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"Midnight Rain"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album Midnights
ReleasedOctober 21, 2022 (2022-10-21)
Studio
GenreElectropop
Length2:54
LabelRepublic
Songwriters
Producers
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
Lyric video
"Midnight Rain" on YouTube

"Midnight Rain" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her tenth original studio album, Midnights (2022). She wrote and produced the track with Jack Antonoff. Driven by a distorted Moog synthesizer, the production of "Midnight Rain" incorporates a dubstep-influenced bass, trap and house beats, and Swift's pitched-down vocals. The song is electropop with elements of R&B, hip-hop, and indietronica. In the lyrics, the narrator contemplates on a lost love back in her hometown: although the ex-lover wanted a comfortable domestic life, she chose to pursue her career and fame.

Several critics who picked "Midnight Rain" as a highlight on Midnights deemed its production and vocal manipulation interesting and captivating. A few reviews found the vocal production otherwise off-putting or derivative. "Midnight Rain" peaked at number five on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200, and it reached the top 10 on charts in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, and Vietnam. The song received certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Swift included the song on the set list of the Eras Tour (2023–2024).

Background and release

[edit]
Swift in a rhinestoned dress standing onstage as a backup dancer holds an umbrella behind her
Swift performing "Midnight Rain" on the Eras Tour

Taylor Swift announced her tenth original studio album, Midnights, at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28;[1] its title and cover artwork were released shortly after via social media.[2] She conceived Midnights as a collection of songs about her nocturnal ruminations, detailing a wide range of emotions such as regret, lust, nostalgia, contentment, and self-loathing.[3] The standard album was produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, as a result of the two experimenting with music while their partners were both shooting for a film in Panama.[3]

The album's track listing was revealed via a thirteen-episode video series called Midnights Mayhem with Me on the platform TikTok, where each video contained the title of one track at a time.[4] The title of "Midnight Rain" was revealed in the episode posted on September 28, 2022.[5] Republic Records released Midnights on October 21, 2022; "Midnight Rain" is sixth on the standard album's track listing.[6][7] Swift performed "Midnight Rain" as part of the Midnights act on her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023–2024).[8] Midway through the performance, Swift changed costume and appeared in a rhinestone bodysuit, as dancers performed a choreography using umbrellas.[9][10]

"Midnight Rain" debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard Global 200; the track and four other Midnights songs made Swift the first artist to chart the entire top five the same week.[11][12] In the United States, the track debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It was one of the Midnights tracks that made Swift the first artist to occupy the top 10 of the Hot 100 the same week and the woman with the most top 10 entries (40), exceeding Madonna (38).[13][14] It reached the top five of charts in Australia,[15] Canada,[16] the Philippines,[17] Malaysia,[18] and Singapore;[19] top 10 Vietnam[20] and Portugal;[21] and the 20 in South Africa[22] and in Iceland.[23] The track was certified gold in Spain and the United Kingdom,[24][25] platinum in Brazil and Canada,[26][27] and double platinum in Australia.[28]

Lyrics and interpretations

[edit]

In the lyrics, Swift's narrator contemplates on a lost love back in her hometown[29] and how she chose her career and fame over a domestic life. The refrain goes: "He wanted it comfortable/ I wanted that pain/ He wanted a bride/ I was making my own name."[30][31] She reflects how the ex-boyfriend "stays the same" and she was "chasing that fame": "All of me changed like midnight rain."[32] In the verses, the narrator reflects on how her hometown was a "wasteland" full of pretentious people and ruminates on the possibilities of the domestic life she "gave away".[33] Towards the conclusion, the narrator reflects on this past with regret, "I guess sometimes we all get some kind of haunted/ And I never think of him except on midnights like this."[31] Some critics consider "Midnight Rain" the album's emotional centerpiece;[a] Elise Ryan of the Associated Press deemed it the thesis statement of the "13 sleepless nights" that Swift designated for Midnights.[32]

There were interpretations that related "Midnight Rain" to Swift's previous songs. According to The A.V. Club's Saloni Gajjar and Vox's Rebecca Jennings, the theme of leaving a small-town lover behind resembles many of the tracks of Swift's 2020 album, such as "Champagne Problems", "'Tis the Damn Season", and "Dorothea".[36][37] Maura Johnston, in her review for The Boston Globe, argued that while the track employs a "diaristic" songwriting that had been familiar in Swift's works, it also hints at some elements that are not necessarily so, particularly in the refrain that sees Swift exploring her past and its murky memories.[38]

