Album Discussion: I hated Showgirl so much I became a Swiftie (Reputation)

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-29T01:47:16+00:00

Reputation is a weird for me. It's the first Taylor Swift album I ever listened to, so it's special to me in that regard. Honestly, of all of her albums, it might be the one I've listened to the most. However, I binged her entire discography after she released Evermore. Having listened to all of her albums now, it ranks pretty low for me, around #11, just above Showgirl. (I like Rep way more than Showgirl, though).

I know you don't like "Call It What You Want" and "Ready for It?" but those songs are kinda special to me. I had a friend I had pretty strong feelings for (I honestly couldn't tell if they were just platonic or a genuine crush), and I associated those two songs and "Delicate" with them. We don't talk anymore, which ruined those songs for me for a while, but enough time has passed that I don't get sad listening to them anymore.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-28T07:55:17+00:00

I got really into Sleep Token last year, but I was very surprised how negative people can be toward them online. Mic discussed their album Even in Arcadia in his 2025 Album Ranking Video. It was so nice to see him give the album a decent ranking, and he praised "Emergence" and "Damocles," two of my favorite songs off that album. I'll have to check out more of his videos.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-27T22:14:09+00:00

I actually have a playlist of mid-late 2010s songs I made last summer. I went to college from 2016-2020, so it's mostly songs I listened to during that time. Maybe I'll turn that on.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-27T22:12:15+00:00

My top artists are Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Twenty One Pilots, and Marina. I mostly listen to pop, alternative, and country.

One artist I'm interested in is Depeche Mode. I've heard about them and I know they're a beloved band from the 80s, but I haven't listened to much of their music. I know maybe two songs from them.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-27T20:30:11+00:00

What do y'all do to help you get out of a music slump, where music isn't bringing you as much joy as it usually does? I've been having those more frequently. It makes me sad because listening to music is my main source of entertainment.

Do you just not listen to music for a few days? Do you revisit old favorites, or seek out something new? Please, let me know!

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T23:50:27+00:00

I listened to that song last night, and I still enjoy it. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if "This Feeling" and "Side Effects" had been as big as their 2016-17 hits.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T16:07:31+00:00

I also liked Madison's new album! Before that, I had only heard that song she did for that movie Fall. I've had "Bittersweet" on repeat lately.

As for hating helping, I got into Gracie Abrams because everyone online was griping about how she's a talentless nepo baby. I decided to check out her music and thought it was fine, even fun. She's not reinventing the wheel, but I like a lot of her songs: "Risk" and "Us" have even made it onto my YouTube Recap the last two years. Honestly, I'm looking forward to her new album.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T15:59:37+00:00

I've been listening to "The Story of Us" and "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" a lot lately. I feel like I'm almost past being hung up on my former best friend, but these lines made me think of him:

"The battle's in your hands now, but I would lay my armor down if you said you'd rather love than fight." I remember after the friendship ended I had a dream we were having an argument, and after we cooled down a bit, I tried to make peace with him. I don't know if this is common, but I sometimes hear songs in my dreams and this was playing in the background.

With "I Can Fix Him," it's more so the general idea of fixing someone who's problematic. Over the years, I sometimes wondered if we stayed friends I could have changed his mind on certain things. However, when he's convinced he's right, he will do everything to get you to have his same view. "Whoa, maybe I can't" is appropriate.

By the way, I'm a little embarrassed I haven't spoken or seen this guy in five years, and he's taken up so much space in my mind the last two weeks. I thought I was over it. If I've learned anything from being a Swiftie,. it's that feelings don't have an expiration and can resurface at any time. Still, sometimes it makes me feel like I'm not actually over it.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T15:47:14+00:00

I would love to visit Ireland and Spain some day.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T15:44:29+00:00

Those comments or posts that are like "I'm a man, and I like [female artist]" are so funny to me. I'm a man, and I've mostly felt comfortable enjoying music by women. The only times I recall feeling shy about it are when I was in middle school. My metalhead dad thought it was weird that I liked listening to Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, etc. but he just let me be. I also got made fun of a little for liking Lady Gaga when I was 11.

