Two years after releasing her Red album, pop queen Taylor Swift released a new album titled 1989 on October 27, 2014.

The album practically smacks listeners awake by opening with “Welcome to New York.” By the first chorus, I was already dancing on my couch. While Swift’s music always affects listeners like this, 1989 reaches a new level of energy with its fresh beats and fun lyrics.

The songs “Welcome to New York,” “Out of the Woods,” and “Shake It Off” include every symptom of pop-inflected tunes: a repetitive chorus, a danceable beat, and exploding sounds in the background.

The New York Times said, “There is no production by Diplo or Mike Will Made-It here, no guest verse by Drake or Pitbull. [Taylor Swift’s] idea of pop music harks back to a
period — the mid-1980s — when pop was less overtly hybrid.”

While other songs continue with this pop style, Swift managed to maintain her classic spirit. Songs off of 1989 like “How You Get the Girl,” “This Love,” and “Clean” capture her old softer sound. Despite Swift keeping it “Swift-y,” her drastic change from a simple acoustic sound to synthesized beats startled some fans.

Jason Lipshutz, associate editor at Billboard, told USA Today, “ I don’t think it’s Taylor Swift deserting the genre as much as it’s Taylor Swift trying something new … Her last album was based in country music, but it had a lot of bubblegum pop in it … She’s always been a great storyteller, but she’s been trying her hand at pop music more and more.” He says, “It’s kind of a complete transition that if you’ve been paying attention, you could see coming.”

While the teardrops on her guitar have definitely dried, this album keeps the sweet lyrics of love and heartbreak that fans initially fell in love with Swift for. For example, Swift sings, “He’s so bad, but he does it so well” (“Wildest Dreams”); “Boys only want love if it’s torture” (“Blank Space”); and, “You always knew how to push my buttons. You give me everything and nothing” (“I Wish You Would”). Sure, Swift has changed her sound to a more modern one, but she is still the girl you go to when you suffer from a broken heart.

With its strong beats and usual Swift lyrics, 1989 acts as a refreshing embrace for all of Taylor’s “Swifties” and a direct punch in the face for all of her haters.

The Chant‘s grade: A+

Check out these tweets to see the public’s reaction to 1989: https://storify.com/sofamck/taylor-swift-s-1989

Read The Chant’s initial review on Swift’s single “Shake It Off.”

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