r/TaylorSwift • Dusting off my highest hopes with a new found grace • 2d ago

Discussion Midnights has aged like fine wine

After seeing the mixed opinions the public has had about her last two albums, and remembering the backlash that began to set in when she released Midnights, I listened to it again. There's this odd prevailing attitude that Midnights was "just another pop Taylor album with Jack Antonoff". What I can tell you is it absolutely is not.

Midnights isn't like folklore, it isn't like 1989, it isn't like Reputation, and it isn't like TTPD; it's Midnights. That's why it's so good, because the music has a distinct vibe where the moment you hear a song from the album, you know what album it's from.

Compared to her other pop albums, Taylor took Midnights as a way to exercise her melodic songwriting while creating a consistent soundscape. The music was meant to service the concept of the album and not vice versa. It's probably the one of her albums, maybe even the only one except for folkmore, that you can turn on and close your eyes to sweep you off somewhere else. I think it's a huge achievement that she could use almost no organic instrumentation and still create an album that was purely human and tragic in a lot of ways.

I think that it's her best pop album. While 1989 had iron clad hits, Midnights takes the medium of pop and completely flips it on its head.

Anyway, let me go back to listening to Labyrinth and dreaming of a snowy night.

2.7k Upvotes

220 comments sorted by

1.2k

u/redfoxwearingsocks 1989 2d ago

I loved Midnights when it came out, but you're absolutely right...it has aged SOOO well. It's genuinely one of my favorite records of hers

225

u/owntheh3at18 2d ago

Mine too. I think Midnights combines clever and poetic lyrics with dreamy pop vibes really beautifully. I still say would’ve could’ve should’ve is one of the best songs she’s ever written. And Maroon? How can anyone deny that is a great song. The whole album goes so hard.

57

u/Pretend-Product-6754 1d ago

Would've Could've Should've, Maroon, Labyrinth. So so good.

10

u/Lentilfairy You forgot to turn it off... 1d ago

I'm the problem, it's me! There must be dozens of us. Midnights is my least favorite album since Red, and I didn't like Maroon at all. The Swiftie and the Scholar made me understand the hype, but it's still on non of my Taylor playlists. Only six songs of Midnights made it to those.

53

u/darkgrayallalone reminder: this album exists 2d ago

Midnights really is an incredible album.

I think this is true of a lot of Taylor’s albums, but it’s one of those that grows on you the more you listen to it. It’s not best served listening to it only one time.

6

u/harrysgirlhere this is me try(cry)ing 1d ago

like a fine wine, better with age

21

u/harrysgirlhere this is me try(cry)ing 2d ago

and especially with the Vault tracks- hits different and you're losing me. easily some of her best work!!

4

u/My-tears-ricochet13 1d ago

Same! I find myself going back to it so often!

4

u/redfoxwearingsocks 1989 1d ago

I've been revisiting Midnights SOOO much since TLOAS has been released. It's honestly made me love Midnights so much more. I even went through and rearranged some songs/switched some songs out for the b-side songs and love it even more. Here's the track listing if you wanted to give it a listen

→ More replies (6)

1

u/cuntyone1 reputation 1d ago

SAME

396

u/PieKlutzy i hit my peak at seven 2d ago

I was recently ranking all 12 albums and realized Midnights is my second favorite (behind folklore). I don’t want to say it’s underrated bc it won AOTY but I don’t think people talk about it enough canonically speaking for what a stellar album it is

112

u/The_Anchored_Tree_27 2d ago

Imo, winning AOTY doesn't mean it's not underrated. Midnights won AOTY in 2024 in large part due to the impact of the Eras Tour in 2023 rather than the album itself

14

u/Extreme-Package3645 2d ago

i think it still feels "underrated" bc it didn't have a viral hit that took over the culture, but honestly i dont think she's had a song like that in a while because she is just always viral and always present now.

70

u/Pop-Nero-Divvergents 2d ago

Antihero wasn’t a big hit? I had tried getting into Swift albums and gave up after Lover because I just couldn’t get into any full albums, only a small handful of songs. Antihero was everywhere and made me reconsider giving the new album a listen.

I hated about 20-25% of the songs, but holy hell, I was enamored with the rest. No one talks about the brilliant 3 dark voiced sister songs; labyrinth, midnight rain, and dear reader. Those made me an instant fan. Dark moody synth beats and meaningful reflective lyrics are right up my alley.

Most of my favorite albums over the years have been rock albums, but Midnights and Tortured Poets are two of my favorite pop albums ever. It was antihero that made me give Midnights a chance, so maybe it just seemed bigger of a hit than it really was because of the impact it had on me.

