What Will Taylor's Next Single Be?

Now that we've all (hopefully) had a chance to listen to Taylor Swift's fantastic new album, 1989 , it's time to ask that all important question: What's the next single? Whichever song Swift selects, it certainly has a lot to live up to, that's for sure! "Shake It Off," 1989's inescapable lead single, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart when it was released in August, selling a whopping 544,000 copies in its first week. Whoa. That's seriously impressive! Now, I can't say for certain which 1989 song will become Swift's second single, but I have a few good guesses. I think it all comes down to these five tracks: "Bad Blood," "Blank Space," "Out of the Woods," "Style," and "Wildest Dreams."

Why these five tracks? Well, they're all catchy, they're all compelling, and they're all charting well on iTunes at the moment. It's as simple as that! 1989 's opening song, "Welcome to New York," is charting well on iTunes, too, but my gut tells me that Swift won't release it as a single. I realize that it's important to her, but I just don't think it has the same universal appeal as the other five songs I listed.

Here are my contenders for 1989's next single, ranked in order of likelihood:

5. "Wildest Dreams"

"Wildest Dreams" is a stand-out on 1989, but it just doesn't scream "single" to me. In other words, I can't really imagine non-Swift fans singing along to it on the radio, and I feel like that's an important factor to consider when you're looking for a smash hit.

4. "Bad Blood"

"Bad Blood," a biting song that tells the story of a friendship turned sour, got a lot of press before 1989's release due to rumors that it's about Katy Perry. While "Bad Blood" is insanely catchy, and I definitely think it will become a single at some point in the future, something tells me Swift will wait to release it until the album's buzz has begun to die down a bit.

3. "Out of the Woods"

I love "Out of the Woods." It's just so different from anything else Swift has ever done before! The song topped iTunes within just a few hours of its release two weeks ago, so it's absolutely a strong contender for 1989's second single. However, I think Swift will want to save it for later since it was already put out as a promotional track.

2. "Style"

OK, here's where things get really close. "Style" is my favorite song on 1989 , so I'll admit to some bias here, but people just can't seem to get enough of anything Swift/Harry Styles–related at the moment, so it seems like a no-brainer. Also, the song is so infectious, I literally cannot stop listening to it. I'm losing sleep. Help! If "Style" were charting a little higher on iTunes, it might've been my number-one choice...

1. "Blank Space"

"Blank Space" has everything: a great beat, clever lyrics, a memorable melody, and that genius "pen click" moment. It showcases a new, self-aware side of the 24-year-old singer, and though I was worried that too much sarcasm would end up creating distance between Swift and her listeners, that didn't end up happening at all. If anything, Swift's willingness to poke fun at herself and her public image just makes her even easier to relate to. I think "Blank Space" could be her next big hit.

Rumor has it Swift filmed a new music video in Long Island in September, so plans for 1989's second single could already be in place! I'm eager to find out more details.

1989 is available in stores and on iTunes now.

Image: taylorswift/Instagram