Now that a little time has passed since Taylor Swift’s release of “Midnights”, it’s a perfect time to take a closer look at the 20 songs released on the 3am Edition of her 10th studio album! While everyone has their own tastes when it comes to music, there are certainly plenty of songs for everyone to enjoy on this album.

I found “Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)”, “Sweet Nothing”, “Bigger Than The Whole Sky”, “Glitch”, “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve”, and “Dear Reader” to be enjoyable, but not exactly suited to my music tastes.

Track 4, “Snow On The Beach” has Taylor singing about falling in love with someone at the exact same time they’re falling in love with you. Additionally, this song features Lana Del Rey on background vocals, someone who Taylor has expressed her immense respect for as a music artist. Track 12, “Sweet Nothing” is thought to be a nod to Taylor’s relationship with Joe Alwyn, and talks about finding relief in life through a romance. Track 15, “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” is a song about the loss of someone important in one’s life and the thoughts of what could’ve been if only there was more time.

Track 18, “Glitch” is about the evolution of an unlikely relationship, from friendship to something slightly more, to an actual romance. Track 19, “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” reflects on Taylor’s previous relationship with John Mayer, when she was 19, and he was 32. She sings about regretting the relationship due to the age gap and power imbalance between the two. Track 20, “Dear Reader”, gives advice throughout the song, such as to be flexible when you can be, but don’t bend all the way over for others.

I thoroughly enjoyed “Lavender Haze”, “Midnight Rain”, “Labyrinth”, “Karma”, “Mastermind”, “The Great War”, “Paris”, and “High Infidelity” for their stunning lyrics, and enchanting melodies.

Track 1, “Lavender Haze” relates to the pressure put on Taylor and Joe’s relationship due to them being in the public eye. She sings about the desire to be able to focus on love rather than the negative perceptions of others. Track 6, “Midnight Rain”, conveys the idea of a relationship between two complete opposites, with each having different expectations for the relationship. She sings about “sunshine” vs “midnight rain” to demonstrate the contrasting archetypes. Track 10, “Labyrinth”, expresses feelings of confusion after finding comfort in someone soon after experiencing a difficult heartbreak.

In track 11, “Karma”, Taylor sings about the people who have previously wronged her getting karma for their actions. To fans of Taylor, the idea of “karma” is most often associated with Kanye West, and so this song is extremely rewarding to listen to keeping that in mind.

Track 13, “Mastermind” shows the humorous yet occasionally relatable idea of creating a plan in order to get together with someone after seeing them for the first time. Track 14, “The Great War” provides the hopeful idea that after surviving a difficult period together, a couple will emerge stronger and continue to love each other always. Contradictory to the slightly down tone to the previous song, Track 16 “Paris” is extremely upbeat, and details being in love and having your life intertwined heavily with your partners. Track 17, “High Infidelity” consists of Taylor delving into the pain caused by infidelity in an unstable relationship, and how it impacts both people.

While all of the songs on the album are indisputably amazing, “Maroon”, “Anti-Hero”, “You’re On Your Own Kid”, “Question…?”, “Vigilante ****”, and “Bejeweled” are undoubtedly my favorites. Track 2, “Maroon” almost builds upon her earlier song “Red (Taylor’s Version)”, by describing how the love story was constantly in shades of red, but never just one. It shows the different complexities of relationships she has discovered since writing “Red”. Track 3, “Anti-Hero” is pretty different from a majority of Taylor’s songs, this one detailing different aspects of her and her life that she hates, as opposed to the generally more uplifting messages contained in Swift’s songs. While it is a little darker than usual, Taylor still regards this song as one of her favorites to have written.

Track 5, “You’re On Your Own Kid”, tells a story of someone young and desperately wanting love, but then coming to terms with being on their own, as they always have been. This song in particular hits close to home for many teenagers today, with a plethora of relatable lyrics and a catchy tune. Track 7, “Question…?” reflects back on a previous relationship, comparing it to more recent romantic relationships and experiences, with a secret hope that they all pale in comparison to what once was. Track 8, “Vigilante ****”, instantly reminded me of “No Body, No Crime” from Evermore. Taylor sings about dressing for revenge and suggests that instead of getting sad over an old relationship, you should get even instead. Track 9, “Bejeweled”, voices frustrations with not being fully appreciated in a relationship, revealing the importance of remembering that regardless you still have the power to make “the whole place shimmer” when you walk into a room.

Impressively, this album has managed to further cement Taylor Swift as a legend in the music industry, as just recently she became the first artist with the top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. She landed “Anti-Hero” at number 1, “Lavender Haze” at number 2, “Maroon” at 3, “Snow on the Beach” as 4, “Midnight Rain” at number 5, “Bejeweled” at 6, “Question…? as 7, “You’re on Your Own Kid” at number 8, “Karma” at 9, and “Vigilante ****” as 10.

With this incredible feat, “Midnights” is definitely an album that’s worth a listen!