“Midnights,” Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album, was a much anticipated drop Oct. 21. Despite fears of waning relevance, she has survived 18 years in the music industry, breaking records and making her own along the way.
With the support of a devoted fanbase, “Midnights” became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day. The 32-year-old singer-songwriter overtook all top 10 slots of Billboard Hot 100’s list with songs from “Midnights,” the first artist in Billboard history to do so.
Unlike Swift’s previous albums, “Midnights” acts as a representation of different eras of the artist’s life. Swift’s diversity of song and theme represent the various restless midnights when the songs were written. restless midnights were represented in the wide song and theme variety.
On “Midnights,” Swift takes a different approach than in previous albums. As many of her fans have described it, the new project feels like a mix of her old-school pop in “1989” and her more recent pop-rock songs in “Reputation.” This time, her vocals are accompanied by metallic synths, electropop beats and layered harmonizations, very different from the soft guitar ballads of “Folklore” and its sister album, “Evermore.”
Swift seems to be reflecting on her career; both “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” and “Vigilante S***” are alleged continuations of “Dear John” (2010) and “No Body, No Crime” (2020), respectively. This new, authentic era in Swift’s career is something we are all eager to see.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Here’s our ranking of “Midnights”:
- Karma: Clever, chic and catchy, “Karma” is the most Taylor-Swift-esque song on the album. Referring to her ex-boyfriends and skeptics, she gleefully wishes on their misfortune, repeating the chorus’s “Karma’s a relaxing thought / Aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?”.
- Lavender Haze: Floral and gritty “Lavender Haze” opens “Midnights” well with a breathy tone, murky tune, interesting background vocals and drums that embody the following songs on the album. She gives listeners a glance into the attitudes and themes of the album with “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say / No deal / The 1950s s*** they want from me / I just wanna stay in that lavender haze.”
- Midnight Rain: In “Midnight Rain,” Swift reminisces on a past break up and how their love crumbled away. Favorite lyric: “He was sunshine, I was midnight rain / He wanted a bride, I was making my own name.”
- Snow on the Beach ft. Lana Del Rey: While the lack of Lana Del Rey is upsetting, “Snow on the Beach” is a lyrically-thoughtful, airy and vivid representation of real feelings. Favorite lyric: “And it’s like snow at the beach / Weird, but f****n’ beautiful…No sound, it’s all around”. This song is an introspective and mentally invigorating listen.
- Bejeweled: Since its release, “Bejeweled” has been bouncing around in my head. This song is captivating, fun and an automatic car sing along with the windows down and volume up. This energy from Swift is what her fans love. This song is defined by the catchy chorus and upbeat background notes. When dancing around by yourself to “Best believe I’m still bejeweled / When I walk in the room / I can still make the whole place shimmer” make sure to imagine Swift doing jazz hands on the “shimmer.”
- Maroon: In the honeymoon phase of a relationship, Swift encapsulates the slightly terrifying, yet vibrant, rush of falling in love in “Maroon.” The clever wordplay and quick connections to memories draw listeners into Swift’s story.
- Question…?: “Question…?”’s vivid imagery and catchy beat and flow keeps listeners interested. Swift looks back on a relationship with questions to her ex-lover. Favorite lyric: “I just may like to have a conversation / Can I ask you a question? / Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room / And every single one of your friends was makin’ fun of you.”
- Mastermind: “Mastermind” is a closer to “Midnights” (not including the 3am version) and is a fast-paced, inspirational tune with twinkling background music and interesting synth sounds throughout. The song looks back at the beginnings of Swift’s current relationship with her past mindset.
- You’re on Your Own, Kid: In “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” Swift nostalgically yearns for the messy, bittersweet situations of adolescence. It’s in remembrance of painful growing pains and conveys Swift’s regrets and emotion in strength.
- Labyrinth: “Labyrinth” begins with a strange synth at the beginning that almost catches listeners off guard, but turns into an intimate ballad. The lyrics are meaningful, but almost hidden behind the mood of the song.
- Anti-Hero: “Anti-Hero” is a “1989”- esque anthem for all the self-doubting Swifties. It’s catchy, overwhelmingly pop, and sounds like a millennial version of Lorde’s “Supercut.” Favorite lyric: “Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism / Like some kind of congressman?”
- Sweet Nothing: “Sweet Nothing” is Swift’s most personal song on the album; it’s a love serenade devoted to her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn. Although it sounds like a nursery rhyme, it’s sweet and quiet unlike the other songs on “Midnights.”
- Vigilante S***: “Vigilante S***” is forcefully repetitive and melodramatic. Although it has elements of clever wordplay and mystery, the song poorly executes the “rebel” vibe that Swift had previously excelled in in “Reputation.” It mimics trendy TikTok audios in the worst way possible.
Image courtesy of Taylor Swift
