Taylor Swift - 1989 - Album Review 

blank space and chandelier??? where is the similarity?

1989 was the year she was born...

I would have to disagree with what you said about Red being so bad. The reason being that, yes as you have stated, it is all over the place musically, but to me that's done purposely because the whole album is suppose to reflect this intense chaotic all over the place relationship. Yes lyrically WANEGBT was not her best and IKYWT wasn't either, but they bring out this sense of realization that it's time to move on, which often times she is criticized for not doing. Also, All Too Well was and is by far the best song she has ever written, it details the narrative of a promising relationship, it's even filled with foreshadow when she says "the air was cold, but something about felt like home somehow" it's mirrors the uncertainty of what the album Red is all about. Songs like Sad, Beautiful, Tragic also paints a story on its own, the nostalgic feeling of what once was and could've been. I have to disagree lyrically Taylor Swift is an amazing song writer.

I agree that she tends to be drowned out by influence of songwriters and producers, but not to an extreme extent. You mentioned that she lost her signature sound, but that's the point. She called the album 1989 because it's a rebirth. It's a brand new sound, why would she stick to her old one? And as for lyricism, for me, the best was on Red and Fearless, but 1989 is a close third. This Love is straight up poetry with rhythm. "This love is good, this love is bad, this love is alive back from the dead," she isn't talking about the complications of a relationship, she's talking about how difficult out is to maintain a relationship with a lover who's away. For example, a wife who's husband is in the military. She loves him deeply, but it hurts when he's away. 1989 also features some of her most mature songwriting. Wildest Dreams is a song about sex, This Love is about a difficult love, Blank Space is the ultimate "fuck you" to her haters, Clean has a double meaning of overcoming a mental disorder. This is her strongest album, vocally speaking. Take Bad Blood, for example. She's practically screaming in the chorus, then in the verses, she almost sounds as if she's grinding her teeth, and in the bridge, she's sweet and innocent, then she straight up yells a line. She's definitely not a powerhouse like Carrie Underwood, but she definitely shines through a lot in the album. And I also feel like I need to mention New Romantics. It doesn't fit on the album because it doesn't fit her storyline, but it's hands down the best song she's ever put on a deluxe album, the best song on 1989, and one of the best she's ever done.

I appreciate your review so much. I think the problem a lot of viewers have who think you're being overly critical is that they don't have a context for what you're saying, given they don't have the musical background you have. Maybe you could illustrate your points a little better for the general public. For example, if you say Taylor is appropriating a certain trend in music, maybe play the parts in Taylor's music and the parts in another artist's music you find similar. Just a suggestion.

I thought this album was amazing. It feels like an authentic pop album with great songwriting. All the songs feel complete in their own way. My favorites are Style and Blank Space.

You're much better than Theneedledrop imo

7/10 Best Songs: 'Clean', 'All You Had To Do Was Stay', 'Style', 'Blank Space', 'I Know Places' Worst Songs: 'Shake It Off', 'Bad Blood'

95% of what this guy says in this video is all negative

I think this is her strongest album. Its her first time in the genre maybe she needs more time to mature. And please make a reviee of MisterWives album when they release it.

All of the butthurt Swifties need to cool it. "1989" isn't the best album in the world. It certainly wasn't a risk for Taylor because she was never a true country artist in the first place. Just because T-Swift is your idol, doesn't mean that every single thing she does is great. She's human, she slips from time to time. Spectrum Pulse, I think this review was excellent, and you took the words straight from my mouth.

