After a month of sleepless nights and analyzing every scrap of information handed to them, Swifties can (sort of) rest easy. Swift’s newest album release had fans flooding Spotify as the clock struck midnight, causing the platform to crash instantly. A mixture of 1989, Reputation, and Lover, Midnights opts for an ethereal modern sound jam-packed with synthesizers and vocal manipulation. Here’s the breakdown of every song on the album, from the late-night bangers to the ones that’ll have you hitting snooze:
1. “Lavender Haze”
“Lavender Haze” opens the album with an absolute banger. Swift picked up the titular 50s phrase while watching Mad Men, using it to describe her and her boyfriend Joe Alwyn’s choice to ignore tabloids and rumors about their relationship in order to preserve their real love. Swift calls out engagement rumors, singing, “All they keep asking me/ Is if I’m gonna be your bride/ The only kinda girl they see/ Is a one-night or a wife.” Sleek vocals, direct lyrics, and a strong drumbeat propel this song to the top of the pack.
2. “Maroon”
Swift paints a picture of lost love and a wine-stained relationship. The track’s dynamics are impeccable, with slow lines of love quickly replaced by lyrics that race by in a blur of blood and rust. “Carnations you had thought were roses, that’s us,” she laments, “How the hell did we lose sight of us again?/ Sobbing with your head in your hands/ Ain’t that the way shit always ends?” While a perfectly fine song in its own right, “Maroon” suffers from its unfortunate track placement. Planted squarely between two of the best songs on the album, it just isn’t quite up to par.
3. “Anti-Hero”
Filled with all of Swift’s self-criticisms, “Anti-Hero” is an introspective song that encapsulates late-night self-hatred. She delivers tongue-twisting lines as easily as breathing, singing, “I should not be left to my own devices/ They come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis” and “Did you hear my covert narcissist/ I disguise as altruism, like some kind of congressman.” Vulnerable yet catchy, “Anti-Hero” will leave you staring at the ceiling, lost in thought long into the night.
4. “Snow on the Beach” (feat. Lana Del Rey)
Dedicated to the cataclysmic feeling of falling in love at the exact same time as someone else, “Snow on the Beach” is catchy if a tad underwhelming. “Flying in a dream/ Stars by the pocketful,” she sings, “You wanting me/ Tonight feels impossible/ But it’s coming down/ No sound, all around.” “Snow on the Beach” is hauntingly beautiful, and it’s the perfect match of both singers’ styles. It’s just a shame that, unless you’ve been told, it’s nearly impossible to tell that Del Rey’s in the song at all, appearing only in the warped background vocals.
5. “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
This song expertly navigates Swift’s relationships with love, fame, and friendship. It describes her personal struggles with seeking attention, whether it be unrequited love or recognition, to finding self-acceptance and understanding that being alone isn’t the worst thing in the world. She describes how her reliance on others was holding her back with lyrics like “I didn’t choose this town, I dream of getting out/ There’s just one who can make me stay/ All my days” and “‘Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned/ Everything you lose is a step you take.” It’s a song of growth, beginning muted and muffled until it swells to an empowering conclusion.
6. “Midnight Rain”
Swift spends half of the song pitched down, emphasizing the contrast between her and her lover’s ideas of the perfect relationship. She describes his wish to settle down while she wanted to further her career and pursue her dreams. “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain/ He wanted a bride, I was making my own name,” she sings, “A deep portal, time travel/ All the love we unravel/ All the life I gave away/ ‘Cause he was sunshine, I was midnight rain.”
7. “Question…?”
Catchy and an interesting display of vocal effects, “Question…?” isn’t the deepest song on the album, but it’s entertaining and sometimes that’s enough. “Can I ask you a question?/ Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room,” she asks her lover, “Do you wish you could still touch her?/ It’s just a question.” Overall, it’s a fun listen, especially if you catch the “Out of the Woods” callback in the opening line.
8. “Vigilante Shit”
“Vigilante Shit” is slick and sultry, the ultimate revenge song. Swift takes on the role of the other woman, getting revenge on her ex by collaborating with his ex-wife. “Draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man/ You did some bad things, but I’m the worst of them,” she croons, “I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends/ Don’t get sad, get even.” Take Reputation, double the venom, and you have “Vigilante Shit.” It’s an absolute banger and one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs to date.
9. “Bejeweled”
Swift owns her power and self-worth in this sparkling song. She expresses her disdain for being defined by her relationships, singing, “They ask ‘Do you have a man?’/ I could still say, ‘I don’t remember.’” While I love the song’s message, the never-ending glittering synth in the background can become a little maddening and prevents it from becoming a real gem in my eyes.
10. “Labyrinth”
Swift expresses her fear of falling in and becoming trapped by love. “Never trust it if it rises fast/ It can’t last,” she sings, “You know how much I hate/ That everybody just expects me to bounce back/ Just like that.” Utterly ethereal, this song will have you hanging your arm out the car window while singing along.
11. “Karma”
Fun, if a bit weird, Swift has fun telling her haters that karma will come for them. “You’re terrified to look down/ ‘Cause if you dare, you’ll see the glare/ Of everyone you burned just to get there/ It’s coming back around,” she taunts. Some of the metaphors don’t quite land, and the sound seems a bit more bejeweled than karma, but you can’t deny that the song’s just a lot of fun.
12. “Sweet Nothing”
“Sweet Nothing” feels a bit more like Folklore and Evermore, a soft ode to the peace of love amid the world’s chaos. “They said the end is coming/ Everyone’s up to something/ I found myself a-running home to your sweet nothings,” she sings, “Outside they’re push and shoving/ You’re in the kitchen humming/ All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.” It’s a heartfelt song that feels a bit like a comforting lullaby. I would gladly let it lull me to sleep.
13. “Mastermind”
Swift raises her middle finger to fate in this closing song, claiming that she purposely planned out her relationship. “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid/ So I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since/ To make them love me and make it seem effortless,” she sings, “And I swear/ I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian/ ‘Cause I care.” I especially like how Swift closes the song, saying that her lover knew of her intellect the whole time and how that made her more attractive in his eyes. It gives the song less of a manipulative feeling and more one of empowerment.
While some may find Midnights worth the wait, others will wish they’d slept in. The album’s overall production and similar sound can make it hard to distinguish between tracks without a few repetitions. Listeners can also feel a bit of deja vu, as the album’s focus on synthesizers and vocal manipulation mirrors what’s currently trending in the music scene. While Swift still experiments with her sound, the production just feels a little been there, done that.
Taylor Swift has a gift for songwriting and storytelling. Her lyrics are relatable yet complex, and there’s a unique beauty to everything she writes. Even if the album’s production style doesn’t cater to your tastes, I highly recommend looking into what Swift is truly saying within her work. It is truly an experience.