I'd successfully ignored Taylor Swift until the release of 1989, and even when the critics swooned over this album as if it were the second coming of Sgt. Pepper, it still barely registered a notice from me. It was only when Ryan Adams released what amounted to a very reverent, nearly note-for-note cover album of all the tracks on this album that I finally took notice. The quality of the songwriting here is tough to deny, and I even found myself moved at times by Swift's performances. Ironically, I've begun to tire of the drama-filled celebrity romances that inspire much of Ryan Adams's own songwriting these days, and it's not impossible that Taylor Swift's work eventually stands the test of time better for me. Just not yet.

looooool but how is this less than mediocre churned-out pop by the world's most annoying popstar ahead of syro by aphex twin on the best of 2k14 list ???? poptimism doesn't equate to bumping up shitty artists guys . it's a mad, mad world

Whether you love this album or hate it, it's almost certainly going to be considered among the best albums of the 2010s if not all time. It produced too many hits. Three of them hitting no.1 and three others charted within the top 10 of the billboard hot 100. I personally love the album. It's just a really good pop album.

Fun album with just enough creativity to merit a 95/100. One of the albums that alerted me to non-classical music. Bad Blood is like an 80s flashback! Taylor's lyrics tend to be so poor and girly that her albums tend to be really entertaining unless its just too much, like in Red. Very good music however, although not as great other pop acts like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, or especially the Weeknd, who has one of the best pop voices I have heard.

If I was gonna make a pop album, or if my favourite artist was gonna make a mainstream pop record, this is how I would want it to look and sound like.

Yeah I'll admit it, I'm a 31 year old guy, and I love this album :D

I think Taylor Swift is trying to say she's a whole lot richer than you. At least she's not pretending to be the shy homely girl who would have trouble getting a date... (... you can keep waiting, nothing's coming)

Anyways yeah it's a pop album that boosts excellent series-6 crystaline production, the most Competant (in capital letters) songwriting that's ever been... Competanti.,.ve, and songs that obviously sound like they could be great club grooves or prom dances on the surface but kind of are just hollow mirages when you actually stop and listen to them. But really it's fine, despite a couple of awful tracks (good gawd "Bad Blood", and "Shake it Off" and "Blank Space" are the most nauseatingly self-aware tracks to ever exist anywhere, ever) if largely a total 1-percenter album that doesn't so much connect with an audience than give you a peek at a much more glamorous but mostly just shallow lifestyle that you can hope and dream and wish for, but in the end it's not really worth it cause it's all empty-calorie vanilla cake decorated with the most pristine frosting imaginable. Not bad, just... kind of dead behind the perfect blue eyes. At least Tay-tay is no longer pretending to be something she's not, that's a bonus... I guess.

As most pop superproductions it ends up being just a medium to release ~3 great pop songs. In this case the glorious opener "Welcome to New York" is ready for you to accept it with arms wide open, as well as the somewhat overplayed "Blank Space" and the colorful closer track "Clean". The rest might be bland, but it's still worth it because Taylor shouting "IT'S BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!" in such a joyful way is one of the best things 2014 left behind.

Has some hits, has some misses, and has some decent filler. Surprised so many people love it/hate it. Feels like a lot of people are reviewing their thoughts of Taylor Swift or a specific song of hers instead of the album.

This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.