Taylor Swift Releases '1989 (Taylor's Version)': A Guide to Every Re-Recording -- and What's Left
Olivia Owen Taylor Swift now owns 80 percent of her discography. The album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), became the fourth of Swift's six planned re-recordings with its release on Friday.
Swift, 33, first made plans to re-record her music in 2019 after music executive Scooter Braun purchased Swift's former label, Big Machine, for a reported $300 million. Via the purchase, Braun received majority ownership of Swift's master recordings. Swift was outspoken in her unhappiness with this deal and repeatedly said she asked for a chance to own her own work but was denied.
In response to Braun, Swift quickly announced plans to re-record her early discography, thus releasing a version of her music with masters that she owns. The new versions of her original albums are dubbed "Taylor's Version" in all titles and releases and come with the additional previously unreleased "From The Vault" tracks.
Swift previewed her plans for the "Taylor's Version" takeover during an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning on Aug. 21, 2019. In the interview, the singer maintained that she had learned of Braun's deal "when it was online" for everyone else to see, reiterating her desire to own the music she'd written and performed.
The following day, Aug. 22, 2019, Swift affirmed her plans for the re-recordings during an appearance on Good Morning America promoting the release of her seventh album, Lover.
"One thing about this album that’s really special to me is that it’s the first one that I will own of my work," Swift said to a roaring crowd.
Since making the announcement, Swift has released three more original albums -- Folklore, Evermore and Midnights -- and released three re-recordings -- Fearless (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version) and Speak Now (Taylor's Version). In addition to her busy release schedule, Swift took all her music on the road with the launch of her Eras Tour, which just finished its United States leg earlier this month.
Here's ET's guide of all the "Taylor's Version" releases -- and what's still left to come.
Fearless (Taylor's Version) - 2021
Originally her second studio album released in 2008, Fearless became Swift's first re-recording in 2021. The release also included six "From The Vault" tracks, including Swiftie-favorite, "Mr. Perfectly Fine."
Red (Taylor's Version) - 2021
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AMAs: Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Appearance and Wins Six Awards for 'Red (Taylor's Version)'Following the success of Fearless' re-recording, Swift then released Red (Taylor's Version) just several months later. The album, first released in 2012 as her fourth record, included the 10-minute version of "All Too Well," which, despite having confirmed its existence, she never previously released. The new version of the song quickly landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, her eighth song at the time to reach such status. Swift also subsequently released a short film featuring the track starring Dylan O'Brien and Sadie Sink, and later that week performed the full 10-minute hit on Saturday Night Live.
Speak Now (Taylor's Version) - 2023
Swift first announced plans to release Speak Now (Taylor's Version) during her Nashville performance of the Eras Tour in May 2023. Following its release in July, Swift's former boyfriend (and now friend) Taylor Lautner starred alongside Joey King and Presley Cash in a music video for Swift's vault track, "I Can See You."
Swift debuted the video during a performance at the Eras tour in Kansas City, where Lautner, King and Cash joined the singer onstage following its premiere.
1989 (Taylor's Version) - 2023
Swift announced plans to release 1989 (Taylor's Version) at the final performance of her Los Angeles Eras Tour performances, which also marked the end of the tour's U.S. leg. The performance fell on Aug. 9, which, as she pointed out to fans, is "the eighth month of the year, and the ninth day."
The album was released on Oct. 27. "I was born in 1989, reinvented for the first time in 2014, and a part of me was reclaimed in 2023 with the re-release of this album I love so dearly," Swift wrote on Instagram. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the magic you would sprinkle on my life for so long."
She continued, "This moment is a reflection of the woods we've wandered through and all this love between us still glowing in the darkest hour. I present to you, with gratitude and wild wonder, my version of 1989. It's been waiting for you."
Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) - TBA
Swift has yet to release any information about her plans to re-record her debut album, originally released in 2006.
Reputation (Taylor's Version) - TBA
Reputation marks the final album owned by Braun, released in 2017. Swift has not yet said anything about her release schedule for its re-recording.
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