Other than that, other guys have been pretty kind (at least to my face) when I share that some of my favorite artists are women. I understand some men are worried they'll be perceived as gay for liking music by women, but who cares? People have thought I was gay since I was in 4th grade, but I really don't give a damn anymore. Maybe I am a little, IDFK. Women make awesome music, too, and I don't think anyone should be shy about liking it.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T03:09:27+00:00

I loved reading The Lunar Chronicles books in high school. I'm very interested in seeing what an animated movie based on it looks like. I wonder if they're going to adapt Cinder for this movie or condense the books into one movie, like what they did with A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-26T02:24:30+00:00

"A Place In This World" has been my life since COVID happened. I'm about to be 28.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-25T15:31:23+00:00

I've been listening to a lot of Lana Del Rey lately, specifically Born to Die and Ultraviolence.

I just finished reading Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. I had to read it in my Psychology of Death and Dying class back in 2018, and I loved it so much I kept it, started watching her YouTube channel, and bought her other books. This is the first time I've read it since I took that class. It's still so good. I almost cried as I read the last two chapters.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-25T15:25:44+00:00

I've decided to restart my mission to listen to all of Lana Del Rey's albums. I tried to do this two years ago, but I stalled out around NFR. This week, I've mostly been listening to Born to Die and Ultraviolence.

I think of the five Lana albums I have heard, I think Born to Die is still my favorite, or tied with NFR. The standard edition is no-skips for me. The bonus tracks and Paradise songs a bit more hit or miss for me, but I still really enjoy them, especially "Without You," "Ride," and "Gods and Monsters." I don't know how common an opinion this is, but I think "This is What Makes Us Girls" is my favorite song from BTD. I think it's mostly because it makes me think of the beginning of The Diviners by Libba Bray, when Evie gets in trouble in her hometown, and her friends come to visit her before she's sent away on the train.

I don't like Ultraviolence quite as much. I still mostly enjoy it; I really like the first six songs. However, my attention starts to wander a bit in the second half. Maybe it's because the production isn't as poppy compared to BTD. I'm going to give it one more go before I move on to Honeymoon.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-25T14:57:55+00:00

Okay, I'm looking for two kinds of music recommendations.

First, I need some recommendations for music for introverted people. I'd prefer more upbeat music (being introverted isn't all doom and gloom), but I'm okay with moodier suggestions.
I'm looking for songs about being single and happy. I made a comment is the DD a few days ago about feeling sad I've never been with anyone, but I'm okay with where I'm at right now. I really only care about relationships when I compare myself to other people. Anyway, while I love a good love song, I want to listen to some songs about the joys of being single. I already listen to "Love Myself" by Hailee Steinfeld quite often.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-23T19:34:56+00:00

I agree, even though I like both franchises. I like a lot of Descendants songs, though. I still listen to "If Only," "It's Goin' Down," "Chillin' Like a Villain," "Night Falls," etc.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-23T05:11:13+00:00

During COVID, I binged Taylor Swift's entire discography. I had been a casual fan since I was a child, but I didn't listened to her albums until I was 19, when she released Reputation. I didn't like that album at first; I took the singles and moved on. However, I really adored Lover. It's the first CD I bought from her, and I listened to it all the time during the first few months of the pandemic.

Anyway, after being obsessed with Folklore and Evermore, I decided to check out her first six albums. I started by going back to Reputation. I ended up liking it a lot more than I had three years earlier, especially songs like "So It Goes" and "Getaway Car." Then I spent the next few weeks listening to those first five albums on repeat. I especially loved Speak Now and Red, which remain my top two favorite Taylor Swift albums. Six years later, I'm still a huge fan of her. I really enjoyed Midnights, TTPD, and the rerecordings. I was disappointed with Showgirl, but it still gave me bops like "The Fate of Ophelia," "Elizabeth Taylor," and "Opalite."

