After three years of media silence, Kimye drama and finding romance with actor Joe Alwyn, Taylor Swift has returned to the charts with her sixth studio album, reputation. The queen of hand-painted guitars and cat videos has been relatively quiet about this album, holding true to her promise that “there will be no further explanation, there is only reputation,” after her social media blackout. Here, two long-time Swift fans give their immediate reactions to every track on reputation.
* = means this track was a pre-release and this was not our first time listening to the song.
…Ready for It?*
Caitlyn: When I first saw Taylor’s promo about reputation, I immediately made the proclamation that Taylor was going to rap on this album, so I got a rush of satisfaction that on this song she in fact did rap–albeit not very well, but rap she did. This song really grew on me and I love to jam to it in my car with the windows down which I think is exactly what she wanted from this song.
Maggie: This song took a minute to grow on me, but it easily became a favorite. I can see Taylor starting off her concerts during her inevitable upcoming tour with “are you ready for it?” or “let the games begin” and I am PUMPED.
End Game (ft. Ed Sheeran and Future)
Caitlyn: So not my favorite… I think two features was too much for this song. I loved Ed.. but was he auto-tuned? Overall, kind of a hot mess of a song.
Maggie: I think my favorite part of this song is actually Ed’s. I can see this being popular at parties though, and it’ll probably be fun to play late at night with the windows down. I’m still not used to Taylor’s new spoken-word style of singing.
I Did Something Bad
Caitlyn: I’M NOT GOING TO LIE TO Y’ALL. I SCREAMED WHEN I HEARD THIS SONG. I absolutely looooooove this song. I think it’s exactly what this album is about–a fun beat you can dance to and lyrics that make you feel like punching your ex-boyfriend in the face. Favorite line: “For every lie, I tell them, they tell me three. This is how the world works and now all he thinks about is me.”
Maggie: Okay, I love this one. The sound, the lyrics, the beat. Taylor calls out the past men (narcissists, playboys) in her life, letting you know she’s the puppeteer in the grand scheme of things. I especially love the line, “they’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one, so go ahead and light me up.” It’s like she’s saying every woman is being devilized, regardless of if the rumors surrounding her are true–so go ahead and light her up.
Don’t Blame Me
Caitlyn: I love that she has lost her facade of being perfect. One of the reasons I struggle to like Taylor Swift at times is because she is so fake, but I appreciate this album because she’s more self-aware, curses, and mentions drinking and drugs. This song is dark. I could see it in the background of a trailer for a movie for a badass female protagonist. I’m here for it.
Maggie: This one is catchy right away, and I love the chorus. I can easily see myself blasting this one in the car or when I’m home alone, or honestly, anytime. I like that it’s more grown up for Taylor.
Delicate
Caitlyn: Okay, I’ve said this to Maggie about ten separate times, but I love how Taylor writes about Joe. She is very vulnerable and is all out on how much she loves him whereas in past albums her love songs felt more like she was bragging because a man loved her. I enjoyed this song.
Maggie: My first thought on this one was actually “why so much auto-tune.” But her soft “my reputation’s never been worse, so you must like me for me” is really cute. This song is about the start of a new relationship, and it’s really sweet and you can tell she’s being super honest.
Look What You Made Me Do*
Caitlyn: Wow, this song is so problematic that I have trouble listening to it. Even the title “Look What You Made Me Do” is rhetoric that abusers say to victims. I will say that this song helped me when I was writing a short story, and I needed a character to be a bitch.
Maggie: This was the first song released from reputation, and I’m not sure if it was the best representation of the album as a whole. It was definitely chosen to make a statement. The old Taylor is dead, and you are now in the new Taylor’s kingdom. The music video for this is one of my favorite videos from her.
So It Goes…
Caitlyn: Um wow this song screams “I’M NOT A GOOD GIRL ANYMORE.” The line “scratches down your back now” visibly had me flustered. Not in my good, pure household, Taylor.
