In this unexpectedly solo episode, Alicia announces the four winners of the Invisible Strings book contest (congrats!), and shares some of your reflections on Taylor's All Too Well (10 Minute Version).

The core of the episode centers around some neurological research pointing to why, and how, sad songs end up making us feel better. It turns out Taylor's not kidding about putting narcotics in her songs - sad songs have been shown to activate regions of the brain tied to emotional cues, processing, and regulation, which consequently flood the brain with various neurotransmitter chemicals tied to feelings of pleasure, comfort, and reward.

As always, we want your Midnights! Share your Swiftory stories at [email protected], or leave us a voicemail at 404-594-3658. What are your favorite Taylor Swift sad songs, and why? How about your favorite of Taylor's love songs? Help us craft a special upcoming episode with your musical gems from Taylor – we want to know.

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Sources

Why The Brain Seeks Out Sadness in Music (integrishealth.org)