There is a clear disclaimer in the title. I am an OG Tswift fan. A Swiftie. I will obviously be a little biased when reviewing this album. If Taylor recorded her farting in a melodic rhythm for 15 tracks, I would probably still buy the album and tell everyone that it’s a real piece of work.

I fell in love with Taylor when she debuted her first single, Tim McGraw. You really can’t get anymore OG fan than that. I can remember the first time I saw the music video. I was sitting in my grandma’s living room watching CMT. I still get goosebumps every time I hear that song. My sister burned me the “Taylor Swift” CD for Christmas that year. Still to date the best Christmas present I’ve ever received. (Taylor Swift concert tickets from mom coming in a close second!)  I feel like no one remembers that album. SO many good songs!! Tim McGraw, Picture to Burn, Teardrops on my Guitar, Should’ve Said No, and Our Song.

I get annoyed when people say “I miss the old Taylor Swift.” or “I used to hate her, but she’s got some good songs now.” I’m obviously a protective mama bear when it comes to my girl, TSwizzle. I love her music in all forms. It has helped me get through plenty of heart breaks and her music always make me feel like a powerful woman. There is something about her poetic lines and metaphors that explain how I feel in a way I’ve never been able to put in words. It’s really rare that an artist can encompass my feelings. Most songs I like these days are hip hop songs, where I don’t know what half of the words even mean. Taylor’s music is a nice escape from that.

Her new album is definitely different than anything she has done before, but it’s Taylor breathed. It is still poetic, classy, and catchy.

1. Ready For It?

Is Taylor Swift rapping? Close to it. This song is a sexy, dark love song.

My favorite lyrics: “Some boys are tryin’ too hard, he don’t try at all though. Younger than my exes, but he act like such a man, so I see nothing better, I keep him forever.”

What the song means to me: This song shows the honey moon stage. The excitement of meeting someone that isn’t boring for once. Are you ready for the games?

2. End Game (feat. Ed Sheeran & Future)

This isn’t one one of the songs on the album that I find myself playing a lot. (Yet…) I do like that it focuses on forgetting about their reputation and being together forever. Not a lot of hip hop songs portray that.

My favorite lyrics: ” I don’t wanna touch you. I don’t wanna be just another ex-love, you don’t wanna see. I don’t wanna miss you. Like the other girls do.”

What the song means to me: When you meet someone and you want to be their next and last kiss. When you see your power couple potential.

3. I Did Something Bad

I do find myself playing this song often. I like that Taylor is bringing out her dark side in this song. I think this song proves to Taylor haters, she is no longer singing “whiny break up songs”.

My favorite lyrics: “I never trust a narcissist, but they love me. So I play ’em like a violin and I make it look oh-so-easy. ‘Cause for every lie I tell them, they tell me three. This is how the world works. Now all he thinks about is me.”

What the song means to me: I think this song shows a girl who attracts narcissists and has got really good at playing their games. She begins to not feel bad for stooping to their levels. She realizes she doesn’t owe anyone anything.

4. Don’t Blame Me

Another favorite I have on replay. This track fully dives into electopop, but there is a soulful undertone, almost like a haunting church hymn.

My favorite lyrics: “Don’t blame me, love made me crazy.  If it doesn’t, you ain’t doin’ it right. Lord, save me, my drug is my baby. I’ll be usin’ for the rest of my life.”

What this song means to me: This song explains the addicting, make me crazy kind of love. No matter how bad it is for you, there is no walking away from it.

5. Delicate

AHHHH. Yet another, I have on replay! This song is more laid back. A nice refresher from some of these heavy, “got me in my feels” songs.

My favorite lyrics: “Is it cool that I said all that? Is it chill that you’re in my head? ‘Cause I know that it’s delicate (delicate) Is it cool that I said all that?Is it too soon to do this yet? ‘Cause I know that it’s delicate.”

What this song means to me: When you’re in that beginning part of the relationship and you are both starting to like each other, but you don’t know if it’s too soon to tell them how you feel. You don’t want to ruin what you have.

6. Look What You Made Me Do

Okay when this song dropped, I could not stop listening to it. It made me so psyched for the Reputation album. I really love a good revenge track. It’s haunting, sexy, and triggering.

My favorite lyrics: “I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me. I’ll be the actress starring in your bad dreams.”

What this song means to me: When someone does you wrong so many times that you finally crack. They bit the hand that fed them and now their dead to you. The old caring, nice you is dead and you’ll never be quite the same. They’ve done you so wrong that you know, you will haunt their conscience forever.

