Taylor Swift’s Midnights, released on October 21, has been out for more than two weeks already – which means it’s time to see how the songs stack up against each other. 

21.  Dear Reader” 6 out of 10

“Dear Reader” is the final track on the 3am edition of Midnights. Though the lyrics (reminiscent of Gone Girl) are good, the production is unfortunately heavy, and the two pieces don’t fit very well together. 

20. “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” 6 out of 10

Unlike the previous song, “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” suffers from the opposite problem – a lack of production. It’s very soft and sweet, but could use a few more aspects, such as percussion. The song is wonderful otherwise, but just doesn’t live up to the rest of the album.

19. “Glitch” 7 out of 10

The most filler of all the tracks, Swift takes a more mature voice on “Glitch”, yet it’s still underwhelming. The highlight of the song is sonically. Obviously, it’s meant to sound like a glitch, but the background noise really pulls everything together.

18. “Labyrinth”  7 out of 10

The only knock against “Labyrinth” is that the highly edited background vocals aren’t necessary – apart from that, it’s a very sweet, cute song. Swift uses a lot of repetition in her lyrics. 

17. “Sweet Nothing” 8 out of 10

As a song, “Sweet Nothing” is romantic, but pales to some of the other tracks. The best part is the production – it is obviously a Jack Antonoff piece. Though he worked on every song on the album, it’s the most clear here, with soft instrumentals and horns.

16. “Midnight Rain” 7 out of 10

A cool change of pace from the rest of the album and previous Taylor Swift songs, “Midnight Rain” is alluring and elegant. It just needs a little bit of time to come together.

15. “Question…?”  8 out of 10

“Question…?” is such a cute song, with a fun bridge and a good chorus (especially when the sound comes together at the end). The backing vocals really make the track what it is.

14. “Paris” 8 out of 10

Taylor Swift sings “Paris” with a smile in her voice – it’s obviously happy, and insanely romantic. The song grows slowly, throughout changes in the lyrics and more instrumentals near the end.

13. “High Infidelity” 8 out of 10

Though the track is simple, “High Infidelity” flourishes with basic vocals and uncomplicated production. The lyrics are given the chance to stand out. 

12. “Snow On The Beach (ft. Lana Del Rey)” 8 out of 10

The main review you’ll hear for this song is that there’s not enough Lana – and it’s so right. For an already wonderful song, a true feature would add so much more. As it is, however, “Snow on the Beach” is absolutely beautiful. 

11. “Hits Different” 9 out of 10

“Hits Different” is a Target exclusive song, though you can also find it on Youtube. The lyrics shine brightly. It has possibly the best bridge on the album, and a chorus you have to scream along to.

10. “Lavender Haze” 9 out of 10

This is the perfect opening track for Midnights, even having a small line at the beginning that goes “meet me at midnight.” It’s incredibly fun, and a change from Swift’s previous two ‘new’ albums (Folklore and Evermore). 

9. “Vigilante Sh*t” 9 out of 10

Swift brings back “No Body, No Crime” themes with “Vigilante Sh*t”. It sounds like it walked right off of Reputation. The lyrics tell a story, and the vocals are absolutely unreal. 

8. “Bejeweled” 10 out of 10

This track is so enjoyable, and the only way to listen to it is while strutting around your room. It’s glittering and shiny like the jewels it’s named for.

7. “Mastermind” 10 out of 10

The ending track to end all ending tracks, “Mastermind” is a quintessential Taylor Swift song. Not only does she sing about herself in a relationship, ‘Mastermind’ is a term that describes her in all facets. A little twist at the end pulls the whole song together.

6. “Karma” 10 out of 10

“Karma” is an idea Swift is not unfamiliar with – and she does it excellently. Another song you have to strut to, it sounds joyful and triumphant, and the lyrics are loaded with enough metaphors to please any English teacher. 

5. “You’re On Your Own, Kid” 10 out of 10

Fans will often bring up two things when talking about Swift’s music – her bridges, and her track fives. This is a great example of both. The song contains a bridge for the ages, and is the definition of a track five.

4. “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” 10 out of 10

In “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” Swift details a past relationship in a song that’s teeming with pain and upset. There’s no way to listen without singing along at the top of your lungs, and it’s so full of emotion that it’s easy, as a listener, to feel the pain just as badly as she does. 

3. “The Great War” 10 out of 10

“The Great War” is incredibly underrated, and an actual masterpiece on all fronts. Not only does the track have some of the most beautiful, poetic lyrics on the album, it’s also made by small details in production, such as war-like drums in the background.

2. “Maroon” 10 out of 10

This track is captivating in every aspect. The production is wonderful, but the lyrics take hold with beautiful descriptions and figurative language. It builds in such a way that it immediately entrances you. It’s wild, the song is so good that they named an entire color after it.

1.“Anti-Hero”  10 out of 10

Unlike some albums in the past, Taylor Swift chooses the perfect lead single for Midnights – “Anti-Hero”. It’s so upbeat and catchy, though she’s actually getting into her vulnerabilities more than any song before in a way that many listeners can relate to. Once again, Swift proves herself a master lyricist with this song, and the entire Midnights album.