From teenage girls to crazed fourth graders to my dad, everyone has been preparing themselves for the biggest album release of 2012: Taylor Swift’s “RED.”

Dedicated fans (like me) waited until 12:00 am for the Oct. 22 release of the album, which features Swift’s signature heartbreak anthems, like her electro-pop song “22,” where she sings about herself and how she feels “happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time.”

With the release of her first single, “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Swift instantly hit No. 1 on the Billboards Hot 100 Chart. The song— which perhaps foreshadows her recent split with Conor Kennedy — is still in the Top 10, and was recently joined by her second and third released singles of “RED,” “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “State of Grace.”

Swift, famous for her innocent love songs, brings on a new taste with “RED.” She has crafted an album that portrays an artist in a musical transition. She’s becoming more rock and pop, navigating away from the country music of previous albums, “Speak Now,” “Fearless” and “Taylor Swift.” She varies between these different musical styles, making her unique and appealing to many  kinds of music fans.

The most startling song on the album, “Holy Ground,” has an intense drumbeat that brings a sense of urgency that Swift’s light country songs rarely had. The lyrics are classic T-Swift though, with a clichéd line that seems like the hook in a thousand pop songs: “Tonight I’m gonna dance for all that we’ve been through, but I don’t wanna dance if I’m not dancing with you.”

Equally amazing is “The Lucky One,” a meditation on fame. She sings about the troubling side of being a celebrity: tabloids, paparazzi and loneliness.

“RED” showcases a handful of polished, catchy pop songs like “Starlight” and the figurative language-heavy, title track, “RED,” with its electric beat chorus.

On  “Treacherous,” Swift sings about sex for the first time.

“I’ll do anything you say if you say it with your hands,” she sings, “I will follow you, follow you home.” It may be a bit shocking, but it’s still incredible.

Along with the sound experimentations, Swift brings in two duets, “The Last Time,” feat. Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol and “Everything Has Changed,” feat. Ed Sheeran.

Swifts bring back her signature dramatic heartbreak songs in “All Too Well.” She sings about a sad and angry breakup. “I’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying here,” she croons. Swift hinted to Good Morning America that she wrote this tune about ex Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s dramatic, but with Swift, it always is. That’s what keeps her going.

Her slower and simpler songs — “Begin Again,” “Sad, Beautiful, Tragic” and “Stay Stay Stay” —  relax listeners. Here, Swift strays away from the loud pop feel and depends on her acoustic guitar.

Lyrically, Swift goes above and beyond to heighten every emotion. Every chance feels like the last chance and the last opportunity she shares with whomever she is writing about. Swift’s greatest strength as a songwriter is her ability to unselfconsciously communicate feelings that can relate to anybody.

Props to Taylor — job well done.

Must-haves:  “RED,” “Begin Again,” “The Lucky One.”