Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights, has taken not just the country, but the world by storm. Becoming the first artist to earn all top ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100 with this album, Swift is quite literally, writing history.
Midnights has earned Taylor Swift the biggest Spotify album debut for any artist, and she now holds four of the top five spots. This highly anticipated album has left both fans and critics impressed. Here is my take on the 13 songs on the original album.

“Lavender Haze”: This sweet, breezy song makes for a great start to the album. The first line, “Meet me at midnight”, perfectly captures the essence of the album as well as forms a link between the album title and songs. Through this song, Swift displays the high of a love in a relationship.

“Maroon”: “Maroon” builds onto the relationship described in her song “Red”. With maroon being a deeper, richer shade of red, Swift utilizes this wordplay to portray how both she and her relationships have grown and matured since “Red”.

“Anti-Hero”: Anti-Hero is the lead single on Midnights, and through this song, Swift dives deep into her personal insecurities to display to her listeners a sense of vulnerability and honesty. The unique hook and introspective lyrics make this song a widely acknowledged fan-favorite.

“Snow on the Beach (feat. Lana Del Ray)”: The light, calming ambiance of this song is quite different from the rest of the album. Swift utilizes craftful imagery such as of snow to create the peaceful tone of the song. “Snow on the Beach” features the popular singer Lana Del Ray, however, she does not have any vocal parts on the song besides from the background vocals, which came as somewhat of a disappointment for fans.

“You’re On Your Own, Kid”: “You’re On Your Own, Kid” features some of the best lyricism on the album. The light music provides a perfect backing for Swift’s story of growing up under the spotlight and her own struggles with this. The bridge is catchy and comforting, allowing Swift to give her listeners her own advice, telling them to “take the moment and taste it”.

“Midnight Rain”: In this song, Swift portrays the struggles of a relationship with two different people with very different goals; How sometimes a relationship just isn’t meant to be no matter how bad you want it to work. The robot-style voice at the beginning of the song may come as a shock to the listener initially, but the contrast with Swift’s singing really makes the song unique.

“Question…?”: There are several different theories as to what this song is about: some believe the song is talking about Taylor Swift’s alleged relationship with Karlie Kloss, while others believe Swift has written about her good friend Selena Gomez’s relationship with Justin Beiber. No theory has been confirmed, but the song still beautifully conveys the uncertainty that arises in any relationship.

“Vigilante”: “Vigilante” is a stark difference from the rest of the songs in the album, with the production being quite similar to that of Swift’s 2017 album Reputation. The bold lyrics and upbeat music has also boosted this song to the top of many fans’ favorites list.

“Bejeweled”: “Bejeweled” is a fun, upbeat song that makes you want to sing along. The catchy lyrics and music video popularity have made the song one of the most popular on the album. This song embodies the message of being confident no matter the circumstances and being ready to have a good time!

“Labyrinth”: This is a slow song that encapsulates the hesitancy of falling in love. Throughout “Labyrinth”, Swift portrays the realization and eventual acceptance of being in love. The sentimental lyrics and calming music tie together to create this truly beautiful song.

“Karma”: “Karma” is another upbeat song that gets the listener wanting to sing along. The song conveys Swift’s satisfaction with her own life, as well as the message of karma: do good and good will come to you.

“Sweet Nothing”: “Sweet Nothing” is often overlooked on Midnights, but it is one of my personal favorites. It is a sweet song that paints a feeling of contentment with being with one person, a sort of security knowing that they will always be there for you.

“Mastermind”: This is the last song on the original album, and it perfectly ties together the rest of the songs on the album. Swift conveys that she has been the ringmaster for all that has happened, and that she is the one behind her life, her success, and everything that has come her way.

Midnights has been a smash hit, and can easily be considered one of the most successful albums of the decade. Although personal opinions on each of the songs can vary, Swift portrays both incredible lyricism and a sense of vulnerability through the album, touching the hearts of listeners all over the world.