After the release of her 1989 album, it seemed Taylor Swift could do no wrong.
Then 2017 happened.
Obviously, Taylor is still cranking out the hits, and her popularity shows no signs of waning.
However, her carefully cultivated “everybody’s bestie” image has taken some serious hits in the past year.
Taylor’s feud with Kim Kardashian may have made the most waves, but the singer drew criticism for a number of other public dust-ups, as well.
From rumors that Taylor supports Donald Trump to complaints that she attacked her rivals too viciously on her new album, it’s been one PR mini-crisis after another.
Through it all, of course, the most loyal Swifties have stood by their queen.
But the latest Taylor-related controversy might prove to be the last straw for some faithful fans.
Countless corporate tie-ins and bizarre promotional stunts have led to criticism that the already-fabulously wealthy Swift is overly concerned with further enriching herself at the expense of her fans.
Thus far, it’s a strategy that’s paid dividends, but some believe Taylor has gone too far with her latest cash-grab.
Fans who attempted to buy tickets for her upcoming tour experienced major sticker shock when they found that seats cost several times more than on her 1989 tour.
Some potential concertgoers complained that they had hoped to see Taylor in the same venue as last time, but were stunned to find they were being asked to pay 3 to 4 times as much.
“I paid $ 150 for my ticket with amazing seats for the 1989 tour. Now for the same seats I have to pay about $ 500,” tweeted one fan.
It’s a situation that’s resulted in a lot of pissed off Swifties–and a lot of empty seats.
“Sales so far have been a mega disappointment,” one music industry insider tells the New York Post.
“There are hundreds if not thousands of tickets left for every show.”
Fan irritation seems to have been exacerbated by a number of promotions that allow buyers to purchase tickets at a lower price–provided they’re willing to shell out for Taylor’s merchandise.
“To get ‘further in line’ to buy Taylor Swift tickets she wants you [to] buy merch from her … this greedy snake,” tweeted one critic.
As a result of what appear to be major miscalculations by Team Taylor, the Reputation Tour has not sold out a single show thus far.
Tickets have been on sale since Taylor’s birthday, December 13.
Compare that to the 1989 tour, which “sold out in minutes,” according to industry analysts.
In the past year, Taylor has proven that she can feud with other celebrities, and her most devoted fans will only love her more for baring her teeth.
However, if she decides to lock horns with the folks who have made her one of the biggest stars on the planet, that’s a fight she’ll likely regret.
