It looks like John Mayer’s brand new album Battle Studies, released this past Tuesday, is on the fast track to top the Billboard Top 200 chart. This would be the second time John will have an album take the top spot week of release. Of special interest to all you country fans will be the upbeat third track on the album, “Half of My Heart” which he recorded with Taylor Swift.
John has not historically recorded a lot of collaborations so this record was a bit of an exception for him. In fact, he has never put a song out with another artist’s name under the title.
John had this to say in a recent interview with Access Hollywood, “I don’t normally make records to share tracks with people. I’ve never had somebody’s name underneath the title of my song and I couldn’t be happier that she’s on there.” John said he considers Taylor a friend, noting, “I think she’s a really remarkable person and it’ll be nice to have her name on the record for the rest of my life.”
John went on to say that he thinks it’s “totally sweet” that “Taylor Swift is the last person to know she’s Taylor Swift.” He elaborates, “It’s almost like Taylor Swift is like a character in a movie about a small town girl who has her dreams come true and what any small town girl would do when their dreams come true is to freak out. I still like it that she freaks out, but pretty soon she’s gonna have to stop because it’s sort of like, ‘You’re that good. You’re that good. You might have to go to therapy and have someone else tell you you’re that good.’” He adds, “It’s great to have someone who’s hugely talented and still is able to receive the pleasure in all moments.”
The album is currently sitting at #1 in the “Rock” category at Amazon.com and #5 overall.
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I like Taylor Swift, I really do.. I love her songs and I think she is an excellent song writer. That being said, the poor girl is not a strong singer. She is a sweetheart, but she is lucky that she has talented producers and a likeable personality b/c if she was getitng judged on her voice alone no one would have paid a bit of attention to her. You can look up any of her live performances and see how weak and pitchy her voice is. I still like her, and hope she succeeds but it has to be disheartenign to performers like Miranda Lamber who have amazing voices and are still working hard just to crack the surface of major popularity and awards. As well as those seasoned performers who fought for years to gain what she has obtained in such a short time.
I love taylor and her music becayse her words are so true and she singing from the heart and what is so bad about tjhat.
she's got lots of talent, singing just doesn't happen to be at the top of the list. entertainer of the year? maybe. vocalist? no way
Taylor should always be singing backup, she has the voice for it. She is talented in her writing perhaps but singing is way off. taking voice, I can recognize a good voice, she's what we used to call an "Airhead" she isn't phased by this, she just thinks she is great as a singer. Kids vote her in and it's like a popularity contest. she seems amazed she wins all the awards, she is merchandised to do it..
plainly put, TAYLOR SWIFT, can't sing and should be singing backup for Pop. she is no Country Singer. Let's bring Country Music back for ADULTS! this is kids play
RobFen you are so dumb! That incident with Taylor and Kanye was not funny. She wouldn’t even finish her speech after what he did until Beyonce told her to! Taylor is so cool, beautiful, and talented. Yes I know I’m only 15 but she is a better entertainer than KC! I think this collaboration between Taylor and John Mayer will be phenomonal and cool! Love you Taylor!!!! KEEP ON KEPPIN’ ON!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Taylor is phenominal. Before she came aiong I didn't listen to the words in songs that much , but Iisten to her's. She is a very talented performer and knows what the crowd wants. Hell I'm 55 yeas old and I THINK SHE IS FANTASTIC.
i think what happened with taylor swift was funny what kenye did that. but she is all over the place, one day she is calling herself a “country” singer and the next day she is calling herself a rocker, the next day she’s calling herself a rapper, she needs to pick any genre besides country and stick with it. and i agree with sue, kellie pickler is so much more better. in country weekly there was an article in there saying on her next album she will have more traditional country songs on there. she said how she performs her favorite classic country songs and pop fans go ballastic. i miss country music and it’s sad to what it’s become.
That is so mean…Taylor is a such a sweet girl and she does not call herself anything. She is a true music fan. That means that she can branch out of the small-minded ideals that people hold and see that good music is made by many different people.
Singing lessons for Taylor when 99% of the Pop awards are for songs that verge on the incoherent and illiterate.
