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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

It’s currently 12:48am on Friday, October 21st and, like many of you, I have just finished listening to Midnights for the first time. There are no amount of words to describe the range of emotions I’m feeling, but I can start off by simply saying: WOW. I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous prior to listening to the album because I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. So here is my ranking of Midnights after one listen: 

(side note, this does not include rankings of the 3am tracks, but I absolutely LOVED those too!) 

1. Mastermind

Was like a story, and I absolutely LOVED the ending of it. 

Favorite lyric: “I laid the groundwork and then saw a wide smirk / On your face, you knew the entire time / You knew that I’m a mastermind” 

2. Bejeweled

Made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. Can’t wait to walk on the quad while listening to this.

Favorite lyric: “And I miss you / But I miss sparkling”

3. Lavendar haze

The most perfect opening to the album. 

Favorite lyric: “I been under scrutiny / You handle it beautifully” 

4. Anti-hero

Such a relatable song that hits a little too close to home.

Favorite lyric: “It’s me, hi / I’m the problem, it’s me”

5. karma

I was always a Karma believer, and this song did not disappoint. 

Favorite lyric: “Karma’s gonna track you down / Step by step from town to town”

6. VIGILANTE SHIT

Felt so powerful listening to it. Very much Reputation vibes and I’m here for it. 

Favorite lyric: “Don’t get sad, get even”

7. maroon

It’s giving Red but more mature and raw.

Favorite lyric: “The lips I used to call home”

8. sweet nothing

The fact that Joe wrote this with her? BRB crying in the club.

Favorite lyric: “On the way home / I wrote a poem / You say, ‘What a mind’ / This happens all the time”

9. midnight rain

It’s the champagne problems sequel. 

Favorite lyric: “He wanted a bride / I was making my own name”

10. Question…?

Taylor Swift: the master of having the most gut wrenching lyrics behind a sick beat. 

Favorite lyric: “It’s just a question” 

11. labyrinth

This song was a glimpse into Taylor’s mind and I loved every second of it.

Favorite lyric: “I’ll be getting over you my whole life” 

12. You’re on your own, kid

Hurts so good (as a Track 5 should).

Favorite lyric: “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it” 

13. snow on the beach (feat. lana del rey)

Wish there was more Lana. Still beautiful regardless.

Favorite lyric: “This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen”

I really enjoyed my first listen of Midnights, and it was quite difficult for me to rank because I truly think it has no skips. I can’t wait to listen to it a million more times so that I can fully unpack all the lyrics and make an updated ranking list!

Daniyah Hashmi

Illinois '25

Hi, my name is Daniyah (pronounced Dahn-ya) and I'm a Sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! I'm a dual degree student majoring in Brain & Cognitive Science and Information Sciences. I've always loved journaling as a hobby, so I figured I'd join Her Campus to hone in on my writing skills and become a more confident writer!