Taylor Swift just released her seventh studio album Lover last month, and it’s a big deal. It’s the first album she’s ever owned (all her previous work belongs to Scooter Braun who owns her previous label, Big Machine Records).
Swift shows no signs of falling off the radar anytime soon. Lover debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and sold about 679,000 album units in the first week, out-doing the previous record which she also held with Reputation back in 2017.
It’s also the first album she’s released since her reputation changed from America’s sweetheart to a conniving snake. How has she lived and grown since then? Well, she explains it all in this new album.
Her sound changed from intense and bass heavy bops, to light, fun, and bubbly tunes that you can’t help but sway to. Similar to her work in 1989, this album breathes life into the pop music genre and keeps it alive (sorry, trap genre. We’re getting bored).
Swift’s albums always follow a theme musically and lyrically. Lover is no different, as she experiments with 80’s and 90’s synth pop—a drastic departure from the bass-heavy, head-banging electronic beats on Reputation.
The soft, fun, and playful sound of this album complements the moral of the album for Swift: to be known for the things she loves rather than the things she hates. Love makes you excited, giddy, and comforts you. That’s exactly what this album does.
Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince is a standout track on the album. The lyrics are equally as powerful as the strong, bass drum beat. Swift transports us to a high school homecoming setting—a metaphor for America. This track shares one of many political messages on the album.
Taylor Swift has been criticized for not speaking up on political issues in the past, as she has such a huge platform. During the previous election, while many celebrities used their status to influence younger audiences to vote against Trump, Swift stayed silent.
The song explores Miss Americana’s disillusionment with the final score of what seems to be a homecoming game. She tries to escape, however, she knows that she must fight if she wants her team to win. Swift turns into the cheer captain as she shouts “Go! Fight! Win!” in the bridge of the song.
The album’s emotional climax comes with Soon You’ll Get Better. Swift thrives in this acoustic setting, both vocally and lyrically. The song showcases Swift in her most vulnerable state as she explores the emotions and grief surrounding her mother’s battle with cancer. Potentially her best song to date, Swift explained on her YouTube Live that she will never be able to sing this song live because of how personal it is to her and her family.
Taylor Swift has truly grown, and showed everyone that she’s done lying and pretending. She will only surround herself with things and people she loves. And if you think any hate will bring her down, well, she already forgot that you existed.
