If you haven’t heard, Taylor Swift dropped her new album “Midnights” at midnight on October 21st, followed by a surprise release of seven bonus tracks at 3 am. Within the first few days of release, “Midnights” has already broken records and surpassed other albums released earlier this year. The album immediately hit #1 on US iTunes and Apple Music, as well as held the top 14 spots on US iTunes. Toward the end of the day, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music announced that “Midnights” broke the record for the biggest single-day streams for an album in the platforms’ histories. This album’s impact on music this year is already within the early weeks of its release. I’m sure “Midnights” will continue to break records in the following weeks.
Since there was no pre-album single released, I didn’t know what to expect. Were we going to get a hyper-pop album like “Lover” or a more alternative genre, like “Folklore”? Luckily, Swifties were blessed with a new album that reflected elements of many of her past ones. “Midnights” seems to be primarily soft-pop with themes that are seen in her other albums, such as love, revenge, and insecurity. There is something for everyone, whether you’re in love, angry, or lonely.
I, personally, already adore this album! The lyrics and melodies completely blew me away. “Midnights” proves that Taylor is still thriving in her genius, continuing to solidify her place as one of the most iconic artists in the 21st-century music scene. However, I will say that I was disappointed by the lack of a Lana Del ray verse in “Snow on the Beach”. It feels like a false advertisement to say she was featured on the track when it seemed like she only contributed backup vocals. Nevertheless, Taylor Swift created a no-skip album of 20 tracks that I will be obsessively listening to for the remainder of the year!
My top 5 tracks on the album are, in no particular order:
- Labyrinth
- Question…?
- You’re On Your Own Kid
- Maroon
- Midnight Rain