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| type = song
| type = song
| artist = [[Taylor Swift]]
| artist = [[Taylor Swift]]
| album = [[Midnights|Midnights (Lavender Edition)]]{{notetag|"Hits Different" is present on the physical CD-exclusive ''Lavender'' and digital-exclusive ''Til Dawn'' editions of ''Midnights''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/buy-taylor-swift-midnights-album-online-vinyl-cd-cassette-1234615344/|title=From 'Til Dawn' to '3 a.m.,' Here's Where to Buy Every Edition of Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Online|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=John|last=Lonsdale|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020457/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/buy-taylor-swift-midnights-album-online-vinyl-cd-cassette-1234615344/|url-status=live}}</ref>|name=note 1}}
| album = [[Midnights]]{{notetag|"Hits Different" is present on the physical CD-exclusive ''Lavender'' and digital-exclusive ''Til Dawn'' editions of ''Midnights''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/buy-taylor-swift-midnights-album-online-vinyl-cd-cassette-1234615344/|title=From 'Til Dawn' to '3 a.m.,' Here's Where to Buy Every Edition of Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Online|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=John|last=Lonsdale|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020457/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/buy-taylor-swift-midnights-album-online-vinyl-cd-cassette-1234615344/|url-status=live}}</ref>|name=note 1}}
| released = October 21, 2022
| released = October 21, 2022
| genre =
| genre = [[Pop rock]]
| studio = * Long Pond, Hudson Valley
| studio = * Long Pond, Hudson Valley
* Rough Customer, Brooklyn
* Rough Customer, Brooklyn
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"'''Hits Different'''" is a song by the American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]]. It was first released as a bonus track on the CD-only ''Lavender Edition'' of her tenth studio album, ''[[Midnights]]'', on October 21, 2022. The track was released for download and [[Streaming media|streaming]] as part of the ''Til Dawn Edition'' on May 26, 2023. Written and produced by Swift, [[Jack Antonoff]], and [[Aaron Dessner]], its lyrics reflect on a past relationship and contain references to some of Swift's other songs. Critics complimented the humorous tone of its lyrics and found the production catchy.
"'''Hits Different'''" is a song by the American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]]. It was first released as a bonus track on the CD-only ''Lavender Edition'' of her tenth studio album, ''[[Midnights]]'', on October 21, 2022. The track was released for download and [[Streaming media|streaming]] as part of the ''Til Dawn Edition'' on May 26, 2023. Written and produced by Swift, [[Jack Antonoff]], and [[Aaron Dessner]], its lyrics reflect on a past relationship and contain references to some of Swift's other songs. Critics complimented the humorous tone of its lyrics and found the production catchy.


After it was released for streaming, "Hits Different" peaked within the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 27 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and number 18 on the [[Billboard Global 200|''Billboard'' Global 200]]. Swift performed "Hits Different" as a "surprise song" on the Chicago stop of her sixth headlining concert tour, [[the Eras Tour]] (2023).
After it was released for streaming, "Hits Different" peaked within the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 27 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and number 18 on the [[Billboard Global 200|''Billboard'' Global 200]]. Swift performed "Hits Different" as a "surprise song" on the [[Chicago]] and [[London]] stops of her sixth headlining concert tour, [[the Eras Tour]] (2023-2024).


==Background and recording==
==Background and recording==
American singer-songwriter [[Taylor Swift]] announced her tenth studio album at the [[2022 MTV Video Music Awards]] on August 28, 2022. She later revealed the name of the album, ''[[Midnights]]'', and its [[album cover]] on social networks but the tracklist was not immediately revealed.<ref name="rsa">{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=2022-08-29 |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/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=May 30, 2023 |url-access=limited |archive-date=August 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829064007/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-1234583475/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On a video via her [[Instagram]] account on September 6, titled "The making of ''Midnights''", Swift revealed that [[Jack Antonoff]], who had worked with her before on her five studio albums since [[1989 (Taylor Swift album)|''1989'']] (2014), was a producer on the album.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=September 16, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Confirms Jack Antonoff as Producer on ''Midnights'' in New Behind-the-Scenes Look |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-producer-midnights-album-1235375271/ |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=September 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916200440/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-producer-midnights-album-1235375271/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They wrote and produced "Hits Different" together, alongside ''[[Folklore (Taylor Swift album)|Folklore]]'' and ''[[Evermore (Taylor Swift album)|Evermore]]'' (both 2020) collaborator [[Aaron Dessner]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/is-aaron-dessner-on-taylor-swift-midnights/|title=Is Aaron Dessner On Taylor Swift's 'Midnights?'|work=[[Uproxx]]|first=Danielle|last=Chelosky|date=October 21, 2022|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-date=March 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324022915/https://uproxx.com/pop/is-aaron-dessner-on-taylor-swift-midnights/|url-status=live}}</ref> Both Antonoff and Dessner are responsible for the track's instumentation, putting a ray of guitars and synths to the mix, with the former also playing percussion, bass, and piano. Other musicians included James McAlister (drum kit, synth sequencing), Sean Hutchinson (drums, percussion), Evan Smith (synths), and [[Doveman|Thomas "Doveman" Bartlett]] (Prophet X synth, [[Teenage Engineering OP-1]]). The song was [[Sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] across five recording studios located in the United States: Los Angeles-based [[Conway Recording Studios|Conway Recording]] and Sharp Sonics, [[Electric Lady Studios|Electric Lady]], Rough Customer and Long Pond in New York. [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|Mixing]] was handled by [[Serban Ghenea]] with the assistance of Bryce Bordone at MixStar Studios in [[Virginia Beach]], and [[Mastering (audio)|mastering]] took place at Sterling Studios in [[Edgewater, New Jersey]] by [[Randy Merrill]].<ref name="booklet"/>
[[Taylor Swift]] announced her tenth studio album at the [[2022 MTV Video Music Awards]] on August 28, 2022. She later revealed the name of the album, ''[[Midnights]]'', and its [[album cover]] on social networks but the tracklist was not immediately revealed.<ref name="rsa">{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=2022-08-29 |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/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=May 30, 2023 |url-access=limited |archive-date=August 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220829064007/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-announces-new-album-1234583475/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On a video via her [[Instagram]] account on September 6, titled "The making of ''Midnights''", Swift revealed that [[Jack Antonoff]], who had worked with her before on her five studio albums since [[1989 (Taylor Swift album)|''1989'']] (2014), was a producer on the album.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=September 16, 2022 |title=Taylor Swift Confirms Jack Antonoff as Producer on ''Midnights'' in New Behind-the-Scenes Look |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-producer-midnights-album-1235375271/ |access-date=May 30, 2023 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=September 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916200440/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-jack-antonoff-producer-midnights-album-1235375271/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They wrote and produced "Hits Different" with [[Aaron Dessner]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/is-aaron-dessner-on-taylor-swift-midnights/|title=Is Aaron Dessner On Taylor Swift's 'Midnights?'|work=[[Uproxx]]|first=Danielle|last=Chelosky|date=October 21, 2022|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-date=March 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324022915/https://uproxx.com/pop/is-aaron-dessner-on-taylor-swift-midnights/|url-status=live}}</ref> Both Antonoff and Dessner are responsible for the track's instrumentation, putting a ray of guitars and synths to the mix, with the former also playing percussion, bass, and piano. Other musicians included James McAlister (drum kit, synth sequencing), Sean Hutchinson (drums, percussion), Evan Smith (synths), and [[Doveman|Thomas "Doveman" Bartlett]] (Prophet X synth, [[Teenage Engineering OP-1]]). The song was [[Sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] across five recording studios located in the United States: Los Angeles-based [[Conway Recording Studios|Conway Recording]] and Sharp Sonics, [[Electric Lady Studios|Electric Lady]], Rough Customer and Long Pond in New York. The track was [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] by [[Serban Ghenea]], assisted by Bryce Bordone, at MixStar Studios in [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]], and [[Mastering (audio)|masted]] by [[Randy Merrill]] at Sterling Studios in [[Edgewater, New Jersey]].<ref name="booklet"/>


