OK, let's get this out of the way first: We are Swifties at heart. We can sing all 10 minutes of "All Too Well." We know which boyfriend allegedly inspired the underrated banger of a song "Getaway Car" (hey there, Tom Hiddleston!). We have cried our eyes out to "Ronan" and done many a kitchen dance party to "Shake It Off" and "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together." So it is safe to say that we are counting the days until Taylor Swift's new album Midnights comes out on October 21.
In the past, Taylor has had a well-earned reputation for being the queen of dropping hints and Easter eggs in the lead-up to an album release. But fans have been a little surprised that this time around, Taylor has actually been spilling quite a lot of tea along the way. She's taken to Instagram to give a sneak peek at the album cover and even shared the full track list, which is much more than she usually does.
She's given some big hints about what to expect with this album, though not so many that fans aren't still doing some detective work and coming up with some theories about it. Do those theories involve Taylor's long and complicated relationship with a certain controversial rapper? Read on to find out.
Album Inspiration
Midnights is Taylor's first real theme album. When she announced the upcoming release, she revealed that the songs are inspired by "the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life." She then teased, "Meet me at midnight." We'll be there, Taylor!
'Midnights' Mayhem
One source of a lot of the Midnights info has been Taylor's series of videos called "Midnights Mayhem With Me," in which she noted that she's going to "defy" expectations about being a hint-dropper by just straight up giving out information. In her first post, she revealed that one song on the album is called "Mastermind."
Cover Art Vibes
Fans of Taylor know that she can be delightfully extra. So, of course, she's not just going to have one choice when it comes to cover art for her latest album. She teased that there will be at least three different covers that will be available for preorder. We're intrigued by how moody and adult each cover looks. Taylor clearly doesn't think her audience is just teenagers anymore, and we are so here for that energy!
It's a Clock
Remember those multiple covers we mentioned? Well, Taylor revealed on TikTok that fans who buy all four editions of the vinyl version can use the backside art to make their own Taylor Swift clock. We probably won't do that, but we are 100% sure there are fans out there who will!
Kanye Rumors
For years, there has been a conspiracy theory among Taylor Swift fans that she has an unreleased album called Karma that was influenced by all of the drama between her, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian. When Taylor announced (and then laughed and laughed about it) that there is a song called "Karma" on the new album, the rumors that it must be a Kanye-inspired track were basically instantaneous. We CAN'T WAIT.
Special Guests
One of the 13 songs on the album (because of course there are 13 tracks — we know her favorite number is 13) is called "Snow on the Beach" and will feature a special guest, singer Lana Del Rey. Given that Lana's music tends to be kind of moody, we're wondering if this track will have some of the same sad fall energy as Taylor's Folklore and Evermore albums do? Fingers crossed!
'Mad Men' Inspiration
One of the tracks on the new album, "Lavender Haze," is inspired by a surprising source: the television show Mad Men. Taylor explained, "I happened upon the phrase 'lavender haze' when I was watching Mad Men, and I looked it up because I thought it sounded cool, and it turns out that it's a common phrase used in the '50s where they would describe being in love."
Boyfriend Joe Inspiration
Once Taylor shared the Mad Men inspo for "Lavender Haze," people immediately wondered if this song is inspired by her boyfriend of six years, British actor Joe Alwyn. Then she further explained, "If you were in the lavender haze, then that meant that you were in that all-encompassing love glow, and I thought that was really beautiful," adding of her relationship with Joe: "We've had to dodge weird rumours, tabloid stuff, and we just ignore it. This song is sort of about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff." So, yep, it seems like Joe is her muse for this one.
The Complete Song List
Thirteen days before Midnights' drop date, Taylor released an updated picture of the album cover with all 13 song titles revealed (man, she loves the number 13!). We still don't know which song will be the first single from the album, though, because Taylor's gotta give her fans something to wonder about.
It's Going To Be Emotional
Midnight can be a time of sweet dreams and good sex. It can also be a time for lying in bed, wishing for sleep, and fighting anxiety. It sounds like Taylor is going to cover all that ground on Midnights, promising that it will be a "journey through terrors and sweet dreams."
Reuniting With Jack Antonoff
Taylor released a short video showing some of the behind-the-scenes glimpses from the making of Midnights, and eagle-eyed fans spotted producer Jack Antonoff in the mix. Jack has worked with Taylor before on some of her best songs, including "Lover" and "Getaway Car," so we're excited for their new collaborations.
Taylor the 'Anti-Hero'
One of the songs that Taylor has given some additional info about is "Anti-Hero." "It's one of my favourite songs I've ever written," she said, promising that the track is going to be really personal. "I really don't think I've delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before."
Love & Fate
Songs about love and fate are pretty familiar territory for Taylor, but that doesn't mean she's done exploring what it means to fall in love. For instance, she shared that "Snow on the Beach" (her collab with Lana Del Rey) is about exactly that.
"The song is about falling in love with someone at the same time as they're falling in love with you in this cataclysmic, fated moment. You're kind of looking around going, 'Wait, is this real? Is this a dream? Is this for real? Is this happening? Is this really happening?' Kind of like it would be if you were to see snow falling on a beach."
Bonus Track Joy
The only thing better than 13 new Taylor Swift songs is 14 new Taylor Swift songs! Fans looking for more music may want to pick up the deluxe Lavender edition of Midnights at Target. The disc and vinyl versions feature three bonus tracks: one new one (called "Hits Different") and two remixes. More songs and an excuse to go to Target? We're in!
A 1970's Vibe?
From the visuals on the Midnights Mayhem with Me logo to the family basement circa 1978 location where the videos were filmed, there seems to be something of an homage to the 1970's happening here. We'll be curious to see if that carries over to the music too!
