Tag: director

All of Taylor Swift’s Official Music Videos Are Now on Spotify

An image of Taylor Swift looking at the camera

Taylor Swift has long been keenly aware of the power of music videos to help expand the worlds she meticulously builds in her songwriting. Now, for the first time, all 58 of Taylor’s videos are coming to Spotify, giving her fans the opportunity to dive deeper than ever into her catalog. From “Tim McGraw” to this year’s star-studded “Opalite,” her entire catalog of official music videos is now available to Premium users on Spotify.

We’re also bringing back the custom Eras-themed play and pause button animations across all of Taylor’s catalog. When you listen to a song on Spotify, the play/pause button will be animated with visuals representative of each album.

Premium subscribers in our beta markets can open Spotify on their TV, desktop, iOS, and Android devices, search for the song, and get a first look by tapping “Switch to video.” The music video will start playing right where the song left off. To return to background listening, just press “Switch to audio.” For a full-screen experience on mobile, viewers can simply turn their devices to landscape mode.

To celebrate the news, we asked Spotify editors Talia Kraines and Claire Heinichen to walk us through a few of their favorite Taylor videos. Across albums and eras, the songs change, but Taylor’s commitment to her artistic vision remains constant. Check out their picks here, and make sure to check out the rest of Taylor’s video catalog on Spotify.

“Tim McGraw”

Released on July 22, 2006

Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“Tim McGraw” was Taylor’s first-ever music video, and makes clear that even from the very beginning, she saw music videos as fundamental to building out the cinematic universe of her music. This video, shot in part at Johnny Cash’s iconic Cash Cabin, is country music heaven, pairing a well-told story with familiar backdrops like backroads, open fields, a peaceful lake, and a truck bed. It all comes together to paint the charming, emotional, and relatable picture of young love. —Claire Heinichen

“You Belong With Me”

Released on May 4, 2009

Directed by Roman White

“You Belong With Me” is an ode to teenage girlhood, awkward dance moves, messy hair, blossoming romances, and all. Still a teenager herself when it was released, Taylor’s superpower at this point in her career was the way she related to her young, mostly female audience. Despite her growing fame (and access to high-end glam and wardrobe), Taylor used this video to reflect what normal teenage years actually look like, from fun details like a (now notorious) sharpie-decorated t-shirt to the emotional turmoil wrought by high school cliques. As would become a signature for Taylor, this video feels like a whole romantic comedy shrunk down to four minutes.

With Taylor still firmly rooted in country music at the time, this song and video served as her second massive pop crossover moment, following “Love Story” the previous year, another glimmer of the truly massive pop career that lay ahead for her. The video took home Female Video of the Year at the MTV VMAs, making her the first and only country artist to ever win it. —CH

“Mine”

Released on August 27, 2010

Directed by Roman White and Taylor Swift

“Mine” kicked off Taylor’s Speak Now era, and her video-directing era, too, as she teamed up with past collaborator Roman White to co-direct for the first time. Not that you’d know it was her first time behind the camera: Country music is all about storytelling, and Kennebunkport, Maine-set “Mine” levels up the beautiful songwriting with flashbacks and flashforwards. The final product feels like the highlight reel of an emotional romantic comedy, complete with a picture-perfect ending. —CH

“Blank Space”

Released on November 10, 2014

Directed by Joseph Kahn

The most streamed song on Taylor’s pop debut 1989 also gets one of her most iconic videos. For this song and video, Taylor took a comedic approach, wondering what it would look and sound like if she actually was the man-eating crazy girl the media often painted her to be at the time. From the grandeur of the locations, to the luxury of the outfits, animals, and props (and of course the fun, flirty destruction and chaos that Taylor’s character causes), you can tell she’s really going for it. Looks from this video have inspired countless Halloween costumes, and the bicycles and the golf clubs used to destroy a rare sports car popped back up to the crowd’s delight during the Eras Tour. This video was her first of many collaborations with director Joseph Kahn, and earned Taylor her first Emmy Award for the backstage app experience that came alongside it, getting her halfway to EGOT status. —CH

“Look What You Made Me Do”