==Music and lyrics==
==Music and lyrics==
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}}
}}


"Hits Different" is three minutes and 54 seconds long.<ref name="booklet" /> In an article published in ''[[Business Insider]]'', writers Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca described the soundscape of "Hits Different" as "warm and triumphant like a montage about falling in love, or finding freedom in a big city", although it depicts a reflection over a past relationship.<ref name="ins">{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-midnights-bonus-tracks-3am-version-album-review-breakdown-2022-10#hits-different-belongs-in-a-rom-com-set-in-the-early-2000s-8|title=We are pleased to inform you that Taylor Swift's 8 bonus tracks for ''Midnights'' contain some of her best songwriting ever|work=[[Business Insider]]|first1=Callie|last1=Ahlgrim|first2=Courteney|last2=Larocca|date=October 29, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=April 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402165533/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-midnights-bonus-tracks-3am-version-album-review-breakdown-2022-10#hits-different-belongs-in-a-rom-com-set-in-the-early-2000s-8|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Rob Sheffield]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' said the song features plenty of "sun-kissed California rock guitar".<ref name="rs-as">{{Cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=2022-10-26 |title='Hits Different' (2022) |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/hits-different-2022-1234618516/ |access-date=2023-06-05 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-date=November 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122115848/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/hits-different-2022-1234618516/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Larocca described it as a song that evokes the [[country pop]] sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s by country [[Crossover music|crossover]] acts such as [[Shania Twain]], [[Alanis Morissette]], and [[Faith Hill]].<ref name="ins" /> For ''Billboard''<nowiki/>'s Jason Lipshutz, the "shimmering guitar and fizzy emotion" create "a sense of wanderlust" reminiscent of Swift's 2012 album ''[[Red (Taylor Swift album)|Red]]''.<ref name="bb-di">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-midnights-karma-charts-five-burning-questions-1235347066/|title=Did Taylor Swift's Dominant 2023 Need a Chart-Conquering Week to Match?|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first1=Rania|last1=Aniftos|first2=Katie|last2=Atkinson|first3=Kyle|last3=Denis|first4=Kason|last4=Lipshutz|first5=Andrew|last5=Unterberger|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> The "drunken display of heartbreak" in the song was compared to "Death by a Thousand Cuts" from her 2019 album ''[[Lover (album)|Lover]]'', and comicality of the lyrics was likened to [[Drake (musician)|Drake]]'s 2011 single "[[Marvins Room]]" by music critics.<ref name="ins" /><ref name="st-ns" />
"Hits Different" is 3 minutes and 54 seconds long.<ref name="booklet" /> It is a buoyant [[pop rock]] song.{{Sfn|Zaleski|2024|p=224}} In an article published in ''[[Business Insider]]'', Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca described the soundscape of "Hits Different" as "warm and triumphant like a montage about falling in love, or finding freedom in a big city", although it depicts a reflection over a past relationship.<ref name="ins">{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-midnights-bonus-tracks-3am-version-album-review-breakdown-2022-10#hits-different-belongs-in-a-rom-com-set-in-the-early-2000s-8|title=We are pleased to inform you that Taylor Swift's 8 bonus tracks for ''Midnights'' contain some of her best songwriting ever|work=[[Business Insider]]|first1=Callie|last1=Ahlgrim|first2=Courteney|last2=Larocca|date=October 29, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=April 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402165533/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-midnights-bonus-tracks-3am-version-album-review-breakdown-2022-10#hits-different-belongs-in-a-rom-com-set-in-the-early-2000s-8|url-status=live}}</ref> Larocca described it as a song that evokes the [[country pop]] sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s by country [[Crossover music|crossover]] acts such as [[Shania Twain]], [[Alanis Morissette]], and [[Faith Hill]].<ref name="ins" /> [[Rob Sheffield]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' said the song features plenty of "sun-kissed California rock guitar",<ref name="rs-as">{{Cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=2022-10-26 |title='Hits Different' (2022) |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/hits-different-2022-1234618516/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122115848/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/hits-different-2022-1234618516/ |archive-date=November 22, 2022 |access-date=2023-06-05 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> while Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' said that the "shimmering guitar and fizzy emotion" create "a sense of wanderlust" reminiscent of Swift's 2012 album ''[[Red (Taylor Swift album)|Red]]''.<ref name="bb-di">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-midnights-karma-charts-five-burning-questions-1235347066/|title=Did Taylor Swift's Dominant 2023 Need a Chart-Conquering Week to Match?|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first1=Rania|last1=Aniftos|first2=Katie|last2=Atkinson|first3=Kyle|last3=Denis|first4=Kason|last4=Lipshutz|first5=Andrew|last5=Unterberger|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> Critics compared the "drunken display of heartbreak" to "Death by a Thousand Cuts" from Swift's 2019 album ''[[Lover (album)|Lover]]'', and the lyrics' comical nature to [[Drake (musician)|Drake]]'s 2011 single "[[Marvins Room]]".<ref name="ins" /><ref name="st-ns" />