Hey, honest criticism- I like your style of reviewing, I think you have good ideas and opinions on music. But.. the way you edit your videos is really, really difficult for me to listen to. For one thing, there is never a pause. It's okay for there to be a pause when you finish a thought. You don't have to edit that out. I have seen others edit it out like you do, and it works, but they have also had overall a slower voice than you do. Yours is really fast. That's okay- but combined with the lack of pauses, it makes it feel super in-my-face and lightning speed. Second, I think there was some kind of background music that you had going the whole time- it was either too loud or too soft. I don't know which. I couldn't figure out what it was- I assumed one of the songs from 1989, and even though I loved the album and know every song well, I couldn't quite hear it. But it was distracting enough that I couldn't ignore it. I hope you won't take this poorly, because I wouldn't be commenting if I didn't think you had some great thoughts and opinions. I'm commenting because I'd like to watch more of your videos, and I'd like them to be easier for me to watch. :) (and I just wanted to make sure you knew she named the album 1989 because that's the year she was born, not because she was trying to emulate the year musically. (at least, not entirely.)) (and the lyric in"Shake it Off" is "I never miss a beat / I'm landing on my feet," not lightning.) By the way, I thought the three songs on the deluxe album were some of the best ones. "New Romantics" is phenomenal. And you know what's interesting- I think you said "This Love" and "How You Get the Girl" were some of the closest to her original sound? Those were among those that I liked the least. I thought "Wildest Dreams," "Blank Space," and "I Know Places" were the highlights of the album. The diversity of sound on the album doesn't make it sound disjointed to me- it makes it feel like a more complete album. I'll check out Lucy Hale's album, though, thus far I had dismissed her as another Disney channel actress wanna-be musician a la Bridgit Mendler. Thanks for the review!

the title was 1989 because she was born that year. Not because the 1989 artists inspired her.

it deserves -10/10

Mark the type of guy to spend 12 minutes criticising an album then recommend it at the end.

I honestly think that out of the 16 songs in the album, 15 are between good to fantastic, the one that isn't being 'Shake It Off'. But I totally applaud Taylor's strategy to include 'Shake It Off' in the album and make it the first single though, it's an effective & solid marketing move. Now looking at the ridiculous amount of sales, it all paid off.

i´m watching your reviews since quite a while now, and even though your often covering music i don´t really care for, i highly respect you for expressing your opinions so well, vivid and cohesive, given your rethorical talent it´s not hard to imagine you´re professionaly writing, mad probs dude, keep up the good work, the only gripe i have with your presentation is the occasional mubling and utterly fast spoken words, (not too great of a problem though) I´m also glad you´re exploring the depths of experimental electronic music and post- punk now, I´m really looking forward to you reviewing some more electronic driven projects and postpunk acts in the future, as for the Taylor Swift review i full heartedly agree with your opinion

I'd like to know your thoughts on Ella Henderson's debut release Chapter One given that she's an X Factor alumni and their albums have been a mixed bag to say the least.

you're very good man! don't let those superfans distract you:) a lot of very good remarks, I also think you are much better than needledrop btw. totally agree with you on Lana, btw, shameless appropriating of 60's singers - spot on!! and a great Voltorb cushion obviously;) (btw Blank Space and Style my faves off the album, great pop songs)

Once again, a very detailed review. But a bit too detailed in the subtitles. Listening + reading at the same time? I can't.

just to let you know i'm pretty sure the albums called 1989 because that's her birth year.

When statements like "Debbie Gibson who charted higher than Madonna in 1989" are dropped as fact, when 10 seconds of research proves it is not the case, any credibility when talking about elements that are subjective is totally undermined.

Ok, so you guys go to a review of music you already like and then get mad when you disagree with the reviewer. If you like the album you don't need somebody else to tell you that it's good.

1989 is the year she was born. And, she said the album was inspired from "90s" music NOT 1989 music. You don't have to mention all the shitty musicians (like you referred to them) from the year 1989.

im pretty disappointed she's gone pop but not surprised at all

Are you going to review run the jewels 2? Would love to hear your thoughts on how they've grown as a duo since last year

Do you even like something? everything seems to not be good enough for you...

