Music
From1989toTortured Poets, the genre-hopping duo has come a long way.
Like peanut butter and jelly,Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoffare a classic pairing.
While thats just a fraction of their individual catalogs, they remain each others most influential collaborators.
This Is Why We Cant Have Nice Things
Thiskiss-off track was afun finale on her Reputation Stadium Tour.
I Dont Wanna Live Forever (feat.
But also like that song, there was much better to come on the album.
Thats When(feat.
Sweeter Than Fiction
This was where it all started.
Sweeter Than Fiction, a song written for the long-forgotten filmOne Chance, marked Swift and Antonoffs first-ever collab.
If she wanted a Billie Eilish-esque chilling revenge fantasy, she shouldve gone to the source.
London Boy
Everyone say, Thank you, Taylor, for generously planning our next trip to London.
It features some of her poetic and intricate lyrics and her clunkiest melodies.
Much like their relationship, this song hasnt withstood the test of time.
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends might be the most Antonoff track that Antonoff has ever Antonoff-ed.
Castles Crumbling (feat.
Paris
ThisMidnights3 a.m. edition tracks sounds like it could have been a Vault track from1989.
you’ve got the option to thank Travis Kelce for that.
And that nursery-rhyme melody means the song will never leave your head.
She somehow makes them sound normal with her dreamy vocals atop Antonoffs hallmark synths.
(Sadly, this didnt happen.)
She always knew how to push our buttons (in a good way).
Just imagine the headlines that Slut!
would have made if it had made1989back in 2014.
Swift and Antonoff should go even further down this route.
Bejeweled
Admit it:Bejeweledis the Chanel toReputationtrack Gorgeous, which is Walmart.
Five years from now, she will still make the whole room shimmer.
Thank God she doesnt have to pretend to like acid rock anymore.
It also helps that the song is great.
Antonoff helps Swift pour out her post-breakup frustrations over epic guitar stabs, almost as iffolklorewent punk-rock.
The epic bridge is a story in itself, with her breathless delivery serving as both catharsis and frustration.
Whos Afraid of Little Old Me?
Taking cues from Florida!!!
collaborator Florence + the Machine, the menacing orchestral backdrop fits her seething warnings.
Lover
This song is the reason why so many people thoughtSwift was engagedor evensecretly married to Alwyn.
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
This is proof that Swift needs to make a club album.
Make it happen, Antonoff.
Ivy
Antonoff only contributed to two songs on Swifts second2020 albumevermore, but he made them count.
Florence + the Machine)
Swift and Florence Welch manage to do the impossible: make Florida sound appealing.
Hits Different
Swift leaving thisMidnightsgem as a Target-exclusive bonus track is my villain origin story.
Somehow, she still made a breakup sound sexy.
Dress
For all its greats, Maroon would not exist without Dress.
Timeless
It may be cliche to call Timeless timeless but cliches are true for a reason.
Its impact holds no bounds.
Is It Over Now?
Its understandable that Swift chose Out of the Woods over Is It Over Now?
for1989,considering their parallels, but she shouldve made room.
When she yelps, I can go anywhere I want, just not home, nothing feels sadder.
Death By a Thousand Cuts
The best thing to come out of Netflixs 2019 rom-comSomeone Great.
Its how she started healing fromReputation, taking stock of the community (and glitter) around her.
Youre On Your Own, Kid recollects her journey from schoolgirl outcast to music stardom with vivid metaphors.
Soon You’ll Get Better (feat.
Shes only performed it once, and itd be a shock to hear her sing it again.
False God
False Godmarked new territory for the duo, and they both excelled tremendously.
Lana Del Reys influence is very prevalent, and the song is better for it.
Out of the Woods
Out of the Woodsis where Swifts relationship with Antonoff truly began to flourish.
(It launcheda gazillion Swiftie conspiracy theories.)
Snow on the Beach (feat.
It wouldnt have happened without Antonoff, who knew how to blend their worlds seamlessly.
Is it a bit scary?
All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
In most worlds, this songwould be ranked No.
Antonoffs production elevates the melodrama without distracting from her words.
The towering bridge alone should be studied in music theory classes.
August
It feels like Swift and Antonoffs entire careers have been building up to August.
This article was originally published onNovember 11, 2022
