Taylor Swift -- Shake It Off

If you're reading this, you're probably thinking "I thought this was a blog about country music?" And you're right-- it is. Taylor Swift hasn't released a true country song in years. Heck, she flat out said in yesterday's Yahoo Live Stream that her new record "1989" is her first documented pop album. Because of this I won't feature her often. But Taylor's music holds a special place in my heart, so this is going to be one of those rare times you'll see her here.

I have been a huge Taylor fan since "Tim McGraw" was released in 2006. My copy of her debut album is probably covered in more scratches than any other one I own.  That record, along with "Fearless" and "Speak Now" are the soundtracks of my high school years, with most tracks having specific memories associated with them. I credit Taylor for introducing me to the world of country music and for being the reason why I love the genre so much. I'm sad to see her leave, but know more excellent music is on the way, as evident by the premiere of her new single "Shake It Off."

In case you missed the live stream event, here is a summary of what we learned yesterday:

• Taylor's new album is titled "1989," with the first single being "Shake It Off"
• The album title refers to the year she was born and the year of pop music she was most inspired by
• "1989" will be out on October 27 and is already available for pre-order
• There is a deluxe edition of the new album, which features 3 additional tracks plus 3 voice memos from Taylor's phone
• The physical copies of the album will include one-of-five different packages of polaroids of Taylor
• This album is Taylor's favorite record she has ever recorded

"Shake It Off" is a fun, high energy dance track about not letting what people say about you get to you. As Taylor said during the event, when people talk about you, you can choose to let it bother you or you can just shake it off. The music video showcases several types of dancing-- including everything from ballet to twerking-- with Taylor at the center of it all.

If this track alone is any indication of what the rest of "1989" will sound like, then it looks like Taylor has another hit album on her hands.

www.taylorswift.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TaylorSwift

Twitter: @taylorswift13

Buy Shake It Off on iTunes here!

How do you feel about Taylor's transition from country to pure pop? Will you still buy her new music? We want your feedback! Comment below or tweet us @GRHblog-- we'd love to hear from you!

RaeLynn -- God Made Girls

Back in 2012, a then-17-year-old girl named Racheal Woodward, known professionally as RaeLynn, auditioned for season 2 of NBC's "The Voice" with a strong and sassy rendition of Pistol Annies' "Hell on Heels." Her electrifying performance easily won her a spot on Team Blake Shelton. Although she only made it halfway through the competition, she still came out a winner, as she has since landed a record deal within the Big Machine Label Group.

What makes RaeLynn, now age 20, standout as an artist is her ability to infuse music with her sparkling personality: from soft and sweet to fiery and feisty, she expertly conveys emotion in the delivery of the lyrics she sings.

RaeLynn has just released "God Made Girls," the sweet and sentimental first single off her debut album, to country radio. With clever lyrics written by Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, and (my personal favorite songwriter) Nicolle Galyon, RaeLynn sings about all the reasons as to why God did indeed make girls: "He needed something soft and loud and sweet and proud, but tough enough to break a heart/ Something beautiful and breakable that lights up in the dark."

"It didn't take that long to write it... We [she and the writers] started talking about all the things boys couldn't do without girls and what makes girls so amazing. Like the fact that we get dressed up for boys and they want to clean their truck for us - all the things boys couldn't do if they didn't have a girl. After that conversation, we wrote the song," RaeLynn told All Access Music Group.

After "The Voice," the first song RaeLynn released was "Boyfriend," a track that couldn't be any more lyrically different from "God Made Girls." In this twangy tune, she confidently lets a girl know that: "I want your boyfriend, I'm not gonna lie/ I'll be his girl when he tells you goodbye/ Don't worry, I won't take him cause I ain't that low/ I want your boyfriend, just thought you should know."

www.raelynnofficial.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RaeLynnOfficial

Twitter: @RaeLynnOfficial

Buy God Made Girls on iTunes here!

Are you a fan of "God Made Girls"? We want to know what you think! Tweet us @GRHblog or comment below!

Lindsay Ell -- Shut Me Up

Country music has long been in need of a girl who can rock out and play guitar as hard as the boys-- and it is 25-year-old Lindsay Ell who fits this description to a T. Lindsay, a Canadian native, learned to play guitar at a very early age, and now plays anything and everything, as evidenced by her visits to The Bobby Bones Show. However, while this trait is something that sets her apart from her peers, this isn't the only thing she wants listeners to focus on. "There aren't a lot of girls who play electric lead guitar, and it can be a defining thing. First and foremost, I want people to hear me and understand my voice as a country music recording artist. When they come see me, I'd love it if they were impressed at my guitar and piano playing. But by that point, hopefully they understand the artist behind it all has a lot of different sides to her music," she says on her website.

Lindsay's new single "Shut Me Up" doesn't hit radio until next month, but I'm already obsessed. Sonically, this song has a more pop-rock than country feel, but that doesn't take away from its quality. With this track, Lindsay delivers an anthem for girls who have been cheated on by vowing that she will tell everybody what her ex did: "Can't shut me up, can't hush my mouth/I'll bang a drum, I'll be so loud/ You can't cover up the truth with duct tape/ Boy it's gonna hit you like an earthquake."

Late last year Lindsay released "Trippin' On Us" to radio. This cheery track tells a simple story about all of the good feelings that accompany meeting someone new and falling in love: "I had a good day, sun shining on me/ I met somebody, got me trippin' on us, trippin' on us."

And, even though I don't normally post a third video, this is too good not to post. Last week Lindsay joined Keith Urban on stage for an electrifying duet of "We Were Us," where she more than held her own against his extraordinary guitar skills. 

www.lindsayell.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/officiallindsayell

Twitter: @lindsayell

Shut Me Up will be on iTunes August 11!

Loving Lindsay's music? Let us know what you think on Twitter (@GRHblog) or in the comments!