TAY CUTS THROUGH THE NOISE

Her record-breaking streams and video views have been thoroughly chronicled. But what's really struck us, over the past several days, is how Taylor Swift has once again demonstrated her mastery at cutting through the noise in the marketplace.

Her earned media is through the roof. Chatter on the socials is deafening. Her UPS tie-in commercial has gotten mad play on major TV and Internet outlets (including platforms outside the typical purview of music marketing, such as ESPN).

Regardless of your position on the new single, you were (and probably still are) talking about it.

The upshot: Awareness of the new song and pending album is staggeringly high, not just among fans but among casual denizens of the mediascape.