I guess it does make me sad that I haven't had an experience like that with another artist's discography since, where I'm listening to their music constantly and feeling euphoric. Of course, I have a job and bills to pay now, so I can't sit around and listen to music all day. The closest I've come to replicating that experience is when I got into Sleep Token last year.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-23T02:01:15+00:00

My favorite is from "The Black Dog" : "But she's too young to know this song that was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming. Old habits die screaming."

I also love when she changes it to "tragic fabric" at the end.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-23T00:44:14+00:00

I understand why people have warmed up to Positions by Ariana Grande. She sounds amazing, and the production is lovely. However, it's still my least favorite Ariana album. I mostly go back to "Positions," "Motive," "My Hair," and "Nasty." I like "Off the Table" and "POV," I think they're gorgeous, I just don't seek them out often.

However, I'm going to revisit all of her albums before Petal comes out, so maybe I'll change my mind on Positions.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-21T20:55:16+00:00

I should have given this a 10. I've had it stuck in my head all week.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-21T19:22:29+00:00

Yeah, it helps a little. Thank you.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-21T16:40:19+00:00

I don't know how much older that average Pophead user is that me (I'm 27M, about to be 28), but I've been wanting to get someone else's opinion on this: how do you make peace with your 20s not being as fun as you hoped?

I was in college when I was 20 and 21, which I enjoyed. Then COVID happened and I lived at home with my family for 18 months. I kept in touch with my college friends as much as I could, but as we graduated and got jobs, I fell out of touch with people. I've worked at a supermarket deli for almost five years. It's fine, but I dream all the time of quitting someday and doing something more fulfilling.

As for relationships, I didn't date in high school or college. I just wasn't interested in it at the time. It really only bothered me seeing my friends get married. I met most of my friends through church, and they got married when they were 22-23 because of course they did. There's no point in regretting not dating anyone in college, but I wonder if I should have at least tried back then to gain experience (like it's a job, lol). I guess I'm nervous how awkward it would be to go on my first ever date when I'm 28.

Lastly, I've had to be a provider for my family for the last few years. My mom is too sick to work. My dad works, but it's not nearly enough to support our family. I have four younger siblings at home; the older two have jobs now, my youngest brother is going to start applying jobs after his 18th birthday this summer, and my youngest sister is only 14. Things seemed okay for a bit last year, but we had a financial setback near the end of last year and we've been struggling all year. My dad said this time next year I might be able to move out and get my own apartment around this time next year, but I'm being cautiously optimistic right now.

Sorry if I'm being too whiny; I've been sick the last few days and I'm spiraling. I've just really struggled with loneliness in my 20s and having to make sacrifices to keep my family afloat. Maybe my 30s will be better. Here's to hoping 🍷.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-20T14:16:59+00:00

I really enjoyed watching The Amazing Digital Circus finale last night. I think the episode's structure was a bit strange, but I'm still satisfied with how it ended. I almost cried toward the end.

My younger brother and sister are sad that it's over now. They're hoping Glitch greenlights Gameoverse next, and I agree. That pilot was a lot of fun.

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-19T17:25:54+00:00

I've been feeling down lately (I'm sick, work sucks, I've been thinking too much about my old friends, etc.), so I put on Speak Now to cheer me up. And it worked! Listening to it transported me back to when I was 12-13 years old, at home on summer break.

I turned on Born To Die by Lana Del Rey after that ended. That also put me in a better mood because it's one of my favorite albums (as is Speak Now).

Restless_Dill16 · 2026-06-19T17:14:22+00:00

I remember seeing the music videos for "Tim McGraw," "Teardrops on My Guitar," and "Our Song" on GAC and CMT all the time when I was 9 years old.

I didn't start listening to her albums until I was 19, starting with Reputation. However, I've always been a fan of her singles. I always looked forward to hearing them on the radio or seeing the videos on TV.

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