PATREON FOR WEEKLY EPISODES: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist Taylor Swift's reputation era is much lauded as one of her most concise, aesthetically thematic, and sonically jarring eras. To no one's surprise, we concur with this estimation. However, much gets lost in hindsight. Though her career recovered fairly quickly, there were numerous hiccups in the roll-out to reputation that were actually....kind of a big deal. Alt-right sympathizer allegations?! Is the ACLU getting involved? It's a lot. We cover it all, from the conclusion of her trial to the iconic Instagram wipe, Look What You Made Me Do music video, and her brand new approach to being a pop star. There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation! MERCH: https://www.evolutionofasnake.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-evolution-of-a-snake/message

Welcome back to another episode of boots-on-the-ground journalism. The bone collector returns to serve a delicious meal: what, exactly, is the Taylor Swift origin story? We know the official narrative: plucky girl meets guitar, moves to Nashville, gets discovered at the Blue Bird Cafe and the rest is history. Was there more to it than that? If the recently resurfaced emails from Scott Swift's 2005 legal dispute with Taylor's former manager are to be taken seriously, then yes. We take an analytical lens to the essential role Taylor's hapless and bumbling, aw-shucks parents played in her rise to stardom & reevaluate her creative partnership with Scott Borchetta along the way too. Don't forget to join our Patreon for an exclusive discussion on the rise and fall of Gaylor! https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-evolution-of-a-snake/message

Well, here we are again snakes...back at it again to break down all of the most juicy insights & learnings from Taylor Swift's groundbreaking feature in TIME Magazine. Covering the whole scope of her career, Sam Lansky talks with the head reptile in charge about every little thing: from The Eras Tour to Travis Kelce, Taylor's Version, and her ongoing redemption narrative. We take an exacting lens to exactly what was said (and more interestingly, what wasn't) in the broadest 'access' we've had to her psyche in years. For more deep dives like these and weekly episodes, subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-evolution-of-a-snake/message

Welcome back to the Evolution of a Snake. Today's episode is the final Taylor Talk of 2023 and boy it's a doozy. We give some space to discuss the final leg of this year's Eras Tour, including the grave tragedy that took place in Rio de Janeiro. Elsewhere, we discuss the success of the Eras Tour Film, the flop of the Black Friday Merch, and whether or not Taylor Swift is the Person of the Year. Don't forget to sign up for the Patreon to hear from us three more times before the end of the year! https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-evolution-of-a-snake/message

In this episode, The Snakes attend to the most pressing matter in the Taylor Nation: the re-release of the HBIC, the pop girlie who took no prisoners and changed the game. On the agenda today is an analysis of the minute (and sometimes overt) differences between the Stolen Versions & Taylor's Versions, an impending billionaire status that leaves a sour taste, and for the very first time an in-depth lyric analysis of each vault track. Harry Styles, as a muse, you were everything. Thank you! Make sure to subscribe to our Patreon for the video accompaniment to this episode. https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist The crossover that no one asked for but we're giving it to you anyway. Caroline Calloway is so many things: writer, snake oil saleswoman, alleged scammer, Floridian, New Yorker, and apparently....a Swiftie? She talks Taylor with The Snakes on a variety of subjects ranging from The Eras Tour, to Gaylor bisexuality, and Matty Healy. And of course, her ongoing beef with Natalie Beach. Make sure to buy her memoir 'SCAMMER,' and pre-order the remaining two books in her trilogy at: https://carolinecalloway.com/

Welcome back to Taylor Talk, a monthly segment in which The Snakes dissect the current affairs in the Taylor Nation. On the docket today: Taylor's monster on the hill appearance at the VMAs, her various fashion wins from this colder portion of the year, Swiftie hysteria over the new purse in town, 1989 vault and a debate on the appropriate conduct for a swiftie in a movie theatre when watching a certain concert film. Enjoy! FOR MORE EOAS: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist

MADELINE'S NEW SUBSTACK, THE LIZARD REVIEW: https://thelizardreview.substack.com/ OUR PATREON (DISCORD ACCESS): https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now, she's (almost) dead. In the lead-up to 2017's legendary 'reputation', Ms. Swift is struggling with the fallout from the most apocalyptic year of her career. Marred in scandal and reassessing the fundamental elements of her life as a public figure and a private person, what seems like a year of hibernation was, in hindsight, actually quite active. The Snakes delve into the weeds of this year: from Katy Perry's overdue response to Bad Blood to the emergence of Joe Alwyn, and the pivotal sexual assault trial initiated by former DJ David Mueller.

