Harry Styles' upcoming album title Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally has sparked debate over whether the comma usage is correct or not. The main concern lies in the fact that the sentence structure of both sentences differs, with one being an imperative and the other a fragment.
However, grammarians argue that this doesn't necessarily mean Styles made a mistake. Britt Edelen, who wrote about the controversy, notes that while it's not a perfect construction by traditional standards, it does add "kineticism" to the sentence and fits into a larger trend of people trying to convey emotions through commas.
Edelen compares this to writer Virginia Woolf, known for her long, punctuated sentences. He also cites an example from the movie Die My Love, which leaves out a comma where one might be expected.
Furthermore, Ellen Jovin, author and star of the road-trip docu-comedy Rebel With a Clause, points out that disco is not typically used as a verb. The comma, she says, was probably added to render the time of speech graphically.
Jovin also notes that context matters, particularly when it comes to album titles. She believes that ambiguity may be the goal here, rather than trying to impose traditional sentence punctuation on something as creative as an album title.
The visuals of Styles' album title may also play a role in the debate. Unlike physical media or early MP3s, music-streaming apps display song and album titles with artists' preferred styling and punctuation. Artists have played with this ability in recent years, including Billie Eilish's 2017 EP dont smile at me and Dijon's 2024 album Baby.
Ultimately, the importance of grammar lies not just in following rules, but also in clarity. However, when it comes to an album title, ambiguity may be a deliberate choice rather than a mistake.
It's worth noting that stylebooks are fluid and change over time, which is why there is no Official Global Consortium of Correct English. As Jovin says, "I think Americans are overly punctilious punctuators. They tend to pay attention to rules and prohibitions a lot."
The controversy surrounding Styles' album title serves as a reminder that creativity and originality can sometimes be more important than strict grammatical adherence.
However, grammarians argue that this doesn't necessarily mean Styles made a mistake. Britt Edelen, who wrote about the controversy, notes that while it's not a perfect construction by traditional standards, it does add "kineticism" to the sentence and fits into a larger trend of people trying to convey emotions through commas.
Edelen compares this to writer Virginia Woolf, known for her long, punctuated sentences. He also cites an example from the movie Die My Love, which leaves out a comma where one might be expected.
Furthermore, Ellen Jovin, author and star of the road-trip docu-comedy Rebel With a Clause, points out that disco is not typically used as a verb. The comma, she says, was probably added to render the time of speech graphically.
Jovin also notes that context matters, particularly when it comes to album titles. She believes that ambiguity may be the goal here, rather than trying to impose traditional sentence punctuation on something as creative as an album title.
The visuals of Styles' album title may also play a role in the debate. Unlike physical media or early MP3s, music-streaming apps display song and album titles with artists' preferred styling and punctuation. Artists have played with this ability in recent years, including Billie Eilish's 2017 EP dont smile at me and Dijon's 2024 album Baby.
Ultimately, the importance of grammar lies not just in following rules, but also in clarity. However, when it comes to an album title, ambiguity may be a deliberate choice rather than a mistake.
It's worth noting that stylebooks are fluid and change over time, which is why there is no Official Global Consortium of Correct English. As Jovin says, "I think Americans are overly punctilious punctuators. They tend to pay attention to rules and prohibitions a lot."
The controversy surrounding Styles' album title serves as a reminder that creativity and originality can sometimes be more important than strict grammatical adherence.
I'm kinda confused about this whole debate, tbh. I mean, if Harry Styles intentionally uses a comma in his album title to make it look all disco-y and stuff, is it really a mistake? And honestly, who's gonna fact-check what's "correct" grammar on an album cover anyway? 
The way music streaming apps display titles with artist preferences kinda makes this all about style over substance. But at the same time, I get why some people might be like, "Wait, that's not how you punctuate a sentence." 
It's all just a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, right? 
, it's not like Harry Styles is trying to confuse us on purpose 
. I think Britt Edelen hits the nail on the head when he says that the comma adds "kineticism" to the sentence and fits into a larger trend of people conveying emotions through commas 
. And let's be real, context matters, especially with album titles 
. It's not about following rules, it's about creating something unique and special 
. The important thing is that Harry Styles is being true to himself and his art 
. And honestly, who doesn't love a good mystery? 
but at the same time, what about ellen jovin's point that disco isn't typically used as a verb? shouldn't we be like, "wait, did you just invent a new word?" 
meanwhile, i'm kinda loving how ambiguous it is... it's all about context and artistic expression now. but then again, wouldn't clarity be important in an album title? 
I mean, think about it, Harry Styles releases an album title with a comma usage that's gonna spark debate and controversy - what's their angle here? Is it just a coincidence that everyone's going wild over this? And let's not forget the context, folks! The visuals of the album title are like a masterclass in subliminal messaging. They're trying to tell us something with those commas... maybe it's not about grammar at all, but rather about creating an atmosphere or mood. I'm not buying the whole "it's just creativity" thing - there's gotta be more to it than that! 
and disco adds a certain flair to the whole thing. And let's be real, context is key here - it's not like he's using this comma in a sentence or something. I mean, have you seen how they display song titles on Spotify? It's all about personal style 
. Ellen Jovin makes some good points about ambiguity being a deliberate choice too. Maybe Harry just wanted to shake things up and break the rules 
. Who cares if it's "correct" grammar, right?
it's either a genius move or a total mess. i think britt edelen has a point that it adds some kinda 'kineticism' to the sentence, like it's meant to be all flashy and attention-grabbing. but at the same time, isn't this just an excuse for not following proper grammar? 
and btw, gramarians are just mad because they can't get their perfect little sentences. context matters here, especially when it comes to art and expression. styles is clearly trying to make a point with that title and if people are too busy nitpicking commas to appreciate the vibe, then so be it 
Context is everything, especially when it comes to album titles - maybe this is Styles' way of pushing boundaries and challenging our expectations. The visuals are totally on point too... it's like the title is meant to be read as one word, not a paragraph 
.
but still can we just agree that it's a cool album title and move on?
The comma in Kiss All the Time, Disco might be a stylistic choice, but it's definitely intentional. It's all about creating a vibe and setting the tone for his album. The fact that it sparks debate just means it's making people think outside the box... or in this case, the sentence structure 
It's all about embracing the imperfections and letting creativity shine through 
.
Artists like Harry Styles are always pushing the boundaries of what's considered "correct" in terms of grammar and punctuation. And honestly, who cares? It's an album title, not a textbook essay 
. And let's be real, if Billie Eilish can get away with putting a question mark in her EP title 
i mean, if he wanted to make a statement with his commas, then let him do it! 
and can we talk about how much artistry goes into an album title? 
! Disco in the middle of "Kiss All the Time" adds a vibe that's totally different from your run-of-the-mill album titles. And let's be real, who needs perfect grammar when it comes to art? I mean, look at Billie Eilish and her dont smile at me EP - she broke all the rules and made something amazing 
.
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