Midnights: Difference between revisions

Swift and [[Jack Antonoff]] produced the standard edition of ''Midnights'', which features a subdued [[Electronic music|electronic]] soundscape, consistingcharacterized ofby [[mid-tempo]] rhythms, [[analog synthesizer]]s, sparse [[drum machine]] beats, and digitally manipulated vocals. Music critics categorize the album into [[Pop music|pop]] styles ofas [[synth-pop]], [[electropop]], [[dream pop]], and [[bedroom pop]]. The, songsinfused infusewith [[electronica]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], and [[Alternative pop|alternative]] elements. [[Sounwave]], [[Jahaan Sweet]], and Keanu Beats shared credits on two tracks, and [[Aaron Dessner]] produced additional songs for an extended ''3am Edition'' that was [[Surprise album|surprise-released]] three hours after the standard edition.

Swift announced ''Midnights'' at the [[2022 MTV Video Music Awards]] and unveiled the standard track list via the video-sharing platform [[TikTok]]. ''Midnights'' topped the charts across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. In the United States, ''Midnights'' was Swift's 11th consecutive number-one album on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], her fifth to sell over one million first-week copies, and the [[List of best-selling albums by year in the United States|best-selling album of 2022]]. Its songs made Swift the first artist to monopolize the top 10 of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], with the lead single "[[Anti-Hero (song)|Anti-Hero]]" peaking at number one; the othersuccessive singles "[[Lavender Haze]]" and "[[Karma (Taylor Swift song)|Karma]]" peaked at number two.

Music critics regarded ''Midnights'' as an amalgamation of Swift's past albums. They praised her songwriting for engaging narrativescomposition and compositionsnarratives; most of them complimented the production as restrained and tasteful, although a few found it derivative. ''Midnights'' featured on publications' rankings of the best albums of 2022 and won accolades including [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]] at the [[66th Annual Grammy Awards]] (2024), making Swift the first artist to win the former category four times. Journalists dubbed the album's critical and commercial successes a testament to [[Cultural impact of Taylor Swift|Swift's enduring cultural popularityimpact]]. To support ''Midnights'' along with her other albums, Swift has embarked on [[the Eras Tour]] (2023–2024).

[[Taylor Swift]]'s career has been characterized by artistic reinventions;. sheShe firststarted emergedout as a [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]-based–based [[Country music|country]] musician in the 2000s and transformed into a mainstream [[Pop music|pop]] star in the 2010s.<ref name="Fortune">{{Cite web |last=Lutz |first=Ashley |date=October 8, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Is A Business Genius, And Her New Album ''Midnights'' Proves It |url=https://fortune.com/2022/10/08/taylor-swift-midnights-release-business-strategy/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |archive-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008100345/https://fortune.com/2022/10/08/taylor-swift-midnights-release-business-strategy/ |url-status=live }}</ref> WhileHer self-quarantining during thetwo [[COVID-19indie pandemicfolk]], Swiftalbums releasedthat twowere conceived amidst the [[indieCOVID-19 folkpandemic]] albums, [[Folklore (Taylor Swift album)|''Folklore'']] and ''[[Evermore]]'', in(both 2020.),<ref name="Snapes">{{Cite news |last=Snapes |first=Laura |date=October 14, 2022 |title='Genuine': Why Taylor Swift Can Celebrate More than an Album Release |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/14/taylor-swift-celebrate-album-release-midnights-pop-acclaim |access-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-date=October 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014143722/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/14/taylor-swift-celebrate-album-release-midnights-pop-acclaim |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Light-2022" /> On ''Folklore'' and ''Evermore'', Swift collaborated with the [[Indie music|indie]] artists [[The National (band)|the National]] and [[Bon Iver]].{{Sfn|McGrath|2023|p=79}} Her songwriting incorporated fictitious narratives and characters that dwell on nostalgia and escapism, which deviated from her previous autobiographical songs.{{Sfn|McGrath|2023|p=79}} The albums shifted Swift's status from a mainstream pop star to an "alternative"-leaning–leaning musician and brought her widespread critical acclaim and recognition as a songwriter.{{Sfnm|1a1=McGrath|1y=2023|1p=79|2a1=Fogarty|2a2=Arnold|2y=2021|2p=5}}

