"The Man" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, for her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). The song was serviced to US adult contemporary and pop radio formats on January 27 and 28, 2020, as the fourth and final single from the album. As the fourth track on Lover, Swift wrote and produced the song with Joel Little. "The Man" is a synth-pop and electropop song with flashy harmonies, murky synths, and rumbling beats. Over an uptempo production, Swift imagines the media's treatment of her if she were a man. The song received a positive reception from critics, who praised its feminist message.
"The Man" peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the fourth consecutive single from Lover to peak inside the top-forty of the chart. It entered the top-forty in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. On February 7, 2020, an animated lyric video of the song was released on YouTube. On February 18, 2020, a live acoustic version of the song, titled "The Man (Live from Paris)", was released on all music platforms, accompanied by its live video.
An official music video for "The Man" was released on February 27, 2020, directed by Swift herself, marking her solo directorial debut. The satirical video sees Swift in her theoretical male alter-ego named "Tyler Swift", voiced by Dwayne Johnson, presenting several prevalent examples of sexist double standards in society, including objectification, sexualization of women, toxic masculinity, and patriarchy. The video received critical acclaim for its concept and Swift's transformation into a man. It was nominated for the Video of the Year, Video for Good, and Best Direction at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, winning the latter, making her the first solo female director in VMA history to win the category.
Last Updated: June 12, 2021