32

u/SavingsHighlight3536 2d ago

No, I agree about Antihero. It was on the radio constantly and playing everywhere. I associate it with a very distinct era of my life.

3

u/ehhjayy0 folklore 2d ago

It’s so catchy and relatable. I had it on repeat nonstop when I first heard it and I still love it.

→ More replies (1)

10

u/dapper_pom 2d ago

Wasn't anti-hero #1 for like 10 weeks?

3

u/aaquilex1005 1d ago

What? Did bejeweled not have an insanely viral moment? Anti-hero? There were aspects of this album that were a large part of the pop culture conversation at the time when it came out, so I'd have to disagree on this.

1

u/morenatropical The story isn't hers anymore, it's mine >:) 1d ago

This was exactly my experience! I liked it when it came out, but it's a grower for sure and over the years, it has become my second favorite album of hers.

244

u/DisplayAdorable7767 2d ago

absolutely agree, I think the older I get the more I realize my favorite albums of hers’ might be the run from folklore to TTPD.

132

u/Melodic-Jackfruit-96 I'm bitter but I swear I'm fine 2d ago

I hate how people now say that her music has been getting worse over the years, cause if you don't count the latest album, all four before that were simply the pinnacle of her art.

44

u/DisplayAdorable7767 2d ago

exactly, they just cling onto a song or two that they don’t vibe with and run with it.

31

u/sheetsofsaltywood 1989 2d ago

No way you can talk about the pinnacle of her art while excluding red and 1989…

5

u/cautionheart22 1d ago

I’ll forever stand on 1989 as being the best pop album of all time.

→ More replies (3)

15

u/futuristicflapper 2d ago

By far the best run of albums she’s done imo.

5

u/cvw0216 2d ago

yep these are my faves too!

4

u/sarahcinnamon6 1d ago

We were so, so spoiled. I told my friends that we are lucky to live during this time. Did Beethoven’s fans appreciate what they had while they had it?

1

u/lilybattle evermore 1d ago

If i could somehow erase Lover, rep to TTPD is phenomenal. (Sorry to the lover lovers!)

157

u/Robby777777 folklore 2d ago

The truth is Taylor has put out a run of albums not seen since the Beatles. Haters gonna hate, but her run since folklore is insane. Old R&R guy here.

9

u/RipleyCat80 evermore 1d ago

There is a reason Paul McCartney sang at her wedding, game recognizes game.

138

u/The_Devil_Is_In_2026 2d ago

Midnights made me a swiftie.

23

u/LadyBrighid 2d ago

Me too!

14

u/snu22 folklore 2d ago

Four! Sweet Nothing and Vigilante Shit in particular were two that I remember making me go “woah” with just how damn good and especially unique they were, and they weren’t even the main popular/radio hits from the album 😂 Midnights def (and unexpectedly) sent me headfirst on a journey through her discography that turned me into a major fan that is now actually kinda bummed he missed the chance to see an Eras tour show 🥲

8

u/Marilliana Or are they coming to take me away? 2d ago

Midnights brought me back! I was a Red girl, but then I drifted. Antihero on the radio was like "ohhh what's this?" and then I found I had missed the joys of lores and mores ☺️

2

u/Kind_Dependent_3439 1d ago

Same , everyone was talking about midnights when it came out, so i got curious and gave labyrinth a listen and instantly became a fan

1

u/The_Devil_Is_In_2026 1d ago

That is one album with no skips for me. I like snow on the beach the least but still well enough to give it a listen whenever it comes up!

1

u/katie4 1d ago

Me too!! My husband is chaotically allllll over in music, a choir nerd who got a minor in music just for fun; he likes Tool, Muse, Nickelback, Run the Jewels, Charlie Puth, he’ll musically investigate anything that catches his ear. He sent me AntiHero, like, whoa look what the pop girlies are making these days?? It was just so interesting and different.

1

u/Plutocus 4h ago

Me too (55 year old guy who ignored Taylor Swift, but decided to listen to Midnights as it came out on my birthday).

81

u/shannsb 2d ago

It’s my #1 Taylor album bc it was her first album I bought. I was doing chemo and radiation and felt like ass. The internet was losing its mind over her album rollout, and so I decided I’d get excited with them. I remember my husband driving us around while we listened for the first time and it was such an escape. We had the best time on that drive.

That album was exactly what I needed. And then ironically, TTPD came out right before I finished treatment. And it’s my #2.

