Taylor Swift and her newest album 1989 are single-handedly taking the world by storm. According to the New York Post, Swift’s new album is about to break Britney Spears’s “Oops! …I Did it Again” album record for the highest sales in the album’s first week of release by a female artist.
In Swift’s cover story from the Rolling Stone’s September issue, Lena Dunham praises Swift for the feminist business she’s created saying, “She runs her own company, she’s creating music that connects to other women instead of creating a sexual persona for the male gaze, and no one is in control of her. If that’s not feminism, what is?”
Despite the fact that Swift has attracted many haters (which 1989 addresses) and has been the punch line of many jokes recently, the rest of us are only loving her and wanting more. So without further ado, here is a list I’ve compiled of my 5 favorite songs from 1989.
5. “Out of the Woods”
Swift released this song as a single a week before the rest of her album, and it does not disappoint. She describes her fears and troubles of a relationship we can only assume is One Direction member Harry Styles. Repetitive, but super catchy, this song is a classic start off to the album. Best line: “But the monsters turned out to be just trees, when the sun came up, you were looking at me.”
4. “Style”
Perhaps the most classic call-out on this new album, Swift reminisces about the romance shared with Harry Styles. This song turns up-beat and is one of the best ones to jam to while driving or watching her album’s commercial by Target.
3. “Clean”
In the last song on the album, Swift ending with her signature lucky number 13, Swift compares breaking-up and moving on to sobriety, or getting clean. Slower, and with artistic sounds, Swift also compares this relationship to drought, flowers, and rain – her rebirth, stronger than ever.
2. “Blank Space”
A Buzzfeed article is currently circulating suggesting that this is arguably Swift’s best song ever. Her expectations have grown darker, but she’s completely aware of her reputation (“Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane”) and the rumors that fly each time a relationship begins to bud in her life. One of my favorite lines: “’Cause, darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.”
1. “Wildest Dreams”
Swift embraces a Lana Del Rey sound in this song as she commands an ex to remember her long after their relationship even if it’s just in his “wildest dreams.” One of the best lines of the song: “Someday when you leave me I bet these memories follow you around.”
Swift’s 1989 is the latest music she’s given us, and the qualities fans always look for in her songs – relatability, specific, juicy, realistic, honest and never hesitant – are sure to be found throughout.