In my opinion, I liked this album but I found that I liked more albums much better. Including: my everything by ariana grande, louder by Lea Michele, sparks by imogen heap. I loved the more mature sounding songs like I wish you would, style and wildest dreams. And I also had a guilty pleasure for all you had to do was stay. I would probably rate this album 7/10

But the Cure released Disintegration in 1989 ;(

Really remembered this time when everyone were shitt!ng on Red and 1989 Now they are regarded as one of her best Time changes

Very interesting and intelligent review. While I'm more of a just listen and like or dislike kinda guy who doesn't go into as much depth as to why I like or dislike songs or albums, the outcome was the same on this one. Doing no real research, I immediately heard that she had dropped what had made her popular to begin with, namely the catchy hooks and home spun young girl credibility. The collaborating with others has indeed made her songs sound less like Taylor and more like a hodge podge of commercial pop artists that could be sung by anybody and not make much difference. While I totally disagree with you about Red (that was my favorite album of hers), I wholeheartedly agree with you that this one feels pretty generic and not like a pure Taylor album at all. The whole retro idea is almost always a bad one as is apparent from all the horrible reboots and remakes we've seen of classic 80s material. People don't seem to realize that classics become classics based on their originality and being in and of the time, not trying to duplicate them from today's perspective. That always comes across as fanboy folly or kids playing dress-up but only knowing a handful of things about the era they are trying to emulate and missing essential ingredients. Cool review. I watched from start to finish and was extremely entertained and informed. I will definitely check out Lucy Hale based on your recommendation (my recommendation: Lisse's Back To December.

He literally hates all the music I like. Oh well. He has a right to his opinion

I agree on a lot of what you said. I haven't heard the whole album yet but I am kind of waiting for her to mature in her music and I feel like she hasn't done that. I also am disappointed about so much vocal production because she is a fantastic vocalist, and live I don't really think she goes out of tune much so it would have been better if her voice on this was real

Who's album DO you like?? Lol There always seems to be more negatives than positives in your reviews....#justsaying

AGREE WITH YOU MAN, YOU ARE GREAT. DONT LISTEN THESE SHITTY PEOPLE

Pls react to Speak Now by Taylor. This album is self-written :)

+Spectrum Pulse Taylor didn't write "Shake it off" to feed the haters/trolls. she wrote it for other people to relate, so they will know that they don't have to be out of their minds and suicide, they just have to shake off the negativity.

no doubt she is more successful than you'll ever be

I think you are the best music reviewer on RU-vid

Umm said album won the album of the year AT THE GRAMMYS

six is much too high! Taylor seeks, whether conscious of it or not, to appease the broadest audience possible before ever thinking about making good art. Pop as a form of music has the precedent set to be an empty, lifeless music clothed in disposable hooks, overproduction, meaningless lyrics, and recycled structures. Pop deals with aesthetic, not content. Taylor on this album is the definition of pop. Has a fantastic image, cute, fun, catchy. But There is nothing substantial about it. No depth in emotion, delivery, harmony. She plugged into a formula rather than tried to discover her own mathematics for writing the album; that is why she is not an artist.

Great review! I agree with all the points that you raised. Except in my opinion i'd give the album a 4, but that's only because the songs are mind-numbingly catchy.

couldnt agree more

This Love's chorus goes: 'This love's good, this love's bad, This love's like a life back from the dead, This love's had its hands set free, But for some reason it keeps coming back to me.'

SLIPKNOT PLS MAN

Hey here's an idea let's just put as many pop refrences into a video as possible just to show off how much I know about the artists and there styles... literally all this video is. Let's be honest here its a preatty kick ass pop album and did anyone really expect taylor swift to be this artistic this early in her career. At Taylor's age Madona was in a cover band. Taylor just doesn't have all the knowledge and struggle of an artist to produce any really powerfully artistic albums yet. But I bet in the following albums we will see a crazy amount of artistic value put into them. Now it may now be her next album or the album after that but I bet listeners can expect some truly remarkable song writing and vocals to come. I'd not focus on what this album isn't which a heavily artistic piece of music, but a fun pop album that is fun to listen to and you can rock out to with your friends.