In November 2020, Swift began [[Re-recording (music)|re-recording]] her first six studio albums.,<ref>{{cite web |last=Melas |first=Chloe |date=November 16, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Speaks Out aboutAbout Sale of Her Masters |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/entertainment/taylor-swift-masters/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118064935/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/taylor-swift-speaks-out-about-sale-of-her-masters-1.5191925 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |access-date=November 19, 2020 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Theher decisioncounteract followedto a [[Taylor Swift masters dispute|2019 public dispute]] between her and the music executive [[Scooter Braun]], who acquired Swift's former record label [[Big Machine Records|Big Machine]] and the [[Mastering (audio)|masters]] of Swift'sher albums released by the label.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 22, 2019 |title=Taylor Swift Wants to Re-Record Her Old Hits |work= |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49432817 |url-status=live |access-date=August 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822202321/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49432817 |archive-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Finnis |first=Alex |date=November 17, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-masters-scooter-braun-selling-rights-music-rerecording-row-explained-762411 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212170953/https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-masters-scooter-braun-selling-rights-music-rerecording-row-explained-762411 |archive-date=February 12, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |work=[[i (newspaper)|i]]}}</ref> By re-recording the albumsthem, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs for [[Synchronization rights|commercial use]] and therefore substituted the Big Machine-owned masters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shah |first=Neil |date=April 9, 2021 |title=Taylor Swift Releases New ''Fearless'' Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swift-releases-new-fearless-album-reclaiming-her-back-catalog-11617945524 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008111731/https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swift-releases-new-fearless-album-reclaiming-her-back-catalog-11617945524 |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |issn=}}</ref> In 2021, Swift released herHer first two re-recorded albums, ''[[Fearless (Taylor's Version)]]'' and ''[[Red (Taylor's Version)]]'', which(both 2021), both garnered more [[album-equivalent unit]]s than their original counterparts, [[Fearless (Taylor Swift album)|''Fearless'']] and [[Red (Taylor Swift album)|''Red'']], in the same time period.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lipshutz |first=Jason |date=July 6, 2023 |title=7 Key Stats Proving That Taylor Swift's First Two ''Taylor's Version'' Re-Recordings Have Been Dominant |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-taylors-version-stats-chart-numbers/an-even-more-enormous-difference-in-total-sales/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161950/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-taylors-version-stats-chart-numbers/an-even-more-enormous-difference-in-total-sales/ }}</ref> Critics and academics deemed Swift's re-recordings a key event contributing to a wider industry discourse on artists' rights and artist–label relationships.{{Sfn|Tribulski|2020–2021|p=95–96}}

Amidst the re-recording projects, Swift sparked speculation on new music when she appeared as a guest at [[Haim (band)|Haim]]'s [[One More Haim Tour]] concert in London in July 2022; it was her first concert performance since 2019.<ref name="Snapes" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Robledo |first=Anthony |date=July 22, 2022 |title=Watch Taylor Swift Join HAIM On Stage For a 'Mashup' of 'Love Story' and 'Gasoline' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/07/22/taylor-swift-haim-london-concert-surprise-performance/10127665002/ |access-date=August 4, 2023 |website=[[USA Today]] |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804080954/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/07/22/taylor-swift-haim-london-concert-surprise-performance/10127665002/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[2022 MTV Video Music Awards]] on August 28, Swiftduring wonher threeacceptance awards,speech includingfor [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] for ''[[All Too Well: The Short Film]]'', which accompanies the track "[[All Too Well (10 Minute Version)]]" from ''Red (Taylor's Version)''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=August 29, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Is First Artist to Achieve These VMAs Feats, Plus Other 2022 Record Setters |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-bad-bunny-records-set-2022-mtv-vmas/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829055914/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-bad-bunny-records-set-2022-mtv-vmas/ |archive-date=August 29, 2022 |access-date=August 29, 2022}}</ref> In her acceptance speech for Video of the Year, she announced a new studio album, slated for release on October 21;.<ref name="RS/reveal">{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=August 29, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Announces New Album ''Midnights'': 'A Journey Through Terrors and Sweet Dreams' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-1234583475/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829064007/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-1234583475/ |archive-date=August 29, 2022 |access-date=August 29, 2022 |url-access=limited}}</ref> theThe announcement attracted media attention and increased the show's viewership ratings.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Producers of 2022 VMAs on Why They Think the Ratings Ticked Up This Year: 'All the Stars Aligned' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/producers-2022-vmas-interviewed-post-show-1235133326/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831093548/https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/producers-2022-vmas-interviewed-post-show-1235133326/ |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |access-date=August 31, 2022}}</ref> After the show, Swift revealed the album title ''Midnights'' on her social media.<ref name="RS/reveal" /> On [[Music streaming service|music streaming platforms]], ''Midnights'' was labeled "pop", which attracted media speculation on its sound after the "alternative"-labeled–labeled ''Folklore'' and ''Evermore''.<ref name="Snapes" />

