Taylor Swift is arguably one of modern music’s biggest stars, having released 10 studio albums throughout her career. After re-recording Fearless (2008) and Red (2012) in 2021, fans expected her to continue re-recording all of her albums after she lost rights to her music to entrepreneur Scooter Braun in 2019. Fans were thus surprised when Swift announced the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights, at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2022.
Midnights tells "the stories of 13 sleepless nights" that occurred throughout Swift's life. The album was released at midnight on October 21. Hours later, at 3 AM, Swift released seven songs in addition to the initial thirteen, which she calls Midnights (3am Edition). A special unreleased song entitled “Hits Different” was released exclusively on the Lavender Edition CD at Target.
Swift’s latest album breaks records, as Midnights became Spotify’s most streamed album on only the first day of its release with 184.6 million streams. Swift also became the first artist in history to occupy the entire Top 10 of the Billboard Top 100, with ten of her songs from Midnights claiming the top spots. It is also worth noting that, as a result, this is the first time that no man has occupied any of the 10 spots.
Midnights gracefully speaks on themes of love, loss, anxiety and self-image, taking the listener through nights of insomnia-fueled anxieties that keep Swift awake. These themes are evident on tracks such as “Labyrinth” where Swift sings, “It only feels this raw right now / Lost in the labyrinth of my mind” and “Anti-Hero,” with the line, “I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.”
An amalgamation of Swift’s previous albums, Midnights has songs with moods ranging from upbeat to devastating and anywhere in between. Swift’s range is impressive - she manipulates the emotions of the listener with each song, causing them to feel heartbroken by songs such as “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” and empowered by songs such as “Vigilante Shit.”
Midnights is an album about self-reflection rather than reinvention. With each song, Swift revisits an older album and a different version of herself; “Lavender Haze” would certainly fit in her album Lover because of its upbeat tune, and “Great War” would be right at home in her album Folklore due to its slow, ballad-like feel. Thus, Midnights defies classification, just like Swift herself, who has explored many genres, from country to pop, throughout her impressive career.
Ultimately, Midnights is a triumph. Swift’s prowess as a singer and songwriter has undoubtedly improved with each album that she has written. Every song on the album has deep meaning coupled with stunning vocals and instrumentals that together create an enjoyable listening experience.
Midnights is now available on all streaming platforms, and it is certainly an album not to miss.