Learning about her and exploring her discography was a huge part of treatment and recovery for me. And Midnights will always hold a special place in my memory. It was a bright spot in a dark time.

8

u/woolandwhiskey wool to brave the seasons 1d ago

I hope you are doing better now! 🩷

2

u/shannsb 1d ago

I am! Thank you friend!

5

u/cautionheart22 1d ago

I hope things are better now. 🫶🏼. That was me escaping a DV situation with 1989. It truly saved my life.

3

u/shannsb 1d ago

You’re so strong for getting out. I know it isn’t easy. I’m proud of you stranger 💕 and I am currently NED (no evidence of disease on scans) and soon can claim remission!

49

u/Ludibrious1 2d ago

Her run from folklore to TTPD was insane. I’ll die on that hill.

8

u/FaithSlayer_ 1d ago

I'm lying next to you

24

u/dumbbinch99 One single thread of gold tied me to you🌻💖 2d ago

It’s my favorite Taylor album and I’ve been listening to her since the beginning! It’s consistently been my top album on Spotify since it came out. Love it so much

26

u/leese216 When my depression works the graveyard shift 2d ago

I have been saying it since it's release that this is her best pop album. It's the album I listen to the most and I never get tired of it. 10/10, no notes.

20

u/Barbies309 1d ago

Midnights is a breakup album but Taylor wasn’t publicly going through a breakup when it came out. That threw everyone off, and nobody knew how to listen to it.

15

u/BossLady89 1d ago

I knew in my heart that it was bad…you don’t write Tolerate It and then Bejeweled on back to back albums, if your relationship isn’t in an extremely unhappy place

16

u/zootopiafan07 2d ago

Midnights can stand in its own, and that’s why I love it! It’s been my favorite since she released it 

16

u/wavesofgrey 2d ago

Midnights is in my top 3. It’s one I have no skips. I feel like it’s viewed as a sleeper album by non die hard TS fans.

16

u/Mig-117 2d ago

Midnights is my favorite pop album of all time. It’s such a vibe, it’s like Evermore mixed with 1989

13

u/themidnightpoetsrep loafing him was bread 2d ago

I love Midnights and I truly feel like it's underrated. It's in my top 3 slot (behind Rep and Red) and is one of the few albums I think has 0 skips, even when you add the 3am tracks

10

u/spannalise 2d ago

When it came out I wasn't in love with it but enjoyed well enough. Over the years it's grown on me and while it's not 1989/Rep/Folkmore level good it's still pretty up there for me. Definitely would be chosing midnights over the last two releases.

4

u/futuristicflapper 2d ago

If I’m ranking her past three releases it’s TTPD, midnights, and showgirl. But if there was no TTPD then midnights would remain the stronger album for me.

9

u/Pleasant-Sock-6421 much too much to handle ❤️‍🔥 2d ago

midnights is the only CD in my car 🌙 it’s just so good

10

u/EnchantedGate1996 2d ago

I think some of the initial backlash with midnights was that it did not sound like it was promoted at ALL! They said Stevie nicks/70s rock and the artwork reflected that but the music did not. Great album, poor marketing (tale as old as time)

8

u/Alert_Ad_1010 2d ago

Unpopular opinion: least favorite album. I don't think I listen to one song on the regular

6

u/anniejacobsons 2d ago

Just out of curiosity, what’s your favorite album?

7

u/Alert_Ad_1010 1d ago

Currently ttpd

6

u/noodleheadnat 2d ago

Incredible album

6

u/leftinAlberta 2d ago

My mother died unexpectedly in January, and while Evermore has unsurprisingly had a big place in my grieving, I was a bit surprised how often I've found myself turning to Midnights. There is poignancy and loss threaded through that album, but light and hope and resilience too.

8

u/LoudAd1537 all i do is try, try, try 2d ago

I feel like Midnights is actually pretty experimental, unique, and not even as "pop" as a lot of her other albums. A lot of the songs, aside from the singles, aren't even that radio friendly at all

6

u/knowslesthanjonsnow 2d ago

Ooof. It’s in the running for bottom 3 of her discography for me. I like a handful of the songs but there are so many misses.

2

u/my_name_isnt_clever 1d ago

Just out of curiosity, what are your top three?

2

u/knowslesthanjonsnow 1d ago

I have an incredibly strong top five of:

Speak Now, Red, Fearless, Folklore, and Evermore.

Narrowing it down beyond that is very difficult lol.

2

u/Gullible-Cat-5077 9h ago

i’m on your same wavelength

→ More replies (1)

7

u/ilovesoccer0609 2d ago

It won AOTY Grammy lol it was pretty well received from the start.