Some analyses factored in the influence of Swift's fame.[39] For Esquire's Alan Light, her songwriting embodies the narrative-based approach that she used in her 2020 albums Evermore and Folklore. He wrote that the track demonstrates her mature perspective on her own career path, "the determination, ambition, and sacrifices that got her to such rarefied altitude".[40] In The New York Times, Lindsay Zoladz contended that the track represented Swift's shifted attitude towards romance: whereas her 2008 single "Love Story" depicted marriage as the ideal romantic ending with starry-eyed fairy tale imagery, "Midnight Rain" expresses ambivalence towards not only marriage but also the societal expectations and "traditional timelines of adulthood".[41] Writing for the Alternative Press, Ilana Kaplan considered "Midnight Rain" one of the album tracks where Swift grappled with the "good-girl" image that she had constrained herself to, a notion that she had explained in the 2019 documentary Miss Americana.[42]

Production and music

[edit]

Swift wrote and produced "Midnight Rain" with Antonoff, who programmed the track and played percussion, drums, and multiple synthesizers (Moog, Juno 6, Prophet-5, and modular synth). Antonoff and Laura Sisk recorded the song at Rough Customer Studio, Brooklyn, and Electric Lady Studios, New York City. The track was mixed by Serban Ghenea, assisted by Bryce Bordone, at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, Edgewater, New Jersey.[7]

"Midnight Rain"
Driven by a Moog synthesizer, "Midnight Rain" features trap, house, and R&B influences in its beats and production. This sample displays Swift's pitched-down vocals in the final refrain.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

At 2 minutes and 54 seconds long,[43] "Midnight Rain" has a sparse production[44] driven by a distorted Moog synthesizer throughout.[42][45] Its bass displays influences of dubstep, and its beats feature elements of house, trap,[46] and indie pop.[32] The track begins with Swift's vocals that are manipulated to a lower pitch resembling a male singing voice,[46][47][48] constituting its hook.[49] To achieve this sound, Antonoff modulated her singing voice using synth plugins including Soundtoys and iZotope Vocalsynth; he said that it was the first time he used such devices in music production.[50] The overall sound is electropop[51][52] with elements of R&B,[42][53] electronica,[54] hip-hop,[55] and electro-hip-hop.[56] The atmosphere and pacing were described as slow-burning and "woozy" by several critics.[57][58][38]

Music critics discussed the significance of the vocal manipulation. Mackenzie Wadsworth of the Tallahassee Democrat considered it a "mature sister" to the styles of Swift's 2017 album Reputation, bringing forth an alternative pop feel.[59] According to Ellen Johnson of Paste, the effect aligns "Midnight Rain" with the subgenre indietronica and the beats evoke the styles of Strfkr.[60] Billboard's Jason Lipshutz described the shift between Swift's pitched-down voice and normal singing as a call and response between the song's narrator and the ex-lover in question.[47] Several reviews compared the production, particularly the vocal parts, to Antonoff's work on Lorde's 2017 album Melodrama.[b] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said that the "butch/femme duet" where Swift experiments with her singing was akin to the styles of Prince,[29] while Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that the "overcast mood" of the production and vocals were influenced by Drake and the Weeknd.[63]

Critical reception

[edit]

Several critics who picked "Midnight Rain" as a highlight on Midnights considered its production experimental, interesting, and captivating.[32][36][49][59] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic appreciated how the "oozing and panning noises" evoke a "feeling of suspended time".[58] Wadsworth considered the sound an amalgamation of Swift's past styles,[59] and Craig Jenkins from Vulture deemed it one of the R&B-tinged album tracks that showcased her abilities to create "a mannered genre reset constantly threatening to cut in an alluring new direction".[53] Commenting on the vocal modulation, Spin's Bobby Olivier regarded it as "well executed, [...] landing an uncharacteristically soulful smolder".[62] Lipshutz ranked "Midnight Rain" fifth on his ranking of all 13 Midnights tracks; he described the shifted-vocal hook as "rock-solid", giving Swift's real singing voice more clarity and power in the final refrain.[47] Some critics were also fond of the storytelling lyrics.[40][57] The Times' Will Hodgkinson regarded "Midnight Rain" as an album track that summarized Swift's midnight paranoia to "extreme heights",[39] and Ryan particularly highlighted the refrain for displaying Swift's talents of writing lyrics that evoke universal emotions.[32]

