In the morning light after her historic fourth Album of the Year win, Taylor Swift’s Midnights era had ended. The album had already been slated as the obvious choice before its Grammy win, and despite larger celebrations of Swift’s historical award, the album itself has come under scrutiny for its worthiness. It seems that appreciation of Swift’s musical brilliance has been missed.
Over a year since its release, Midnights reveals itself as an electro-pointillist interpolation of albums past. She recalls her years as a country ingenue in ‘You’re On Your Own Kid’, the heights of 1989 stardom (and its glittery sister Lover) in tracks ‘Bejewelled’ or ‘Karma’, and the peace of her pandemic indie-pop persona in ‘Sweet Nothing’. Perhaps Midnights’ true victory is in its reflections of Swift herself; she doesn’t change when the sound does.
In amongst ‘Eras-fever’, the legacy of Taylor Swift is being canonised in major narratives of popular culture. That is to say, Midnights isn’t an album that stands alone – it is, by its very nature, referential and propped up by the successes of Swift’s back catalogue and tour. She has spent the year remoulding economies and performing for millions.
However, that alone can’t give it Album of the Year status. The deciding reason Midnights won this award, is its mastery of what the pop consumer wants: it is TikTok-able, radio-friendly music that doesn’t feel like it’s lost its heart in the process. The album is organically-orchestrated synth-pop, and, though appearing to reference the electronic glare of 1989, functions as a maturation of Swift’s storytelling. Her signature sparkle is all grown-up.
The 3 am addition of Midnights adds an intimacy to the album that seems particularly cherished in ‘Swiftie’ circles. These tracks have the iridescence of the official tracks removed, exploring both the autobiographical and the seemingly fictional. Tracks like ‘Bigger Than The Whole Sky’ or ‘Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve’ are some of the most poignant in her discography.
Swift also creates an aura of exclusivity with bonus tracks to the bonus tracks, like the glitteringly lovesick ‘Hits Different’, which only became available on streaming platforms months after the original release. The final addition, ‘You’re Losing Me (From the Vault)’, was only added in November. Midnights was left (really until this week) open-ended: it was let to live on through releases of re-recorded albums and endless tour dates.
This is to say that Midnights is not just an album, but its own media event. Midnights’ win makes Taylor Swift a record-breaker for the Grammys, the only person to win this award four times. The choice for Album of the Year is always heavily debated, but to say that Swift did not deserve this award would be discounting the undeniable artistry, and her unprecedented omnipresence in global media this year. It doesn’t seem like another album could better define this past year in music, or rather, the current Era.