Welcome to the first public monthly episode of Taylor Talk; in which The Snakes report back on the latest and greatest news from the Taylor Nation. In today's dispatch, Zack and Madeline discuss the announcement of 1989 (Taylor's Version) and speculate on the production credits and the content of the fabled 'amazing' vault tracks. Karlie Kloss, a noted crook who was caught, pops up on this hallowed occasion, and a girlie called Chelsea recreates the ENTIRE Eras Tour in her living room with the help of her long-suffering family. There's much more where this came from on the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist

In this episode, we present the Snake Nation with a full-length preview of what lives behind the paywall. In our monthly voice mail segment, we answer your most pressing questions about happenings in the Taylor Nation and the world of pop culture. We record this segment once a month & our patrons enjoy this, our more focused 'Taylor Talk,' and listener requested deep-dives that we call 'Besties Episodes' on patreon.com/swiftologist every single month. With video accompaniments too if that's your thing. PLUS! Access to our very lively, highly active discord full of reasonable, snarky snakes. Come join us!

In this episode, The Snakes delve into the dark and stormy waters of Speak Now (Taylor's Version). Each re-recording is dutifully compared against the stolen counterpart and assessed on a scale from I Knew You Were Trouble to Tell Me Why. There's an elephant in the room of course, which prompts some debate: the lyric change in Better Than Revenge. Was it blasphemous, or no big deal? Opinions may vary, and in this episode, they certainly do. The episode is concluded with an analysis of the Vault Tracks & a scathing critique of the baseless, bland, and boring 'reviews' of this project and a commentary on the media's response to the re-recordings at large. Don't forget to visit patreon.com/swiftologist for a full video episode.

In this episode, The Snakes revisit the first night of The Eras Tour in Chicago. It was happy, free, confused, lonely, miserable, and magical. All at the same damn time. There's an in depth dissection of the extremely lengthy and involved setlist, a frank analysis of our fellow swifties around us, and an overall vibe check on what it's like to sit on the floor for the biggest tour of all time. This episode is not sponsored by our house down boots, which tore up our feet in ways you can't even begin to imagine. Come join us on the Discord for more content from our in-person reunion after 7 years!

The shot heard around the world. A highly demanded recap of the final half of Taylor Swift's most disastrous year. We begin our story in the Getaway Car, and quickly head off to the UK where the Cobra engages in some truly deranged behavior, before a whirlwind summer of romance, drama, and truly great outfits. Hiddleswift is at its peak when the walls come crashing down: Kim Kardashian's illegal, doctored recording of Taylor Swift's conversation with Kanye West, leads to the #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty and #SnakeGate. The aftershock of a public flogging reverberate throughout the year, as the Cobra wavers in her commitment to remaining unbothered. Throughout, The Snakes take a critical view of the cancelation, while painting the picture of what it was like to live through it as a fan in real-time.

Well snakes, here we are. Another emergency episode. To discuss the shot heard around the world: the demise of Toe. In this episode, The Snakes detangle the various clues & cryptic easter eggs that have been dropped over the years about the nature of Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn's 6 year relationship. Following a playlist created to chart Taylor's inner journey, your favourite armchair analysts speculate and hypothesise about what triggered the fallout, how the relationship started, and where each of them are headed next. Make sure to check out the Patreon for more unfiltered discussion on this subject! PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0hfL9l41XYaFV91RwzTMGo?si=f8c838438de242ea

In this episode of Evolution of a Snake, Taylor Swift's Stadium Show, The Eras Tour Tour is thoroughly dissected, appreciated, and critiqued. Zack & Madeline try their best to decipher the mental machinations of the HSIC (Head Snake In Charge) to discover why she chose certain songs and not others. It's a tremendous tour de force that really turns the idea of a 'touring artist' on its head: just how big can a show be? How much stamina, prowess, and power can one pop star have? The Snakes delve into all this and more.

Buckle in, snakes. Madeline and Zack are doing a free-dive into one of the most unhinged places on the internet: Ashley Leechin's TikTok. You may know her for allegedly resembling Taylor Swift. Or, perhaps you know her for getting disinvited to the Grammys. Madeline is the bone collector, and she has unearthed the most incredible bones on this subject. It goes so much further, deeper, and weirder than you think. On this special episode of the Evolution of a Snake, we reprise Madeline's citizen journalism skills (made famous in noon roast on a Sunday) for yet another unhinged recap of internet mess. Girl, we are living. Head to 'Swiftologist' on YouTube for a FULL video episode. 

We did it, Joe. We finally made our Patreon. In today's episode, Zack & Madeline approach a breadth of topics: the Lavender Haze music video, Taylor's filmmaking ambitions, the impending eras tour, and the launch of our paywalled content which brings the Evolution of a Snake into your earbuds twice a month on top of the regularly scheduled programming. Whether you want cutting room floor content, an episode made just for you, or a video companion to everything you hear from here on out – we've got it for you on patreon.com/swiftologist. 

