By this weekend, Taylor Swift’s newest album “1989” is expected to sell over one million copies. If that prediction stands true, this will be the third album in a row that the seven-time Grammy winner will have done so. This time, however, Swift is performing in a new genre. In “1989,” Swift has reinvented herself from a country to pop artist.
In “1989,” we see the same sassy, boy-crazy, relationship-stricken Swift, but with a new sound. Swift’s music is no longer a mix between country and pop, which has fans and non-fans alike complaining. This album utilizes different pitches and falsettos to make catchy choruses and memorable lyrics. At times in this album Swift sounds similar to Katy Perry, while still finding a way to maintain the unique sound she has had since the beginning of her career.
Evidence of the changing genres can be heard in “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood” and “I Know Places.” These songs include more bass, and Swift’s voice stutters with the head-bobbing beat. At some point in each of these songs, listeners can identify where she reverts to the original Swift, as heard in the sweet, twanging melodies of “Red” and “Speak Now.”
The album’s strongest track is “Wildest Dreams.” It opens with an echoing bass and violin that pave the way for Swift’s low but elegant whispering tone in the opening few lines. To put emphasis on single words, she begins to frequently use a higher pitch. Come time for the chorus, Swift casually and effortlessly travels up and back down the scale. This remains a pattern for the entire song, with the tempo slightly rising at times and then returning to its original cadence.
With “1989,” Swift creates another album that fans will continue to connect with as she contemplates relationships and their effects on her and her significant other(s). The album has a fairly new feel as she embraces the pop genre, but continues to use a dash of country for her nostalgic fans. This album will be on repeat for fans while they get used to Swift’s impressive new sound.