Maggie: This is not the sound I was expecting with this title. I think the lyrics with this one are also weaker than the previous songs.
Gorgeous*
Caitlyn: This song is a bop, but it’s nothing more than that. It’s lyrically weak. It is fun to dance around to though.
Maggie: I think this may be the album’s weak link. It’s a fun pop song, but doesn’t offer much more than that.
Getaway Car
Caitlyn: Okay, so the music to this song had to be a rejected Bleachers song because I swear it sounds like Taylor is singing where Jack should be. I love Bleachers so I also like this song, but it might be too much Bleachers for me to love it because Jack usually does a really great job of producing different sounds for different artists he works with.
Maggie: This one was clearly with Jack Antonoff because it sounds like a Bleachers song. It’s an enjoyable song, but I think it’s strongest during the build-up at the end. I feel like it belongs in an 80’s movie and I can see it ending up on a soundtrack in the near future.
King of My Heart
Caitlyn: I don’t immediately love this one, but it’s just another song about Joe being the best she’s ever had which I guess never gets old?
Maggie: I wasn’t expecting this one to be the one stuck in my head, but it was! I do like that Taylor isn’t just expressing that she’s in love with Joe on this album, but she’s also expressing the fear and anxiety she had before they started dating. I really love the line “Is this the end to all the endings?”. I also can’t wait for every girl studying abroad to caption their photos with, “I’m your American queen.”
Dancing With Our Hands Tied
Caitlyn: I don’t really like this song until you get to the chorus and then it makes me want to drive around at night with the windows down. It seems like the refrains and the chorus don’t quite fit together though. I like the line, “deep blue but you painted me golden.”
Maggie: I think my favorite song of Taylor’s about dancing will always be Holy Ground. I don’t have a strong opinion on this one either way.
Dress
Caitlyn: I got so shocked listening to this for the first time that I had to keep stopping and restarting it. I think it will grow on me, but it really is off-putting to hear my sweetheart Taylor Swift moaning and talking about things that would make someone moan.
Maggie: This is Wildest Dreams‘ edgier older sister.
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Caitlyn: … is that a sample from Famous by Kanye West? This song has me shook. I don’t like it when she’s petty so I’m not really into it.
Maggie: The title to this one immediately made me want to not like it, but it is HILARIOUS and a BOP. I love the taunting sound, like Taylor’s educating a bunch of tantrum-throwing preschoolers. Plus, “here’s to my mama, had to listen to all this drama” is one of her most relatable lyrics yet.
Call It What You Want*
Caitlyn: I instantly fell in love with this song. She’s very self-aware, and not to be dramatic but I get really emotional when she says, “I know I make the same mistakes every time, bridges burn, I never learn, at least I did one thing right” because she is so grateful and in love with Joe. I ship Toe, y’all.
Maggie: I had to listen to this one a few times to like it. It has some weak lyrics that lessen my enjoyment overall, but it’s another honest song about being in love.
New Year’s Day*
Caitlyn: Wow, I absolutely love this song. I am actually in awe of the chorus. It’s so cute how she says, “I want your midnights, but I’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.” I got really emotional listening to this because this song is kind of saying that the old Taylor isn’t dead.
Maggie: This is 100% the most stripped down song on the album, and reminds me the most of the “old” Taylor, so therefore I love it. It’s about the person to clean up the New Year’s Day mess with you. It’s quiet, and soft, and hopeful, and the right note to end an album about love and fear and misrepresentation and reputations.
Top Five Songs
Caitlyn
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I Did Something Bad
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Call It What You Want
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New Year’s Day
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Don’t Blame Me
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…Ready For It?
Maggie
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I Did Something Bad
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Don’t Blame Me
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This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
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New Year’s Day
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Getaway Car
Overall, we are really excited about what the reputation era has in store for us.
Cover photo courtesy of Taylor Swift and photographers Mert & Marcus.