There were not as welcoming comments regarding the vocal effects. Spin's Al Shipley said that they sounded "like an embarrassing relic of 2010s SoundCloud production trends".[64] Paul Attard from Slant Magazine felt that they were burdened by excessive reverb and turned out redundant,[65] and Mary Siroky from Consequence said that they were overwhelming and distracting.[66] NPR's Ann Powers appreciated how the shifts between Swift's modulated and real vocals symbolized the storytelling perspectives of the subject and the narrator, but she contended that this production style somewhat diminished the impact of Swift's songwriting.[48] Mark Richardson of The Wall Street Journal deemed "Midnight Rain" a solid song that displayed a high level of songcraft, but he commented that it was "unexceptional" and not groundbreaking.[67]

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Midnights.[7]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Midnight Rain"
Chart (2022–2023) Peak
position
Argentina Hot 100 (Billboard)[68] 94
Australia (ARIA)[15] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[69] 52
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[16] 5
Czech Republic Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI)[70] 22
Denmark (Tracklisten)[71] 33
France (SNEP)[72] 111
Germany (GfK)[73] 92
Global 200 (Billboard)[11] 5
Greece International (IFPI)[74] 8
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[75] 37
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[23] 14
India International Singles (IMI)[76] 10
Ireland (IRMA)[77] 44
Italy (FIMI)[78] 84
Lithuania (AGATA)[79] 22
Luxembourg (Billboard)[80] 19
Malaysia International (RIM)[18] 4
Norway (VG-lista)[81] 35
Philippines (Billboard)[17] 2
Portugal (AFP)[21] 10
Singapore (RIAS)[19] 3
Slovakia Singles Digital (ČNS IFPI)[82] 28
South Africa (RISA)[22] 13
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[83] 50
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[84] 28
Swiss Streaming (Schweizer Hitparade)[85] 26
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[86] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 5
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[20] 6

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Midnight Rain"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[28] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[26] Platinum 40,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[27] Platinum 80,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[87] Platinum 30,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[24] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Midnight Rain

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
"Midnight Rain" is an song by American singer-songwriter , serving as the sixth track on her tenth studio album, , which was released on October 21, 2022, through . Swift co-wrote and co-produced the track alongside her longtime collaborator, musician and producer , who also performed all the instruments on the recording. The song features a slow-paced production driven by distorted synthesizers, programmed drums, and Swift's breathy, layered vocals, blending elements of R&B and indietronica. Lyrically, "Midnight Rain" explores the dissolution of a past relationship, contrasting the narrator's pursuit of fame and personal growth—symbolized by "midnight rain"—with her former partner's desire for a stable, comfortable life, represented as "sunshine." The song opens with a distorted spoken-word intro: "He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain; he wanted a , I was making my own name," highlighting themes of ambition, , and . Upon release, "Midnight Rain" received positive critical reception for its introspective storytelling and atmospheric sound, with reviewers praising its emotional depth and Swift's vocal delivery. It was performed live during Swift's The Eras Tour (2023–2024), where it was introduced as part of the Midnights setlist, further cementing its place in her discography. The track has garnered significant streaming success, amassing over 800 million streams on Spotify as of November 2025.

Background and development

Writing process

Taylor Swift drew inspiration for "Midnight Rain" from personal reflections on past relationships and the pressures of fame, crafting a centered on the between artistic ambition and a more conventional path to success. The song embodies a dream-like quality, reflecting moments of where the prioritizes self-discovery over stability, as seen in contrasting "sunshine" domesticity with the stormy pursuit of independence. The track was co-written with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff during late-night sessions that began in early 2021, shortly after Swift's work on Folklore and Evermore. These collaborative efforts, often extending into the early hours, aligned with the album's overarching theme of nocturnal introspection, allowing Swift and Antonoff to explore raw emotional landscapes in real time. The song was written as part of the broader production timeline, marking a return to pop-infused introspection following Swift's pandemic-era folk explorations.

