Taylor Swift's Speak Now Joins The Legacy Of Great Third Albums

Though she has never really left our consciousness in the two years since Fearless first came out, it still seems like it has been a while since Taylor Swift released an album. But all that waiting is finally over, as Speak Now is out now. The album is a big step for Swift for a number of reasons, as not only does it represent something of a thematic departure for her (in the sense that each song is about a particular person, and they make up a narrative of the last year of her life) but it also means she is at a turning point, as it's her third album.
For any artist who intends on sticking around for the long term, the third album may be the most important. It's always too easy to dismiss a hit debut as a fluke, and a second album tends to be rushed or caught up in the process of actually making a second album (the first album is usually a summation of years of thought and considering; second albums tend to take about six months). The third album is the first chance that the artist really gets to stretch his or her wings as well as solidify exactly what the sound is supposed to be. It's the gateway to the rest of a career, and it can be make or break.
By all accounts, Speak Now is a make, and it takes its place alongside these other important third albums.