Midnights Sweeps Swifties Into Mayhem
On Aug. 28, Taylor Swift announced her 10th album at the MTV Video Music Awards, where her infamous encounter with Kanye West occurred 13 years earlier.
Midnights, Swift’s long-anticipated comeback album, marks her first project since Evermore in 2020 and a return to her pop era.
Released on Oct. 21, Midnights became the music provider’s most-streamed album in a single day after it caused the app to crash.
Midnights tells the story of 13 sleepless nights spent in agony and joy throughout Swift’s life and is reminiscent of her past pop projects like 1989, Reputation and Lover.
Lavender Haze kicks off the album with the central theme of young love. According to her Midnights Mayhem With Me series, the idea for the song was born when she heard the term used in a Mad Men episode; the title of the song was commonly used in the 1950s to signify being in love.
Maroon feels like it could be a song on Reputation with production that incorporates heavy bass and electronic beat sounds. The song speaks about losing touch with someone, being forgotten but still left thinking of them.
The lead single, Anti-Hero, is very similar to her sound in 1989 with similar melodies and instrumentals. It’s very upbeat but covers her innermost insecurities and thoughts during the night. “At tea time, everyone agrees” is a lyric that refers to people gossiping about her when they attack all the things she doubts about herself.
Snow on the Beach has a very mellow sound. The song features Lana Del Rey but it left fans disappointed by her lack of involvement.
You’re On Your Own, Kid talks about Swift’s upbringing in the music industry. It’s similar to the song Ronan featured on Red (Taylor’s Version): From The Vault Chapter.
Vigilante Sh*t is a track deeply rooted in revenge. Because of her issues with Kanye West and her former manager Scooter Braun, who bought the rights to all her old music—which prompted Swift to re-record her earlier albums—many fans believe the song is either about Braun’s divorce or Kanye’s marriage to Kim Kardashian ending.
Bejeweled is Midnights second single and blends sounds from 1989 and Lover. The song is very amusing and upbeat and marks her return into the pop music genre. As Swift has explained, the song is about finding and regaining confidence.
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve is thought to be about her ex-boyfriend and singer/songwriter John Mayer. It tells Swift’s side of the break-up, leaving listeners to believe he took advantage of her with lyrics such as: “And if I was a child, did it matter if you got to wash your hands?”
With the help of co-writer and producer Jack Antonoff, Midnights creates the perfect concoction of Swift’s musical catalog with a distinctive pop sound and deeply personal lyrics.
