On October 20 9:00 PST, Taylor Alison Swift released her 10th studio album: Midnights. Swift dropped the bomb during her “Video of the Year” award acceptance speech, shocking the audience and the world with her announcement. The album, which is described as “a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” tells the story of 13 restless nights. Swift has spent 16 years and 9 albums struggling with the same ideas that drove the album: the ups and downs of romance, the rise and fall and rise again of Swift’s career, the binary of the good and bad girl, and her struggles in the public eye. Midnights cleanly showcases her versatility by displaying all of her past styles, from teenage dream Fearless to dark Reputation, evoking nostalgia with a new sense of maturity in loyal listeners.
In anticipation of the release of Midnights, Swift released a series of short videos on Tiktok where she announced each track on the album through a vintage bingo machine. On October 21 at 12:00 AM PST, Taylor Swift dropped the 3am version of her album, which included 7 additional songs. In the week following her release of Midnights, Swift became the first artist to ever occupy all ten slots on the Billboard charts. She also smashed records for the most streamed album in a day.
Here is a review of our favorite Midnights songs:
Olivia: The second track on the album, Maroon, bears a striking resemblance to “Red,” Taylor Swift’s third studio album. Seemingly a rewrite of a rewrite, it shows a changed side of Taylor; whereas she formerly thought love was “burning red”, she now believes it’s “so scarlet, it’s maroon.” Once again, she correlates the idea of love with a color, forming the vivid image of a vaguely intense love story in our minds. The relationship detailed in the song disintegrates as a downbeat rumbling and quiet drumming plays in the background. By the end of the song, Taylor’s voice softens, blending into the reverberating background bass synth..
Alicia: The title track of the album, Anti-Hero, delves deeply into Swift’s experiences in the music industry. Along with the song, she made a gorgeous music video that vividly delineated her struggles within the industry. She talked about her insecurities with her status in the music industry and problems with her body image. In Swift's 2019 documentary, Ms. Americana, she opened up about her experiences with eating disorders, alluding to the “anti-hero” perception of herself.
Ada: Out of the entire album, this song is the only one that has a direct connection to the album’s title , and it doesn’t disappoint. The warping yet pretty sound effects give the song a unique touch. At the same time, the lyrics paint a vivid image of the life that Taylor chose to lead, in contrast with the life that the referenced lover in the song wanted her to lead. This song is catchy and offers a fascinating look at some of the sacrifices that Taylor Swift had to make in order to earn her fame.
Ada: This is such a pretty song, with such a pretty meaning. Taylor offers guidance to the listener or reader on how to accomplish their goals. For example, she tells the reader to be open to change and to value privacy. However, Taylor Swift implies at the end of the song that although she “shine[s] so bright”, the reader should “find another guiding light” — meaning that the advice she gives throughout the song should be taken with a grain of salt, even though she appears successful on the outside. This message, along with the creative way that Taylor has chosen to present it, makes it one of the best songs in the album.