Reputation

Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album Reputation finally dropped, after months of hype. With 15 tracks, produced with pop hitmakers Max Martin, Shellback and Jack Antonoff, Swift’s latest addition to her catalogue appears to mine her past and her present for material, switching moods between unapologetic love letter and defiant clapback. It’s all sung over a series of synth-heavy beats, and sprinkled with tinges of 80s pop, catchy dubstep drops and dance-ready hooks.

Unlike her previous efforts, Swift did not promote Reputation through press interviews. Four international singles supported the album: "Look What You Made Me Do", "...Ready for It?", "End Game", and "Delicate", the first two of which reached the top-five of the Billboard Hot 100, with the former topping the chart for three weeks. "New Year's Day" was released to US country radio, whereas "Getaway Car" was released in Australia only. Critical response to Reputation was generally positive; reviewers were divided on the brash sound and harsh themes, but praised Swift's resilient songwriting, specifically on the songs about romantic intimacy. Some critics found the album a personal record in which Swift expresses her innermost vulnerability to an ideal lover and discovers her true self.

Reputation isn’t the failure that seemed possible a month or two ago; it’s full of bulletproof hooks and sticky turns of phrase. But in committing to a more conventional form of superstardom, Swift has deemphasized the skill at the core of her genius. The album ends with “New Year’s Day,” a spare, acoustic epilogue for an album made using a lot of synths and computers. It’s equal parts Lisa Loeb and Dashboard Confessional, and she conjures rich scenes with just a handful of lines: a hotel lobby strewn with party detritus, the silent back seat of a cab.