An emotional breakup song, "Hits Different" contains "funny" lyrics and nods to Swift's 2006 track "[[Our Song (Taylor Swift song)|Our Song]]".<ref name="rs-as"/><ref name="st-ns">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2225765/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week-485/lists/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week/|title=Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, & The Week's Best New Songs: Listen|work=[[Stereogum]]|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604083844/https://www.stereogum.com/2225765/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week-485/lists/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first verse pictures an image of a heartbreak with an introduction from the singer: "I washed my hands of us at the club / You made a mess of me".<ref name="cfl"/><ref name="ed">{{Cite web|url=https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-hits-different-lyrics-explainer|title=Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics, Explained|work=[[Elite Daily]]|first=Michele|last=Mendez|date=November 4, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=January 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111160419/https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-hits-different-lyrics-explainer|url-status=live}}</ref> She imagines her past lover with a different partner, which makes her vomit.<ref name="ins"/> In the [[refrain|chorus]], Swift makes a glimpse why she feels this way, by singing: "It hits different 'cause it's you."<ref name="ed"/> The second verse reveals her mindset regarding the ray of her previous relationships, even calling most of them "[[Ken (doll)|Kens]]",<ref name="cfl"/> to highlight their interchangeability.<ref name="ken">{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-gay-songs-queer-lyrics-2022-9#hits-different-41|title=41 Taylor Swift songs, interpreted from a queer perspective|work=[[Business Insider]]|first=Callie|last=Ahlgrim|date=March 17, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> She refers to past splits as "freeing like summer",<ref name="ed"/> and sings that her friends recoil from her, since she complains about her situation too much.<ref name="ins"/>
An emotional breakup song, "Hits Different" contains "funny" lyrics and nods to Swift's 2006 track "[[Our Song (Taylor Swift song)|Our Song]]".<ref name="rs-as"/><ref name="st-ns">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2225765/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week-485/lists/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week/|title=Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, & The Week's Best New Songs: Listen|work=[[Stereogum]]|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604083844/https://www.stereogum.com/2225765/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week-485/lists/the-5-best-songs-of-the-week/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first verse pictures an image of a heartbreak with an introduction from the singer: "I washed my hands of us at the club / You made a mess of me".<ref name="cfl">{{cite web |date=April 12, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics & The 'Barbie' Soundtrack Rumours |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/taylor-swift-hit-different-lyrics-barbie-soundtrack/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020502/https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/taylor-swift-hit-different-lyrics-barbie-soundtrack/ |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |access-date=May 30, 2023 |work=[[Capital (radio network)|Capital]]}}</ref><ref name="ed">{{Cite web|url=https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-hits-different-lyrics-explainer|title=Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics, Explained|work=[[Elite Daily]]|first=Michele|last=Mendez|date=November 4, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=January 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111160419/https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-hits-different-lyrics-explainer|url-status=live}}</ref> She imagines her past lover with a different partner, which makes her vomit.<ref name="ins"/> In the [[refrain|chorus]], Swift makes a glimpse why she feels this way, by singing: "It hits different 'cause it's you."<ref name="ed"/> The second verse reveals her mindset regarding the ray of her previous relationships, even calling most of them "[[Ken (doll)|Kens]]",<ref name="cfl"/> to highlight their interchangeability.<ref name="ken">{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-gay-songs-queer-lyrics-2022-9#hits-different-41|title=41 Taylor Swift songs, interpreted from a queer perspective|work=[[Business Insider]]|first=Callie|last=Ahlgrim|date=March 17, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> She refers to past splits as "freeing like summer",<ref name="ed"/> and sings that her friends recoil from her, since she complains about her situation too much.<ref name="ins"/>


During the "tragic" [[bridge (music)|bridge]], Swift expresses her continuous personal connection to the past lover's items.<ref name="ins"/><ref name="ed"/><ref name="rs">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-releases-hits-different-midnights-til-dawn-edition-1234742706/|title=Taylor Swift's Heartbreak 'Hits Different' on New ''Midnights'' Deep Cut|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Larisha|last=Paul|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020458/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-releases-hits-different-midnights-til-dawn-edition-1234742706/|url-status=live}}</ref> Callie Ahlgrim of ''Business Insider'' likened a quote from this portion of the song―"Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief in the good in the world"―to ''Evermore'' album tracks "Gold Rush" and "[[Dorothea (song)|Dorothea]]", since both of them contain references to dreaming. Another reference to the former song is found in the end of the bridge, when Swift calls herself an "argumentative, antithetical dream girl", which is reminiscent of the lyric "At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit", since "[[wikt:argumentative|argumentative]]" and "[[wikt:contrarian|contrarian]]" are [[synonym]]s.<ref name="ken"/> It is followed by a third verse, where she hears someone turning a key of her door, hoping it is him, before realizing it might be an intervention towards her.<ref name="ins"/><ref name="ed"/>
During the "tragic" [[bridge (music)|bridge]], Swift expresses her continuous personal connection to the past lover's items.<ref name="ins"/><ref name="ed"/><ref name="rs">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-releases-hits-different-midnights-til-dawn-edition-1234742706/|title=Taylor Swift's Heartbreak 'Hits Different' on New ''Midnights'' Deep Cut|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Larisha|last=Paul|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020458/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-releases-hits-different-midnights-til-dawn-edition-1234742706/|url-status=live}}</ref> Callie Ahlgrim of ''Business Insider'' likened a quote from this portion of the song―"Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief in the good in the world"―to ''Evermore'' album tracks "Gold Rush" and "[[Dorothea (song)|Dorothea]]", since both of them contain references to dreaming. Another reference to the former song is found in the end of the bridge, when Swift calls the subject an "argumentative, antithetical dream girl" (the full lyric being "bet I could still melt your world, argumentative antithetical dream girl" – "your" denotes that the dream girl is the other person), which is reminiscent of the lyric "At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit", since "[[wikt:argumentative|argumentative]]" and "[[wikt:contrarian|contrarian]]" are [[synonym]]s.<ref name="ken"/> It is followed by a third verse, where she hears someone turning a key of her door, hoping it is them, before realizing it might be an intervention towards her.<ref name="ins"/><ref name="ed"/>


