Red
by Taylor Swift
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
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  1. PopMatters
    Oct 31, 2012
    60
    More varied in its offerings, but also more disjointed than her previous work, Red sounds like a transitional album for Swift.
  2. Slant Magazine
    Oct 22, 2012
    60
    If Red is ultimately too uneven to be a truly great pop album, its highlights are career-best work for Swift, who now sounds like the pop star she was destined to be all along.
  3. The Telegraph (UK)
    Oct 19, 2012
    60
    It's frustrating, then, when Swift reverts back to type. Too many of the songs on this bloated 16-track album revisit the gently strummed verses and characterless choruses of her previous work.
  5. Sputnikmusic
    Oct 24, 2012
    40
    As it stands for now though, Red is a mixed bag, and it's up to you to sort through the majority-holding bad in order to find the good.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed Album of 2012
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 2123 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,858 out of 2123
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 2123
  3. Negative: 224 out of 2123
  1. ManilaCritic
    Oct 22, 2012
    10
    Taylor Swift is one of the Greatest songwriters of Our generation. I have listened to the whole album and this album actually has a moreTaylor Swift is one of the Greatest songwriters of Our generation. I have listened to the whole album and this album actually has a more Country Rock feel to it rather than her usual Country Pop sound. This is the most mature album of her career and its worth every penny. I have to give Taylor credit for this album, she has grown and mastered the art of being a true artist. Taylor has a mix of Country, Pop, and Rock songs but that doesn't mean she's left her County roots. Songs like "Stay Stay Stay," "I Almost Do," and "Begin Again" remind us why Taylor is wining in the Country World right now.… Full Review »
  2. officialjem
    Oct 22, 2012
    10
    This is definitely the best mainstream album of the year. The songs are written remarkably well, and the sound is so different from whatThis is definitely the best mainstream album of the year. The songs are written remarkably well, and the sound is so different from what everyone else is putting out in the industry right now. This is my first time listening to a Taylor Swift record and I didn't expect it to be this great. She is an amazing songwriter at such a young age of 22. Taylor really made me a fan after listening to this album.… Full Review »
  3. MichaelDN
    Oct 22, 2012
    5
    I was a huge fan of Taylor Swift's first three albums. I thought she was an incredibly talented young kid on her first album, and with theI was a huge fan of Taylor Swift's first three albums. I thought she was an incredibly talented young kid on her first album, and with the releases of her second and third albums, I was convinced she was turning into a genuinely great artist. I still think she can be. She has released some beautiful songs. However, with this new album, she has taken the naive perception people have of her music and her lyrics, and completely gave into that. This album seems to have been made just to make money. The songs seem to have mostly been chosen due to their commercial appeal, while I thought her first three albums demonstrated genuine artistry. Not one of these songs is emotionally powerful, thought provoking, or musically interesting, all of which I could have said about her first three albums. Even the help of hugely talented artists such as Lori McKenna, Mark Foster, and Ed Sheeran didn't really shine through. There were some cute songs on here, but I'd say the only real highlights are The Last Time, featuring Gary Lightbody, and Sad Beautiful Tragic. Nothing else is worth mentioning, but the album overall is cute, and entertaining in the moment. It caters right to the teen and pre-teen female audience, where I felt her other albums catered to them, as well as adults who genuinely like real musicianship and artistry. That was severely lacking here.… Full Review »
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