Most people would never mention Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga in the same sentence, let alone suggest they are complementary.
Swift was raised in rural Pennsylvania, while Lady Gaga grew up in New York City. The former gently strums the guitar, while the latter's tracks are driven by pulsating electronics. One croons innocuous ballads about puppy love, while the other celebrates rough-and-tumble copulation.
Yet despite how little Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga seem to have in common, they make the perfect match. Gaga is the 80-degree angle to Swift's 10; they complement each other to a geometric tee.
It is not that Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga go well together despite their differences. In truth, it is precisely because they have nothing in common with each other (aside from the release of albums in late 2008) that they are a superb pair.
A confession: I adore both.
At best a casual fan of contemporary country, I was pleasantly surprised when a friend cued me into Swift's newest release, "Fearless" (2008). It might be a little "high school" with songs about love at age 15, but beneath the bubbly surface lurks strong songwriting and savvy production. The album's appeal, however, is limited by its quaint charm. It's neither dark enough to allure during times of stress nor raucous enough to inspire festivity.
Likewise, Lady Gaga was an unexpected discovery. Her first studio album, "The Fame" (2008), sounds like Britney with the wind still beneath her sails, and is a cocky, raunchy and undeniably infectious debut. Despite these qualities, "The Fame" is ultimately limited by its pop antics. So catchy it becomes repetitive, its electric beats and trance-like singing begin to seem nearly apocalyptic after repeated listening.
When Swift and Lady Gaga's deficiencies are compared, however, it becomes clear that each is the answer to the other. It's as if Lady Gaga is Swift's corrupt older sister. Taylor might not have discovered night clubs and casual sex yet, but Lady Gaga can clue her in. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga's worldliness and experience make her seem haggard and a little dangerous next to Swift's youthful charm.
Too much Lady Gaga? Blast "Fifteen" and try to visualize Lady Gaga shyly flirting with the "senior boy." The reverse is also true -- can anyone imagine Swift singing "If it's not rough it isn't fun"?
The simultaneous popularity of both Swift and Lady Gaga should hearten music fans. Pop music is frequently accused of being stifling, letting only certain artists who conform to a corporate mold achieve stardom. As restrictive as this paradigm may be, at the very least Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga represent the best of two very different worlds, adding much needed variety to pop music playlists.
