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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 2d

I will stop posting about Taylor Swift soon, I promise, but the latest sales figures are astonishing.

She sells records - actual, physical records - like streaming never happened.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Taylor Swift's new album breaks her own sales records

The star gets the biggest first-week sales of her career in the UK; and sets new records in the US.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 5d

The “unhappy artist” cliché is neither true nor helpful. What about It Must Be Love, Maybe I’m Amazed, Isn’t She Lovely, One Day Like This, the entirety of Ray of Light, etc?

Your point about the tank running dry is more apt - although I think there’s still some great writing on Showgirl.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 5d

This sucks. He was having such a good time on stage at Wembley last weekend. Hoping for a speedy recovery.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oasis guitarist Bonehead pulls out tour after cancer diagnosis

One of the band's founding members says he will be miss some upcoming shows for treatment.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 5d

“Even Taylor Swift’s worst ideas have a way of working out.”

Even in my wildest dreams, I couldn’t describe Taylor’s album with as much verve and insight and joy-in-writing as Tom. The definitive review?

tombreihan.bsky.social @tombreihan.bsky.social · 5d

Wrote about The Life Of A Showgirl, babe.

Premature Evaluation: Taylor Swift 'The Life Of A Showgirl'

Here’s the best advice I can give you: Don’t worry about Taylor Swift’s conduct. You are not her mom, and you are not her therapist. If she wants to empty both barrels into another pop star, that does...

www.stereogum.com

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 6d

This is such a good analogy. I’ll credit you in every interview where I steal it this morning!!

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 6d

There’s a tacit admission that she’s unable to compete with Chappell, Charli, Lola and all the messy pop girls. But that’s ok.

I’d have liked a Blank Space or I Knew You Were Trouble - but equally, I can live without a bad facsimile of those big pop moments.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 6d

I feel like we were all expecting 2008-era Max Martin, when his most recent productions have been more atmospheric and subtle.

I felt the album was a good balance between the writing of Folklore and his melody-first approach.

Agree on the lack of singles, though - but Opalite is v catchy.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 6d

Romance! Scorn! Knob jokes!

Absolutely loved The Life of a Showgirl. The first ever Taylor Swift album to make me laugh out loud in public.

Full review/ brain dump on the Beeb.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Taylor Swift: The Diary of a Showgirl is a triumphant pop victory lap

Taylor Swift's 12th album is a breathtakingly fun pop record, capturing the joy of falling in love.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 7d

She should be told!

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 7d

I grew to like TTPD over time, but it needed a lot of pruning. There is a superb 12-track album hiding in there.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 7d

Does anyone else's nose go all tickly when they use an electric toothbrush, or am I doing it wrong?

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 7d

My name's at the top of this piece, but all the really impressive stuff was done by Luke Mintz and our Visual Journalism team. Kudos to them. Best in the business.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

How Taylor Swift made herself too big to fail - BBC News

With a passionate fandom and chart supremacy, it seems like nothing can damage Taylor Swift, as expectation about her new album grows.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 8d

On previous tours, I’ve often felt Lady Gaga’s ambition was let down by the execution. Not this time. 5 black stars for a gothic night of opulence.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lady Gaga serves mayhem, magic and a few surprises as UK tour launches

The pop star brings her Mayhem Ball to the UK, throwing in a few unexpected surprises along the way.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 9d

The whole poster is a delight

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 9d

This is really smart and clear. Scott, as always, has his eyes on the ball. (A big sparkly mirrorball, but I digress…)

Scott Reid @ascottreid.bsky.social · 9d

What’s that? A chance to write about misinformation and Eurovision? Potentially the most on-brand thing I’ll ever write. escinsight.com/2025/09/29/f...

Fighting False Information And Rumours Around Eurovision's Israel Vote

The Social Media Song, San Marino 2012 (image: EBU/YouTube)

escinsight.com

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 9d

Ooops! Here’s the link I meant to include in the original post.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Raye on hit song Where Is My Husband! and five-year plan to start a family

Chatting with her sisters, the pop star says her new single, Where Is My Husband!, is a pop manifesto.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 9d

Raye’s Where Is My Husband, isn’t just a viral hit, it’s a manifesto!

So, soo good to catch up with her (and to meet her sisters Amma and Absolutely) last week. Full interview on the BBC News website.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 10d

Somehow, these are Frosted Shreddies

Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 12d

I had the chance to speak to Stray Kids - the fifth-biggest selling act IN THE WORLD - about chart dominaton, insane workloads and the intimate bond they have with fans.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Stray Kids downplay their global fame: 'Success is a strong word'

As the K-pop idols continue to break records, they stay focused on making music and meeting fans.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 15d

That time I asked Lulu for vocal warm-up tips.

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Reposted by Mark Savage

Grant Sharples @grantsharpies.bsky.social · 16d

I actually ran the same marathon but faster and also used a fake name so I’m sorry but you can’t look it up. You’re just gonna have to take my word for it

Stereogum @stereogum.bsky.social · 16d

Harry Styles ran the Berlin Marathon in under three hours. He registered for the race under the pseudonym Sted Sarandos.

Harry Styles Ran The Berlin Marathon In Under Three Hours Under A Fake Name

Say what you will about poptimism, but being an actively touring pop star for over a decade really does wonders for your endurance. Take Harry Styles, for example, who’s been running around singing in...

www.stereogum.com

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Reposted by Mark Savage

Ian Wade @wadeywade.bsky.social · 19d

The top ten features three tunes from Demon Hunters, three from Sabrina Carpenter and three* from Olivia Dean. (*one is technically a feature with Sam Fender) and one song from Sombr. Olivia's occasional trio in the top ten has made her the first UK female turn since Adele to dominate in such a way.

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 20d

Joy Crookes’s gorgeous new album Juniper is out today. So we had a big chat about how it’s inspired by Van Morrison and Marvin Gaye and artists who aren’t afraid to let their imperfections shine.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Joy Crookes on her new album Juniper and 'letting go' of perfectionism

The singer says she avoided the second-album slump as she

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 22d

This is fascinating... One of Japan's biggest hitmakers agreed to a songwriting contest with an AI programme trained on his music.

The pop band AKB48 recorded a song by each "composer" - and let fans decide which one to release as a single.

The AI won.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Japanese girl group AKB48 release AI-assisted single after fan vote

Pop group AKB48 asked fans to pick their next single from a song written by humans and another by AI.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mark Savage @mrdiscopop.bsky.social · 23d

I went record shopping with Mark Ronson, who’s just written a book about his early career as a DJ.

Watch the whole thing on BBC iPlayer today!

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

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