Taylor Swift’s sixth album, Reputation, debuted on Friday, November 10. This album warms my little preteen Swiftie <3 heart. There’s always so much drama surrounding this singer, but as a long-time fan—despite her *reputation*—it’s always exciting to hear what new music she has in store.
The album is currently only available for purchase online or in stores—it’s not yet on streaming services like Spotify.
After conducting much research (i.e. listening to the album on repeat all weekend), I’ve managed to put together some reactions to the songs that are more comprehensible than just excited flailing.
Get Ready for the Dark Side of Taylor
The album starts off with “…Ready for It?”
This song was released early as a single in September. It encompasses the darker, grittier vibe of the album compared to her previous albums. I think it’s definitely in the right place at the beginning of the album, serving as a cautionary warning… are you really prepared for the rest of the album?
The music video for this song dropped about three weeks ago. Featuring two Taylors, the video has a science fiction/action movie feel to it, reminiscent of “Bad Blood” from a few years back, but definitely with its own message about Taylor’s identity in the media.
Next, there is “End Game,” which features Ed Sheeran and Future. With a mix of pop, rap and hip hop, the collaboration transitions the album into a new genre and sound. The next two songs, “I Did Something Bad” and “Don’t Blame Me” (personal favorites of mine), are also characteristic of this album’s darker vibe. There is an unapologetic nature in these songs’ lyrics. When I listen to them, I feel so confident and ready to take on the day.
RIP Taylor Swift’s Reputation
“Delicate” gets into the heart of the album, name dropping the title with the lyric “my reputation’s never been worse.” This song, while lighter in tone, is more of a ballad, but still hints at the sass of the more explicitly rebellious songs.
“Look What You Made Me Do” was the first single from the album to be released, way back in August. Its music video premiered a few days later, chock-full of intense scenery, fierce dance numbers and a ton of shocking theatrics. This is one of the most iconic installments of the album, for me. It’s widely recognized, being Taylor’s first single released in years and has been turned into several memes (“The old Taylor can’t get to the phone right now… Why?… Oh, ‘cause she’s dead”).
Then the album gets into its phase of more classic, romantic songs. “So it Goes…,” “Gorgeous” (which was released early as a single), “Getaway Car,” “King of My Heart,” and “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” are the kind of catchy, upbeat tunes fans have come to expect of Taylor. Even though, to me, they seem lighter in tone and theme, they still fit with the maturity of the album.
Oldies are Goodies
“Dress” has received a lot of hype and love, due to its allusion to the “dress” lyrics in many of Taylor’s previous songs: “Tim McGraw,” “Fearless,” “Dear John,” “Holy Ground,” and “Wildest Dreams.” This dress motif has appeared in each of her albums, and finally the iconic article of clothing is getting its own entire song. Seems like Taylor knows the dedication of her fans (and how catchy her lyrics are that everyone picked up on the reference so quickly).
“This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is another sassier song with the piercing bite of the earlier songs in the album and the *hater’s gonna hate* attitude of her classic “Shake it Off.”There have been many rumors swirling around about the lyrics of this song in reference to celebrity gossip and drama. Regardless, it’s a really fun song to listen to.
Ending on two lighter notes after an emotional rollercoaster of a journey, “Call it What You Want” (the last single to be released early) and “New Year’s Day” (which premiered as a live performance the day before the album release) finish out the album.
Some people may say they’ve outgrown Taylor Swift or don’t want to deal with that celebrity drama. Those are totally respectable choices, but I’d definitely recommend giving this album a try! It’s great to start out your day in style or keep you awake and on your toes between classes.
Happy Listening!