7. So it Goes…

This song is definitely a sexy one for Taylor. Dark and steamy. Something I could hear in a 50 Shades of Grey movie. She has a great way at hinting at sexy thoughts without really saying them because Taylor is a classy b****.

My favorite lyrics: “I’m yours to keep (oh) And I’m yours to lose. (baby) You know I’m not a bad girl, but I do bad things with you. So it goes…”

What this song means to me: When someone has that magical effect on you where they can get you to do just about anything.. Someone that gives you a dangerous high. When their skin is pressed against yours, you feel complete. Something you’ve never felt. Your bodies are like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.

8. Gorgeous

I feel like next time I see a gorgeous intoxicating face in a crowd, this song is going to be playing in my head. Once it is in your head, it is hard to get out.

My favorite lyrics: “You make me so happy it turns back to sad. There’s nothing I hate more than what I can’t have. And you are so gorgeous it makes me so mad.”

What this song means to me: It takes me back to that child-like flirting when the more you liked someone, the more you acted like you didn’t. When you meet someone so gorgeous that you know there’s not a chance for the two of you, but you will still daydream about it.

9. Getaway Car

This synth-pop song is breathtaking and exhilarating. It takes you on a roller-coaster full of emotions.

My favorite lyrics: “Don’t pretend it’s such a mystery. Think about the place where you first met me. Ridin’ in a getaway car. There were sirens in the beat of your heart. I shoulda known I’d be the first to leave.”

What this song means to me: When you start a romance with someone, but you know it’s doomed from the start. You know you’re going to be the one looking for a reason to get out.

10. King of My Heart

This song isn’t my favorite. Probably because I don’t relate to it. I haven’t found the “king of my heart”, but I’m glad Taylor has!

My favorite lyrics: “And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for King of my heart, body, and soul, ooh whoa. And all at once, you’re all I want I’ll never let you go”

What this song means to me: When you think you’re going to die alone then you meet someone that makes you feel like you never have. You find the one you’ve been waiting for all this time.

11. Dancing With Our Hands Tied

I try not to listen to this song too much because it’s really dreary. It makes me feel like I’m looking out a window of a dark, cold room on a rainy, gloomy day. It’s depressing to say the least.

Favorite lyrics: “Could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets. Picture of your face in an invisible locket. You said there was nothing in the world that could stop it. I had a bad feeling.”

What this song means to me: When you fall in love with someone and they say they won’t let anything get in the way of forever with you. Yet, everything gets in the way of forever with them. You would do anything to be able to dance with them again.

12. Dress

A sonically slow and sultry love ballad. This song is the most lustful song on the album.

My favorite lyrics: “Say my name and everything just stops. I don’t want you like a best friend. Only bought this dress so you could take it off.”

What this song means to me: All you think about is being next to the person you love in bed. All you want is them and you don’t care about the risk of heart break. They are always on your mind. They’ve left their mark on you.

13. This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

An upbeat, playful song calling out the backstabbers. An anthem to laugh at all the ridiculous rumors.

My favorite lyrics: “Here’s a toast to my real friends. They don’t care about the he-said-she-said.”

What this song means to me: When people enjoy spending their time talking about you and figuring out ways to ruin your reputation, but would never say those things to your face. Well, those fake friends ruin nice things and good people.

14. Call It What You Want

My personal favorite on the album. Catchy, beautiful, a pop master piece.

My favorite lyrics: “My castle crumbled overnight. I brought a knife to a gunfight. They took the crown, but it’s alright. All the liars are calling me one. Nobody’s heard from me for months. I’m doin’ better than I ever was.”

What the song means to me: You can be going through some real shit and at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what people think of you. It shows how love conquers all the drama. Your reputation doesn’t matter. Love matters.

15. New Year’s Day

This song reminds me of Taylor’s older music. I love it. The simple guitar and piano backing doesn’t distract from the beautiful lyrics.

My favorite lyrics: “Please don’t ever become a stranger, whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.”

What this song means to me: You want the good times with someone, but you’re willing to endure all the bad times for the good times. Hold on to the memories, whether they’re good or bad because the memories and each other are all we really have in this world.

Reputation is a concept album. It has an overall theme of well, reputation. It’s the perfect mix of hip hop, trap, and electro-pop production styles. I had to listen to the songs on this album a few times to really fall in love. Like 1989, it is very sonically cohesive. I do sort of miss days where an album was more like a playlist of random, great songs. Although, I love that a concept album better portrays an artistic story.

I have loved watching Taylor’s music grow. I grew with it. I’m a born and raised country girl that moved to a city. My music choices have evolved as well. I love that Taylor can write and perform any type of music. She truly is an incredible artist.