“It’s me, hi. I’m the problem, it’s me. At teatime, everybody agrees. I’ll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror. It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero.”
These are some of the many lyrics from Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights, that swifties can’t stop talking about. The album tells the story of thirteen sleepless nights scattered throughout Taylor Swift’s life. She has claimed the number 13 as her lucky number. In addition to having 13 tracks, Midnights was released on October 21, 2022, where 10+2+1=13. As if Midnights wasn’t enough, Swift also surprised fans with, Midnights (3am Edition), which contains seven additional tracks. An exclusive bonus track was also released with the original album titled, Hits Different. In total, us swifties have been gifted with 21 new musical masterpieces. I highly recommend listening to the album in order, but if you are short on time, here are my rankings for the original 13 tracks.
- “Anti-Hero”
- “Mastermind”
- “Midnight Rain”
- “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
- “Maroon”
- “Vigilante Shit”
- “Karma”
- “Bejeweled”
- “Lavender Haze”
- “Sweet Nothings”
- “Labyrinth”
- “Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)”
- “Question…?”
I have been a Swiftie since 2008 and can assure you that ranking her music never gets easier. Every song she releases holds so much meaning from the lyrics to the beat. Let’s unpack the album.
I want to start by talking about the lyrics at the beginning of this article, as they are one of the most significant on the album. Swift speaks a truth that many of her fans resonate with by discussing struggles with body image. For example, when she says that she rather stare directly into the sun than at the mirror, she brings about the thought that she would rather go blind than look at herself. In the “Anti-Hero” music video, one scene showed Swift standing on a scale with the scale reading “fat,” which has since been removed because many fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the fatphobic depiction in the music video.
It is also worth mentioning that Taylor Swift collaborated with Lana Del Rey on the fourth track, “Snow On The Beach.” The song contains a soft melody along with the beautiful harmonizing of the two artists, a work of art many fans were most excited for, including me. I also really enjoyed the various intellectual references made in the album, especially in “Mastermind.” The song talks a lot about womanhood and strategy, comparing life to a game. “Mastermind” is the perfect way to top off the album and make it whole.
In the song, “You’re On Your Own Kid,” Swift drops the name “Daisy Mae.” Many fans are convinced that she revealed the name of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ baby. The name is beautiful and so is the song, so I hope the rumors are true.
Since its’ release, Midnights has broken Spotify’s record for most streams in a day. It is also the best-selling album of the year so far, with a five-star review from Rolling Stone. Check out this clip of Taylor Swift discussing her new release with Jimmy Fallon.
What’s next for Taylor? Well, there are theories that her next release will be a re-recording of Speak Now, one of my all-time favorite albums. Get excited because Taylor Swift has hinted that she will be going on a tour soon. Specific details have not yet been released. I am excited to scream the lyrics to these songs live with Taylor, and of course, all of you.
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