Welcome to the final iteration of a newbie’s reactions to Taylor Swift! I have minimal prior exposure to her music beyond what is played on the radio or the popular songs people talk about. This is my first intentional, close listen-through of her entire discography. I do not claim to be a Taylor Swift expert, nor can I promise that my impressions of each song will be considered “socially acceptable” by her fans.
Each song will be scored out of 10, adding decimals as I see fit. Examples of songs that I would rate a 10 include “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Sound of Silence” for reference. Anything 5 or higher means I like the song! I listened to the album in track order, so my reactions and scores match accordingly.
With that being said, here are my thoughts on her ninth album, “evermore”.
- willow
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I enjoy this song. It definitely has a very catchy beat and melody, and has more energy than a lot of the songs on “folklore”. Rating: 6.25/10
- champagne problems
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Once again, I am very partial to piano songs. Lyrically, this song is kind of depressing, but still a pretty song! Rating: 6.5/10
- gold rush
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While I like most of “evermore”, I do think a lot of the songs overlap in tone too much. Maybe it’s because I don’t know the songs well enough, but a lot of them blur together in my mind. Rating: 6.5/10
- ’tis the damn season
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I listened to this album about three times over winter, so these songs definitely remind me of the holidays. I like the lyrics and instrumentals in this one, they’re a little more distinct from the others. Rating: 7/10
- tolerate it
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I’m very happy to hear another piano song! I like the chorus the most. The rest of the vocals don’t flow quite as well, but they’re okay. Rating: 6.5/10
- no body, no crime (feat. HAIM)
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I enjoyed the added effect of the city sounds at the beginning, and the edgier overall tone. It’s a good way to add more intriguing sounds to the album, even though it’s not necessarily my personal favorite. Rating: 6.25/10
- happiness
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I remember that this song was my favorite when I listened earlier this year. It’s less interesting than I thought it was. I still like it a lot, though! Rating: 7/10
- dorothea
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I enjoy this song! It’s very pretty, with a good vibe all around. Rating: 7/10
- coney island (feat. The National)
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Along with “happiness,” I remember liking this one a lot, too. I think the imagery and narrative from the lyrics is especially memorable. I think Taylor’s voice pairs well with darker male voices! Rating: 7.5/10
- ivy
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This song is nice, too! I like the instrumentals, they give the song more direction than the others. The energy also makes the song more memorable. I like it a lot! Rating: 7.75/10
- cowboy like me
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After listening to the first album, the country theme does not surprise me, but I am still not a huge fan. If anything, this song reminds me that I didn’t like Taylor Swift… Rating: 5.5/10
- long story short
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Even though this song has more energy than a lot of the others (which was a quality I liked in some of the other songs), I like this one a little less. I like it, but it doesn’t hit the sweet spot between calm and exciting for me. Rating: 6/10
- marjorie
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This is a decent song, but not super memorable. The word that comes to mind when listening to this is simply “nice.” Rating: 6.5/10
- closure
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I don’t like the percussive effects in the background – they don’t really seem to fit the album’s overall atmosphere. I’m pretty indifferent to the rest of the song. Rating: 5/10
- evermore (feat. Bon Iver)
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I like the piano introduction. This song is pretty! I think it honestly might be one of my favorites. Her collaborations with Bon Iver fit my music taste very well. Rating: 8/10
Average rating: 6.62/10
Favorite song (based on rating): “evermore (feat. Bon Iver)”
In closing, here is my final ranking of her albums, based on average rating.
- “folklore:” 6.95/10
- “Speak Now:” 6.89/10
- “evermore:” 6.62/10
- “reputation:” 6.55/10
- “1989:” 6.53/10
- “Red:” 6.50/10
- “Lover:” 6.46/10
- “Fearless:” 6.07/10
- “Taylor Swift:” 5.89/10
Even though this album was the first Taylor Swift album I listened to the whole way through, after experiencing the first eight albums, I liked it less than I remember. However, I think “folklore” and “evermore” fit the style of music I like the best.
I would like to note that I listened to “Fearless” before Taylor’s Version came out. Since then, it’s definitely earned its place in my heart. I’m also surprised at how low “Lover” ranked, but numbers four through seven are all albums I enjoy without having strong opinions about them.
Thank you for tuning in! I’m glad I got the chance to share this music experience with all of you, and I hope that you all enjoyed the journey also. I look forward to following her cryptic social media posts and listening to whatever music she publishes next!