Taylor Swift's “Blank Space” was a pop turn with a sense of humor

Taylor Swift knows a thing or two about flipping out when people least expect it. However, nothing could have prepared listeners for how she completely abandoned country music on her 2014 album 1989. Sure, she had teased a few pop hits with the help of Max Martin on her previous album Redbut 1989 it was a total 180 from the country starlet's past, one that saw her tear-soaked guitar for more sassynths.

The gem of the album is “Blank Space”. While lead single “Shake It Off” was a kiss-off to the haters, the follow-up was an unexpected satire of Swift's public image at the time as a “maneater.” men and the songs that followed about the times they were together. She tackled the sexist criticism she'd received about writing “too many breakup songs” and her dating habits with this wildly engaging track that showcases her sense of humor and wit while helping to release some of the ” “girl next door” to her. image.

In this week's episode Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs, hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss “Blank Space” in depth, exploring what makes this song so great and how it changed Swift's sound and lyricism for the better. Later in the episode, they are joined by their colleague and Rolling Stone Music now host Brian Hiatt to dig into just how much of a risk the pivot pop was.

In 2004, Rolling Stone released their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Drawn from a massive vote involving artists, industry figures and critics, the list has been a source of discussion, inspiration and controversy for two decades. It is one of the most popular, influential and controversial features the magazine has ever done.

So we set out to make it even bigger, better and fresher. In 2021, we completely overhauled our 500 song listwith a whole new batch of voters from all over the musical map. Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs takes a closer look at the entries on our list. Produced in partnership with iHeart, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs finds Brittany and Rob discussing a new song each week, delving into its history and impact with the help of a special guest — including a colleague RS colleagues, producers and the artists themselves. It's our celebration of the best songs we've ever made — and a breakdown of what makes them so great.

Watch the latest episode above, at iHeartor wherever you get your podcasts and look for new episodes every Wednesday.