#LookWhatYouMadeMeDo: Taylor Swift divides the web with ‘edgy’ new single

Taylor Swift has dropped her first single from her upcoming album Reputation, and it has split the web down the middle.

Superfans have called “Look What You Made Me Do” “savage” and “grownup”, while others have deemed it faux edgy and yet another play of the victim card.

I’m so excited 🤗🤗🤗I love your new song @taylorswift13 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️#LookWhatYouMadeMeDo

— Aleksandraaa (@olly811) August 25, 2017

taylor might as well have named her album Yet Another Victim Card #Reputation#TS6IsComing#LookWhatYouMadeMeDo

— ya girl (@aeslinn) August 25, 2017

Both the hate and the love work in Swift’s favour, though, as she and the song trended in the top two spots worldwide Friday morning, with the YouTube video reaching one million views in just a few hours.

“Look What You Made Me Do” is about a checklist of people who have wronged Swift in the past — subtweeting the likes of Kanye West, Kim Kardashian-West, Katy Perry and gossip media.

“I’ve got a list of names and yours is in red underlined,” she sings, drawing on Game of Thrones’ Arya Stark’s hit list. 

“Oh, look what you made me do,” she repeats in the chorus — though what she actually did remains to be seen.

Some have found issue with the refrain, pointing out that it sounds like an abuser blaming a victim.

Only crazy people say things like “Look What You Made Me Do”

— natalie tran (@natalietran) August 25, 2017

“Look What You Made Me Do” suggests it is the victim’s fault that the abuser hurt them. It’s not cute or empowering, it’s abuse.

— HRT C’est Kevvie (@cestkevvie) August 25, 2017

Taylor Swift’s single ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ using the language of abuse to repudiate people she hates is…not a good look

— Donna Dickens (@MildlyAmused) August 25, 2017

Another sore point is that the song uses the 1990s hit “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred as inspiration for the melody — in fact, members of the band have been credited as songwriters in Swift’s single.

So, @taylorswift13‘s #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo kindof reminds me of something. Wait for it… pic.twitter.com/oC8RnBFsfQ

— Chase Holfelder (@chaseholfelder) August 25, 2017

Thank you @taylorswift13❤️ what a marvellous reinvention! #imtoosexy#lookwhatyoumademedohttps://t.co/malXQ8uMQe

— Right Said Fred (@TheFreds) August 25, 2017

But Swift fans are unbothered by all of this.

I’m shook. And in love. #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo #TaylorSwiftIsBack pic.twitter.com/8DGeeHmuZ4

— A // Kelsea TOMORROW (@SwiftlyMatched) August 25, 2017

Instead, what they’ve latched onto is a spoken line about the “old Taylor” being dead.

2012: “He calls me up & he’s like I still love you”

2017: “The old Taylor can’t come to the phone…cause she’s dead” #LookWhatYouMadeMeDo pic.twitter.com/8cEgd1TF0a

— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSwiftLA) August 25, 2017

“I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now.”

“Why?”

“Oh, ’cause she’s dead.”
👻👻👻👻#LookWhatYouMadeMeDopic.twitter.com/ANdmB9QPfa

— BBC Radio1 Breakfast (@R1Breakfast) August 25, 2017

Get ready to hear Swift’s new music everywhere in three… two… one.

Featured image: Eva Rinaldi via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0, resized)