The Snakes are back with hotter takes than ever. In this episode, Madeline and Zack revisit Taylor Swift's 10th Studio Album. There's a state-of-the-union vibe check on the fandom & an honest, frank, but loving discussion on the positives and negatives of the songwriting, promotion, and release of Midnights. On the agenda: Jack Antonoff's undeniable footprint, future singles, a chat about the visuals, and speculation about where she's headed next sonically & professionally. 

It's finally here. The most dreaded and requested episode in four years. It's time for chaos, karma, vengeance, and the #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty. This first episode takes us from the beginning of the year to Bleachella and the Met Gala. The breakdown of Tayvin is unearthed with some shocking new revelations (and a heavy dose of informed speculation...) alongside an excavation of some very, extremely iconic candids. The release of Famous causes a stir and officially reignites the dormant feud between Kanye and Taylor. The 1989 era is on its way out, but not before some ridiculousness at the 2016 Grammy Awards where Taylor wins Album of the Year and spends her speech settling scores. From there, it's complete and utter chaos. Buckle in! 

Here we are again, Swifties. With another deep-dive, first impressions & review of the fabled TS10: Midnights. In this episode, the album is batted around like a brand-new tennis ball. Some topics on the agenda: Taylor's shifting POV as a protagonist and a narrator, the breadth and depth of sonic experimentation on this record, Lana Del Rey's criminal excision, Jack Antonoff's heavy touch, the general concept of Tayvoodoo and the imperative fact that Karma is Taylor Swift's boyfriend. All that on more on this mammoth episode. 

Welcome back, swifties. Zack and Madeline interrupt the regularly scheduled programming to go over a few key current affairs. TS10, heard of it? By now you certainly have. Midnights is on the horizon and we are, frankly, in a state of panic. It's a global emergency. In this episode, The Snakes dive into the 2022 VMA's. The fashions, tea, and symbolicalness of it all. Predictions are made. Revelations are shared. They answer your questions. 

In the final part of 2015, there’s plenty to discuss. Hot off the VMAs, Taylor releases the Wildest Dreams music video and receives some backlash while turning out looks. Turns out the back half of this year was kind of cursed. The 1989 Ryan Adams version comes out to absolutely no one’s enjoyment. Todrick Hall (noted villain) enters the canon. Then, there is a lengthy discussion of what is potentially Taylor’s most revealing magazine profile: her GQ interview and cover shoot. We dive deep into the Katy Perry nonsense & take a moment to analyze how this moment altered the trajectory of her career forever. The year concludes with the bittersweet end of the 1989 tour, Out of the Woods music video, and a particularly heinous article by public intellectual Camille Paglia.

By some miracle, 2015: Part 2 has emerged. In this episode, Zack and Madeline delve into the second half of Taylor’s most chaotic year. In hindsight, it’s full of powerful foreshadowing, embarrassing blunders, and the beginning of a shift that drastically changed Taylor Swift’s relationship with fame. We begin this episode with the Apple Music letter, and go on to discuss some 1989 tour gossip, the absolutely unhinged Nicki Minaj/Katy Perry feud, and the fateful 2015 #SQUAD VMAs. Throughout, interviews are analyzed with a critical gaze, and so is the rise of a new genre of think piece: the Taylor Swift Takedown. There was so much going on we had to make 2015: Part 3...stay tuned! 

In a series first for The Evolution of a Snake, Madeline and Zack dive deep into another artist's discography. Well, if you can call it that. In the wake of another round of comparison, Olivia's potential as the heir-apparent to the diaristic songwriting throne is discussed judiciously but with skepticism. With three smash hits and a headlining tour underway...is Olivia ready, willing, or able to take over? Not if The Snakes have anything to say about it. After all, heavy is the head that wears the crown. 

Well, back by popular demand, here is the year-by-year update. We've finally reached the most chaotic (and potentially...dislikable?) time in Taylor Swift's career. She is quite literally, girl bossing too close to the sun. We begin the year with a PR spin from Tree Paine and a few red carpet events. Surprisingly, this half of the year is FULL of great gowns, beautiful gowns. Later on, Taylor gets her first VOGUE cover but unfortunately has to share it with the crook who was caught. She's Instagramming all day long. She's refreshing her dashboard on Tumblr. And that's where we get into some ancient history on the origins of the swifties eating each other alive. Regrettably this is the year where we must start talking about Calvin Harris, AKA flop DJ and/or The Evil Man. There are award shows, announcements, music videos, and a whole new tour to digest and dissect. Join us for this first part and thank you for your patience! Keep up with us on IG @evolutionofasnake. 