Recording and production

Recording sessions for "Midnight Rain" primarily took place at in and Rough Customer Studio in , with and co-producing the track. Antonoff and engineer Laura Sisk handled the recording, capturing Swift's vocals alongside Antonoff's contributions on programming, live drums, and percussion to establish the song's retro-pop texture. Antonoff also performed on multiple vintage synthesizers, including the Moog, Juno-6, modular synth, and , which provided the foundational electronic elements driving the production. Key production decisions emphasized analog warmth amid the synthetic soundscape, with significant portions of the instrumentation committed to tape during tracking to enhance the 1980s-inspired aesthetic shared across the album. This approach complemented the use of live drums and percussion layered with synthesizer textures, creating dynamic shifts that underscore the track's emotional progression from verses to bridge. The synthesizer, a staple in Antonoff's setup for the album, further contributed to the retro electronic vibe through its rich analog tones. Vocal production focused on Swift's performance, incorporating multi-tracked harmonies to add depth, while the overall mix by at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach highlighted these layers and instrumental contrasts for heightened tension. Assistant engineers including Megan Searl, Jon Sher, and John Rooney supported the sessions, ensuring precise capture of the analog elements. The final master by at Sterling Sound polished the track's atmospheric quality, aligning it with the album's cohesive sonic identity.

Composition and lyrics

Musical elements

"Midnight Rain" is an song incorporating R&B elements, with a duration of 2:54, composed in the key of and performed at a of 138 beats per minute. The track employs a conventional verse–pre-chorus–chorus structure, consisting of two verses, corresponding pre-choruses and choruses, followed by a bridge that transitions into a fading outro with layered, echoing vocals. The instrumentation centers on electronic elements, including prominent synth bass lines, shimmering synthesizer riffs provided by Moog and modular synths, and percussive drums that evoke a subtle, rainfall-like patter through atmospheric textures. programmed these components, contributing to the song's crystalline and immersive sonic backdrop. Taylor Swift's vocals demonstrate a range, starting with intimate, subdued delivery in the verses and building to more forceful, belted expressions in the choruses for dynamic contrast. Harmonically, the song relies on a progression featuring the I (C), IV (F), V (G), and vi (Am) chords within , providing an uplifting foundation that aligns with the moderate tempo. The bridge introduces the minor vi chord (Am) more prominently alongside a pitch-shifted vocal effect, introducing a melancholic undertone that heightens emotional depth without altering the overall pace. This blend of major-key brightness and minor-inflected moments underscores the track's moody yet propulsive character.

Lyrical themes and interpretations

"Midnight Rain" explores a narrative on a past romance, in which the opts for a nomadic, artistic lifestyle over domestic stability, encapsulated by the of "midnight rain" symbolizing passionate yet ultimately doomed love. The depict the singer reflecting on an ex-lover who sought comfort and —"He wanted a "—while she pursued fame and self-reinvention: "I was making my own name / Chasing that fame, he stayed the same / All of me changed like midnight." This core storyline highlights the tension between personal ambition and relational expectations, with the narrator embracing the "pain" of transformation rather than settling for ease. Key lyrical motifs revolve around weather imagery to convey emotional chaos and irreconcilable contrasts, such as "He was sunshine, I was midnight rain," where "sunshine" represents the ex's simple, stable existence akin to small-town , and "midnight rain" evokes the protagonist's stormy, ambitious drive toward urban success. and rain further symbolize the volatile intensity of her chosen path, underscoring motifs of through disruption: "I broke his heart 'cause he was nice / I was a star, what a lack of foresight." These elements emphasize the song's theme of inevitable divergence between partners with differing visions of . Interpretations frequently connect the lyrics to Swift's career pivot after her 2014 album 1989, viewing the song as an for her shift from roots to global pop stardom, prioritizing artistic evolution over traditional stability. An academic study on figurative language in Midnights identifies metaphors in the track, including weather imagery. Fan theories often link it to Swift's 2008 breakup with , interpreting the fame-chasing narrative as reflective of her early rise during that relationship, though Swift has confirmed the inspiration draws from her high school years without specifying individuals. The track aligns with ' overarching self-reflection on life's pivotal choices.

Release and promotion

Commercial release

"Midnight Rain" was released on October 21, 2022, as the sixth track on Taylor Swift's tenth studio album, , through . The song is positioned between "You're On Your Own, Kid" and "Question...?", fitting into the album's thematic structure that explores introspective moments across various "midnights" in Swift's life. The track was made available in digital download and streaming formats as part of the standard album, alongside physical editions including vinyl and variants bundled with the full album. There was no standalone single release for "Midnight Rain" at the time of the album's launch, though it has been included in subsequent deluxe editions like the 3am and Til Dawn versions. Prior to release, fans could pre-save the album on platforms such as and , ensuring automatic addition to libraries upon the drop and immediate eligibility for streaming charts. This rollout supported the album's global digital and physical distribution without separate promotion for individual tracks like "Midnight Rain."