==Release and promotion==
==Release and reception==
On October 13, 2022, the US retail [[Target Corporation]] announced their exclusive CD version of the album, sold under moniker ''Lavender Edition'' in other countries, featuring three bonus tracks: "Hits Different", string remix of "[[You're on Your Own, Kid]]", and piano remix of "[[Sweet Nothing (Taylor Swift song)|Sweet Nothing]]".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/everything-to-know-taylor-swift-midnights-album/|title=Everything to know about Taylor Swift's Midnights album|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|first=Lauren|last=Huff|date=October 23, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523200232/https://ew.com/music/everything-to-know-taylor-swift-midnights-album/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="cfl">{{cite web|url=https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/taylor-swift-hit-different-lyrics-barbie-soundtrack/|title=Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics & The 'Barbie' Soundtrack Rumours|work=[[Capital (radio network)|Capital]]|date=April 12, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020502/https://www.capitalfm.com/news/music/taylor-swift-hit-different-lyrics-barbie-soundtrack/|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 24, 2023, the singer announced the ''Til Dawn Edition'' of ''Midnights'' for a digital release two days later, which includes "Hits Different" alongside remixes of "[[Karma (Taylor Swift song)|Karma]]" and "[[Snow on the Beach]]".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-karma-collab-swifties-react-1235336534/|title=Swifties Flip Out Over Taylor Swift 'Karma' Remix With Ice Spice: 'Tayspice Coming to Take Over the World'|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first=Glenn|last=Rowley|date=May 24, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020457/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-karma-collab-swifties-react-1235336534/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-midnights-til-dawn-edition-lana-del-rey-exclusive-vault-track-1235624159/|title=Taylor Swift Announces ''Midnights'' Deluxe Album With Ice Spice and More Lana Del Rey|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Chris|last=Willman|date=May 24, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525074636/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-midnights-til-dawn-edition-lana-del-rey-exclusive-vault-track-1235624159/|url-status=live}}</ref> The latter release made "Hits Different" available to chart, resulting in its debut on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] record chart alongside four other songs performed by Swift. It debuted at number 27, being the singer's only new entry on the chart during the week ending June 10.{{notetag|Other songs by Taylor Swift present on the chart were: "Karma" (2), "Anti-Hero" (11), "Snow on the Beach" (30), and "[[Cruel Summer (Taylor Swift song)|Cruel Summer]]" (45).<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-number-one-artist-100-chart-record-68th-week-1235346811/|title=Taylor Swift Scores Record-Extending 68th Week at No. 1 on Artist 100 Thanks to ''Midnights'' Deluxe Releases|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first=Xander|last=Zellner|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref>}} The track also landed on other ''Billboard''-curated charts, such as [[Canadian Hot 100]] (19), [[Billboard Global 200|Global 200]] (18), and [[Philippines Songs]] (8).<ref name="CAN"/><ref name="GLO"/><ref name="PHI"/> Elsewhere, it peaked at number 18 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] and number 16 on [[ARIA Singles Chart]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/calvin-harris-ellie-goulding-miracle-streak-continues-uk-chart-1235344644/|title=Calvin Harris And Ellie Goulding's 'Miracle' Streak Continues In U.K.|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first=Lars|last=Brandle|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605054119/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/calvin-harris-ellie-goulding-miracle-streak-continues-uk-chart-1235344644/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/a-double-aussie-top-10-debut|title=A double Aussie top 10 debut|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]]|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602072200/https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/a-double-aussie-top-10-debut|url-status=live}}</ref>
"Hits Different" features as a bonus track on deluxe editions of ''Midnights'', including a [[Target Corporation|Target]]-exclusive CD ''Lavender Edition'' released on October 21, 2022,<ref name="cfl" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/everything-to-know-taylor-swift-midnights-album/|title=Everything to know about Taylor Swift's Midnights album|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|first=Lauren|last=Huff|date=October 23, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523200232/https://ew.com/music/everything-to-know-taylor-swift-midnights-album/|url-status=live}}</ref> and a digital ''Til Dawn Edition'' released on May 26, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-midnights-til-dawn-edition-lana-del-rey-exclusive-vault-track-1235624159/|title=Taylor Swift Announces ''Midnights'' Deluxe Album With Ice Spice and More Lana Del Rey|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Chris|last=Willman|date=May 24, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525074636/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-ice-spice-midnights-til-dawn-edition-lana-del-rey-exclusive-vault-track-1235624159/|url-status=live}}</ref> The digital release of "Hits Different" on [[Music streaming service|streaming platforms]] made it available to chart. On the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], it debuted and peaked at number 27 for the week ending June 10, 2023.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Zellner |first=Xander |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Scores Record-Extending 68th Week at No. 1 on Artist 100 Thanks to ''Midnights'' Deluxe Releases |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-number-one-artist-100-chart-record-68th-week-1235346811/ |access-date=June 7, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> The track also landed on other ''Billboard''-curated charts, such as [[Canadian Hot 100]] (19),<ref name="CAN" /> [[Billboard Global 200|Global 200]] (18),<ref name="GLO" /> and [[Philippines Songs]] (8).<ref name="PHI"/> Elsewhere, it peaked at number 18 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=June 5, 2023 |title=Calvin Harris And Ellie Goulding's 'Miracle' Streak Continues In U.K. |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/calvin-harris-ellie-goulding-miracle-streak-continues-uk-chart-1235344644/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605054119/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/calvin-harris-ellie-goulding-miracle-streak-continues-uk-chart-1235344644/ |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |access-date=June 7, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> and number 16 on the [[ARIA Singles Chart]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/a-double-aussie-top-10-debut|title=A double Aussie top 10 debut|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]]|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602072200/https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/a-double-aussie-top-10-debut|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 4, 2023, at the [[Chicago]] stop as part of her [[the Eras Tour|Eras Tour]], Swift performed "Hits Different" on acoustic guitar as a "surprise song".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Katie Louise |date=June 23, 2024 |title=Here's Every Surprise Song Performed on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/taylor-swift/eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623130936/https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/taylor-swift/eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist/ |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |access-date=June 23, 2024 |publisher=[[Capital (radio network)|Capital FM]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-chicago-best-moments/her-solo-unplugged-one-two-punch/|title=The Seven Best Moments From Taylor Swift's Final Night in Chicago on Her Eras Tour|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first=Lyndsey|last=Havens|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> ''[[Stereogum]]''<nowiki/>'s Tom Breihan reported that the performance was a "huge, euphoric singalong".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2226012/taylor-swift-performs-hits-different-swallows-bug-in-chicago/news/|title=Taylor Swift Performs 'Hits Different,' Swallows Bug In Chicago|work=[[Stereogum]]|first=Tom|last=Breihan|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' and ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'' noted that Swift messed up some lyrics.<ref name="bb-ss">{{Cite magazine |last=Iasimone |first=Ashley |date=June 4, 2023 |title=All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far) |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |access-date=June 4, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |archive-date=March 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319011405/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://parade.com/living/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist|title=Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Setlist Secrets—Which Songs Are Left for the Surprise Acoustic Sets?|work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]|first=Kelsey|last=Pelzer|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=May 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528055543/https://parade.com/living/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist|url-status=live}}</ref> She sang the track again as part of a [[Mashup (music)|mash-up]] with her song "Death by a Thousand Cuts" (2019) on June 21, 2024, at the tour's [[London]] stop.<ref name=":0" />


