My roommate probably thought I was delusional when I started screaming at midnight on October 27th because Taylor Swift’s new album came out. As soon as I found out that she was releasing a new album back in August, I made a countdown clock and it finally had reached zero. To those who think I am a bit too dramatic about a new CD, I can’t help that I’m obsessed. The entire album is fantastic. It is unlike anything that Taylor has ever done before. It’s even different from any other type of pop music I’ve ever heard. I was skeptical when I learned that Taylor was transitioning to be completely pop. I’m happy to say that she’s created her own genre within pop. To those to say that Taylor Swift isn’t your cup of tea or that you miss the old country version, check out these songs and I’m sure your mind will be changed.
1. Blank Space
This song has to be my favorite on the entire album. When I first heard this song, I thought that it was simply a song about falling for someone who may not be a good fit for you. I realized that it’s so much more than that. Taylor is in on the joke during this song. It combats the way that she is portrayed as a serial dater and that all of the people she dates are just a blank space. The music video portrays Taylor as a serial killer, as opposed to a serial dater. She is genius. She’s made such a statement in just three minutes.
Best line- “Cause, darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream”
2. Bad Blood
Have you ever had a falling out with a friend? Did someone turn out to be dramatically different than you thought? Then this song is for you. It perfectly captures the anger that comes from a mean friend. This song is a far cry from the banjo, folk-song aspects of Mean, it is far angrier. You’ll find yourself singing this to yourself in your dorm and singing it to all the mean girls you had to deal with in middle school.
Best line- “still got scars on my back from your knife”
3. Wildest Dreams
So many people are saying that Taylor is trying to copy Lana Del Rey, but I have to disagree. I think that the first few seconds could MAYBE sound similar to something Lana would do since it is so low and dark. The rest of the song is purely Taylor and it’s beautiful.
Best line- “he’s so bad, but he does it so well”
4. Clean
This song sounds like nothing Taylor has done before, or frankly anything else popular on the radio right now. It is awesome how she layers lots of different sounds and rhythms. My favorite part of this song is the message. It isn’t about needing guy, but about having the courage to realize that sometimes you are better off without a guy you originally thought was great. It is clear that Taylor is realizing that having friends like Lorde, Emma Stone, and Karlie Kloss can be so much better than a relationship.
Best line- “gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean”