The wait is over! The highly anticipated re-recording of Taylor Swift’s fifth album, 1989, from 2014 was re-released on its 9th anniversary Friday, October 27th.
This is the fourth album Swift has re-recorded since she announced she would be reclaiming her masters in 2019.
1989, Swift’s most critically acclaimed work, was bound to be the “stolen” album fans were most excited to hear a more refreshed, clean version of. Along with the original sixteen songs included on the “1989″ (Deluxe Edition), Swift added five more unreleased songs that didn’t make the original cut.
This album is a beautiful reflection of what Swift wanted it to be: pop perfection. It was inspired by her birth year, (hence the name) and the various pop elements of the 1980s.
Though Swift was initially hesitant to make a pop record, shown with the mix of country-pop in her 2012 album Red, she let go of her fears and her ghosts with 1989, and it was the greatest decision of her career. In 2016, Swift’s masterclass album won “Album of The Year” at the Grammys.
Although the only new additions to this album are the five vault tracks, much has changed in this re-release. On the “stolen” version of 1989 Swift worked with Max Martin, a music producer with twenty-five Billboard Hot 100 #1s who helped Swift get four of her own.
Many Swifties noticed his absence on the re-recording. This change is noticeable to fans with a keen ear in some songs, such as “New Romantics” (Taylor’s Version) and in “Style” (Taylor’s Version).
While these changes aren’t the end of the world, and this nine-year gap gave fans exactly what they were looking for. Swift’s vocals have drastically improved since 2014, giving Swifties a new, fresh, updated version of these pop classics.
The spotlight, however, is of course on Swift’s new vault tracks. These five songs are the best ones yet.
Freshman Holley Stears believes that “they are absolutely fantastic and perfect.” She added, “I am so happy that [Swift] gets to share them with the world now.”
The pop elements in these songs are still present like they are for the rest of the album, but they are altered.
Swift’s songwriting is also stronger than ever, crafting beautiful bridges and choruses that still incorporate a pop feel that I find similar to the “Midnights” (3am Edition) exclusive tracks. Whether you are listening to the gut-wrenching “Say Don’t Go” (Taylor’s Version) or to the upbeat yet still heartbreaking “Suburban Legends” (Taylor’s Version) you are sure to feel immersed in the story Swift began telling almost a decade ago.
1989 (Taylor’s Version) is an unstoppable force, breaking countless records, and ensuring Swift’s status as a legendary musician. It’s an expansion of her original album’s narrative, allowing her fans to witness how much Swift has grown as an artist.
In the aftermath of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swifties may be wondering, is it over now?
Fortunately for them, they can expect two more re-released albums sometime in the near future, Reputation (Taylor’s Version) and Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version).
Swift will also resume her Era’s Tour next week, preforming in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 9th.