⚫
Having been described as a "fan favorite",<ref name="bb-di" /><ref name="cfl" /> "Hits Different" received positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]], with ''Billboard''{{'}}s Ashley Iasimone calling it "excellent",<ref name="bb-ss" /> and Alex Hopper from ''[[American Songwriter]]'' dubbing it as a "breakup anthem".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/taylor-swift-obliges-fans-with-hits-different-release-to-streaming-services/|title=Taylor Swift Obliges Fans with 'Hits Different' Release to Streaming Services|work=[[American Songwriter]]|first=Alex|last=Hopper|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020458/https://americansongwriter.com/taylor-swift-obliges-fans-with-hits-different-release-to-streaming-services/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Carl Wilson (writer)|Carl Wilson]] from [[Slate (magazine)|''Slate'']] said that "Hits Different" is the best bonus track of ''Midnights'' because it "melodically and lyrically has real 'old Taylor' verve", but he also agreed that the track would have been out of place on the standard track-list.''<ref name="slate">{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Wilson (writer) |date=2022-10-21 |title=Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Is the Right Kind of Concept Album |url=https://slate.com/culture/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-3am-lyrics.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021170235/https://slate.com/culture/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-3am-lyrics.html |archive-date=October 21, 2022 |accessdate=July 6, 2023 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |language=en-US}}</ref>'' Opining that it sounds "unlike anything on ''Midnights''", Larocca dubbed its chorus as one of the "catchiest" on the album. Additionally, she compared the song's release strategy to "[[New Romantics (song)|New Romantics]]" from ''1989'', since both of them first appeared on the physical deluxe editions of their respective albums, whilst being one of the "best" tracks.<ref name="ins" />
On November 4, 2022, Swift shared a video of her lip-syncing to the song with a caption {{"'}}Hits Different' really hits different, plus it's got one of my fav[orite] bridges."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hypebae.com/2022/11/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-add-new-dates-hits-different-exclusive-target-track-snippet-listen|title=Taylor Swift Adds Tour New Dates, 'Hits Different'|work=Hypebea|first=Jennifer|last=Machin|date=November 4, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020458/https://hypebae.com/2022/11/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-add-new-dates-hits-different-exclusive-target-track-snippet-listen|url-status=live}}</ref> At the June 4, 2023 show in Chicago, as part of her sixth headlining concert tour, [[the Eras Tour]], Swift debuted "Hits Different" live as a "surprise song".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-list-1235578714/|title=Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: Every Surprise Song She's Played So Far|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Ellise|last=Shafer|date=June 4, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=June 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604033519/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-list-1235578714/|url-status=live}}</ref> She said "I don't know if you'll know this one, it's kind of new" before playing the track over a guitar.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-chicago-best-moments/her-solo-unplugged-one-two-punch/|title=The Seven Best Moments From Taylor Swift's Final Night in Chicago on Her Eras Tour|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|first=Lyndsey|last=Havens|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> Contrary to the singer's words, the performance was a "huge, euphoric singalong", as reported by ''[[Stereogum]]''{{'}}s Tom Breihan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2226012/taylor-swift-performs-hits-different-swallows-bug-in-chicago/news/|title=Taylor Swift Performs 'Hits Different,' Swallows Bug In Chicago|work=[[Stereogum]]|first=Tom|last=Breihan|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> Publications such as ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' and ''[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]'' noted that she messed up some lyrics which might result in another live rendition of the song in the future.<ref name="bb-ss">{{Cite magazine |last=Iasimone |first=Ashley |date=June 4, 2023 |title=All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far) |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |access-date=June 4, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |archive-date=March 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319011405/https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://parade.com/living/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist|title=Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Setlist Secrets—Which Songs Are Left for the Surprise Acoustic Sets?|work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]]|first=Kelsey|last=Pelzer|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=May 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528055543/https://parade.com/living/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-setlist|url-status=live}}</ref>