Marketing and media appearances

The promotion for "Midnight Rain," the sixth track from Taylor Swift's tenth studio album Midnights, was integrated into the broader album rollout strategy, emphasizing interactive social media engagement to build anticipation. In September and October 2022, Swift launched the "Midnights Mayhem with Me" video series on , where she revealed track titles—including "Midnight Rain"—through cryptic, fate-themed mechanics like drawing bingo balls and receiving mock phone calls, often shared cross-platform on for wider reach. These teasers, posted daily leading up to the album's October 21 release, encouraged fan participation and speculation, aligning with Swift's pattern of immersive, narrative-driven marketing for . Media exposure for "Midnight Rain" tied into Midnights' promotional push on major platforms, including a post-release interview on on October 24, 2022, where Swift discussed the album's themes and creative process, indirectly highlighting tracks like "Midnight Rain" amid the record's nocturnal motifs. Additionally, amplified the song through curated playlists featuring Midnights tracks and a high-profile aired during the October 20, 2022, broadcast on , which previewed visual content from the album and drove streams upon release. Unlike lead singles such as "Anti-Hero," "Midnight Rain" received no , relying instead on an lyric video released on on October 21, 2022, which visualized the song's stormy imagery with animated rain effects and scrolling text to enhance fan immersion. Swift's website further promoted by embedding links to fan-edited videos and remixes, fostering community-driven visuals that circulated widely on . Merchandise efforts included album bundles sold via Swift's store, incorporating apparel with celestial and nocturnal designs that fans adapted into rain-themed items, such as hoodies and tees emblazoned with "Midnight Rain" like "He was sunshine, I was midnight rain." Following the album's release, "Midnight Rain" generated significant online buzz through viral memes on (now X), particularly around its central contrasting "sunshine" and "midnight rain" as symbols of incompatible relationships, which fans repurposed in humorous edits and reaction videos throughout late 2022. These trends, amplified by Swift's reposts and fan accounts, contributed to heightened visibility and streaming engagement for the track.

Critical and commercial reception

Critical reviews

Critics generally praised "Midnight Rain" for its atmospheric production and introspective lyrics exploring themes of ambition and sacrifice in relationships. described it as a "mid-album centerpiece" that examines the pursuit of career over partnership, noting the "crystalline backdrop" and vocal effects that exaggerate Swift's natural uptalk for dramatic effect. highlighted its portrayal of a "jaded moment of lost love," where Swift embodies the "titular midnight rain," a figure too absorbed by her dreams to commit to , emphasizing the song's nostalgic slow-burn quality. The track's innovative vocal manipulation drew particular acclaim, with Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield likening it to a "Prince trick of a butch/femme duet" achieved through electronically warped layers, which heighten the mood of nocturnal regret and showcase Swift's evolving maturity in storytelling, akin to extended narratives like "All Too Well." The Guardian noted the song's use of "filtered synth tones, swoops of dubstep-influenced bass," and voice-warping effects reaching "a point of androgyny," contributing to Midnights' experimental synth-pop sound. Some reviewers offered mixed or critical assessments, pointing to perceived shortcomings in lyrical originality and production choices. critiqued the title as a "corny combination of words" and the as "uninspired," arguing that the song fails to deliver clever despite its familiar theme of prioritizing career over romance, though the production was deemed adequate. A few outlets, including user-influenced aggregates on platforms like (where scored 85/100 overall), ranked "Midnight Rain" lower among the album's tracks due to its "glitchy" beat and distracting vocal effects, viewing it as less standout compared to more dynamic cuts. Thematically, critics appreciated the song's empowerment narrative as a marker of Swift's artistic growth, with underscoring lines like "He wanted comfortable / I wanted that pain" as a bold reflection on rejecting domesticity for professional fulfillment.