The standard edition's cover artwork contains a square photo of Swift in blue [[eye shadow]], black [[eye liner]], and red lipstick, holding the flickering flame of a lighter close to her face.<ref name="HB">{{Cite magazine |last=Sanchez |first=Chelsey |date=September 1, 2022 |title=A Comprehensive Guide to ''Midnights'', Taylor Swift's Upcoming 10th Album |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a41020770/taylor-swift-new-album-midnights-release-date-details-ts10/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Harper's Bazaar]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903152031/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a41020770/taylor-swift-new-album-midnights-release-date-details-ts10/ |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |access-date=September 2, 2022}}</ref> The photo is at the bottom right corner, occupying half of the cover, and bordered on the top and left sides by off-white [[negative space]].<ref name="taylor-swift-midnights-everything-we-know">{{Cite magazine |last=Dailey |first=Hannah |date=October 20, 2022 |title=Everything We Know About Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' So Far |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-midnights-everything-we-know/ |access-date=November 30, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113133112/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-midnights-everything-we-know/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The tracklist is on the bottom left, and the title ''Midnights'' is written in a blue gradient, printed on top of Swift's photo.<ref name="HB" /> The cover's design directly references the ''Ultra Chilled'' series of dance compilation albums released by [[Ultra Records]] in the early 2000s.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-midnights-questions-rob-sheffield-1234586065/ |title=22 Things We Absolutely Do Not Know About Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' |date=October 18, 2022 |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> Publications found the track-list presentation to evoke the 1970s vinyl [[Record sleeve|album jackets]].<ref name="Willman-2022">{{Cite magazine |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=August 29, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Announces All-New Album, ''Midnights'', Set for October |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-announces-all-new-album-for-fall-2022-1235352890/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829072145/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-announces-all-new-album-for-fall-2022-1235352890/ |archive-date=August 29, 2022 |access-date=August 31, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Willman">{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=September 1, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Unveils Three More Album Covers for ''Midnights'' |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-midnights-more-album-covers-vinyl-color-variants-1235356563/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801072122/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-midnights-more-album-covers-vinyl-color-variants-1235356563/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The fashion critic [[Jess Cartner-Morley]] found the cover to evoke the artwork of the English band [[Roxy Music]]'s 1974 album ''[[Country Life (Roxy Music album)|Country Life]]'' and the French artist [[Guy Bourdin]]'s photographs for ''[[Vogue France]]'',<ref name="Snapes" /> and [[Alex Bilmes]] of ''Esquire'' found Swift reminiscent of the English model [[Jean Shrimpton]] in the 1970s.<ref name="Esquire" /> Some publications commented that the cover artwork was [[Minimalism|minimalist]]<ref name="HB"/><ref name="taylor-swift-midnights-everything-we-know"/> and aligned it with the [[indie sleaze]] trend.;{{efn|Attributed to the ''[[Dallas Observer]]'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gravley |first=Carly May |date=September 2, 2022 |title=Why Taylor Swift Is (Probably) About to Bring Back Indie Sleaze |newspaper=[[Dallas Observer]] |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/are-we-entering-the-taylor-swift-indie-sleaze-era-14732953 |url-status=live |access-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022012523/https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/are-we-entering-the-taylor-swift-indie-sleaze-era-14732953 |archive-date=October 22, 2022}}</ref> the ''[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2022 |title=Daniel Radcliffe Goes All In As 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Album Cover Evokes Indie Sleaze and More |url=https://www.altpress.com/daniel-radcliffe-weird-the-al-yankobic-story-trailer-taylor-swift-midnights/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801100818/https://www.altpress.com/daniel-radcliffe-weird-the-al-yankobic-story-trailer-taylor-swift-midnights/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''Pitchfork''<ref name="Pitchforkpodcast">{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2022 |title=The ''Pitchfork Review'' Podcast Tackles Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/podcast/the-pitchfork-review-podcast-tackles-taylor-swifts-midnights/ |access-date=August 1, 2023 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604200753/https://pitchfork.com/features/podcast/the-pitchfork-review-podcast-tackles-taylor-swifts-midnights/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}} Sheffield thought that the design references the ''Ultra Chilled'' [[Dance music|dance]] CD compilations from the early 2000s.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=October 18, 2022 |title=22 Things We Absolutely Do Not Know About Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-midnights-questions-rob-sheffield-1234586065/ |url-access=limited |access-date=September 13, 2024 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> After Swift unveiled the cover on her social media, it created a trend and was parodied by many brands, celebrities, and athletic teams.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Burke |first=Sammi |date=September 3, 2022 |title=The Internet's Best Parodies of Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Album Cover |url=https://parade.com/news/internets-best-parodies-taylor-swifts-midnights-album-cover-twitter |access-date=September 5, 2022 |magazine=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]] |archive-date=September 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905134224/https://parade.com/news/internets-best-parodies-taylor-swifts-midnights-album-cover-twitter |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Darney |first=Caroline |date=October 22, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Album Cover Is the New Sports Meme And It's Wonderful |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/taylor-swift-midnights-album-cover-sports-meme |access-date=October 30, 2022 |magazine=[[USA Today]] |archive-date=October 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030095042/https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/taylor-swift-midnights-album-cover-sports-meme |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Industry awardsAwards ==