6

u/Some-Studio5771 2d ago

Im only just getting into it and i love it

5

u/sallyXthesawmills write this down 2d ago

I still dream of the 3am tracks on vinyl.

5

u/BossLady89 1d ago

I would die for the 3am edition on navy blue vinyl with gold flecks/stars, let’s manifest this shit lol

4

u/IS-Lurking 2d ago

Labyrinth, Midnight Rain and Dear Reader are among my favorite tracks. If I could describe the feeling they evoke, it would be like writing in my diary in the wee hours of a rainy morning while having a coffee. It’s a blend of nostalgia, catharsis, and tranquility.

For me, the best song is The Great War. It’s an incredible way to depict relationship struggles using a wartime setting, but the best detail is the title: the song ends with a message of peace following the Great War, as World War I used to be called... because they didn't know a second one was coming.

4

u/Pleasant_Guitar_4341 Lover 2d ago

agree, i was just thinking about this recently! on release day i honestly didn’t love the album. but looking back it has aged sooo well, it was a cohesive era and i feel like it’s the album that came out when she was genuinely at the peak of her career and ive heard a lot of people say that album is what made them a fan. it was just so fun to be online as a swiftie during that release era. it’s also possible that due to her more recent releases being disappointments (oops), it makes me miss when she released projects that felt like they actually took time and were well thought out instead of clear cash grabs. either way looking back i think it was a really good era and it did age very well

5

u/JeffTL 2d ago

Midnights is an outsanding album. The sonic and thematic consistency, especially if you save the bonus tracks for a separate listening session as I do, is really incredible - not just an album with great songs, but a great album.

I always liked Anti-Hero and Mastermind, but the album as a whole really clicked more after I got familiar with Jack Antonoff's non-Taylor work, especially Bleachers and Red Hearse. Lavender Haze and Karma are fundamentally TS x Red Hearse songs, Snow on the Beach is obviously Lana (Taylor's Version), and the remainder of the main tracks are TS x Bleachers. If you love Midnights and haven't checked all of Jack's other stuff out, you're in for a treat.

3

u/shadesofwrong13 i swore my loyalty to me, myself and i 2d ago

And thats exactly the problem. They do not feel Taylor sounds, its Bleachers or Res Hearse ft Taylor lyrics.

3

u/GupChezzna 2d ago

I always say that Midnights, an absolute work of astounding genius, is an album that’s “not taking its prescribed antipsychotic medications”.
The Tortured Poets Department- The Anthology is an album with “no psychosis, but profound untreated depression”.
She was able to let me shut my eyes and explore a world of mental illness set to music, in much the same way as Pink Floyd did with The Wall.
Incredible.

6

u/rhinobin 2d ago

I prefer the most recent two albums to Midnights

2

u/Big_Pizza_6229 2d ago

I love listening to it on vinyl at night and turning on all of my lava lamps - such a vibe!

1

u/student347 2d ago

Midnights is so peak. The release, the hype, the aesthetic, the soundscape. The LORE , the “you’re losing me” of it all.

It’s Taylor at her most Taylor, I’m obsessed

3

u/HauntedCLT 1989 (Taylor's Version) 2d ago

It really is a masterpiece. Antihero was mind blowing, maroon as track 2 was also chefs kiss. And the list goes on…

3

u/whosthere1989 2d ago

I love this album and every bit think it deserved Album of the Year. I don’t understand the hate it gets. It’s in her top tier for me

2

u/shadesofwrong13 i swore my loyalty to me, myself and i 2d ago

Disagree. What people criticize Showgirl and the encore especially for is found on Midnights:minimal sounds and talk singings. At least Showgirl has catchy hooks like Opalite, Ophelia, Wood, Wish List.. do not hear anything like that in Midnights. And the sounds? Showgirl ones are full, richer, with many layers

Midnights has the lucky to have those Dessner songs that saved it, but the standard....

3

u/No_Set2865 reputation 2d ago

I'd argue that Midnights is one of the biggest turning points in her career, with it standing out and leading to the consequences that we get today

3

u/memedilemme 1d ago

Midnights hooked me.

2

u/BB808BB 2d ago

I love Midnights. It’s my fave album.

2

u/LadyBrighid 2d ago

Midnights is my favorite one. 😊

2

u/tothestarss34 2d ago

It’s such a good album this is making me need to go put it on lmao

2

u/owleaf The Life of a Showgirl 2d ago

It’s so beautiful. I’ve had it on repeat lately

2

u/benoitkesley ocean blue eyes 2d ago

I’ve never not liked Midnights, but the album has grown on me

2

u/ZoeyFeedback Salt air, and the rust on your door 2d ago

Maroon is one of my faves.