Chart performance and certifications

Upon the release of Taylor Swift's tenth studio Midnights on October 21, 2022, "Midnight Rain" debuted at number 5 on the dated November 5, 2022, driven by strong streaming and sales from the 's tracklist dominance. The song maintained its peak position for one week and has charted for a total of 35 weeks as of November 2025, including multiple re-entries, marking it as one of the higher-performing cuts from the project. Internationally, "Midnight Rain" achieved top-10 placements across multiple markets, reflecting the album's global appeal through equivalent units from streams and downloads. It reached number 5 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, number 4 on the New Zealand Top 40, number 7 on the UK Singles Chart (compiled by the ), and number 5 on both the Canadian Hot 100 and Global 200. The track's performance was bolstered by album bundling and viral streaming momentum rather than standalone radio promotion.
Country/ChartPeak PositionSource
Australia (ARIA)5ARIA Charts via acharts.co
Canada (Billboard)5Billboard
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)4charts.org.nz
UK (Official Charts Company)7Official Charts
Global 200 (Billboard)5Billboard
By November 2025, "Midnight Rain" had accumulated over 818 million streams on , contributing significantly to its commercial footprint alongside sales and programmatic radio plays. These figures underscore the song's sustained digital consumption, with equivalent album units from exceeding 7 million in the alone by late 2025. Certifications for "Midnight Rain" highlight its sales and streaming success in key territories, primarily as an album track. In , it earned 2× Platinum certification from for 140,000 units in 2023. The (BPI) awarded Gold status in 2023 for 400,000 units, while certified it Platinum for 80,000 units in the same year. New Zealand's granted Platinum for 30,000 units shortly after release. No has been issued for the track in the US as of November 2025, though its streaming volume qualifies it under equivalent unit thresholds. In , strong radio contributed to broader IFPI global recognition via the album's awards, but no single-specific IFPI accolade was conferred. The song's chart longevity was enhanced by its inclusion in Taylor Swift's Eras Tour setlist from March 2023 through December 2024, prompting multiple re-entries on the and international charts during tour legs. For instance, it re-entered the Hot 100 at number 52 in May 2023 amid heightened fan engagement and viral social clips from live renditions, extending its overall chart span beyond the initial surge.

Legacy and performances

Live performances

"Midnight Rain" received its live debut on March 17, 2023, during the opening night of Taylor Swift's at in . The performance featured a full band arrangement, with Swift playing while moving dynamically across the main stage and catwalk. The song became a fixed element of the era segment in the tour's setlist, performed at all 149 shows from March 2023 through December 8, 2024, across five continents. Notable renditions included the three-night stand in Nashville on May 5–7, 2023, where heavy rain and lightning delayed the concerts but ultimately fell during "Midnight Rain," creating a literal downpour that aligned with the lyrics and extended the show past 1:30 a.m. Stage production for the song emphasized its moody atmosphere through blue-toned lighting and immersive visuals on the LED screens, including rain effects to complement the thematic elements of storms and introspection. The performance was captured for the concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, filmed during the dates in August 2023 and released in theaters that October.

Cultural impact and covers

"Midnight Rain" has resonated deeply within fan communities, particularly on platforms like , where the song's sound has been used in numerous videos since its release, often featuring edits, reactions, and challenges that explore its themes of personal growth and diverging life paths. These trends highlight the track's emotional accessibility, contributing to its viral spread among younger audiences and amplifying discussions on ambition versus comfort in relationships. The song's introspective lyrics have also been referenced in broader media profiles of , such as analyses of her evolution from country to pop stardom, underscoring its role in narratives of fame and self-discovery. Notable covers have extended the song's reach beyond Swift's original recording. In 2023, a cappella group Musicality released a vocal arrangement that reimagines the track's synth-pop elements through layered harmonies, garnering attention for its innovative sound design entirely produced with human voices. Tribute acts, including the live band Midnight Rain, have performed the song at various U.S. venues and events in 2024, such as at Elevation 27 in Virginia Beach, blending it with other Swift hits to celebrate her catalog in a rock-infused style. Additionally, independent artists like Nica Tupas have shared acoustic guitar covers on YouTube, amassing over 131,000 views and emphasizing the song's raw emotional core. By 2025, "Midnight Rain" has been analyzed in academic studies of the album, including discussions of themes like and in the track. Fan-driven content, including podcasts and online dissections, frequently ties the track to Swift's personal mythology, interpreting its weather metaphors as symbols of transformative life choices and resilience. The song's themes parallel narratives in media like the 2018 romantic comedy Someone Great, which explores post-breakup reflection and new beginnings.

