Taylor Swift has confirmed the imminent arrival of her reimagined version of the “1989” album, set to captivate listeners once again. During a performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on August 9, the versatile artist announced that her next re-recorded venture, known as “Taylor’s Version,” will be centered around her 1989 album. The original “1989” album was initially released in October 2014.
In an unexpected segment of the performance, precisely at 11:09 pm PT, Swift took the opportunity to disclose to the audience her plans to reissue the “1989” album. This announcement was promptly followed by her performance of “New Romantics.” Swift drew attention to the screen situated behind her, displaying the fresh album artwork, and went on to reveal that the release is scheduled for October 27. A short while later, Swift’s official social media platforms also disseminated the news.
“The ‘1989’ album transformed my life in countless ways, and I’m thrilled to reveal that my rendition of it will be available on October 27,” she shared in a post. She expressed candidly, “To be perfectly honest, this is my most FAVORITE re-recording I’ve ever undertaken, largely due to the incredible nature of the 5 ‘From The Vault’ tracks. It’s hard to believe these tracks were once left behind. But that’s about to change!” Swift’s revitalized versions of her iconic albums consistently incorporate several new songs from her vault that were omitted from the original releases.
Swift embarked on a journey to re-record and release her inaugural six albums as part of her mission to gain complete ownership of her music. In 2019, Big Machine Records relinquished the rights to the masters of her initial six albums to Scooter Braun, who subsequently transferred them to a private equity firm. Swift openly expressed her dissatisfaction with this transaction and declared her intention to re-record all the albums originally produced under Big Machine.
“I have recently embarked on re-recording my earlier music, and it has already proven to be both a thrilling and creatively gratifying endeavor,” she conveyed through a statement shared on social media in 2020. She further added, “I have numerous surprises awaiting.” And indeed, she has fulfilled these promises. Beyond the inclusion of “from the vault” tracks and new album artwork, Swift has even produced new music videos.
Taylor Swift has been diligently working towards her goal of re-recording her earlier albums under the banner of “Taylor’s Version.” Her accomplishments so far encompass the releases of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021, “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021 as well, and most recently, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” in 2023. After the re-release of “1989,” her inaugural album “Taylor Swift” from 2006 and the 2017 album “Reputation” will remain as the only two records yet to undergo this reimagined treatment.
As early as July 2023, fans received a hint that “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” was in the pipeline. This clue emerged shortly after the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” when Swift unveiled a music video for a new track titled “I Can See You.” Towards the conclusion of the video, an intriguing scene unfolds, featuring Swift departing with stars Taylor Lautner and Joey King. They drive across a bridge adorned with a sign at its summit bearing the inscription “1989TV.”
Dedicated Swift fans, known as Swifties, engaged in some Easter egg-hunting and speculated that her Instagram post on July 7, depicting her “belated Independence Day” celebration at her Rhode Island beach residence, contained clues about the re-recording of “1989.” In this post, Swift posed alongside friends including Selena Gomez and the Haim sisters, captured in a sequence of Polaroid images. Swift’s followers were quick to observe that the original “1989” album cover itself features a Polaroid picture of Swift. Notably, her July Fourth gatherings at her summer abode had become synonymous with her “1989” era, adding to the intrigue.
On July 28, Swift’s official Taylor Nation account reposted an image from her Fourth of July festivities, featuring the artist in a blue dress against an ocean backdrop. The accompanying cryptic caption, “the air is getting pretty salty,” sparked a flurry of speculation among fans. As anticipation mounted in the lead-up to the August 9 concert and continued during the event itself, Swift heightened the excitement by subtly dropping additional hints. Notably, she swapped four of her previous tour outfits with new blue versions, further fueling the speculation.
“Perhaps you’ve observed that there are some stylish ensembles in the performance,” she humorously remarked during the announcement on August 9. Blue, the album’s dominant color, holds a significant association with it. Additionally, in the lead-up to the announcement, her website underwent a transformation to blue; previously, it had been adorned in purple while she was promoting her “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” album.
