Photo:Big Machine/Republic Records
Big Machine/Republic Records
Taylor Swiftis reclaiming her music one era at a time.
In 2019,Scooter Braun bought Swift’s former record label, Big Machine, from founderScott Borchettaand with it, heacquired the mastersto Swift’s first six albums. Continuing her very public fight to own her art, the “Blank Space” singer announced she planned tore-record her entire catalogof songs in an effort to reclaim her masters. Her contract legally allowed her tobegin releasing her own versionsof each album in November 2020, andFearless (Taylor’s Version)was the first to drop.
Since then, Swift has regifted her fans withRed (Taylor’s Version)andSpeak Now (Taylor’s Version). During the final night of her iconic Eras Tour, she announced that1989 (Taylor’s Version)is set to drop this October 27, leaving onlyReputationand her self-titled debut album to be re-released.
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1989 (Taylor’s Version)
On the final night of the Eras Tour’s first U.S. leg, Taylor Swiftannounced the release datefor her fourth re-recorded album, revealing that1989 (Taylor’s Version)is set to drop on October 27 — exactly nine years after she released its original version in 2014.
The 33-year-old singer shared her sentimental regard for the re-recording,writing on Instagram, “To be perfectly honest, this is my most FAVORITE re-record I’ve ever done because the 5 From the Vault tracks are so insane. I can’t believe they were ever left behind. But not for long!”
02of 051989 (2014)Big MachineThe first iteration of1989nabbed Swift album of the year award at the 2016 Grammys, making her the first female artist towin the coveted honortwice. (She first won forFearlessin 2010, and she became a three-time winner withFolklorein 2021.)
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1989 (2014)
Big Machine
The first iteration of1989nabbed Swift album of the year award at the 2016 Grammys, making her the first female artist towin the coveted honortwice. (She first won forFearlessin 2010, and she became a three-time winner withFolklorein 2021.)
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Speak Now (2010) and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Earlier on the Eras Tour, Swift also used the acoustic portion of the concert to reveal the cover art and release date forSpeak Now (Taylor’s Version). During her show in Nashville on May 5, she introduced her surprise performance of “Sparks Fly” from her third album.
The songwriter followed the announcement with areflective Instagram postthat announced six previously unreleased"from the vault" tracks.
Much like her other albums,Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)sticks closely to the album she first created in 2010. However, some key differences set the 2023 release apart from the original. For one, Swift changedone controversial lyricin the song “Better Than Revenge.”
The original song previously featuredthe lyrics, “She’s not a saint, and she’s not what you think / she’s an actress, whoa / She’s better known for the things that she does / On the mattress, whoa.”
In the new version, the latter lyrics were swapped to, “He was a moth to the flame / She was holding the matches, whoa.”
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Red (2012) and Red (Taylor’s Version)
Red (Taylor’s Version)surprised fans withnine never-before-heard songsandashort filmto accompany her extended recording of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” Swift herself directed the production, which starred Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien and took home several accolades, including a Grammy, VMAs and an American Music Award.
05of 05Fearless (2008) and Fearless (Taylor’s Version)Big Machine/Republic RecordsFearlesswas the first era Swift revisited on her mission to reclaim her music. In the wake of her success withFolkloreandEvermore —both of which were released in 2020 — the hitmaker took to Instagram to share her new (and upgraded) album news. The “Taylor’s Version” of her sophomore albumcame out in April 2021and promisedsix songs “from the vault.“Just as she did in 2008, Swift chose “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” as the lead single for the record.Speaking to PEOPLE about the re-recording, Swift highlighted her commitment tohonoring her original music.“In terms of production, I really wanted to stay very loyal to the initial melodies that I had thought of for these songs,” she explained. “And so we really did go in and try to create a ‘the same but better’ version. We kept all the same parts that I initially dreamed up for these songs. But if there was any way that we could improve upon the sonic quality, we did.”
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Fearless (2008) and Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Fearlesswas the first era Swift revisited on her mission to reclaim her music. In the wake of her success withFolkloreandEvermore —both of which were released in 2020 — the hitmaker took to Instagram to share her new (and upgraded) album news. The “Taylor’s Version” of her sophomore albumcame out in April 2021and promisedsix songs “from the vault.“Just as she did in 2008, Swift chose “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” as the lead single for the record.
Speaking to PEOPLE about the re-recording, Swift highlighted her commitment tohonoring her original music.
“In terms of production, I really wanted to stay very loyal to the initial melodies that I had thought of for these songs,” she explained. “And so we really did go in and try to create a ‘the same but better’ version. We kept all the same parts that I initially dreamed up for these songs. But if there was any way that we could improve upon the sonic quality, we did.”
source: people.com
