Taylor Swift has re-entered the pop scene with her third re-recording, “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” Regarded as one of the best pop albums of all time, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” brings back to life Swift’s greatest hits such as “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Style.”
Swift started re-recording her albums after her masters were sold by her first record label, Big Machine Records, to Scooter Braun for $300 million in 2019. Re-recording her albums under her new record label, Universal Music Group, is now Swift’s only way to own her previously released music.
She started her journey of re-recording her albums with her first release of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” in April 2021, followed by “Red (Taylor’s Version) and most recently “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” in July 2023. Swift teased fans with the release of the album with “Wildest Dreams” being re-released in 2021 and “This Love” being re-released in 2022.
With a smoother production and a more mature sound from Swift, these songs become enhanced versions of the original “1989” tracks. The album contains hard-hitting lyrics in songs like “Clean” and “You Are In Love,” transporting listeners back to 2014 when they first heard the songs.
Five new bonus tracks are included on the album, which have been coined by Swift as “From the Vault.” These songs were written at the time of the original album in 2014 but did not make it to the final release. The vault tracks are similar to “Midnights,” released in October 2022, bridging the gaps between the original release and Swift’s recent sound. “Slut!” was a stand-out track to fans, based on the name alone. It is a sister song to “Blank Space,” continuing Swift’s lovestruck emotion we see in the original “1989” track.
“Now That We Don’t Talk,” being the most similar to the sounds of “Midnights” out of the vault tracks, is an instant classic for Swift. The track is a dig at an ex-partner, making it the perfect break-up song. The vault tracks have the same 80s synth-pop as the 15 original tracks, creating a continuous flow between the two. They fit perfectly into the “1989” realm, resulting in the album feeling like a beautiful blend of Swift’s old and new sounds.
Swift’s fan base has been highly supportive throughout the re-recording process, with every release gaining more recognition and praise. Following the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” she broke her own Spotify record as the most streamed artist in a single day. At this time, Swift’s influence and impact is larger than ever before.
Swift currently stands at the second spot on Spotify as the most-listened-to artist in the world, trailing closely behind Drake. In the future, Swift may secure this number-one spot, especially with more re-recordings on the way. Overall, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is a significant achievement for Swift and a turning point in her stardom, increasing her fame more than we have ever seen before.
