 The song received generally mixed reviews from contemporary critics . Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine was unimpressed by Swift 's vocals , describing them as unpleasant and thin . Keefe added that her voice often cracked and , therefore , prevented the song from becoming an anthem . Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone magazine considered the track to be vague . Dave Heaton of PopMatters compared " Change " and Swift 's " Long Live " , both which ended Fearless and Speak Now ( 2010 ) , respectively . He stated , " There ’ s something really generic about the song [ s ] , but that quality becomes the cornerstone of an anthem . " Heaton also commented that the song was appealing to multiple audiences , as long as they felt restrained by any scenario . 