J E A L O U S Y and envy always come to those who succeed eventually and evidently the industry that embraced her after she behaved like a professional twice her age, after the halfwit Kanye embarrassed her, still is fair enough to not punish her because she's a phenomenon.
If MAdonna can become a superstar largely based on exhibitionism and totally synthesized vocal skills I think a tall, blonde teenager, writing songs that impart great values globally and expressing gratitude and a wish to help others succeed, has more than earned a spot.
Taylor was given the award from people in the industry who know how much she has done for Country Music globally over the past year.
Bob Dylan and any number of 'superstars' have had average vocals with above average ability to interpret, to generate buzz and to inspire others with dedication and talent.
I don't know about that… she's never covered The Devil Went Down to Georgia… soon it will be The Devil (pop) Killed Country Music… "the devil went down to Nashville, he was lookin for a genre to kill… he was in a bind cause he was way behind, he was willin to make a deal… when he came across this young man sawin on a fiddle and playin it hot… the devil jumped up on a hickory stump and said "Boy let me tell you what… I bet you didn't know it, but I traded my fiddle for a re-mixer and auto-tuner"
she's not "that good", she can't sing!
WHY HO WHY DID SWIFTY WIN CMt and Cma Prformer of Year?????? Sorry I
agree with 95 percent of country fans She DOS NOT HAVE ANY TALANT.I agree she
needs voice lessons,acting lessons,needs a boy friend.People put her with good talant
and she sucks.Put her with her own class on disney channel ho they would out sign her sorry.If she went away I dont think she would be missed.
Maybe you guys should all open your eyes. Taylor is THAT good, if she wasnt, she wouldnt of won those awards!!!!!!!!!!!!
you do not know want you are talking about she is good and if you were have as good as her you would be say thiks like you are like say if you can not say any nice they do not say think at all.
I agree with Wild Bill. Country music hasn't been country music for a long time. Most of what we have now is producer and record company created talent.
Country music is like the blues, you really have to live it first to be able to play it well. Taylor is way too young and inexperienced. She has a good voice and some talent, but she has to realize that there is more in the world there teenage love. She sings Pop music with a slight country flair and I am disappointed the CMA's didn't see this.
I like that Taylor writes what she knows. I know that there are people that are listening to her that are not teenagers because I am not a teen. I am in my 20s and I am also still a virgin because I made a decision to wait for the man that God has chosen for me to be my husband. Therefore, her songs are not juvenile to me; they speak to me. Also, as she ages, has more experiences, fall in and out of love, and sees more life, she will write about different things. She has already said that. She has also said that not every song that she writes is about a guy or an experience that she has had. Like any good songwriter, she can talk to a friend, family member, or even a stranger, and write a song from their experience.
umm! its a free country and i can voice my opinion if i wish to. that is my FIRST amendment right as an american. this isnt iraq or iran. i can speak my mind if i wish to, im sure a lot of real country fans will agree with me. taylor swifter SUCKS! HAHAHA!
I have two questions:
1. Do you consider Miley Cyrus as having a more country sound? Do you think she has a better voice than Taylor?
2. If all of y'all that are always bashing people on these message boards are so talented, where are your five times platinum albums hanging in your house? And what reality talent show can I expect to see you imparting your vast knowledge on in the coming season? American Idol? Can You Duet? Nashville Star? America's Got Talent?
Wakeup!!!!!! We by the CDs .Saw her on american idaol ho yes she stunk!
No she has proved she can not Duet!!Nashville star shr could not make the show!
Americas got talent she proved she dosnt.Any more Questions
Sorry Miley dos she nos young people love her That is why she is on Disney.She
has a far better voice than Swift.Swift has a better Manger.You go Miley girl!!!! thats
form my 13year old granddaughter.Swift what!!!!!!! She and here friends dont
even no her.Yes they listen to country!!!!!!!!!!1
Miley is SHIT! Everyone one on here can agree with that. And two, good luck to your granddaughter, if i had a daughter i would not let her follow such a terrible role model,miley is pretty much cancer to little girls.