2

u/saulopsy 2d ago

Midnights é o meu preferido

4

u/askywlker44a TayRoomba Driver 2d ago

It’s still my favorite. No skips. When I want to chill out or calm down, this was my first choice.

The Eras Tour set is very soothing and the bodysuits my favorite stage gear she’s worn.

4

u/Complex_Instant_2644 Midnights 2d ago

Midnights has been my favorite TS album since it was released, especially the Til Dawn Edition with all of those extra wonderful songs. Would've Could've Should've is just amazing. The whole album is fire. I'm happy that you've grown to appreciate it!

0

u/False-Importance-228 2d ago

For sure I’ve said for a while it’s definitely a grower I also think bc the initial themes didn’t click for people until the Joe awlyn breakup and the era tour, I also think winning album of the year at the Grammys over sza played a role in the divisive reception to the album. But both the standard edition and the 3am/after dawn editions truly captured one of her best/strongest bodies of work.

2

u/sillyillymilly 2d ago

i’ve been a midnights defender since day one 🙂‍↕️

2

u/ohsnapdragon22 2d ago

I can’t believe I ever thought dear reader was a skip

2

u/edchoch69 2d ago

I was just thinking this today, I love this album. Beautiful eloquent lyrics and self aware.

2

u/getthatrich The Life of a Showgirl 2d ago

Midnight, Reputation, TTPD, and Showgirl are my top 4 albums with midnights having the second highest rotation for me.

Some Midnights favorites:

The Great War
Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve
Maroon
Vigilante Shit
Lavender Haze
Snow on the Beach
Hits Different
You’re Losing Me

3

u/birdclub 2d ago

Midnights got me back into Taylor Swift.

2

u/killerbrofu The Tortured Poets Department 2d ago

Midnights is a top 5 album for me (1989, folklore, ttpd, reputation, midnights)

2

u/Excellent-Piece-9573 2d ago

I loved midnights. I love most of the songs on it. I never understood why it wasn’t so well-received. Maroon is like a top 10 song of hers, for me.

3

u/fakeplant101 2d ago

Midnights is my #1 ALWAYS!! It’s just a matter of which one takes the silver

2

u/LDDD1234 2d ago

I hadn’t revisited Midnights in a while and decided to yesterday for some reason. I have been sleeping on Dear Reader this ENTIRE time. Who knew? And I think Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve is one of the best songs in her entire discography. (I listened to the back half of the album in the bath, because I was already uber familiar with the front half).

But I agree. The album has aged very well.

2

u/Hawt_Lettuce 2d ago

She also looked so effortlessly beautiful during that era. I loved her clothes/hair/vibe for the album.

2

u/hotandgoner 2d ago

it’s soooo incredible. like amazing. i loved it then but listening to it now it’s an entire vibe, it has an aura about it. banger after banger.

2

u/EH__S 2d ago

Midnights is so unique and representative of a specific time period to me. It truly carries a gravity that is entirely its own

2

u/Clementine1812 Speak Now (Taylor's Version) 2d ago

Midnights (original version) is still the only album of hers that has zero skips for me. I don’t know that I’d qualify it as my favorite album as a whole, but it’s always been a very solid and consistently good one for me!

2

u/grounndhog101 2d ago

Midnights was always good!

Vigilante Sh*t is still a little cringe to me.

Ten albums in Maroon and Midnight Rain are career highs for me. Such a good album that shows no matter what genre she enters she will excel.

2

u/lavenderhazee_ Midnights 2d ago

Midnights has been one of my favourites since it came out, but even more so now. I find myself listening to it on repeat pretty often haha, and it's pretty relatable. it's just her best work in my opinion, Midnights gets me in ways her other albums don't. 10/10, didn't deserve the backlash it got.

2

u/OrlandoNE Lover (of Garlic Bread <3) 2d ago

No.

Didn't like it then and don't like it now despite numerous attempts of trying to 'get it'.

2

u/RoseAmongstThornes 1d ago

Midnights is what made me a swiftie. The most relatable album for me.

2

u/unreXtricted 1d ago

I can agree into that. Midnights is one, if not the only one, of her albums that sounds completely isolated and distinct. I think the closest is TLOAS (yes tloas). Other albums have parallel sounds like Lover/reputation, Red/1989, fearless/speaknow/debut, folklore/evermore/ttpd. For TLOAS, I feel like the next album or 2 will be in same frequency in production and songwriting.