Released on August 27, 2017

Directed by Joseph Kahn

Every diehard Swiftie remembers exactly where they were the first time they saw this video. At the top of her mysterious reputation era, Taylor decreed: “there will be no further explanation, there will just be reputation.” But this Easter egg-teeming video provided way more “explanation” (or at least, opportunity for fan interpretation) than any interview or Instagram caption ever could. Each scene is more intricate and meticulously metaphor-heavy than the last, serving eagle-eyed fans nods to past eras and headlines. Just minutes after the video’s release, social media timelines began overflowing with screenshots dissecting every detail, like the name on the tombstone, the single dollar bill in the bathtub, the “squad,” the crop tops, and of course, the mountain of Taylors. My personal favorite moment sneaks in at the very end, when Taylors past and present exchange perfectly chosen insults, assuring fans once and for all that nothing gets past Taylor. —CH

“The Man”

Released on Feb 27, 2020

Directed by Taylor Swift

The fourth music video from Taylor’s Lover album marked a major career milestone: her solo directorial video debut. Coming as the battle for her master recordings was taking flight, the project is deeply rooted in autonomy and control. That’s especially true of the video’s most talked about scene, set in a subway station covered in the titles of her past albums alongside some notable signs, one reading: “MISSING: IF FOUND, RETURN TO TAYLOR SWIFT.”

Deep in prosthetics as her alter ego, Tyler Swift, Taylor presents as an obnoxious man whose behavior highlights double standards and gender discrepancies in the workplace and society. At the end we see the real Taylor, in the director’s chair, firmly establishing her leadership role and emphasizing it with the reveal that the video was written, directed, and owned by her. Ultimately, the music video serves as a powerful callout of male privilege and a bold declaration of Taylor’s creative ownership. It’s only fitting that “The Man” earned her the historic achievement of becoming the first solo female director to win Best Direction at the MTV Video Music Awards. —Talia Kraines

“cardigan”

Released on July 24, 2020 

Directed by Taylor Swift 

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that “The Man” and “cardigan” came only five months apart. Both are self-directed, but couldn’t be more different stylistically. While the Lover era was full of color and maximalism, folklore was more intimate both musically and visually, softer and swirling with greens and golds. Thanks to strict COVID lockdowns, Taylor added the roles of makeup artist, hairstylist, and costumer to her resume. 

“cardigan” dropped with no warning, and the video showed Taylor alone, mirroring the pandemic’s climate of isolation. She enters a piano that transports her into a magical world, moving from a cabin to the forest and eventually the stormy sea. The video, song, and album captured a new audience, and Taylor proved she could strip everything back without losing any of the magic of her songwriting. —TK 

“All Too Well: The Short Film” 

Released on Nov 12, 2021

Directed by Taylor Swift

The long-rumored, 10-minute version of “All Too Well” is perhaps the ultimate piece of pop music fan fiction, and it finally came to life on Red (Taylor’s Version). Defying every conventional pop songwriting rule, it’s a sprawling, unedited, emotional epic illustrating the full story that fans had mythologized for nearly a decade. No longer bound by radio limitations in the streaming era, Taylor had the space to sing her heartbreak in its entirety, without compromise or restraint. And visually, this was also a new format for Taylor, who turned the 10-minute song into a short film, clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, that screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022.

Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien play the central couple, underlining the age difference at the heart of the song. Unlike a traditional music video, Taylor builds a whole narrative with chapters like “An Upstate Escape” and “Are You Real,” with dialogue and scenes that continue even when the song drops away. Visually, it taps into the romance of the Red world, feeling autumnal and glazed with nostalgia at the beginning, before turning blue, sad, and icy as the relationship deteriorates. —TK

“Anti-Hero”

Released on October 21, 2022

Directed by Taylor Swift

This video served as the kickoff to Taylor’s moody, 1970s-drenched Midnights era. Similar to the iconic “Blank Space” video from eight years earlier, this video sees Taylor embodying a narrative about herself, but this time, the narrative is coming from Taylor’s inner critic rather than the media. This song is lyrically dense, with Taylor’s songwriting superpowers taking the form of brutal self-awareness and self-deprecation, which she brings to life in this video by portraying different versions of herself. One version is paralyzed by anxiety and fear, another acts on all of her worst impulses (RIP to the Speak Now koi fish guitar!) and fills the fearful version of herself with more doubt, and a third is both the literal and metaphorical “monster on the hill.” True to Taylor form, it’s also littered with Easter eggs and references that devoted Swifties will be deciphering and referencing for eras to come.

