![]() ![]() The dubstep-infused “I Knew You Were Trouble,” one of Swift’s signature hits from 2012’s Red, will signal the next part of the set list-branching out to some more electronic influences from the middle section of her catalog. (“Anti-Hero” is also her longest-running single in the Billboard top 10-28 weeks and counting.) This one has to be right up top. The synth pop of “Anti-Hero”-Swift’s lead single from 2022’s Midnights-is an easy transition from “Blank Space.” It also quickly anchors her in the present moment, subtly gesturing at the breadth of her catalog, jumping from a song that was popular a decade ago to one dominating the charts now. And there’s no better intro to that than the delightfully cheeky, self-aware “Blank Space.” 2. It makes sense to start in her pop era: This was the period when Swift first seemed truly inescapable to the general public, when she cemented herself as an icon, proving her staying power. And then Swift launches into the rest of one of her most ubiquitous hits, “Blank Space,” from 2014’s 1989. The stage is dark Swift is silent for a beat as the crowd roars. ![]() Picture it: “Nice to meet you” echoes through the stadium. ![]() But this feels like an especially good one. Swift’s discography offers lots of choices here. It’s crucial to get the opener right-not so much the opening song itself, exactly, as the opening lyric. (There’s a reason her Eras Tour set list is three and a half hours!) But here’s my best shot. Her catalog has so much variety that it’s tricky to build a cohesive set that still hits all the major points of her career-from the country twang of her early albums to the slick pop of 1989 to the EDM influences of Reputation to the lush atmosphere of Folklore and Evermore. 1 on the Billboard charts and 40 that have been in the top 10. Swift has nine songs that have gone to No. (For what it’s worth, though, Swift’s current tour through NFL stadiums proves that her acoustic fare can absolutely work in that environment: Look up any video of her playing “My Tears Ricochet” to 75,000 people.) But there are still plenty of tough choices to make even within these restrictions. I tried to keep it semirealistic, sticking to hits that feel stadium-friendly, much as I’d die to see a set list of deeper cuts. Also following Rihanna’s example, this assumes no major portion of the show will be left for surprise guests, unlike many of the acts in the past few years (apologies to Conor, whose full prediction had Swift sharing the stage with Steve Aoki and BTS). I went for 10 songs-the same number Rihanna played at Super Bowl LVII in February. Give her one more huge show!Īlexander Lewis/M圜entralJersey/USA TODAY Network Swift has spent the whole year playing NFL stadiums. ![]() So it’s time to make a hypothetical set list. Pepsi sponsored the halftime show for a decade, whereas Swift is a longtime Coca-Cola spokesperson Apple Music, which has previously partnered with Swift, became the show’s title sponsor as of the 2022 season. It also helps that corporate sponsorship conflicts are no longer present. Right now seems like the ideal time for her to take on a massive cultural stage like the Super Bowl. (Just look at the ticket prices for the aforementioned tour-which, not to brag, I saw at MetLife Stadium, in attendance the same night as Aaron Rodgers.) Swift is in a more reflective phase of her career-in the process of rerecording her first six albums, she’s embarked on the aptly named Eras Tour, a journey through her musical past-but she’s also clearly on top of her game. But for the first time, it actually seems kinda, sorta plausible. That’s something I’ve wanted to see for years. 88 is that Taylor Swift will play the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show. When my esteemed colleague Conor Orr made 100 bold predictions for the 2023 NFL season last week, he included one of particular interest to me, Sports Illustrated’s resident Swiftie: Prediction No. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |