Anita Perez '24
If anyone knows how to get the listens (and the girl), it's Taylor Swift. On October 27, she released her version of 1989, which originally came out on the same date in 2014.
1989 holds the title of the most-awarded pop album of all time, winning Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2016 Grammys, 2 American Advertising Awards, 1 BBC Music Award, 9 Billboard Music Awards, 10 BMI Pop Awards, and many, many more.
The original version of the album also broke several other records. During the time of its release, 1989 made Swift the only artist with 3 albums that sold more than one million copies in one week (1.2 million to be exact). In its second week, it sold 400,000 copies, which still put her leagues above any sort of competition.
A majority of Swifties and the general public both believe 1989 was Swift's peak, but with the release of 1989 (Taylor's Version), she's truly outdone herself. Her version of the album sold 1,653,000 total copies in the United States within the first week of it being released, breaking her own record that she set in 2014. 580,000 of those copies were vinyls, marking the largest sales week for a vinyl album since Luminate began tracking record sales in 1991. It generated over 337 on-demand official streams within the first 6 days of its release. As of November 1, the album had the biggest streaming week for any of the four albums she has re-recorded.
Not only did Taylor Swift outdo herself in terms of breaking records, but her mature and improved vocals made this version of the album so much better, and the original was already great. I was a bit nervous about my favorite songs not sounding the same, but in my opinion, almost every song ended up being better than its original counterpart. The re-recorded version actually opened my eyes to songs that I usually would skip or not listen to as much as others, and I really enjoyed being able to experience the album in a new way because of that. The 5 vault tracks also added to the already existing greatness of the album, and I was pleased with every one of them.
Molly Fox '26 says, "My favorite re-recorded track was 'Bad Blood' because the differences in it make me want to go out of my way to listen to it, and I wouldn't have done that before."
My top 5 favorites from the original (in chronological order) were "I Know Places", "Out of the Woods", "Clean", "Wonderland", and "You Are In Love." My new top 5 ranking (still in chronological order) is "I Know Places (Taylor's Version)", "You Are In Love (Taylor's Version), "Suburban Legends (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)", "Say Don't Go (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)", and "This Love (Taylor's Version)."
I must admit, I was so scared that I wouldn't like Taylor's version of "I Know Places" as much as the original. "I Know Places" is my second favorite Taylor Swift song of all time, so the re-recorded version of this song had huge shoes to fill. Not only was Taylor's version of the song amazing, it completely surpassed the original version in every way. There was a clear difference in some of the vocal and production choices, but they added new facets to the song that didn't exist before. For example, she added a growl to the "we run" at the end of the second pre-chorus that wasn't in the original, and that one small choice instantly made her version's vocals better than the 2014 version. She also added some distortion to the intro that I thought was interesting. It's those small changes in vocals and production that made this song and so many others better than their original counterparts. I've had "I Know Places (Taylor's Version) on repeat since its release, and I honestly don't think I'll ever get enough. This song will forever remain at the top of my ranking for this album, and I'm eternally happy that it turned out the way it did.
I was extremely shocked that Taylor's version of "You Are In Love" moved it all the way to the second spot on my ranking. My favorite thing about this song has always been its lyrics, and I feel that Taylor's mature vocals and the emotion portrayed through them amplified those already beautiful words. The production also did this version of the song so many favors. Its gentle melody paired with Taylor's vocals made it feel so much more dreamy and romantic than the original, and the original was already both of those things. "You Are In Love (Taylor's Version)" has become her best love song since its re-release in my opinion. It was already such a captivating portrayal of the magic and wonder of love, and her version just took it to a different level.
"Suburban Legends (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)" is one of my favorite vault songs, and it is by far my favorite vault song on the album. The song itself is from the perspective of a young girl who is most likely in high school, but many fans have speculated that this character is a metaphor for Taylor herself. It uses a lot of the social dynamics of a high schooler's life to paint an image of the story in the listener's head, with lyrics such as "I had the fantasy that maybe our mismatched star signs would surprise the whole school" and "You'd be more than a chapter in my old diaries with the pages ripped out", but Taylor often does this to reference Hollywood and her own life experiences. This song has a very strong "coming-of-age movie" vibe due to both its lyrics and its production. The production is a bit reminiscent of her 2022 Midnights album, but I think that these vault tracks were actually what inspired that album. I absolutely adore the upbeat "bubblegum pop" vibe of the song. It's the perfect song for dancing around in your room, late-night drives with friends, or when you need an upbeat pick-me-up.
"Say Don't Go (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)" is another great vault song and is the most emotionally charged one in my opinion. This song is about a person whose significant other is giving up on her and is no longer reciprocating love, and as the speaker questions whether or not this relationship can be saved, all she wants is for this person to tell her not to go. You can hear the desperation, longing, and frustration in Taylor's voice, and that is part of what makes this song so emotional. My favorite part of the song is the bridge. At one point, Taylor sings "I said I love you, you say nothing back." What I love about this is that it's simply written but relatable to those who have been in that situation. What I love even more is the vocal and production choices made. When she sings "I said I love you", you can hear her scream those lyrics in the background, adding to those feelings of desperation and anger that are essential to the meaning of the song.
"This Love (Taylor's Version)" is even more hauntingly beautiful than the original. This song delves into the complexities of a relationship and how it can feel like a rollercoaster. My favorite thing about this version of the song is its production. The composition is absolutely stunning, with delicate instrumentals that create a dreamy atmosphere, matching the emotional lyrics of the song. This song resonates with anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of a relationship or anyone who has lost a lover and found them again when the time was right. When I first heard clips of this song in the season 1 trailer of The Summer I Turned Pretty, I knew I was going to fall in love once the full version came out, and I did.
1989 (Taylor's Version) both reaffirms Taylor's status as a musical powerhouse and showcases her growth as an artist. The album's record-breaking sales and streaming numbers highlight not just its commercial success but also the enduring connection fans have with her music. Many Swifties grew up with the original album, so for us to now be grown up with a reimagined version is so unique. This album is now even more iconic and defining in the world of pop culture, and I cannot wait to see Taylor outdo herself again with the next re-recording.
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