1989 marked Taylor Swift’s bold and unwavering shift from country to synth-pop, and it remains her signature album one decade later. She celebrated its ninth anniversary by releasing the long-awaited re-recorded version, which cemented the album’s untouchable greatness.
1989 was the turning point of Swift’s career and its re-recording was always going to be a slam dunk. This record gave us some of the singer’s biggest hits, from “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” to “Bad Blood” and “Wildest Dreams”, and went down in history as one of the defining pop albums of the 2010s after winning Album of the Year at the Grammys.
All these songs shine brighter than ever on the re-recorded version of 1989, along with many beloved fan favorites, such as “Style”, “New Romantics”, and “Out of the Woods”. It’s always a joy to watch Swift taking back her power, but 1989 might be her most exhilarating re-recording yet—and we owe it all to five brilliant re-recordings.
Swift chose the tongue-in-cheek bop “S-ut!” as the album’s lead single. It perfectly captures the frustration she was experiencing in the face of constant headlines about her private life that filled the tabloids during the 2010s.
“S-ut!” is a great addition to 1989, but it’s definitely not its strongest “from the vault” track on the album. “Say Not Go” will knock you off your feet with its catchy vibe and heartfelt message, while “Is It Over Now?” sees Swift putting her songwriting abilities on full display and it’s already a huge streaming hit.
1989 (Taylor’s Version) is the re-recording all of Swift’s fans have been waiting for since she decided to take control of her master recordings – and it was worth the wait. The singer’s biggest hits sound better than ever, and “from the vault” tracks are so good it’s hard to believe she’s been sitting on them for a full decade.
