Taylor Swift's songs are well known for their description of various roller coaster relationships. These relationships have evolved during Swift's long career as a pop superstar. But how have the sentiments conveyed in Swift's songs changed in this time, and what light can science throw on this important issue?
Now Megan Mansfield and Darryl Seligman from the University of Chicago have an answer of sorts. "We show, for the first time, how Swift’s lyrical and melodic structure have evolved in their representation of emotions over a timescale of τ ∼ 14 yr," they say.
Their results could be useful for Swift, or indeed anyone, in choosing a partner in the future. "We provide tentative indications that partners with blue eyes and/or bad reputations may lead to overall less positive emotions, while those with green or indigo-colored eyes may produce more positive emotions and stronger relationships," says Mansfield and Seligman.
However, they also include a disclaimer: "We stress that these trends are based on small sample sizes, and more data are necessary to validate them."