Following its release for digital download and streaming, ''Stereogum'' ranked "Hits Different" the third best new song of the week of June 2, 2023, naming it a "falsely chipper" sequel of Swift's 2014 single "[[Blank Space]]" with "funneling self-lacerating '[[Anti-Hero (song)|Anti-Hero]]' vibes".<ref name="st-ns" /> In Sheffield's ranking of [[List of songs by Taylor Swift|all the songs in Swift's discography]], "Hits Different" placed 46th; he described its lyrics as "wildly funny".<ref name="rs-as" /> Michele Mendez of ''[[Elite Daily]]'' described it as an "emotional breakup song perfect for anyone in need of some sonic comfort".<ref name="ed" /> ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Larisha Paul wrote that in the song "heartbreak feels fresh" and its bridge depicts "wasteland of all the things that remind the singer of the relationship's end".<ref name="rs" /> Maya Georgia, also from ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that the song "chronicles a once-in-a-lifetime loss against an addictively jubilant production, reminiscent of early-2000s pop", and praised its bridge in particular.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2023-06-14 |title=The Best Songs of 2023 So Far |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-so-far-1234766821/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615201054/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-so-far-1234766821 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a less favorable review, Kyle Denis of ''Billboard'' opined that the track is "enjoyable but feels bland in comparison to the [standard] album's strongest tracks".<ref name="bb-di" />
==Critical reception==
⚫
Having been described as a "fan favorite",<ref name="bb-di"/><ref name="cfl"/> "Hits Different" received positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]], with ''Billboard''{{'}}s Ashley Iasimone calling it "excellent",<ref name="bb-ss"/> and Alex Hopper from ''[[American Songwriter]]'' dubbing it as a "breakup anthem".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/taylor-swift-obliges-fans-with-hits-different-release-to-streaming-services/|title=Taylor Swift Obliges Fans with 'Hits Different' Release to Streaming Services|work=[[American Songwriter]]|first=Alex|last=Hopper|date=May 26, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023|archive-date=May 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530020458/https://americansongwriter.com/taylor-swift-obliges-fans-with-hits-different-release-to-streaming-services/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Carl Wilson (writer)|Carl Wilson]] from [[Slate (magazine)|''Slate'']] said that "Hits Different" is the best bonus track of ''Midnights'' because it "melodically and lyrically has real 'old Taylor' verve", but he also agreed that the track would have been out of place on the standard track-list.''<ref name="slate">{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Wilson (writer) |date=2022-10-21 |title=Taylor Swift's ''Midnights'' Is the Right Kind of Concept Album |url=https://slate.com/culture/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-3am-lyrics.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021170235/https://slate.com/culture/2022/10/taylor-swift-midnights-album-review-3am-lyrics.html |archive-date=October 21, 2022 |accessdate=July 6, 2023 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |language=en-US}}</ref>'' Opining that it sounds "unlike anything on ''Midnights''", Larocca dubbed its chorus as one of the "catchiest" on the album. Additionally, she compared the song's release strategy to "[[New Romantics (song)|New Romantics]]" from ''1989'', since both of them first appeared on the physical deluxe editions of their respective albums, whilst being one of the "best" tracks.<ref name="ins"/> Following its release for digital download and streaming, ''Stereogum'' ranked "Hits Different" the third best new song of the week of June 2, 2023, naming it a "falsely chipper" sequel of Swift's 2014 single "[[Blank Space]]" with "funneling self-lacerating '[[Anti-Hero (song)|Anti-Hero]]' vibes".<ref name="st-ns" /> In Sheffield's ranking of [[List of songs by Taylor Swift|all the songs in Swift's discography]], "Hits Different" placed 46th; he described its lyrics as "wildly funny".<ref name="rs-as" /> Michele Mendez of ''[[Elite Daily]]'' described it as an "emotional breakup song perfect for anyone in need of some sonic comfort".<ref name="ed" /> ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Larisha Paul wrote that in the song "heartbreak feels fresh" and its bridge depicts "wasteland of all the things that remind the singer of the relationship's end".<ref name="rs" /> Maya Georgia, also from ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that the song "chronicles a once-in-a-lifetime loss against an addictively jubilant production, reminiscent of early-2000s pop", and praised its bridge in particular.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2023-06-14 |title=The Best Songs of 2023 So Far |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-so-far-1234766821/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615201054/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-so-far-1234766821 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a less favorable review, Kyle Denis of ''Billboard'' opined that the track is "enjoyable but feels bland in comparison to the [standard] album's strongest tracks".<ref name="bb-di" />


==Credits and personnel==
==Credits and personnel==
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| 14
| 14
|-
|-
! scope="row"| [[Philippines Songs|Philippines]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="PHI">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i42/|title=Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs)|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref>
! scope="row"| [[Philippines Songs|Philippines]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="PHI">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i42/|title=Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs)|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=June 6, 2023|archive-date=November 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108142420/https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/i42/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 8
| 8
|-
|-
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{{single chart|Billboardhot100|27|artist=Taylor Swift|rowheader=true|access-date=June 6, 2023}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|27|artist=Taylor Swift|rowheader=true|access-date=June 6, 2023}}
|}
|}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certification for "Hits Different"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=February 14, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Hits Different|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|access-date=September 20, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}


==Notes==
==Notes==
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


=== Source ===

* {{Cite book |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |author-link=Annie Zaleski |title=Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs |publisher=[[Thunder Bay Press]] |year=2024 |isbn=978-1-6672-0845-9 |pages=203–231 |chapter=The ''Midnights'' Era}}
{{Taylor Swift songs}}
{{Taylor Swift songs}}


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[[Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Aaron Dessner]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Aaron Dessner]]
[[Category:American pop rock songs]]

Revision as of 10:50, 15 October 2024

This article is about the Taylor Swift song. Not to be confused with Hit Different.
For the Astrid S song, see Leave It Beautiful.

