Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated sixth album on Friday. Selling around 700,000 albums on Friday alone, Swift’s “reputation” is expected to top the charts and break records in all directions. “reputation” combines the old and new Taylor into one cohesive image representing not only her growth as a musician and recording artist, but also as an individual.
Swift is known for opening her diary to the world in her lyrics, and this album is no different. Songs like “Dancing With Our Hands Tied,” “Call It What You Want,” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” continue this tradition of secret-sharing.
However, “reputation” goes beyond the cookie cutter, girl-next-door image she has previously presented to the world. Now, there is an edgy element to both the lyrics and music, which seems rawer than ever before. 
The world has seen heartbroken Swift in “Tear Drops On My Guitar,” vengeful Swift in “Bad Blood” and lovesick Swift in “You Belong With Me.” Swift’s new album builds on her previous image and allows her to shine in a new light.
Each song in this album works to create a cohesive image of Swift and the many facets of her personality. She experiences love, lust, rage, frustration and sentimentality, among other things.
This album, while fully embracing the pop genre, is not a 180-degree turn from her previous works.
There are elements of the “old” Swift throughout the album, but each of these elements only builds on the idea of her “reputation.”
In the album, Swift is combining her past and present self into one unit, which seems like fire and ice battling against one another.
To some critics, this aspect of the album is contradictory to her creation of a “new” Swift, but perhaps the “new” Swift is a contradiction.
Few people are perfect, or represent one clear image. Instead, people are a composition of varying parts of their emotions, actions and desires.
The “new” Swift is embracing her true self for the first time in her career, and is trying to embrace the snake imagery set in place by “Kimye.” She is taking the tools used against her and shaping them into something to help her career and future grow exponentially.
Critics have said this album presents nothing new about Taylor Swift, but with “reputation,” Swift is unveiled to the world for the first time.
She reveals intimate details about her current love, Joe Alywn, and shows how the drama surrounding her life has become substantially less important now that she is focused on him.
Swift is known for publicizing her relationships. However, with Alywn, she is turning over a new leaf.
By avoiding the paparazzi and refusing to document anything on social media, Swift is showing how highly she values and prioritizes their relationship.
Throughout countless songs on “reputation,” she finally allows the world a glimpse into their relationship, but, for once, it appears a glimpse is all she will be giving.
One major downside to this album is the lack of collaborations. Besides her collaboration with Future and Ed Sheeran in “End Game,” the entire album is just Swift.
In the aftermath of the “Kimye” feud and #taylorswiftisoverparty, many people felt Swift’s image of being a connected and socially active woman was destroyed, and her previous friendships were dissolved. 
By having so few collaborations, the idea Swift was and is isolated from many of her previous connections is reinforced. 
Why has she never worked with Lorde, Selena Gomez or even Kesha? It is assumed these people are her friends, but by choosing to exclude those collaborations, it brings into question their friendship, or lack thereof.
Overall, “reputation” is a success and will reap many awards and accolades in the coming years.
People will always love and hate Taylor Swift, but no one can deny her talent and marketing genius.
The promotion of this album, the cover art and the merchandise are all examples of how creative Swift is.
The music video for “Look What You Made Me Do” will definitely be nominated for video of the year during the next awards season, and I am sure other hits on “reputation” will be accompanied with equally impressive music videos.
Be prepared to hear “reputation” on repeat for the next couple of years, or at least until Swift moves on to her next album and the next version of herself.