Personnel

Midnight Rain credits adapted from the .
RolePersonnel
Vocals
Songwriting,
Production,
Programming, drums, percussion, Moog, Juno 6, modular synth,
RecordingLaura Sisk,
Assistant engineeringMegan Searl, Jon Sher, John Rooney
Mixing
Assistant mixingBryce Bordone
Mastering
Recording locationsRough Customer Studio (, NY), (New York, NY)
Mastering locationSterling Sound (Edgewater, NJ)

References

  1. https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/10/21/23416464/taylor-swift-midnights-lyrics-explained-anti-hero-video
  2. https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-midnight-rain-lyrics
  3. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/taylor-swift/midnight-rain
  4. https://www.setlist.fm/stats/taylor-swift-3bd6bc5c.html?tour=6bde5e4e
  5. https://kworb.net/spotify/track/3rWDp9tBPQR9z6U5YyRSK4.html
  6. https://grammy.com/news/behind-the-board-jack-antonoff-video-interview-production-singing-songwriting-engineering
  7. https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-jack-antonoff-criticism/671911/
  8. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/jack-antonoff-producer-tips-taylor-swift-bleachers-interview-1235435698/
  9. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63233361
  10. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-midnights-2022-vmas-fans-react-1235132484/
  11. https://pitchfork.com/news/taylor-swift-releases-new-album-midnights-listen-and-read-the-full-credits/
  12. https://www.musicradar.com/news/jack-antonoff-interview-taylor-swift-midnights-oberheim
  13. https://tunebat.com/Info/Midnight-Rain-Taylor-Swift/6Nl7KyvjkFncGsjB49SxLl
  14. https://music.apple.com/us/song/midnight-rain/1649435243
  15. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-midnights/
  16. https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/taylor-swift/midnight-rain
  17. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/24/arts/music/taylor-swift-midnights-millennial-women.html
  18. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369178834_AN_ANALYSIS_OF_FIGURATIVE_LANGUAGE_IN_SONG_LYRICS_OF_THE_ALBUM_MIDNIGHTS_BY_TAYLOR_SWIFT
  19. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/51-on-air-with-ryan-seacrest-80159774/episode/taylor-swift-x-ryan-seacrest-the-299117435/
  20. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-midnight-rain-track-six-midnights-track-reveal-1235145977/
  21. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-10-20/taylor-swift-midnights-album-release-date-songs
  22. https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-midnights-album-release-date-tracklisting-artwork-formats-tour-dates-collaborations-and-more__37291/
  23. https://www.discogs.com/master/2831825-Taylor-Swift-Midnights
  24. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-midnights-til-dawn-edition-1235340947/
  25. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-midnights-inspiration-dark-one-1235158597/
  26. https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-midnights-lyric-reveal-london-1235157270/
  27. https://www.people.com/music/taylor-swift-begins-revealing-midnights-song-titles-starting-with-track-13-because-of-course/
  28. https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/how-to-watch-taylor-swift-on-the-tonight-show-starring-jimmy-fallon
  29. https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-midnights-trailer-1235409770/
  30. https://www.ispot.tv/ad/2fGx/amazon-music-taylor-swift-midnights
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odh9ddPUkEY
  32. https://store.taylorswift.com/collections/taylor-swift-midnights-album-merch
  33. https://www.distractify.com/p/taylor-swift-midnights-memes
  34. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-midnights-1234611211/
  35. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/21/taylor-swift-midnights-review-small-hours-pop-rich-with-self-loathing-and-stereotype-smashing
  36. https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-tracklist-breakdown-2022-10
  37. https://www.metacritic.com/music/midnights/taylor-swift
  38. https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-charts-20-midnights-tracks-billboard-hot-100-1235163740/
  39. https://acharts.co/song/181968
  40. https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02_songs.html
  41. https://x.com/chartdata/status/1973026485218029851
  42. https://twitter.com/TaylorSwiftChar/status/1701975368322740348
  43. https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swifts-official-biggest-non-singles-in-the-uk-revealed/
  44. https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/hsi/
  45. https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/03/18/taylor-swift-set-list-eras-tour/11499422002/
  46. https://time.com/7199590/taylor-swift-eras-tour-final-numbers/
  47. https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-nashville-rain-lightning-concert-delay-1235605928/
  48. https://www.tiktok.com/music/Midnight-Rain-7156822419582224385
  49. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/taylor-swift-cultural-appraisal/
  50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhdm5hb1Elo
  51. https://visitvirginia.guide/virginia-events-calendar/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/67684v-midnight-rain-a-live-taylor-swift-tribute-band-at-elevation-27
  52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_bbuGen3TA
  53. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387543672_Unveiling_Emotional_Resonance_A_Musical_Discourse_Analysis_of_Taylor_Swift%27s_%27Midnights_Album%27_and_Its_Impact_on_Swifties
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