Miley may be a really good actress. I'll have to wait and see when she is in something more adult than Hannah Montana. But, as far as I am concerned, she cannot sing. And she is not a role model. If I had a daughter, I would try until my very last breath to keep her away from Miley. I am in my 20s, and I grew up with strong female role models like Loretta Lynn, Reba, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and others. I think I turned out OK and I also think that Taylor is gladly and openly welcomed by these women as a good role model for todays young girls.
taylor swift is the ANTICHRIST! god help us all if she runs for president in 2012.
Ummm….she can't. She wont be 35 in 2012. She will only be 22 or 23. IGNORAMOUS!!!!
countryfan, you are an idiot!!! do yourself a favour and quit embarrassing yourself with such stupid comments
give up i like taylor swift and the good country that is out there these days
Taylor is THAT good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Taylor!!!! Once again congrats on the CMA awards!!!!!! and good luck at the AMA'a!!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed, i hope you win all 6!!!!!!!!!!
Take HER SHES YOURS!
CON'T
The point is these artists ARE country. They are not country because someone somewhere told us they were. They are country because those of us that consider ourselves "from the country" identify with something in their music. You may not agree with me and you may not like all of these artists; I am not a fan of all of these people. But I am open-minded enough to realize that time marches on and that music is an art of expression. Therefore, it cannot be a static thing. It must change with the times and there is always going to be someone that seems to divide the audience. But, I say anybody that makes people realize that country is cool is cool to me.
a big difference between those artists and Taylor is that none of those artists changed their country songs to pure pop to suit pop fans and radio
I don't care what anyone says-Taylor is gold. Period.
That's right..here gown was gold!
Gold What???? For her Manger,Taken no talant and doing what he has done.
I am sure her Manger thanks You.Gold no Not even Silver more like black
you just want to see it go away!!!!!!!!!!1
I will stick to Tim Mcgraw's new album it is country to the core and filled with amazing songs about like the good and bad. Songs like Love You Goodbye, You Had To Be There, I'm Just Jesus, I Didn't Know It At The Time,Good Girls and Ghost Town Train.
I agree! Taylor needs vocal lessons. You actually call that signing??? She needs to go to Disneyland with all the little kids or somewhere and get out of country music.
Ha! Shows how much you know!
George Strait is a fan of hers, ya know…
Wow-give taylor a break! Yeah-the song stinks-but its not her song-so its not her fault that the song is no good.
I would rather listen to a dog howl than listen to either of them !
That's gotta be one heck of a talented dog to go up against Taylor.
Whatever it takes to "convert" someone to country. They may tune in to listen to Taylor Swift, etc. but stick around to become hooked. Also, where is the definition of pure country.
In the dictionary under 'George Strait'.
Like Eric Church said "Any song sung by George Strait is country at its best."
So tired of hearing she's bringing the whole universe into country and it's not true… when pop fans hear her on itunes or pop radio they don't convert to country and that's why country sales are down… pop radio doesn't play her semi-country songs they play the pure pop versions and why would pop fans tune into country since they hear her on pop? country fans hear her on country radio and we're already country… definition of country is songs that are mostly country… I don't only like pure country but too many songs are more pop than country and CMAs sent the message for more artists to go pop
Exactly, Dave.
Yes it is true….Me and my friends listen to come country now ONLY because we got introduced by the amazing Taylor Swift!!!!!
I think that there is enough room in country music for all people to express their views. Country does not have to mean a cowboy hat and jeans, although I have never seen anyone look better in jeans than King George Strait. I think that country can be expanded a little beyond the conventions. Think about this. If fans had kept the conventions of country music, there would have never been a Johnny Cash, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Hank Jr, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens….the list goes on and on. These people pushed the bounds of what country was in their time. And artists today are doing the same.
I think the concerns of most "true hard-core country" fans is that the bounds will be pushed so far, that country music, as we knew it, simply will not exist. Look how far the evolvement of country has taken us..from Hank Sr, Webb Pierce, Patsy Cline to Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Gloriana etc. I believe the writing is on the wall that 'real' country is and has been, sadly, heading for extinction. I am a music lover in general, but 'country' is my music…and 'pop' is rapidly usurping that genre. Fortunately, I still have the choice to listen to George, Alan, Loretta, Randy and other true country music artists in my own home.