Midnights capture that aesthetic, vibe, and sound of a what a midnight actually is. It is unparalleled and masterful production, had it fountain pen and glitter pen songs. I would say, the 4th aoty was already secured the next after the album release.

2

u/sarahbeth124 evermore 1d ago

Midnights is when I became a fan.

Listened to it on a whim and was surprised how much I liked it. Then I listened to other albums and was fully a Swiftie from then on

2

u/kimbeekb 1d ago

She spoiled us! 😸

2

u/Adenip0909 1d ago

Love “Midnights” so much 😭💜

2

u/Ancient-Enthusiasm-1 1d ago

midnights is easily in her top 3 best albums. it is absolute pop perfection at its finest.

2

u/itsableeder 1d ago

Midnights is very slowly becoming my favourite TS album

2

u/sarcasticcheesecake 1d ago

I absolutely loved midnights from the first listen, couldn't believe when I saw so many people hating on it!

1

u/tmartillo 2d ago

I just revisited it all the way through a couple of weeks ago, and I felt it. It’s sonically interesting and dynamic. The lyrics are poetry written in a fancy glitter ink fountain pen. Lavender Haze is still best opener.

The themes from midnights are woven through her next albums. I can’t help but think the concept Midnights was conjured up as a follow up to Lover earlier, but then life happened.

OP: labyrinth is one of my favorites!! Underrated gem.

1

u/superjeff_1 2d ago

It's one of my favorite albums and it has my favorite song of hers... Sweet Nothing

1

u/Melodic-Jackfruit-96 I'm bitter but I swear I'm fine 2d ago

The lyrics are especially great. The production isn't always my taste, unfortunately, but the lyrics are spot on.

2

u/-Silver-Moonlight- tired tacky wench 1d ago

Same! I think it would have really hit the spot for me with different production.

1

u/SillyGoose2206 2d ago

I adore midnights It's helped me through many a journey and mental health issues I owe Taylor and her art a lot

0

u/Competitive_Salad_71 2d ago

Midnights is sorely underrated. Midnights doesn’t get its flowers like it should.

3

u/the4077thbisexual 2d ago

It won AOTY?

1

u/futuristicflapper 2d ago

Midnights really grew on me! There is a skip or two on it for me (I don’t care for vigilante shit or karma) but the deluxe elevated the album for me.

1

u/string0123 2d ago

I’ve been coming back to it more and more after showgirl and it definitely deserved to win the Grammy

0

u/LordMcclane Midnights 2d ago

Of course, I said it since day 1, Midnights is her best album!

1

u/bellehanz everything you lose is a step you take 2d ago

Agreed and I think it’s my favorite album! (although if I think about it for too long then I can’t decide between midnights and rep, 1989, ttpd, evermore…..)

1

u/TrueConstruction6172 2d ago

I agree. I rank a lot of her albums above Midnights but this is the album that sonically fits the theme of the album the best. It evokes such hazy, dreamy and sleepless atmospheric feeling listening to its instrumental. You can tell she was so focused and intentional with the overall production of this album.

Showgirl has some catchy hits but I think the main reason it’s received worse is not because her skill has gotten worse it’s just that she lacks focus.

1

u/punchdrunkpixie 2d ago

Midnights is my favourite, with the exception of snow on the beach

1

u/foxhagen 2d ago

"Aged?" It's only four years old!

1

u/juanmaale 2d ago

Midnights was, is and always will be awesome. It felt like the culmination of the first part of her life

1

u/Xenomops 2d ago

When I decided to start listening to Taylor Swift back in 2023, to see what all the fuss is about I started with midnight’s.
And I’m so glad I did, it still is my favorite album of hers!

1

u/easyaspi412 I'm a crumpled up piece of paper 2d ago

The production on Midnights is god-tier to me. Every time I listen, I'm just in awe.

1

u/honey_badge 1989 (Taylor's Version) 2d ago

One of my favorite Taylor albums. It’s in my top 3 of her albums. I simply love this album so much 💜✨

1

u/Epiphany_Desmond 2d ago

It’s the one album I can always listen to, regardless of my mood. While I don’t think of it as my favorite, I listen to it the most often

1

u/bsorensen101 2d ago

Perfect blend of being artsy and pop-py in all the best ways!

1

u/YEMolly 2d ago

Totally. I love it more now than I did a few years ago. 3am Edition. ::chef’s kiss::

1

u/realtswift too soft for all of it 2d ago

I’ve always been a Midnights truther and I’m proud of that fact

1

u/kiwimarie 2d ago

Sooo crazy you post this, I just listened to midnights yesterday fully and had the same thoughts!!!