This video is a visual delight, playing with special effects and scale without diminishing the very real and delicate emotions the song alludes to. Perhaps inspired by the creative liberties she adopted making the “All Too Well” short film, “Anti-Hero” drops its vocals for a nearly two-minute scene where Taylor watches from the inside her own coffin in horror as chaos erupts at her own funeral. (Despite the bleakness of that description, it’s actually a very silly and enjoyable addition!) The video ends with all three Taylors coming together to share a bottle of wine, and, hopefully, a brighter outlook on the future. —CH

Head to Spotify now to check out all of Taylor Swift’s music videos.

Photo: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott

‘Materialists’ Director Celine Song Reveals the Inspirations Behind the Film’s Soundtrack

Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima

If you’re a true lover of rom-coms, chances are you’ve had this weekend circled on your calendar. That’s because Materialists, the much-anticipated film starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, finally hits theaters. 

Written and directed by Celine Song, who previously earned an Oscar nomination for her breakout debut Past Lives, the A24-produced film tells the story of Lucy (Dakota Johnson), an actor-turned-romantic matchmaker who avoids true love in her own life. But her world gets turned upside down when she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal) at one of her client’s weddings while simultaneously reconnecting with her old flame, John (Chris Evans).

Like many of the best rom-coms, Materialists features a standout soundtrack that helps the biggest scenes hit the right notes. Whether it’s original music from Japanese Breakfast, or the eclectic range of classic hits that made the final cut, you can find all of the movie’s songs in the Materialists Official Playlist. 

For the Record also spoke with Celine to get the inside scoop on her creative inspirations, how the soundtrack came together, and how those songs help set the tone for the film’s most memorable moments.

Does music play an important role in your creative process? 

Music is in the DNA of the film from the script phase. I write with music on, and usually I play one song on repeat—for Materialists, the song on repeat was “Andalucia” by John Cale. I also scripted most of the songs in Materialists, and my music supervisor, Meg Currier, works closely with me on everything.

How did you use music in Materialists to elevate the storytelling and deepen the audience’s connection to the characters and narrative?

Sound is the most powerful storytelling tool, arguably even more than image—my director of photography, Shabier Kirchner, believes this, too. I created a playlist that I shared with all my department heads early in preproduction. Eventually, for my art department helmed by my production designer, Tony Gasparro, I created playlists for each of the characters that I then shared with all departments. I know they served as inspiration for creating the backstory and fuller life for the characters in every corner of the film.

What was it like to collaborate with Japanese Breakfast?

Heavenly. She loved and understood the film so immediately and deeply. The song “My Baby (Got Nothing At All)” is so beautiful, and it’s the perfect match to the movie.

Were there any themes in Materialists that the music helped bring to life?

There’s such a rich history of songs about loving someone in spite of practical or material challenges, so I was drawn to those songs for the film.

What are some of your favorite movie soundtracks of all time? 

Velvet Goldmine and I’m Not There. Todd Haynes understands music better than any filmmaker.

Discover all of the songs that helped shape the movie with the Materialists Official Playlist:

Writer Diablo Cody and Filmmaker Zelda Williams Talk the Tunes That Help Score ‘Lisa Frankenstein’

The ’80s. A teenage crush. High school drama. And, of course, a corpse. Maybe not what you’d expect for a traditional coming-of-age tale, but all elements that make the new movie Lisa Frankenstein come alive in a fun, twisted way. The film, written by Diablo Cody and directed by Zelda Williams, follows the story of Lisa (Kathryn Newton) as she falls in love with The Creature (Cole Sprouse), a dead body brought back to life in a freak accident.

Much went into the movie’s development and creation, and music was a big source of inspiration. It enhanced Diablo’s creative writing process, and Zelda said that listening to her ’80s favorites put her in the right mindset. To help listeners cultivate the perfect mood, the two created a Spotify playlist that highlights some of their favorite tracks during this period.

For the Record sat down with Diablo and Zelda to dig deeper into their vision and how music created the perfect vibe for bringing the characters to life, or, back from the dead.

Diablo, what made you interested in reimagining Frankenstein?

There’s just something about that Frankenstein mythos that is so irresistible—and it’s not just me. So many filmmakers have gone back to that well, and I think just the idea of doing a Frankenstein story from a female perspective and as this madcap rom-com, it was just something that I hadn’t really seen before, so I thought, “Why not?”

Zelda, what attracted you to the script?

