The superstar will release her 10th studio album on Oct. 21.
Taylor Swift is counting down to Midnights.
The 32-year-old superstar is set to unveil her 10th studio album, Midnights, on Oct. 21. Leading up to the release, Swift has been busy dropping both breadcrumb teasers and concrete details about what fans can expect from the project.
Meet us at midnight and get the latest details below.
The Announcement:
Swift first announced Midnights in a bombshell reveal while accepting her Video of the Year Moon Person at the MTV Video Music Awards in August for "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)."
She continued, saying, “You guys, I’m just so proud of what we made and I know with every second of this moment, we wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it wasn’t for you, the fans. Because I wouldn’t be able to re-record my albums if it weren’t for you… You emboldened me to do that. I had sort of made up my mind that it might be a fun moment to tell you … my brand-new album comes out Oct. 21. And I will tell you more at midnight.”
Taking to Instagram following her momentous VMAs win, Swift teased her forthcoming album, Midnights. The caption reads, "Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight."
Considering her attention to detail, Swift's VMAs outfit had fans pointing out the similarities between the dripping rhinestone Oscar de la Renta dress she wore to the show, being covered in jewels in a bathtub in her "Look What You Made Me Do" music video from 2017 and the glitzy one-shoulder Kaufman Franco gown she wore at the 2009 Video Music Awards, when Kanye West infamously interrupted her acceptance speech. A fan also pointed out that it's been 13 years since that life-changing moment with West at the 2009 VMAs. Swift has called 13 her lucky number and has used it as a symbol in her work.
Fans also drew attention to the choice of release date, as Oct. 21 is the birthday of West's ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. Fans know all too well that their feud was reignited over West's 2016 track, "Famous," in which he rapped, "I made that b**ch famous." Kardashian later leaked portions of recordings of a phone conversation between West and Swift, in which he told her about some of the song's lyrics, setting off a years-long he said/she said between the two musicians and West's now-ex about the situation.
The Concept
"We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears. We stare at walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren't -- right this minute -- about to make some fateful life-altering mistake," Swift wrote in her announcement of the album.
"This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching - hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve ... we'll meet ourselves."
The Track List
In the first of a playful TikTok series dubbed Midnights Mayhem With Me, Swift confessed, "I know that I have a habit of dropping cryptic clues and Easter eggs when giving you information about my music and I am not here to deny that but I am here to defy that." She then went on to use a bingo ball cage to randomly select numbers that correlate to the 13 tracks on her Midnights album, picking up a red phone and holding it to hear ear as she announced each one.
She went on to reveal a selection of titles over a period of weeks before completing the list on Oct. 7.
Midnights Track Titles:
1. "Lavender Haze"
2. "Maroon"
3. "Anti-Hero"
4. "Snow on the Beach" feat. Lana Del Rey
5. "You're On Your Own, Kid"
6. "Midnight Rain"
7. "Question...?"
8. "Vigilante S**t"
9. "Bejeweled"
10. "Labyrinth"
11. "Karma"
12. "Sweet Nothing"
13. "Mastermind"
@taylorswift Midnights tracklist reveal!! Introducing: Midnights Mayhem with Me 🌌😎 #TSmidnighTS #SwiftTok #MidnightsMayhemWithMe ♬ Midnights Mayhem episode 1 - Taylor Swift
The Lyrics
In the week leading up to the release of Midnights, Swift is revealing a selection of lyrics in collaboration with Spotify. The first lyrics to be revealed made their appearance in a Times Square billboard at the stroke of midnight on Oct. 17. "I should not be left to my own devices…" read the lyrical tease.
Fans will be treated to a sneak peek each day in different markets around the world. Additionally, Swift is sharing clips about Midnights on Spotify's mobile-only pre-save page each night along with the lyric reveals.
The second lyric to be unveiled came via a billboard in London -- the hometown of her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn -- reading, "I polish up real nice.""
Referencing her ongoing clock theme, the next lyric reveal in Brazil teased: "Just like clockwork, the dominoes cascaded in a line."
"Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room?" a Nashville billboard posited.
In Mexico City, the lyrics teased: "Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out."
Collaborators
Swift's longtime musical collaborator, Jack Antonoff, is undoubtedly on board as a producer. He was spotted in a brief but prominent frame from a behind-the-scenes video Swift shared on TikTok from the making of the album.
Swift has also shared that Lana Del Rey will lend her vocals on track No. 4, "Snow on the Beach."
@taylorswift The making of Midnights 🌌 #TSmidnighTS #SwiftTok ♬ life you lead - niceboy ed
A full list of co-writers includes contributions from Zoe Kravitz and Alwyn, using his familiar pen name, William Bowery.
The Covers
Midnights will come with four different covers, all of which have been shown on Swift's social media pages. Each one features a white background, with the album title printed in simple block lettering above varying moody shots of the artist.
On the back covers, Swift shared, are four quarters that -- when placed together -- make up a clock.
@taylorswift It’s a clock 🕰 #TSmidnighTS #SwiftTok ♬ Its a clock - Taylor Swift
@taylorswift August may have slipped away but September brings 3 new special edition covers! Pre-order Midnights collectible cd versions and unique color vinyl versions now … 💁♀️🌌 #swifttok #TSmidnighTS #MeetMeAtMidnight ♬ What I do - Leigh McClendon
The Release
Special edition vinyls are available now for pre-order in four different colors (Jade Green, Moonstone Blue, Mahogany and Blood Moon) on TaylorSwift.com, along with coordinating CDs and even a cassette version.
Fans will get a taste of what to expect from the full-length with a teaser trailer airing during the third quarter of Thursday Night Football Oct. 20 on Prime Video.
The album will be available in its entirety the next morning, Oct. 21, with Swift promising a "special, very chaotic surprise" at 3 a.m. ET. Hours later, at 8 a.m. ET, she will debut the music video for her song, "Anti-Hero," on YouTube shorts.
At 8 p.m. ET hat night, the album's lyric videos will be posted.
Target has announced that it will continue it's long-running partnership with Swift by releasing an exclusive lavender-hued pressing on both vinyl and CD featuring three bonus tracks -- including two remixes -- on Oct. 22.
Swift announced that she will release a second music video on Oct. 25.
Promotional Appearances
Swift is scheduled to sit down on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Oct. 24 and on The Graham Norton Show on Oct. 28.
For more on Midnights, follow ET's latest Swift coverage here.
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