A year later than the world expected, Taylor Swift's sixth album, "reputation," was welcomed into the world on November 10th. Taylor decided to stay with pop music with this new release, but in my opinion, overall produced a more mature and cohesive album than her past releases. Here is my song-by-song review of Ms. Swift's latest masterpiece:
1. "...Ready For It?"
This is the perfect song to start off the album with - the title alone asks you if you're ready for what is about to come. This was the second song Taylor released from the album, which I think really hyped the album up. I really love the chorus of the song since it reminds me a lot of her sound on '1989' - maybe the "old Taylor" really isn't dead?
2. "End Game"
Ah, the first mention of the word "reputation" on the album. In my opinion, any song with Ed Sheeran is automatically a good song.
3. "I Did Something Bad"
I enjoy this song more than the first two. This song really sets the mood for the rest of the album with the lyrics "They say I did something bad, then why's it feel so good?" and "They're burning all the witches even if you aren't one - so light me up." This is Taylor's way of letting the world know that she truly does not care what anyone thinks of her anymore.
4. "Don't Blame Me"
One of my favorites on the album. The darker sound of the album continues here and Taylor continues with her lack of concern about how she is perceived, singing "don't blame me, love made me crazy, if it doesn't you ain't doing it right." She no longer wants to be blamed for anything.
5. "Delicate"
My favorite thing about this song is the fact that it indeed sounds very delicate. Taylor talks about her hesitation to start a new relationship with the current state of her reputation. With the lyrics "My reputation never's been worse, so you must like me for me," Taylor expresses her concerns about beginning a new relationship at this point in her life. This track gives off a very "Begin Again" vibe, which I love.
6. " Look What You Made Me Do"
Although this song is not my favorite off the record, I do believe it made a great first single. It really grabbed everyone's attention after not hearing new music from Taylor in 3 years. Also, the music video is still one of the best I've ever seen.
7. "So It Goes..."
I feel as if the title of this song is very symbolic, as Taylor has used the phrase "so it goes..." in multiple other songs. I also think her use of the ellipsis in both "...Ready For It?" and "So It Goes..." is representative in some way, perhaps marking the difference between the two halves of the album.
8. "Gorgeous"
"Gorgeous" just makes me want to get up, dance, and think about every attractive guy I've ever crossed paths with.
9. "Getaway Car"
"Getaway Car" is by far my personal favorite on "reputation." It's all about Taylor leaving her man for another man and then realizing that they both suck. It makes me want to dance and blast the song as I drive with the windows rolled down.
10. "King of My Heart"
This song is clearly about her fabulous British boyfriend. Lyrics like "and all at once you are the one I have been waiting for" and "my broken bones are mending" make me ecstatic that Taylor is thriving.
11. "Dancing With Our Hands Tied"
"I'm a mess but I'm the mess that you wanted" — this lyric alone makes the song extremely relatable.
12. "Dress"
Another one of my favorites on the album. Both the lyrical content and the sound of Taylor's voice are unique on this song, which are a few of the reasons why I love it so much.
13. "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things"
Very petty, but very awesome. Also, her cackle.
14. "Call It What You Want"
This song honestly just makes me happy whenever I listen to it. It really reminds me a lot of Taylor's older music. The lyrics "I'm doing better than I ever was" are so important to not only this song, but to the album as a whole.
15. "New Year's Day"
The parallel between "please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere" in this song and "please don't be in love with someone else" from "Enchanted" is really powerful and shows just how much Taylor's life has changed throughout the years. This song talks about everyone's ideal relationship and is truly the best way to end such an incredible album.