1989 by Taylor Swift | Teen Ink

1989 by Taylor Swift MAG

December 27, 2014
By annie1214 SILVER, Camas, Washington
annie1214 SILVER, Camas, Washington
9 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Taylor Swift shook the pop world with the release of “1989.” Her loyal band of “Swifties” were thrown into a swirl of turmoil. Some fans were overjoyed at the opportunity to add yet another album to their collection. Some mourned the loss of “the old Taylor,” who sang their diaries through the relatable ballads on her previous albums “Fearless,” “Speak Now,” and “Red.” Even non-Swifties turned a curious ear to the new release. Some marveled with grudging approval at the record-breaking sales. Some just looked at her reputation as a blonde serial dater and groaned inwardly, muttering to themselves disgustedly about the “music of this generation.”

It’s a shame that all these people are missing the point.

“1989” isn’t just another mishmash of heartfelt country, a jumble of meaningless lyrics, or a melodic array of soulful R&B. It’s a breath of fresh air for modern pop, teeming with a mixture of upbeat tempo and clarifying honesty that has never been seen before in the music industry. It’s a beacon of light amid the foggy clutter of repetitive bubblegum beats and dubstep that infests our radio stations.

“1989” is a delightful mix of ballads tinged with background drums (“Clean”), feisty dance tunes (“Shake It Off”), and sassy, satirical messages (“Blank Space”). Swift dabbles in the hit-or-miss world of electropop with “I Know Places” and “Wildest Dreams,” resulting in a novel mixture of piercing lyrics and haunting falsetto.

But the most defining trait of this album is the innocent honesty that won Swift legions of fans in her previous albums. In “1989” she sets it free, letting her truthful lyrics tumble through the new terrain of pop tempos until they shine brighter than in any of her previous endeavors.

The hidden pain in the seemingly carefree song “Welcome to New York” rears its head with the lines “And you can want who you want/Boys and boys and girls and girls” by revealing the prejudice that haunts the world. The bittersweet melody of “But you come back to what you need” in “This Love” hides a deeper, darker resentment relatable to all those with broken hearts.

With “1989,” Swift declares to the world that her talent for storytelling isn’t confined to the soothing guitar strings of country music. In fact, when paired with the upbeat percussion of today’s pop, her musical integrity cuts deeper than ever. Swift may be a newly inducted pop artist, but her message has never been clearer.

This album is just the jolt that pop music needed. And if you’re still not convinced, well, I guess Taylor said it best: “The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”


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This article has 6 comments.


on May. 12 2015 at 7:52 pm
annie1214 SILVER, Camas, Washington
9 articles 0 photos 4 comments
Thank you so much for your feedback!! :)

on May. 12 2015 at 7:52 pm
annie1214 SILVER, Camas, Washington
9 articles 0 photos 4 comments
Aw thank you so much!!

on May. 12 2015 at 3:04 am
HappyEmeal GOLD, Lahore, Other
16 articles 4 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
When life knocks you down, Dhuzzz! Just puzza back up!!!

I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT

Mckay ELITE said...
on Feb. 4 2015 at 5:09 pm
Mckay ELITE, Somewhere, Virginia
146 articles 0 photos 2230 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.&quot;<br /> &mdash;Apple&rsquo;s &ldquo;Think Different&rdquo; commercial, 1997<br /> &ldquo;Crazy people are considered mad by the rest of the society only because their intelligence isn&#039;t understood.&rdquo; <br /> ― Weihui Zhou

I love the cheeky ending. There were a few parts of the reviews I felt that you could have polished only because you had more commas than necessary. Nonetheless, the wording and overall feeling to this review make it an enjoyable read. :)

on Dec. 31 2014 at 3:01 pm
annie1214 SILVER, Camas, Washington
9 articles 0 photos 4 comments
@swiftie_emz Hahaha that's so funny! Loved your review too, thank you so much!

on Dec. 31 2014 at 2:32 am
HappyEmeal GOLD, Lahore, Other
16 articles 4 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
When life knocks you down, Dhuzzz! Just puzza back up!!!

OH MY GOD, WE ENDED OUR REVIEW ALMOST THE SAME WAY. And I love what you wrote!!