October 31, 2022 by Jade Helal ’23
Taylor Swift released a new album for the first time in two years, Midnights. A collaboration with Jack Antonoff, the 13 songs on the album represent 13 sleepless nights throughout Swift’s life. A deluxe version, Midnights (3 am edition), was released a mere three hours after the original with an additional 7 songs. Anxiety and relationships are common themes throughout the tracks on both versions. The album consists of mostly modern synths allowing it to be easily listened to, albeit quite different from her last albums folklore, and evermore. Tracks 1 through 6 have already replaced Blank Space, Lover, Shake it off, and Wildest Dreams on Swift’s top songs on Spotify and Apple Music.
Her top song from Midnights is undoubtedly “Anti-Hero”. Swift lets us into the chaos happening in her head. Her writing was motivated by feelings of self-hatred, more than ever diving into her insecurities and how she has struggled in her life. The most memorable lyric is “It’s me, hi I’m the problem, it’s me, at tea time, everybody agrees, I’ll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror, It must be exhausting always rooting for the Anti-Hero.” She alludes to struggling with self-destructive behaviors, very relatable for many listeners. Swift expresses how exhausted she is from negative thoughts overpowering her mind. Despite having heavier topics, it maintains an upbeat, fun sound. “Anti-Hero” broke the global and US records for most release day streams on Spotify. It earned 17.4 million plays in its first 24 hours.
The next most streamed song is the album’s first track, “Lavender Haze.” This title is a fictional term created in the show Mad Men and used to explain what the feeling of love is; fitting as the song describes what it is like to find comfort with someone you love in times of stress. In the chorus Swift sings, “I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me, Surreal, I’m d- -ned if I do give a d- -n what people say, No deal, The 1950s s- -t they want from me, I just want to stay in this lavender haze” She is singing about Joe Alwyn, with whom she has been in a six-year relationship. Swift has found comfort in him and in “Lavender Haze.” She explains how she wants to spend forever with him, ignoring the outside world. Anything on her mind, any rumors going around, disappear when she is with the one she loves.
Another top hit from the album is “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” The song starts by tricking the listener into believing Swift has written just some other optimistic pop song about unrequited love. The lyrics begin as, “Summer went away, still, the yearning stays, I play it cool with the best of them, I wait patiently, he’s gonna notice me, It’s okay, we’re the best of friends.” As the song builds, it transitions into a story of self-reflection and the stresses of trying to grasp searching for true friendship and the impacts of beauty standards. The bridge is the perfect climax, with a notable chorus finishing the song, “Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned, Everything you lose is a step you take, So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, You’ve got no reason to be afraid, You’re on your own, kid, Yeah, you can face this, You’re on your own, kid, You always have been.” As a senior in high school, this is incredibly relatable. Nothing is scarier than losing friendships and growing distant from people, but with college right around the corner, many of us must accept that change in relationships is part of life. Swift embraces her lost friendships and what those have done to make her grow as a person. Its superb lyrics and catchy melody make it a favorite from the album.
This album is quite different from her previous releases. Midnights is full of unique and emotional songs but has themes reminiscent of Lover, Speak Now, and 1989. It has a modern touch and components of pop, synth, and slower tempos, perfect for nighttime listening. Songs like Sweet Nothing, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, and The Great War are emotional and raw with lyrics many easily feel connected to. There are also songs like Karma, Bejeweled, and Vigilante S- -t which are much more lighthearted. If listeners are struggling to get into the album, they should try listening to those six songs to get a taste of Swift’s style. The album is aesthetically consistent while still being diverse enough for all fans to find a song they love.