CAN YOU MAKE A REVIEW OF "JOURNALS" BY JUSTIN BIEBER? THANKS:)

It's an amazing album!Thats why people are buying it!Haters gonna hate :)

Personally, I adored this album, and yeah, "Wildest Dreams" sounds Lana-esque (but I like Lana so I don't mind) but it has a Taylor spin on it. Still, good review :)

I enjoy some of the songs, but it is not perfect. I honestly think Shake It Off is the strongest song on the album, even though everyone else hates it. Because it's the most upbeat and instrumental song on the album, and a lot of the songs don't have that.

I forget how I ended up here, but I am glad I did. Well, have you seen my video? It's called "Never Wanna Leave"!

Interesting review, you know your stuff! 1989 is perfect for me, I dig it

7/10 Best Tracks: “Welcome To New York”, “Style”, “Out Of The Woods”, “All You Had To Do Was Stay”, “Clean” ft. Imogen Heap, “Blank Space”, “I Wish You Would” Worst Tracks: “This Love”, “Bad Blood”

So your saying u know better than the 4 mill people who bought her album. Commercial success = success. Images heap said taylor swift wrote clean in one day all she did was edit it and your saying taylor swift is so weak willed she basically adapted heaps sound.

I love this album (and Red, which you clearly hate a fair bit), but I'm not gonna shit on your review because you gave the album a 6 (which is still positive). You even say "This is still a good album" at the end of the review. The vast majority of this comment section is either people calling you stupid because you don't like this album as much as they do and/or people saying popularity/sales/awards = talent. The people that fall into those two categories need to grow up.

Hello. Could you do a review on Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga's album "Cheek to Cheek"? I know it's a bit late, but... maybe you can discover elements that are sentimentally appropriate for the upcoming holidays...??

I know it won't be out for a while, but could you maybe do Kesha's future album? It's supposed to be pretty different

hey dude! why don't you write your own album rated over 10/10

this is one of the very few times i disgree with you, i think red was way better lyrically. Except for clean and blank space and to an extent this love, this album is lacking lyrically for me

Honestly, I liked the more country Taylor Swift but, I do enjoy pop music as well. Sidenote one of my favorite songs by her was Remember December. I personally did not like Shake It Off as a song as much as other pop songs. It seemed like it was missing substance both in production and content. So naturally I am weary of the album because of this. Your review helped me gouge that I should check out more of the tracks and have a listen before I decide on purchasing the album or not. Before I was just avoiding it because it did not sound like her music was going in a direction I wanted going to try. Also, thanks for the Lucy Hale recommendation. I have heard some of her stuff from musicals and did not know her album was the more like the country version of Taylor Swift.

It's certainly not the best album in the world,however i would give it a strong 7/10.Wildest Dreams,You Are In Love,This Love,New Romantics,Style,Wonderlad are amazing songs.The other are pretty decent or pretty good ,except for Shake It Off,Bad Blood(That have nothing to do with the album in terms of musical style and lyrics and i hate them),Out Of The Woods(I hate it too)

Great review. Thanks.

Can you review "roseave." by You+Me

instead of ranting I'm just going to say, Album of the year 2016 Grammy winner.

YAAAAS at the Road Between recommendation, it’s such an underrated album

bieber's album is pretty good actually not a big fan of his but i will like a review of that album:) i really like you're opinion

i mean... i disagree. with a thousand things. but i get it.

you guys should check out Hillary Jane. She is amazing :D She has a Ep called stix and stones on spotify , iTunes, Google Play , and I think Amazon as well :)

If Taylor Swift really was trying to draw inspiration from the pop music from the year she was born, she would have done more to sound like Paula Abdul than she does. One thing I can say is that I can't imagine this album having anything on it that sounds like Bobby Brown.

I wish she gone pop punk. her song sake it off sound like pop punk song it take way instruments.

