LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 20: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Taylor Swift, winner of Favorite Pop … [+]
Just a few days ago, the news broke that Taylor Swift has a new official single, though the song itself isn’t actually new. “Cruel Summer” was initially featured on Swift’s album Lover, which she released in 2019. While the singer herself loves the track and initially planned for it to become a single from the album, the global COVID-19 pandemic halted all plans, and she was never allowed to promote it as a single. Now, due to an increase in interest and incredible streaming numbers, the song is being propelled as the latest single from Lover, even though the album has been out for almost four years.
Swift’s legion of fans is thrilled about the news, and they can’t wait to see what happens with the catchy electro-pop song. If Swift and her team are serious about not just sharing the tune as fan service but making it a real proper hit, they should find the time and resources to make a music video for “Cruel Summer,” which many of her fans have been begging for.
The addition of a music video could be incredibly helpful when pushing “Cruel Summer” to new heights on the Billboard charts. YouTube views do factor into where a song ranks on the Hot 100, so if a musician pairs a rising hit with a viral video, it can have fantastic consequences.
Depending on the creative direction, a music video for “Cruel Summer” could also help the tune in its attempt to be named the song of the summer. Not only will a video be useful when sending the track up the charts, but it might help it stick in people’s minds. The right visual can be quite memorable, and Swift is used to producing these. If she wants the song of the summer, she could create a music video that reflects the season and works perfectly with the song.
At this point in her career, Taylor Swift is not worried about money, but that doesn’t mean she wants to leave any on the table. “Cruel Summer” is already making her plenty of cash from streams and sales, and radio play will soon make her an even richer woman. A music video that performs well on YouTube could also net the singer-songwriter hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, based on how well it performs on the video hosting site.
Just as she doesn’t need any more money, Taylor Swift is also not hurting when it comes to awards. “Cruel Summer” could be submitted for the Grammys later this year, though Swift has a lot of eligible music, so it’s unclear what she will decide to focus on. A music video for “Cruel Summer” could be included in her submissions for the Best Music Video category, something she has won before. “Cruel Summer” lends itself to a lush, special-effects-laden, colorful visual, the kind that Grammy voters often love. So, another high-profile, high-budget music video might net her yet another trophy.
A music video is a surefire sign that a song is not just being “promoted,” but that the musician and her record label are spending real resources on it. If a label wants to dish out hundreds of thousands of dollars or even a million dollars for a music video that looks and feels expensive, it means they have faith in its future performance. If “Cruel Summer” were to earn such a music video, it would legitimize the track and prove that even though it’s four years old, it still has a place in today’s pop landscape.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/06/21/taylor-swifts-cruel-summer-deserves-a-music-video-and-it-makes-good-business-sense-too/