Taylor Swift released her eagerly-awaited 10th studio album “Midnights” on Oct. 21.
Swift further solidified her most recent release as a pop-culture moment by surprising listeners with seven extra tracks at 3 a.m. on the same night of release in what she calls “Midnights (3am Edition).”
The album has had 1.05 million traditional album sales and 423 million streams in five days according to Billboard. The numbers speak for themselves.
On “Midnights,” Swift dives back into the themes of love and fame that she has explored in several of her previous works. The album is a seesaw of self-awareness, as she swings back and forth between self-loathing and boastfulness.
It feels even more relevant now, considering the album’s massive popularity despite Swift’s recent controversies surrounding being a main contributor to carbon emissions through private jets, as reported by Forbes.
The album opens with “Lavender Haze,” in which Swift sings about thriving in a happy relationship even though it feels like the world is against her. After that, the album continues to show off Swift’s skill in songwriting as she places lyrics of love and loss against a backdrop of ethereal synth instrumentals.
It feels fitting that “Anti-Hero” was the first song from the album to get a music video since the lyrics embody how mindful Swift is of her own image.
It does not get more obvious than when she sings, “hi, I’m the problem, it’s me” or interrupts the video for a scene in which her future children argue whether Swift’s will contains any secret codes (which, according to Today, Swift is known for including in her liner notes and music videos).
“Bejeweled,” which was the second song to receive an accompanying music video, represents the other side of Swift’s self-confidence spectrum. Over the twinkling instrumental, Swift reminds listeners that she’s still just as famous, beautiful and powerful as ever, regardless of what anyone – including herself – thinks of her.
“Midnights” takes the listener on a journey through Swift’s mind, albeit a somewhat repetitive one. After all, there are only so many different ways for Swift to sing about bittersweet breakups and how amazing she is over traditional pop chords.
Yet, when the cleverness of a certain lyric stands out and brings up tender, long-forgotten emotions, the album’s artistry flourishes.
The “3am Edition” contains some of the album’s standout tracks. Grief is displayed in all of its tragic simplicity in “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” while “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” tells a story of raw anger and passion based on a toxic relationship with an age-related power imbalance.
“Midnights (3am Edition)” closes with “Dear Reader,” a song that is the perfect summary of the album. In it, Swift gives the “reader” advice she has gained throughout her experiences, before leaving listeners with a warning as she sings, “you should find another guiding light, guiding light but I shine so bright.”
“Midnights (3am Edition)” is available to stream or purchase across all major platforms.
