The song is built on a "head-bobbing" instrumental that some listeners compare to the flow of a hip-hop or rap track.
Reviewers have noted the effective use of a "nice visual effect" in the lyric video that matches the glitching theme of the music itself. Taylor Swift - Glitch (Official Lyric Video)
The lyrics focus on the "glitch" in a system—specifically, a friendship that was never meant to turn into love. It captures the confusion and eventual acceptance of a relationship that "malfunctioned" into something deeper. The song is built on a "head-bobbing" instrumental