1989 was the re-recording that Swifties and casual listeners have been waiting for. It did not disappoint. Since its drop last Friday, 1989 has broken record after record. To no one’s surprise, the album is dominating the charts, with all 21 tracks accounted for within Spotify and Apple Music’s Top 25. As of this week, it has surpassed over one billion streams for both streaming services.
Is this her best re-recording yet? Without a doubt, yes. 1989 will never go out of style. The beat is sophisticated and eclectic, and the lyrics are witty and sleek. It has its share of catchy tracks, like “Blank Space” and “Shake it Off,” but only Swift can pull this off without being cheesy. The re-recording features all 16 of her 2014 tracks, with five unheard “from the vault” tracks, which are all standouts. The country-turned-pop sensation has released tracks that her college-aged listeners can relate to. Villanova senior and “Swiftie,” Chloe Miller, agreed.
“‘Now That We Don’t Talk’ and ‘Is It Over Now?’ are two of the best songs I have heard in a while,” Miller said. “The re-recordings are for her grown-up audience and are special to me. I have been listening to Taylor since I was eight-years-old. It takes me back.”
I get nostalgic when I listen to this re-recording, too. Hearing her classics like “Out of the Woods” and “Style” take me back to when I would listen to them through the radio. For day-one fans, the re-recordings represent Swift’s rise as an artist. Senior Maggie Winston is one of these fans.
“I love that Taylor expresses her creativity in all her re-recordings,” Winston said. “I see her iconic style and sound in 1989, as compared to her other pieces. 1989 will always have a special place in my heart. It is my favorite album.”
The Pennsylvania native is not trying to abide by any style or genre. Her producer, Jack Antonoff, has given her the freedom to lyrically express the heartbreak of her twenties. For example, the beat in “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” is her heartbeat. No other Swift album has this degree of creativity. 1989 stands out as an album because of this character. It is by far her best re-recording, despite her earlier success.
Critics will say that it sounds too similar to the 2014 release. But all 21 songs are crisper and are sung in a lower register. Take “Clean” for example, in which her vocals are stronger and richer than before. Her voice has a maturity that it did not have nine years ago. It is not only her singing, but the lyrics and tension, too, have enhanced.
As compared to her earlier recordings, there were no re-recordings that disappointed. “I Know Places” was one track that stood out for greater depth and vocal strength. Listening to the songs, there is greater confidence in her lower register while packing the pop punch that it did in the past.
“Now That We Don’t Talk” is only two minutes and 26 seconds, Swift’s shortest song to-date, but it hits home in a way that can be compared to her 10-minute song “All Too Well” from the re-recording of Red. It delivers Swift’s frustrations and hurt after what is a devastating break up, as she sings, “I cannot be your friend / So I pay the price of what I lost / And what it cost.” Swift has expressed her love for this uncharacteristically short song.
“It is Over Now?” is another Vault track that is beautifully crafted with Swift’s trademark of a scathing breakup song. This track has been viral, with TikTokers dancing and sharing details of their own past relationships.
1989 is not only a collection of 21 songs, but a story. It recounts a story of Swift and a boy (Harry Styles) whose love was in “screaming colors” but “went down in flames.” When the boy comes back to her 10 months later, she no longer seems to care. Swift does not need to pretend to like “acid rock” or “mega-yachts,” as she has finally learned to love herself for who she is, the artist of our generation.
Swift continues to raise the bar as she re-releases her albums, and with Reputation soon to come, there is no doubt that it will be another hit.