"Hits Different"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album Midnights[note 1]
ReleasedOctober 21, 2022
Studio
GenrePop rock
Length3:54
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
  • Aaron Dessner
Audio video
"Hits Different" on YouTube

"Hits Different" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was first released as a bonus track on the CD-only Lavender Edition of her tenth studio album, Midnights, on October 21, 2022. The track was released for download and streaming as part of the Til Dawn Edition on May 26, 2023. Written and produced by Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner, its lyrics reflect on a past relationship and contain references to some of Swift's other songs. Critics complimented the humorous tone of its lyrics and found the production catchy.

After it was released for streaming, "Hits Different" peaked within the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 18 on the Billboard Global 200. Swift performed "Hits Different" as a "surprise song" on the Chicago and London stops of her sixth headlining concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023-2024).

Background and recording

Taylor Swift announced her tenth studio album at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2022. She later revealed the name of the album, Midnights, and its album cover on social networks but the tracklist was not immediately revealed.[2] On a video via her Instagram account on September 6, titled "The making of Midnights", Swift revealed that Jack Antonoff, who had worked with her before on her five studio albums since 1989 (2014), was a producer on the album.[3] They wrote and produced "Hits Different" with Aaron Dessner.[4] Both Antonoff and Dessner are responsible for the track's instrumentation, putting a ray of guitars and synths to the mix, with the former also playing percussion, bass, and piano. Other musicians included James McAlister (drum kit, synth sequencing), Sean Hutchinson (drums, percussion), Evan Smith (synths), and Thomas "Doveman" Bartlett (Prophet X synth, Teenage Engineering OP-1). The song was recorded across five recording studios located in the United States: Los Angeles-based Conway Recording and Sharp Sonics, Electric Lady, Rough Customer and Long Pond in New York. The track was mixed by Serban Ghenea, assisted by Bryce Bordone, at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and masted by Randy Merrill at Sterling Studios in Edgewater, New Jersey.[5]

Music and lyrics

"Hits Different"
A sample of "Hits Different"; Courteney Larocca of Insider opined that Swift's cadence in the second verse evoked the 1990s songs Alanis Morissette's "Ironic" (1996) and Faith Hill's "This Kiss" (1998).[6]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Hits Different" is 3 minutes and 54 seconds long.[5] It is a buoyant pop rock song.[7] In an article published in Business Insider, Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca described the soundscape of "Hits Different" as "warm and triumphant like a montage about falling in love, or finding freedom in a big city", although it depicts a reflection over a past relationship.[6] Larocca described it as a song that evokes the country pop sound of the late 1990s and early 2000s by country crossover acts such as Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and Faith Hill.[6] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said the song features plenty of "sun-kissed California rock guitar",[8] while Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said that the "shimmering guitar and fizzy emotion" create "a sense of wanderlust" reminiscent of Swift's 2012 album Red.[9] Critics compared the "drunken display of heartbreak" to "Death by a Thousand Cuts" from Swift's 2019 album Lover, and the lyrics' comical nature to Drake's 2011 single "Marvins Room".[6][10]

An emotional breakup song, "Hits Different" contains "funny" lyrics and nods to Swift's 2006 track "Our Song".[8][10] The first verse pictures an image of a heartbreak with an introduction from the singer: "I washed my hands of us at the club / You made a mess of me".[11][12] She imagines her past lover with a different partner, which makes her vomit.[6] In the chorus, Swift makes a glimpse why she feels this way, by singing: "It hits different 'cause it's you."[12] The second verse reveals her mindset regarding the ray of her previous relationships, even calling most of them "Kens",[11] to highlight their interchangeability.[13] She refers to past splits as "freeing like summer",[12] and sings that her friends recoil from her, since she complains about her situation too much.[6]

During the "tragic" bridge, Swift expresses her continuous personal connection to the past lover's items.[6][12][14] Callie Ahlgrim of Business Insider likened a quote from this portion of the song―"Dreams of your hair and your stare and sense of belief in the good in the world"―to Evermore album tracks "Gold Rush" and "Dorothea", since both of them contain references to dreaming. Another reference to the former song is found in the end of the bridge, when Swift calls the subject an "argumentative, antithetical dream girl" (the full lyric being "bet I could still melt your world, argumentative antithetical dream girl" – "your" denotes that the dream girl is the other person), which is reminiscent of the lyric "At dinner parties, I call you out on your contrarian shit", since "argumentative" and "contrarian" are synonyms.[13] It is followed by a third verse, where she hears someone turning a key of her door, hoping it is them, before realizing it might be an intervention towards her.[6][12]

Release and reception

"Hits Different" features as a bonus track on deluxe editions of Midnights, including a Target-exclusive CD Lavender Edition released on October 21, 2022,[11][15] and a digital Til Dawn Edition released on May 26, 2023.[16] The digital release of "Hits Different" on streaming platforms made it available to chart. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it debuted and peaked at number 27 for the week ending June 10, 2023.[17] The track also landed on other Billboard-curated charts, such as Canadian Hot 100 (19),[18] Global 200 (18),[19] and Philippines Songs (8).[20] Elsewhere, it peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart[21] and number 16 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[22] On June 4, 2023, at the Chicago stop as part of her Eras Tour, Swift performed "Hits Different" on acoustic guitar as a "surprise song".[23][24] Stereogum's Tom Breihan reported that the performance was a "huge, euphoric singalong".[25] Billboard and Parade noted that Swift messed up some lyrics.[26][27] She sang the track again as part of a mash-up with her song "Death by a Thousand Cuts" (2019) on June 21, 2024, at the tour's London stop.[23]