Even as an actor, I very rarely was given comedy scripts, let alone things for young women, that reminded me of the movies that I grew up loving. And so getting to read something that reminded me of a female version of Weird Science or Encino Man or Beetlejuice was just genuinely a joyful thing.

What three words would you use to describe the vibe of Lisa Frankenstein?

Zelda Williams and Diablo Cody on the set of Lisa Frankenstein. Photo Credit: Mason Novick

Diablo: Nostalgic, romantic, and goth.

Zelda: A little violent, wacky, and very fun.

How did you approach picking music for the soundtrack?

Diablo: Well, the movie takes place in 1989, so a lot of it was directly pulled from that late-’80s pop goth vibe of the era. And there were certain songs that I think are just so perfect, like the Pixies’ “Wave Of Mutilation” and Galaxie 500’s “Strange,” which appears in the movie a couple of times. They both have a mystique to them that really suits the narrative. Music and filmmaking are both so emotional, so you just try to kind of capture a vibe [with the two].

Zelda: I was lucky because in the script, there were already songs in there. So even when there were songs we couldn’t end up using, it became its own playlist that was a great jumping-off point for me to deep dive into various artists and find like-minded songs that we did use. “Up the Down Escalator” by The Chameleons was a song I’d always really liked, but to have been able to place it in the movie was really fun. And I didn’t originally intend to use REO Speedwagon in the soundtrack either. That ended up being a place that we found our way to. So it was really great. That exploration was an adventure in and of itself after we finished filming.

If you could pick anthems for the main characters, Lisa and The Creature, what would they be?

Photo Credit: Michele K. Short / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Diablo: I think The Creature is a romantic, so I’m going to give him REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which memorably plays in the movie in a scene beautifully directed by Zelda. And Lisa is a person who is very quiet but has the stirrings of rage inside of her. So I’m going to give her “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus. Just that ominous rumble.

Zelda: I’m torn between two songs that are more representative of them as a couple. I’m one of the biggest Prince fans ever, so “I Would Die 4 U” feels like a very fitting song for the two of them. I put it on my playlist. And then I really love the Fine Young Cannibals and I think “She Drives Me Crazy” is a really funny one for the two of them too.

You both selected songs for a new Spotify playlist. What was your approach?

Diablo: Well, for me, the songs that I chose were music that I listened to while I was writing. So I got really specific with it in terms of it being a direct reflection of my creative process. There’s industrial stuff on there, there’s Ministry, there’s B.F.G., there’s The Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored.” I love that song. And to me, that really captures the feeling of the time. So yeah, it was that kind of stuff that put me in the mood to write this movie.

Zelda: I wanted to stay pretty era-specific at the same time. And for me, the biggest test of any playlist is if I could play it without skips while cooking a long meal. So I tested this one out while cooking curry the other day. And I was a ska kid, believe it or not, so I leaned more into kind of goofy, upbeat. I love a lot of wacky instrumentation, so that’s why stuff like the Fun Boy Three is on mine. I added When In Rome, who we managed to get on our soundtrack, too, which I love. And then it has a little bit of my favorites from Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan because I could listen to them all day, every day. But era-specific cooking night is where I went with the vibe.

What are some of your favorite soundtracks of all time? 

Diablo: Sofia Coppola crushes it every time. Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette. Those soundtracks are immaculate. And then of course I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up Pulp Fiction because I know I beat that soundtrack to death in the ’90s. So that one’s a classic.

Zelda: Pretty in Pink is one of my favorites. And The Lost Boys album is wonderful, like so much of a mood. And then this one might come out of left field, but Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly is genuinely a no-skip album.

What did you enjoy about making this playlist?

Zelda: Obviously, a playlist and music is incredibly important to cinema, but I love that music actually has a life of its own, as well, separate from a movie. That’s one of the lovely things about it: They’re not necessarily always attached to one another. So if nothing else, if people find their way to this music before or even without finding their way to the movie, I think that’s a really beautiful testament to the fact that these things can exist with their own blood flow and their own organs—to be back in the zombie world. They have their own life and I think that’s really beautiful. To be getting to make a Spotify playlist when we made a movie is really wild.

 

Channel the vision of Diablo and Zelda by tuning into their playlist.

 

Watch the trailer for Lisa Frankenstein and catch the movie in local theaters.

 

Main Photo Credit: Michele K. Short / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC