with Max, so many of his great melodies are sung by beautiful women.

[j.fco.morales]

Taylor's a really talented songwriter and topliner.
Being a pop star make musicians lost their artistry, because pop music is 100% entertainment.

But, at the same time... for example, in small markets -like Chile, where I live- if you don't write your own songs and/or play an instrument, you'll never be taken seriously.

No one here lived by the time The Beatles were the biggest pop stars in the world, but sometimes I tend to think that must have been something like 1D nowadays.

And, about the thread, I pray for Max to win the award.

[Andreasl1984]

Spoiler: You guys will probably laugh and think i'm an idiot, but go ahead..This is just for pure entertainment (my analys of this "hit song").

Not a good way to begin forum posting i guess (My first post), but Max Martin totally lost it.
I listened to shake it off, just before one minute at 00:55 i have paused it, and began typing this message. I don't know if i want to continue listen, if i was an A&R i would say, write a better song.
If this is what is called a hit these days, it's really sad. Britney, Bsb, etc, those old songs had "that" factor, you hear it one time and you love it, they had a multiply of hooks in the songs ranging from The piano dam dam dam (Baby one more time), the wah guitars playing nice funky pentatonic guitar licks, the talkbox in Larger then Life, etc etc. Taylor Swift Shake it Off, what do we have here?. A lame uninspired drumbeat, and some ugly sampled orchestrainspired sounding synth thingies. The pad that comes in at 30seconds, what the heck is that, it's so low, you almost can't hear it, who mixed this? Really bad. The chorus begins, i feel absolutely nothing, NADA. No Max Martin greatness over this, AT ALL. In fact it doesn't even feel like a Chorus to me at all, really flat, almost nothing is added to the beat either, no fat synths in the bakground, no nothing.
To me it's not a hit song if you don't love it instant. I don't care if it's Max Martin or whoever, if it's a good song it is, but this is no way near a hit song. Yes you can argue "But Max Martin has 40000000000views on youtube, he's amazing people love the song" yupp, he is better 95% of the times, but with this song, no, i don't think so. Also may i add silly songs like "Gangnam Style" has more views and that's not a good song either. It's just silly. Also look at the thumbs down over 200 thousands! 
I thought some years ago he made some good pink songs raise your glass forexample, a perfect radio song. Began Listening to the track again now, have looped it three four times, i still don't want to listen to this again. If this would have been released by a non-famous artist, wouldn't get a record deal.
Nope, don't like it.
But i blame the music industry for this, Max Martin even said in a Swedish interview that made Denniz Pop a bit mad, that if you have the contacts, you can make whatever, it will be a hit..And it's probably true nowdays. It was the same with Daft Punks latest album. Number one hit with lucky? You kidding me? Compare it with their "real" hit songs, like One More Time or Around The World, or Digital Love or whatever that's so much better!! That's "real" hits. If i ask a random friend they all agree.
And no it's not because we are old and "don't get it", songs were better.
Sorry for being rude/angry/upset. Max Martin will probably win anyway, even tho the song sucks.

[j.fco.morales]

I think Shake It Off is a grower. It's not an exciting piece of music, but it's fun and catchy.
And that's what people expect from pop music: just have a good time, there are no more pretentions about it. That's it, plain and simple.

If you want to listen exciting music, you don't listen to Top 40 music.
There's a lot of interesting and amazing stuff -musically and lyrically-in the alternative/indie side.

[Axel]

Respect for posting this, andreas. Personally i didnt think the song was that exciting when i first heard it, but i think the way the lyrics and melody work together in the chorus is absolutely genius

[RoyFan]

I agree that "Shake It Off' is definitely a grower.  On first listen I was also very surprised that they chose it as the lead single.  But it seems to fit the overall idea that apparently that album has some kind of unusually high corporate/commercial or whatever support behind it.  More than Prism and definitely more than Teenage Dream at the time.  So that would that explain why some more mediocre songs would be allowed on it.

Someone here very eloquently said that if Teenage Dream was given this kind of hyper push by the
record companies that it would have reached "Sgt Pepper" Iconic Status by now.

[sweetmelody]

Andreas, everyone is entitled to their opinion as music is subjective, obviously. I happen to think you are wrong, but I respect your well written opinion. 

RE: the Grammy, I think his competition is huge this year and it's not as much of a sure thing as people would think. Greg Kurstin is one of the best and most highly respected producers working in the industry, as is Paul Epworth. I would not be shocked if either of them got it. Not really familiar with the other guys. That said, if this isn't the year for Max, it may never be. Hard to argue with his success!

[j.fco.morales]

John Hill worked with Shakira, Santigold, M.I.A., co-produced Rihanna's You Da One, Mayer Hawthorne latest album, some Birdy songs, Phantogram's Voices -one of my choices for album of the year-, Bleachers -Jack Antonoff's band-, and the critically acclaimed album by Tune-Yards.

Jay Joyce comes from other place: country, folk rock. He worked with Eric Church -who had a huge impact on country radio last year- or Little Big Town whom released a critically acclaimed album as well. He also produced the latest Cage The Elephant album, a very well reviewed one.

These dudes are all amazing and talented, but I think Max deserves the prize by far.

[RoyFan]

He's done great work.  "Blank Space" is my fav from 1989.   Does anyone know if the chorus tune is Max?  Or of a good source to find such things out?
It sounds like him, but I know Taylor does a lot of her top lines

[RoyFan]

Never Mind - Find my own answer out.  Turns out she actually has a clip of her own first version of the song on the Deluxe Edition of the album.

Has anything heard this?  Is the chorus in the demo similar to the final version?

[Rex]

Yeah, both verse and chorus are very close to the final version

[AlexanderLaBrea]

Chorus is Taylor. Can be heard on the voice memos.

[turnaround]

I always hear "Starbucks Lovers" instead of "List of ex lovers"

Anyone else?

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/11/why-you-keep-mishearing-that-taylor-swift-lyric.html

http://www.metrolyrics.com/news-story-taylor-swift-blank-space-misheard-lyrics.html

[j.fco.morales]

Everyone does... I read the same comment in a Facebook post.