Here is a list of "traditional" country artists that crossed over to the pop charts before Taylor: Chet Atkins, Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Olivia Newton-John, Anne Murray, Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Dottie West, Alabama, Eddie Rabbit, Ronnie Milsap, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Lee Ann Rimes, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffet, Carrie Underwood, Sara Evans, The Mandrell Sisters, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, Jewel, and the Bellamy Brothers, Merle Haggard, Hank Jr. and many many many others.
yes that is my concern that pop is taking over country and one day country or what's left of it will die… I don't only like pure country but too many songs are more pop than country… is pop radio going to play country songs and kill pop? no so why is country selling out and shooting themselves in the foot… the superstars need to speak out against this
Instead of therapy, I think Taylor needs vocal training…
AMEN. Couldn't have said it any better!!!!!!!!!!!
I think John Mayer needs therapy if he thinks Taylor Swift is "that good"…..
First it was Def Lepard, now it's John Mayer. Next thing she'll be singing (badly) with Michael Jackson from beyond the grave.
The Def Leppard/ Taylor Swift Crossrads was the #1 requested one of all time followed very closely by Kid Rock/Bocephus and Sugarland/ Bon Jovi. You know…FYI!
Once again Taylor proves shes not country and i think John Mayer neerd therapy for singing with such a media hog that has no known talent !
Wow!! So you no longer like taylor or have less respect for her because she did a duet with one of her musical idols??? give me a break!!
If anyone needs therapy its you, that was the stupidest thing i've ever heard!!!
P.S idiot,
remember when Tim Mcgraw did a duet with Nelly (the rapper)…
IF YOU WANT TO READ SOMETHING REALLY STUPID, READ YOUR REPLY TO ME !
— On Sat, 11/21/09, IntenseDebate Notifications <notifications@intensedebatemail.com> wrote:
what was stupid about it??
btw, you had your caps-lock on
I honestly think John Mayer is doing this for popularity and sales. Taylor Swift is barely heard on this cut. She basically sings background vocals the entire time. He acts like this was a super important, career transforming song the way he talks about how he's finally decided to share tracks with other people. Give me a break.
Courtney, I agree. Who does he think he is–he's no John Lennon, Ray Charles, or Johnny Cash–who cares whether he's "never had somebody’s name underneath the title of my song". He needs to get over his own self-importance
Your dang right about that!
I love Taylor Swift
THANK GOD!!!! SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN. THANK YOU!!!!!
ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
taylor swift sucks, and i dont listen to pop, i listen to real country. yea i agree, gac is starting to look like CMT and MTV. im sure all the country legends are rolling over in their graves right now.
I agee 100% that Taylor sucks. Yes, GAC is going pop and leaving behind country music. I hate to see it. I wish there was a good outlet for country music and country music only!!!! I miss seeing the Grand Old Opry on Saturday nights. Unfortunely, it has become all about money and nothing else….Taylor has proved that for sure. Her friend, Kelly Pickler can sing circle around her on a bad day!!!!!!!!
I think the song is cute. It isn't country (you almost get a Fleetwood Mac-ish feel to it), but it's still a way of other people being introduced to a country person.
For a pop song, I like it.
oh and if Taylor needs therapy she should try listening to country music
@ Dave
HaHa!! I agree.
I miss Country Music!! Now all I hear on the radio is CRAPPY Pop Music!!
"Of special interest to all you country fans will be the upbeat third track on the album, “Half of My Heart” which he recorded with Taylor Swift."
Thanks but no thanks… all country fans? please, this track is for Mayer and Swift pop fans… I'm a country fan and don't like pop so I will stick with country artists who make songs with country artists, now that's newsworthy on the Great American Country site… I hope this isn't turning into a pop site like CMT
Easy Dave… pump the brakes a little. We're not going pop on you but we do recognize that country fans have interests that span beyond just country… Remember a few years back when Tim McGraw did that song with Nelly? I think it's kind of interesting when country artists branch out a little and try new things. I agree it's not for everybody though. Thanks for reading and thanks for commenting. Much appreciated.