Welcome back to another episode of The Evolution of a Snake. Due to production constraints (Zack being tired) we were unable to squeeze in 2015: Part 1 before the end of the year. But fear not, we're back with a special holiday treat. In this episode we revisit Sounds of the Season and rank our top 10 Taylor Swift songs with a fun little twist. Thanks for listening this year and we can't wait to keep it going for our fourth year (!!) in 2022. 

In this episode, Madeline and Zack dive into the re-release of Taylor's most confounding record: the bright, burning, Red. On the agenda today is a plethora of topics; there are some throwbacks to Easter eggs from the past, a review of Taylor's recent (and excellent) promotional appearances, and some reminiscing about the original release week with the context of what we know now about her emotional state in 2012. Things heat up when they discuss the copycat recordings (which, like Red, are completely all over the place) and excessive praise is lavished over the truly compelling and wonderfully intricate vault tracks. Madeline gives a blow by blow account of experience with her "white boy of the millennium" being cast in a Taylor Swift production. To top it off, they dissect the All Too Well: Short Film and psychoanalyse Jake x Taylor.  Catch up with us on Twitter @tswiftpodcast, and on Instagram @evolutionofasnake.  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesnakes donate here if you'd like to support this ad-free, long form podcast. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year: album release season. Join us on an incredibly convoluted journey through many a revealing interview (Rolling Stone, WSJ, British Vogue) and Taylor Swift The Girlboss rises to the apex of her power. We begin at the 2014 VMA's, where Taylor begins an embarrassing trend of being completely unable to hit the Shake it Off high note. We move on to the ignition of a monumental beef with Miss Katy Perry, and discuss what the true motivations behind this smear campaign were. Taylor's general neuroses about privacy and safety are discussed at length. The Secret Sessions make their first appearance and shake the music industry for years to come. We go through the motions of building hype for 1989, reviewing her choice of pre-release tracks and eventually getting into the entire album. Spoiler alert: back to back bangers, it slaps, probably a bulletproof album in hindsight. We receive a groundbreaking music video and discuss the power of her pen in Blank Space. Of course, there is some Haylor tea. The year ends with the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and a fall down the stairs on NYE. If you're interested in supporting this podcast, visit  http://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesnakes                

Well, we've finally made it to the legendary 1989 era. It's perhaps the juiciest, and most significant landmark in the life and times of Taylor Swift. In this episode, we discuss some major shifts in the Snake's personal life: moving to New York, cutting her hair short, and becoming friends with Karlie Kloss and Lena Dunham. Throughout the year, we see many sartorial shifts which renegotiate her public image. The famed crop tops, remember them? A new cat is purchased, there's a bug in her hair in the last leg of The Red Tour, and after months of clues and build-up the 1989 livestream on Yahoo finally takes place. Tune in to hear Madeline and Zack's analysis on what this all means, and how it potentially sets the Snake up for disaster in later years. 

Fearless (Taylor's Version) was a stroll down memory lane, so we're taking one with you in this episode. We revisit the highs and lows of the iconic, faux country extravaganza, and express our dismay towards the vault songs and *certain* re-recordings which were perhaps recorded in a toaster. As always, we extend our congratulations to The Snake on the maintenance of her status as The World's Most Insane Person. There is some chatter about the new merch (and Austin Swift's secret side gig) as well as some speculation on where we go from here. @tsfolklore and @hoaxlakes on twitter. 

After our surprise evermoreology drop, we've been inspired to keep chatting nonsense about our favorite reptilian. Take a journey with us through the tumultuous year of 2013, with its plethora of highs, lows, dramas, and bad looks serves. We begin the year with the iconic shot of Taylor sitting alone on a boat, post the mysterious (and evidently explosive) fall out from the Haylor Drama, which continues to plague us at the Grammy's and the VMA's. Some seeds are planted this year, or Easter Eggs if you will, that lead to the absolute carnage of 2014. We've got good and bad performances, a full run-down of the red tour including random fans on stage and rule discourse, and many perplexing outfits to dissect.  podcast twitter: @tswiftpodcast host twitters: @hoaxlakes & @tsfolklore

Well, here's another unplanned episode spurred on by Taylor Swift's lockdown insanity. Zack and Madeline dive into evermore, drawing comparisons between its predecessor and the rest of the discography. Certain tracks are hotly debated, fawned over, or despised. The new transition to fictional narratives is one that proves fruitful for discussion, as clues are given to potential real life inspirations. Two recent swiftie dramas are discussed, and the fandom elders are displeased with recent events. Who is the ultimate grand supreme, folklore or evermore? Tune in to find out!