Billboard Explained How Taylor Swift Arrived at ‘Midnight’

Swifties came out en masse to support Taylor Swift after she asked them to meet her at midnight. But how did Swift come to release 'Midnights', her tenth studio album? Furthermore, how did her nine prior studio albums prepare her for the biggest record of her career? Let's take a trip down memory lane!

Swift's self-titled album, which she released in 2006 at the age of 16, was the catalyst for everything. Maintaining her momentum, the then-rising singer returned in 2008 with her sophomore album 'Fearless', which spent 11 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. The project went on to win four Grammy Awards, including the coveted album of the year prize, making her the youngest artist to ever attain the honor.

The album 'Speak Now' by Taylor Swift was released in 2010. The song not only remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, but it also sold 1 million copies in its first week. Swift took a new musical turn with 'Red', her 2012 follow-up album, fusing the best of her country origins with pure pop. The song, 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' gave her, her first No. 1 success on the Billboard Hot 100. Although 'Red' was commercially successful, it did not receive any Grammys, which inspired her to concentrate on producing a more unified body of work in '1989'. Her focused efforts were successful- It was her second album of the year to win and featured 'Shake It Off,' 'Blank Space' and 'Bad Blood,' three Hot 100 No. 1 singles.

In addition to re-recorded versions of Taylor's songs 'Red' and 'Fearless', the latter half of Swift's catalog includes 'Reputation', 'Lover', 'Folklore' and 'Evermore'.

Sikha Sohan