After 3 terribly long years living in what I like to call, "The Drought," Taylor Swift has gifted us her 6th album titled "Reputation". Unless you live under a rock, you're most likely aware of the drama the latest album has sparked and the new bad-ass Taylor that has emerged. Her newest album has a new sound all to its own. This new Taylor has come a long way since "Our Song" and "Teardrops On My Guitar."

Listening to this album, I was able to really hear how Taylor has evolved over time as a musician. If you listen to each album chronologically, you can see how one influences the next, though each time new elements are brought in creating a different, unique sound to each album. So, although "Reputation" stands out as a new sound, it has elements of her previous album, "1989," woven through.

Taylor uses this new album to establish a very clear message: she's here to create a new image of herself. Her reputation honestly is a large part of why she is so famous. She is known for writing music mostly about boys and her own relationships. She has dated many people over the years and the media has latched on to that, making her out to be a "serial dater" or "boy crazy." Additionally, she has been tied to more than one celebrity feud, showing that drama follows her everywhere. Some have even called her a "snake," a negative term meaning someone is untrustworthy, low, or a backstabber.

Taylor sings about her changing reputation, things the media have said about her, her personal experiences in the limelight, and how she's ready to leave them behind because what other people say about her don't matter. She's fighting for herself and she comes off as a strong, confident woman ready to establish a name for herself without the influence of what other's think or say about her, a lesson we all should learn.

Some of my favorite tracks on the album are: "End Game", "Delicate", "King of My Heart", and "Dancing With Our Hands Tied". However, my standout favorite is "New Years Day". This song has a sound unlike the rest of the album. It sounds more like "the old Taylor". It's an honest, piano-driven ballad that is equally heartbreaking and poignant. The lyrics are emotive and honestly are the most touching on the album with all too relatable lines like "please, don't become a stranger who's laugh I'd recognize anywhere". Listen to her sing it live here and try not to cry, I dare you.

If you haven't already, listen to Taylor's new album, it's truly incredible.