Heartbreak Is the National Anthem

How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music

De: Rob Sheffield

Narrado por: Rob Sheffield

An intimate look at the life and music of modern pop’s most legendary figure, Taylor Swift, from leading music journalist Rob Sheffield.

A cultural phenomenon. A worldwide obsession. An agent of emotional chaos. There’s no parallel to Taylor Swift in history: a teenage girl who turns into the world’s favorite pop star, songwriter, storyteller, guitar hero, live performer, changing how music is made and heard. An all-time great on the level of The Beatles, Prince, or David Bowie.

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music is the first book that goes deep on the musical and cultural impact of Taylor Swift. Nobody can tell the story like Rob Sheffield, the bestselling and award-winning author of Dreaming the Beatles, On Bowie, and Love Is a Mix Tape. The legendary Rolling Stone journalist is the writer who has chronicled Taylor for every step of her long career, from her early days to the Eras Tour. Sheffield gets right to the heart of Swift and her music, her lyrics, her fan connection, her raw power.

At once one of the most beloved music figures of the past two decades and one of the most criticized, Taylor Swift is known as much for her life beyond her music as she is for her hits—the most public of stars, yet also the weirdest and most mysterious. In the tradition of Sheffield’s Dreaming the Beatles, Heartbreak Is the National Anthem will inform and delight a legion of fans who hang on every word from Taylor and every word Rob writes on her.

©2024 Rob Sheffield (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

The author reading his own words makes the audio book special

I really enjoyed listening to Rob Sheffield read his own book. There’s definitely some new information in here that I hadn’t heard before, so content wise, this is a pretty deep dive. Hearing him read even the timeline at the beginning was an experience I wouldn’t have had if I’d only picked the book up in print. I felt it when he leaned into the rhythmic recurrence of “…and the media talked about her boyfriends” after so many milestones on the timeline.

Happily, the boyfriends are relegated primarily to the timeline. Sheffield really gives us something new to sink our teeth into.

I happen to think Matty Healy has been a much greater influence on her music, and over a longer period of time, than Sheffield. She tells us in “Fresh Out The Slammer”, that“she swirled you into all of my poems”. “You” is Matty of course. But that’s most beautiful things about being a car-magnet-sporting-Swifty, we all get to draw our own conclusions.

It was an earnest performance of the text, very emotive. I definitely wept a bit as I listened, and, if I’m not mistaken, his voice sounded a little choked up in a smattering of the tender bits. I’m really glad I got to hear him reading this! I am still going to need a print copy, because this thing is an excellent reference! It’s not super easy to flip through an audio book.

It’s an engaging piece of writing, and I absolutely expect to listen again! It’s worth that. Well done!

A must for Swift fans

This is the perfect marriage of fandom and critical analysis. Check it out if you’re a fan of pop or Taylor Swift!

What he said about Taylor

My perfect walking and crazy holiday traffic companion. Finished this audio book in a flash. Rob Sheffield chronicled Taylor's journey perfectly. This confirms why i agree that Taylor is a genius especially with her songs and albums... but also that she is just a human being and woman who gets hurt, frustrated and misunderstood.

Unbiased colorization of the wonderland of Taylor Swift

I loved the way he wove the triplicity of Taylor Swift into this biography, touching on themes that others forfeit for tired tropes that Taylor herself has said is satire.

Rob Sheffield is My Long Lost Bestie

I’m a Gen-X Swiftie like Rob Sheffield. I connected to his love of New Romanticism because I too grew up with that. I’m enjoying his thoughtful analysis of Taylor Swift history. He can throw down TSwift Lyrics like no one else. Genius upon genius. The true tea is here. 💖😎🐍🦋

A really good insight into taylor swift

I really like how is written and how is structured but the best part by far is the love and enthusiasm that shines and slippers throw the book.

Loved it!

Fun, insightful, and well written. I would recommend this to anyone. Love the perspective of Taylor, but with the acknowledgment that it is from a specific fan's point of view.

It’s clever and kind

It jumped around for me. Not super straight forward but if you like Taylor you’ll enjoy it

Disappointed

I’m not sure why I can’t return this but there’s absolutely nothing new or interesting in this book. I stopped listening

Half of the book is an autobiography of the author

He spends way too many words telling about his own mother and childhood. I appreciated the insights into Taylor Swift, but it was nothing that most fans don't already know. Old news written up to make a buck. I stopped listening after chapter 14. And really, are all of the F bombs necessary? In a book about Taylor Swift? Certainly the editor should have caught this and made the author clean up his language.