At midnight on Oct. 21, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her 10th studio album, entitled “Midnights.” The album 13 contains songs centered around stories of “13 sleepless nights” in Swift’s life.

At 3 a.m. on the same day, Swift announced there were seven more songs she had written but hadn’t made it onto the original album. Those seven new tracks, combined with the 13 originals, made up “Midnights (3am Edition).”

Within the first 24 hours, Swift broke two all-time Spotify records. “Midnights” became the most-streamed album in a day, and Swift became the most-streamed artist in one day. Credit is due to dedicated Swift Fans, dubbed  “Swifties” by the public.

And before the clock could even strike midnight on October 22nd, Taylor Swift broke the record for most-streamed album in a single day in Spotify history. Congratulations, @taylorswift13 ♥️ pic.twitter.com/FpHfhrkqWL

— Spotify (@Spotify) October 21, 2022

So, what’s the big deal? What has Swift done in this album that has allowed it to break several records and dominate charts?

The answer: this album contains some of the most personal, in-depth songs about Swift, all while managing to make us sing and dance along.

Known for her songwriting, most of the album is written by Swift and Jack Antonoff, who also produced the album. Lana Del Rey features on the song “Snow on the Beach.” Other songwriters on the album include Zoë Kravitz, William Bowery (a pseudonym for Joe Alwyn), Mark Spears, Sam Dew and Jahaan Sweet.

Each song in the album unveils a different facet of Swift and her own struggles, insecurities, and thoughts that have kept her awake throughout her life. Swift herself states that “self-loathing, fantasizing about revenge, wondering what might have been, falling in love and falling apart” inspired the album.

The record delivers an influential message to the listener, and Swift’s songwriting paired with Antonoff’s production make for some of the saddest songs in Swift’s discography, alongside some of the most upbeat background music Swift has released in years.

The tracks “Bejeweled,” “Karma” and “Lavender Haze” are examples of pop songs that break the mold and inspire innovation in the genre.  The songs feature fun production that does not conform to the normal standards of pop music and lighthearted lyrics that are sure to get any listener screaming the words to the song.

“Snow on the Beach” and “Sweet Nothing” are slow love songs that take inspiration from Swift’s own experiences falling in love. Both songs are almost ballad-like and have a sense of calm and peace meant to emulate the feeling of comfort and safety one feels with someone they truly love.

Songs like “You’re On Your Own Kid” and “Midnight Rain” talk about Swift’s journey through her career, and her own relationships that have transformed due to her career. “Midnight Rain” delves into how Swift chose to chase her dreams and her career, rather than play it safe and remain static in her hometown. “You’re On Your Own Kid” tells the story of the trials and tribulations Swift has gone through to reach this level of iconic in her career.

With the release of her new album, Swift undoubtedly keeps proving why she is a global superstar, and why she is indeed the ‘jewel’ of the music industry.