"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Taylor Swift

After Taylor Swift surprised the world with a brand new song yesterday, it shot to the top of iTunes in such record-breaking fashion (less than an hour!) that it will almost surely guarantee Swift her first trip to the top of Billboard Hot 100 next week. Too bad, since it's also probably the most disappointing release of her short career. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," from Swift's upcoming fourth studio album, Red, is what we might politely refer to as a "sellout." Working for the first time with a co-writer, Swedish mega-producer Max Martin, she leaves behind any remaining semblance of her country roots and jumps full force into sassy Avril Lavigne territory—a brazen move that proves to be seriously underwhelming. Never mind that "Never Ever" feels like a huge step back from the the breakthroughs in maturity and artistry found on Speak Now. If you're going to have Max Martin write a hook for you, at least make sure it's really catchy. C+