(All Rights to Big Machine & Taylor Swift)
1) "Welcome to New York"
Starts off with a very 80s pop intro. The lyrics show her transition from Nashville to New York; "Everybody here wanted something more, searching for a sound we hadn't heard before". Taylor also shows support for the LGBT community; "and you can want who you want, boys & boys & girls & girls". The message of the track may be a little heavy-handed, but it has a fun and catchy beat that attracts you to it. ( ✔ )
2) "Blank Space"
Here, Taylor shows off her creativity in crafting this song around a character created by the media's perception of her; "ain't it funny, rumors fly, And I know you heard about me". This is just a perfect pop song that anyone could get into. ( ✔ )
3) "Style"
Has a funk intro. The chorus is really well-crafted and built metaphorically. This use of imagery builds the song up. ( ✔ )
4) "Out of the Woods"
This track has a similar feel to co-writer Jack Antonoff's bands Bleachers and FUN. The chorus really drives. The bridge in particular is really moving as well as emotional. This track details the fragility & unknown elements of a relationship. ( ✔ )
5) "All You Had to Do Was Stay"
Has an electro-pop feel. The style of the song really makes it work. Its about a partner always wanting back in when they've left in the first place; "All I know is that you drove us off the road". There's also a cool effect on the call-back "stay". ( ✔ )
6) "Shake It Off"
Much like "Blank Space", Taylor plays off the media's portrayal of her. It features a drum-heavy beat. The track is about just letting things go and acting yourself. ( ✔ )
7) "I Wish You Would"
Has a driving intro. The chorus feels a little clunky. It gives off the opposite message of "All You Had to Do Was Stay", where Taylor wishes that a previous love would come back. A somewhat forgettable track overall. (X)
8) "Bad Blood"
"Bad Blood" has an Imagine Dragons/ rock-pop feel to it. Its really a beat-driven track. The quiet vocal break really hits it home on the messaging. Its a different turn than the rest of the album, as it takes a gritty tone of resentment against a former friend. ( ✔ )
9) "Wildest Dreams"
A very dreamy, ethereal sounding track. The way she delivers the line "He's so tall and handsome and hell, he's so bad but he does it so well" shows off her growth. One of the more pleasant sounding songs. ( ✔ )
10) "How You Get the Girl"
Guitar-driven song. It sounds like a more traditional Swift song from her country days. All in all its a fun song laid out with advice with odes to prior songs, but there's just something missing. (O)
11) "This Love"
Has an ethereal, tranquil feel. This song shows that through the ups & downs, love is still love; "Been losing grip, sinking ships, you showed up just in time". Lyrically this song shows off Taylor's maturity. ( ✔ )
12) "I Know Places"
Starts off with a haunting intro. The song is about the paparazzi and lack of privacy in a relationship; "Cause they got the cages, they got the boxes and guns, they are the hunters, we are the foxes and we run". The theme really enhances and enforces the message. Overall, this song kind of reminds me of Kelly Clarkson's "My December" album. ( ✔ )
13) "Clean"
Starts off with a funk intro. You can tell it was produced by Imogen Heap. The track is a little redundant, but good enough to close on. Its about moving on and as the title says, feeling clean of the pain of a relationship. However, the lyrics could lead to different interpretations. (O)
Taylor's previous album felt like she was going between country-pop, but "1989" is a fresh reintroduction to Taylor as she emerges into pop. There's a little mix of everything, from driving tracks to more ethereal songs. This album really shows off her maturity as an artist.
✔ = 77%
O = 15.4%
X = 7.7%
Raw = 161.7
Chris Stapleton: 185.7
Kendrick Lamar: 162.5
Taylor Swift: 161.7
Alabama Shakes: 134
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