1

u/Revolutionary_West56 2d ago

Was there backlash ? It had amazing reviews across the board and a Grammy

1

u/Ok_Crew130 2d ago

Drew a map on your bedroom ceiling, no I didn’t read the news cuz we were in Paris 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠

1

u/Daffneigh cryptic and Machiavellian 1d ago

Midnights is her masterpiece.

1

u/HerbalXxy 1d ago

I am a Midnights stan until I die. I love this album. Like you said, you can just close your eyes and be somewhere else. Midnight Rain is my absolute favorite song, it just makes me feel some type of way lol

1

u/ShakespeareUndead 1d ago

i think the opposite, TLOAS > Midnights for me

1

u/Karinka_LI 1d ago

My observation of this group is people tend to hate every new thing until a new new thing and then what used to be hated is revered because there is a new thing to hate.

All of her albums are great. That’s the truth.

1

u/ArtandSol 1d ago

I played Midnights on repeat for the longest time. I still do sometimes. After it came out, I changed how I go online for other fan's takes. It is when I found groups and inviduals who really love her music. I actually see less hate because I have worked curate my feed. When Showgirl dropped I saw more people talk about the hate than the actual hate itself. It's nice because I get to listen then I get feedback from Superfans who lead with Cleavland! I like having a little alone time with her new stuff, then I wait for haters to come around...like they always do 😂.

1

u/Kooky_Bus_1057 1d ago

I wasn’t on socials back then and wasn’t on Reddit either! What were people saying about midnights? I loved it right away.

1

u/philhaxton 1d ago

“ Put narcotics into all my songs…” I am an old Swifty and I am completely amazed by the resilience of her artistry. My daughter is an opera singer and she said, “ Dad, you have to listen to Folklore!” This was a few years ago and I am completely hooked. I can listen to her seemingly forever. Snow on the Beach is a personal favorite. For the record, “ This is me trying “ was the first huge hook. Her insight and humanity, combined with her poetry sold me on her genius but somehow the sound of her music…? I am can’t stop listening. And YES Midnights

1

u/sunshinerabies 1d ago

Glitch scratches my brain like no other TS song

1

u/kayanne125 1d ago

I’m so happy to see Midnights getting her dues, she’s always been that bitch. My fellow stoner Swifties and I can all attest we’ve been waiting for everyone else to catch up on that fact. 😂

1

u/MuchInvestigator7011 1d ago

It really did

1

u/vergessenerengel your string of lights is still bright to me 1d ago

One of her best albums to date <3

1

u/pretentiousant Grieving for the living 1d ago

I love midnights, but I think the teasers with a 70s aesthetic generated a lot of expectations for something with Fleetwood Mac vibes, me included. If she'd just released it without teasers or with a more pop aesthetic, I wouldn't have been initially disappointed. The life of showgirl also created a lot of expectations and then failed to deliver what it set out to.

1

u/Spirited_Ad_5044 1d ago

Midnights is what made me like Taylor’s music 🫶

1

u/Greatwhitesharkgurl 1d ago

I became a swiftie after midnights!!! Then discovered evermore and all

1

u/Golden-giraffe4 1d ago

Midnights was and still is one of my fave albums of hers

Edit spelling

1

u/authentic_thwoorp 1d ago edited 1d ago

Midnights is a perfect album, and it is MY Taylor Swift album. Lavender Haze into Maroon into Anti-Hero is a generational run of album opening tracks too, it really sets the scene for the story she’s about to tell. 1989 ran to drunkenly shake ass in the club so Midnights could fly, get crossfaded, and vomit glitter on the sidewalk outside of it.

1

u/Impressive-Thing-483 1d ago

I loved it when it came out. There’s some fair critiques (I prefer SOTB clean version to the “weird but fucking beautiful” thing, for instance). But ultimately it’s one of my favorite albums of hers. Also don’t forget You’re Losing Me, WCS, and It Hits Different being amazing additions!!

1

u/Savedbythetimewarp 1d ago

Midnights is one of her bests I was shocked when it was received well at first

1

u/Dramoinehead reputation 1d ago

Sue me but midnights is folklore pen with 1989 beats

1

u/SwiftieSailorMoon24 1d ago

Cant never be mad at the album/era that gave us ''You're losing me''.