Having been described as a "fan favorite",[9][11] "Hits Different" received positive reviews from music critics, with Billboard's Ashley Iasimone calling it "excellent",[26] and Alex Hopper from American Songwriter dubbing it as a "breakup anthem".[28] Carl Wilson from Slate said that "Hits Different" is the best bonus track of Midnights because it "melodically and lyrically has real 'old Taylor' verve", but he also agreed that the track would have been out of place on the standard track-list.[29] Opining that it sounds "unlike anything on Midnights", Larocca dubbed its chorus as one of the "catchiest" on the album. Additionally, she compared the song's release strategy to "New Romantics" from 1989, since both of them first appeared on the physical deluxe editions of their respective albums, whilst being one of the "best" tracks.[6]

Following its release for digital download and streaming, Stereogum ranked "Hits Different" the third best new song of the week of June 2, 2023, naming it a "falsely chipper" sequel of Swift's 2014 single "Blank Space" with "funneling self-lacerating 'Anti-Hero' vibes".[10] In Sheffield's ranking of all the songs in Swift's discography, "Hits Different" placed 46th; he described its lyrics as "wildly funny".[8] Michele Mendez of Elite Daily described it as an "emotional breakup song perfect for anyone in need of some sonic comfort".[12] Rolling Stone's Larisha Paul wrote that in the song "heartbreak feels fresh" and its bridge depicts "wasteland of all the things that remind the singer of the relationship's end".[14] Maya Georgia, also from Rolling Stone wrote that the song "chronicles a once-in-a-lifetime loss against an addictively jubilant production, reminiscent of early-2000s pop", and praised its bridge in particular.[30] In a less favorable review, Kyle Denis of Billboard opined that the track is "enjoyable but feels bland in comparison to the [standard] album's strongest tracks".[9]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Midnights (Lavender Edition).[5]

Recording locations

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "Hits Different"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 16
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[18] 19
Global 200 (Billboard)[19] 18
Greece International (IFPI)[32] 34
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 14
Philippines (Billboard)[20] 8
Singapore (RIAS)[35] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[36] 18
US Billboard Hot 100[37] 27

Certifications

Certification for "Hits Different"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[38] Gold 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[39] Platinum 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ^ "Hits Different" is present on the physical CD-exclusive Lavender and digital-exclusive Til Dawn editions of Midnights.[1]

References

  1. ^ Lonsdale, John (May 26, 2023). "From 'Til Dawn' to '3 a.m.,' Here's Where to Buy Every Edition of Taylor Swift's Midnights Online". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  2. ^ Martoccio, Angie (August 29, 2022). "Taylor Swift Announces New Album Midnights: 'A Journey Through Terrors and Sweet Dreams'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  3. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (September 16, 2022). "Taylor Swift Confirms Jack Antonoff as Producer on Midnights in New Behind-the-Scenes Look". Variety. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Chelosky, Danielle (October 21, 2022). "Is Aaron Dessner On Taylor Swift's 'Midnights?'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Midnights (Lavender Edition) (CD liner notes). Taylor Swift. Republic Records. 2022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ahlgrim, Callie; Larocca, Courteney (October 29, 2022). "We are pleased to inform you that Taylor Swift's 8 bonus tracks for Midnights contain some of her best songwriting ever". Business Insider. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Zaleski 2024, p. 224.
  8. ^ a b c Sheffield, Rob (October 26, 2022). "'Hits Different' (2022)". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Aniftos, Rania; Atkinson, Katie; Denis, Kyle; Lipshutz, Kason; Unterberger, Andrew (June 6, 2023). "Did Taylor Swift's Dominant 2023 Need a Chart-Conquering Week to Match?". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, & The Week's Best New Songs: Listen". Stereogum. June 2, 2023. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d "Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics & The 'Barbie' Soundtrack Rumours". Capital. April 12, 2023. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Mendez, Michele (November 4, 2022). "Taylor Swift's 'Hits Different' Lyrics, Explained". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Ahlgrim, Callie (March 17, 2023). "41 Taylor Swift songs, interpreted from a queer perspective". Business Insider. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Paul, Larisha (May 26, 2023). "Taylor Swift's Heartbreak 'Hits Different' on New Midnights Deep Cut". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  15. ^ Huff, Lauren (October 23, 2022). "Everything to know about Taylor Swift's Midnights album". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  16. ^ Willman, Chris (May 24, 2023). "Taylor Swift Announces Midnights Deluxe Album With Ice Spice and More Lana Del Rey". Variety. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Zellner, Xander (June 6, 2023). "Taylor Swift Scores Record-Extending 68th Week at No. 1 on Artist 100 Thanks to Midnights Deluxe Releases". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  21. ^ Brandle, Lars (June 5, 2023). "Calvin Harris And Ellie Goulding's 'Miracle' Streak Continues In U.K." Billboard. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "A double Aussie top 10 debut". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 2, 2023. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Smith, Katie Louise (June 23, 2024). "Here's Every Surprise Song Performed on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour". Capital FM. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  24. ^ Havens, Lyndsey (June 5, 2023). "The Seven Best Moments From Taylor Swift's Final Night in Chicago on Her Eras Tour". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  25. ^ Breihan, Tom (June 5, 2023). "Taylor Swift Performs 'Hits Different,' Swallows Bug In Chicago". Stereogum. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  26. ^ a b Iasimone, Ashley (June 4, 2023). "All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far)". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  27. ^ Pelzer, Kelsey (June 5, 2023). "Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Setlist Secrets—Which Songs Are Left for the Surprise Acoustic Sets?". Parade. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  28. ^ Hopper, Alex (May 26, 2023). "Taylor Swift Obliges Fans with 'Hits Different' Release to Streaming Services". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  29. ^ Wilson, Carl (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift's Midnights Is the Right Kind of Concept Album". Slate. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  30. ^ "The Best Songs of 2023 So Far". Rolling Stone. June 14, 2023. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  31. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 5, 2023. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  32. ^ "IFPI Charts". www.ifpi.gr. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  33. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  34. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 5, 2023. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  35. ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 22 (26 May – 1 Jun 2023)". RIAS. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  36. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  37. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  38. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  39. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Taylor Swift – Hits Different" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved September 20, 2024.

Source

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hits_Different&oldid=1251285105"