In the United States, ''Midnights'' won Album of the Year at the [[48th People's Choice Awards|2022 People's Choice Awards]],<ref name="PPA">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/awards/peoples-choice-awards-2022-winners-list/|title=2022 People's Choice Awards: See the Full List of Winners|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|first=Lester Fabian|last=Brathwaite|date=December 6, 2022|access-date=December 8, 2023|archive-date=May 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524170536/https://ew.com/awards/peoples-choice-awards-2022-winners-list/|url-status=live}}</ref> Favorite Album at the 2023 [[Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards]],<ref name="Nickelodeon">{{cite web|url=https://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/articles/rwskx2/every-kids-choice-awards-2023-winner|title=Every Kids' Choice Awards 2023 Winners|publisher=[[Nickelodeon]]|date=March 6, 2023|access-date=December 8, 2023|archive-date=November 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128044334/https://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/articles/rwskx2/every-kids-choice-awards-2023-winner|url-status=live}}</ref> Pop Album of the Year at the [[2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards]],<ref name="iHeartAwards">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-iheartradio-music-awards-winners-list-1235293648/|title=Here Are the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners: Full List|last=Atkinson|first=Katie|date=March 27, 2023|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=December 8, 2023|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328162749/https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-iheartradio-music-awards-winners-list-1235293648/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[MTV Video Music Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] at the [[2023 MTV Video Music Awards]], where the ''Midnights'' songs and videos helped Swift win eight other awards, including [[MTV Video Music Award for Artist of the Year|Artist of the Year]].<ref name=VMAs>{{Cite magazine |last=Stenzel |first=Wesley |date=September 13, 2023 |title=2023 VMAs Winners: See the Full List |url=https://ew.com/mtv-video-music-awards/2023-vmas-winners-see-the-full-list/ |access-date=September 13, 2023 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-date=September 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913022515/https://ew.com/mtv-video-music-awards/2023-vmas-winners-see-the-full-list/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[66th Annual Grammy Awards]] in 2024, ''Midnights'' won [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]] and [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]. It was Swift's fourth win for Album of the Year, making her the artist with the most wins in history.{{Efn|Swift had won Album of the Year with ''[[Fearless (Taylor Swift album)|Fearless]]'' in 2010, ''[[1989 (album)|1989]]'' in 2016, and ''[[Folklore (Taylor Swift album)|Folklore]]'' in 20202021<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/04/arts/music/taylor-swift-grammy-album-of-the-year.html|title=Taylor Swift Wins Album of the Year, Breaking a Record|last=Sisario|first=Ben|author-link=Ben Sisario|date=February 4, 2024|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url-access=limited|access-date=February 15, 2024|archive-date=February 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213053517/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/04/arts/music/taylor-swift-grammy-album-of-the-year.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}} It also marked Swift's sixth nomination in that category and an all-time record for a female artist, tied with [[Barbra Streisand]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 10, 2023 |title=Grammy Awards 2024: Taylor Swift Breaks Nomination Record |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67381339 |access-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110170901/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67381339 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Midnights'' received extensive press attention before and after its release. ''The Guardian''<nowiki/>{{'s}} Laura Snapes commented that the album was "likely to hang around longer" than other "superstar releases" by Swift's contemporaries because of her popularity on streaming services and the positive public image she had curated since her 2017 album ''Reputation''.<ref name="Snapes" /> In [[Fortune (magazine)|''Fortune'']], Ashley Lutz argued that Swift's marketing strategy for ''Midnights'' proved she was a "business and marketing genius" akin to the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] superhero franchise.<ref name="Fortune" /> For Snapes and ''Billboard''<nowiki/>{{'s}} Katie Atkinson, ''Midnights'' came at a point when the public became invested in Swift's music after the critical success and reevaluation she received with the 2020 albums ''Folklore'' and ''Evermore'' and the 2021 re-recordings of ''Fearless'' and ''Red.''