On the evening of October 26, 2023, I patiently refreshed my Spotify app, waiting for the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” after anticipating the album since Taylor Swift announced the re-recording of her masters in 2019. At the ripe age of 8 in 2014, I was oblivious to the musical and lyrical masterpiece that is “1989,” but now I have the chance to experience this musical journey once again, along with millions of fans across the world. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is the most streamed-album in a single day, surpassing records set by “Midnights,” Swift’s tenth studio album.
“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” begins in New York, where Swift produces a catchy, albeit lyrically-bland song that exaggerates cliched references of big-city life, in the pursuit of romanticizing independence in your 20s. Re-recorded classics like “Blank Space” and “Out of the Woods” sound much richer than the originals, but the universally adored “Style” falls slightly short of public expectations. Fans all over social media remarked that the 10-second introduction to “Style” sounds different, but it is wrong to expect a copied replica of the song. Instead, we should appreciate Swift’s crisper, more mature vocals, and think about Harry Styles’ feature on a remix that probably only exists in our wildest dreams. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” undoubtedly has some of the best love songs of Swift’s discography, including underrated gems like “You are in Love” and “This Love.”
The 5 vault tracks, arguably the most exciting part of any Taylor Swift-release, have continuously topped the Billboard charts. “Suburban Legends” and “Now That We Don’t Talk” could fit into “Midnights” seamlessly, demonstrating the evolution of Swift as a song-writer. “Is It Over Now?” debuts #1 on the Billboard Top 100, becoming a fan-favorite instantly. In light of the backlash that Swift received in the early 2010s about her various partners, fans speculated that “Slut!” would be a glittering dark-pop comeback similar to her “Reputation” era. Instead, we were presented with a sweet song about being so deeply in love with someone, that public opinion fails to matter.
“Being this young is art,” a lyric from “Slut!” perfectly sums up the album, as 1989 (Taylor’s Version) flawlessly soundtracks the experience of young adult independence and maturing love.