Will you please review Demi Lovato's new album confident???

Please please review Electra Heart or The Family Jewels by Marina and the Diamonds

First of all,her songwriting material is actually pretty good.And when you talked about 'Welcome to Mew York'.She didn't write it all by herself.Other writers helped her write the song.Second of all,if you compare Style and Blank Space by the lyrics then you would notice This Love can relate.Lyrics are: Blank Space:So is gonna be forever or is it gonna go down in flames Style:Could end in burning flames or paradise This Love:This is good,This love is bad BTW about you saying the guy that This Love was about is a big mistake for Taylor just scratches the entire album because the messages between Blank Space and This Love is different.This love is about a relationship and Blank Space is about the media.Taylor is nice girl and the harshest lyrics in the album is from Bad Blood which is about Mrs.Perry.A female not male.Third of all,Shake It Off has not matching lyrics because it has multiple messages not 1.It is about haters,how she is not the best dancer,and not swimming in drama.Last of all,about a couple songs sounding alike other singers is not surprising.People sing alike by genres of music.But her poppy and country album Red is full of different genres but still sold 1.21M copies in a week.That is all I have to say.

so beyonce probably didnt win her grammy against beck cause she didnt write her album herself but taylor swift wins album of the year and none of taylors music is originally her own!? kanye was well played not commenting about it cause it wouldve made her win even more ligit when i dont trust the grammys not that i ever did and now i have a reason not to ever!

***** Nick Jonas solo album is coming out this month I hope you review it I'm very interested to hear what you think about Nick's transition from a band member to a solo artist

why do people even this guy think when an artist venture into another genre that there going to change FOREVER, she may make 1 2 or even 3 more pop albums, but there will be a point in her career she'll go back to her raw country music. Just enjoy the era that's she's venturing in and stop complaining wow

You can't compare Taylor to Lana Del Rey. Blank space sounds nothing like Chandelier.

I gave up watching in beginning, this is definitely not a serious review, from the moment you do not even know what music is. Those who are interested in reading a good review of this album, look for the New York Times, Rolling Stone ....

This was the most descent pop album the year it was released.If she had released 1989 anywhere near the time when Adele's 25 and Beyonce's lemonade had dropped she would have known the reality at the Grammys by not winning any.

If anyone wants to see what British Pop is currently like, look up "Wanted on Voyage", an album by Goerge Ezra. Rather boring white guy with acoustic guitar (as usual with the UK), but he has a couple of songs I like too.

Still better than Chief Keef

I lost all interest In you in the first 10 seconds

Will you talk about Damien Rice's new record?

you bring up kesha in every video like shes some amazing artist...

RED is her best album imo.

Howww have you not gone back and reviewed Speak Now or Fearless?? Please do if you get a chance.

You so mad at Lana plz change hobby

Do you really know what you're talking about? You're just trying to act like you're some expert in music but your critical analysis is so lame and senseless. I Know Places is Lana Del Ray-ish? Blank Space is like Chandelier? Guy, pull yourself together.

Have you reviewed Bleachers' Strange Desire?

I hope he works in music cause if he has all this knowledge, geeez.

Alabama Shakes. Sound & Color please.... It's a really interesting Album coming from a band of they're background in this day and age. Thx +SpectrumPulse

Can Ya Review Sam Hunt's New Album???

Wtf was this? This wasn't a review, this was finding songs that sound similar to the songs on 1989, which really wasn't accurate. There is a reason why it won 'Album of the year'. Well I guess everyone has their own opinion.

Do Chemically Imbalanced by Chris Webby

Hey, feel free to review HELLA FRREAL by Mike Mictlan, I wouldn't mind it.

justin bieber journals album

Shake It Off = Kesha? You lost me.

Good reviews man! Watched your Azealia one too. One tip though: Makeup. Get it. Cool. Later.

But I love Chicago and Debbie Gibson.....

Black veil brides!!!