<ref name="Snapes" /><ref name="Unterberger3">{{Cite magazine |last1=Unterberger |first1=Andrew |last2=Atkinson |first2=Katie |last3=Dailey |first3=Hannah |last4=Lipshutz |first4=Jason |last5=Lynch |first5=Joe |date=November 1, 2022 |title=Five Burning Questions: Taylor Swift Makes Chart History With ''Midnights'' Debut |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-midnights-chart-history-five-burning-questions-1235164529/ |access-date=December 7, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=November 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102020117/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-midnights-chart-history-five-burning-questions-1235164529/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Unterberger said the physical sales of ''Midnights'' were "not seen in decades",<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Schneider |first=Marc |date=October 30, 2023 |title=9 Ways Taylor Swift Has Changed the Music Business |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/how-taylor-swift-changed-music-business/ |access-date=December 7, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724161024/https://www.billboard.com/lists/how-taylor-swift-changed-music-business/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Anna Nicolaou in the ''[[Financial Times]]'' said they were unseen since the "1990s boy bands" era, labeling Swift "the last pop superstar".<ref name="Nicolaou" /> The music publisher [[Matt Pincus]] called Swift "basically an [[intellectual property]] franchise [... like] a [[DC Extended Universe|DC movie]]".<ref name="Nicolaou">{{Cite news |last=Nicolaou |first=Anna |date=October 27, 2022 |title=Is Taylor Swift the Last Pop Superstar? |newspaper=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/9cd1cd39-d4f5-45cd-8b72-24a1882b010b |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221030163019/https://www.ft.com/content/9cd1cd39-d4f5-45cd-8b72-24a1882b010b |archive-date=October 30, 2022}}</ref> Noting a 2021 article from ''The New York Times'' that asked "if [[Adele]] couldn't sell more than a million albums in a single week, could any artist?" after her album ''[[30 (album)|30]]'' missed the mark, ''Rolling Stone''<nowiki/>{{'s}} Ethan Millman responded that Swift "has once again moved the goalposts regarding what the music industry can see as possible from a major pop star."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Millman |first=Ethan |date=October 25, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Is the First Artist to Sell 1 Million Records in Week One Since... Taylor Swift in 2017 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-first-artist-1-million-records-week-one-1234617977/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025220306/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-first-artist-1-million-records-week-one-1234617977/ |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |access-date=October 26, 2022 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Swift shared on ''The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon'' that she was astounded by the success: "I'm feeling very overwhelmed by the fans love for the record. I'm 32, so we're considered geriatric pop stars."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dailey |first=Hannah |date=December 22, 2022 |title=Here Are All of Taylor Swift's Biggest Accomplishments in 2022 |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-biggest-accomplishments-2022/ |access-date=December 1, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430000907/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-biggest-accomplishments-2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nztop40aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/chartarchive/annual-albums?chart=5467/2022-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 2022|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|access-date=December 22, 2022|archive-date=December 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221072418/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5467|url-status=live}}</ref>

! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nztop40aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/chartarchive/annual-albums?chart=5732/2023-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 2023|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|access-date=December 22, 2023|archive-date=December 21, 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221165646/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5732}}</ref>

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Midnights|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|id=5748|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|id=2024-01-26|source=newchart|access-date=January 26, 2024-11-20|refname="RMNZ"}}