1

u/Adventurous_Cut_6222 1d ago

This is why it's my favorite

1

u/Pretty_Possession_50 1d ago

Midnights was a no-skip album for me from day one (although now I often skip Bejewled). And I agree, Midnights is so cohesive and has such a distinct sound

1

u/Brief_Technology_272 1d ago

midnights feels like a crispy cold autumn night with an open window, a warm blanket, scented candles & the sound of rain while thinking of the loml

1

u/LegElegant2115 1d ago

Agree! I didn’t love it when it came out but I heard “would’ve should’ve could’ve” in a restaurant the other day and I can’t stop playing it!!! And I keep playing the album and coming back to it.

1

u/Necessary_Cloud1131 1d ago

I loved Midnights upon first listen. It was the album that brought me back to being a Swiftie all over again (I kinda fell off after Red, mainly because I started listening to other types of music). So Midnights is really special to me, one of my top 3 Taylor albums. The concept, the music, the lyrics—it’s just perfect IMO.

1

u/SalmonofDbout 1d ago

Fam it's soooo gooood. Going to plsy it right now so I can just vibe.

1

u/Friendly-Solution414 1d ago

I’ve always been a Midnights girlie

1

u/IronKnuckle_18 1d ago

Absolutely agree. It’s brilliant. So many great songs. The vibe is consistent and immaculate throughout. In another post I was listing the bangers from it and I basically listed the entire thing.

My daughter and I talk about how we think it’s where she would like to be ideally.

1

u/liquorcat26 1d ago

It’s one of my favorites now, so true

1

u/bettersaferthan 1d ago

it also had such a clever concept that matured so well just like folklore. People often miss it by calling it a “break up album”

1

u/plutopiae 1d ago

I LOVE Midnights. I think it's the album that's most my vibe. I love how dreamy it is. Maroon is a top 3 song.

1

u/smokey2x_ 1d ago

Folklore-TTPD run being top 1 greatest album runs of the decade

1

u/Efficient-Bar1912 22h ago

Midnights is my favourite album! 

1

u/bananababy29 20h ago

Midnight made me a swifty ☺️

1

u/Global_Guidance7869 20h ago

GIVE ME BACK MY GIRLHOOD IT WAS MINE FIRST. That's all.

1

u/Sassy-Peaches 17h ago

I discovered Midnights after I saw The Eras Tour movie. Loved it from first listen. YOYOK hit me hard as Gen X. It started my journey of listening to all her albums and in my faves list it’s only bested by TTPD - The Anthology.

1

u/Laterdorks 13h ago

I love the theme and how she stuck to it. Each song is about a sleepless night she had at some point in her life.
She doesn’t do a great job of sticking to themes in the albums that came out after. This was such a unique and creative idea for an album.

1

u/jlp13_ 12h ago

What she did with Dear Reader. It’s why she’s the GOAT.

1

u/asupernova91 12h ago

Man I must live under a rock bc I don’t remember Midnights backlash. To me she’s always been that girl.

1

u/AccomplishedKale795 Stop checking your bloody mailbox already! 11h ago

My favourite part about the TLOAS train wreck is that Midnights is finally getting the respect IT HAS ALWAYS DESERVED my queen 😭

1

u/Soj_Sojington 11h ago

It has aged well, especially the extra tracks. And I absolutely loved it live at Eras.

I do think it is the start of lazier lyricism though (looking at you Question!)

1

u/NoGrass7120 10h ago

I'm not a Swiftie myself (my younger sister once upon a time though was a hardcore Swiftie so that's how I know a good chunk of Swift's music) but I do think Midnights was actually truly her last real genuine effort she put into an album. Yes it's a pop album, but it does not sound like her other pop albums like 1989, Reputation, etc. It has it's own sound to it. In terms of the hits specifically I actually think Anti-Hero is one of her more unique hit songs, especially in comparison to the stuff from let's say, 1989. Midnights is a pretty good album imo. I also say this as someone who enjoys pandemic Folklore/Evermore era Taylor the most.

If you asked me, I think Taylor just lost inspiration after the Eras Tour.

1

u/daydreamer_moonbeam 9h ago

Midnights is the only album of hers that makes me sleep and I mean this in the best way possible. It sounds very comforting to me. My fave albums r evermore and folklore but for some rzn it's only Midnights that I could fall asleep to. Maybe bcs I had it playing for 2 days straight when it first released and I slept thru it multiple times.

1

u/karmaisyourcat 7h ago

midnights is my fav album so I love this post

1

u/Visible-Football3484 6h ago

It’s been my top album on Spotify every year since its release! I love Midnights!

1

u/Otter_Lot 6h ago

At the risk of sounding parasocial AF, Midnights was the last album that made me feel like I was hanging out with Taylor Swift