1989 (Taylor’s Version): Everything You Need To Know
He says, “What you heard is true but I, can’t stop thinking ’bout [1989 (Taylor’s Version)] and I said, “I’ve been there too a few times”.
If you have been fortunate to not have been living under a rock this past month, then you know that all the ‘rumours are true’ as on the ninth day of the eighth month (8/9) Taylor announced the re-release of her beloved 1989 album at the final night of her first leg of the ERA’s Tour in Los Angeles.
Here is everything we know about 1989 (Taylor’s Version) so far…
What does the album cover look like?
While different from her previous 1989 cover, which originally was a polaroid of Taylor’s iconic seagull sweatshirt and her red lips, this artwork takes a new approach. It shows Taylor’s full smiling face in front of a blue sky, as she turns back to look at the listener.
Many fans online were quick to point out that the seagulls, once trapped in the sweatshirt, are now free as they can be seen flying in the background. These seagulls are believed to represent Taylor’s music, as with each album release, they are freed and finally owned by their rightful owner, Taylor Swift.
What has officially been confirmed about the re-release?
As of right now, we currently know that there will be 21 songs on the album, including 5 never-heard-before vault tracks.
Due to the album only being announced earlier this month, not much has been confirmed by Taylor or her team about the songs on the album or any further surprises that may be up Taylor’s sleeve for this re-release.
What speculations are being made about the 1989 vault tracks?
Speculation surrounding this re-release has been happening amongst the Swiftie fandom long before she announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Now that it has been confirmed that there are 5 vault tracks, fans have begun to try to piece together any Easter eggs left by Taylor that may indicate to fans what to expect from these mysterious tracks.
A common theory from fans is the possibility that Harry Styles may collaborate on one of the tracks due to being one of Taylor’s major inspirations for the original 1989 album, inspiring songs like “Style”, “I Knew You Were Trouble”, etc. Despite dating in 2012/2013, the pair have since been seen being friendly together at award shows. Also, it is not uncommon for Taylor to collaborate with her previous exes following the lead-up to re-releases, as during the Speak Now re-release, Taylor Lautner featured in Taylor Swift’s music video for her vault track “I Can See You”. So fingers crossed we see a collab in Taylor and Harry Styles’ future!
Other speculated collabs include a song with Katy Perry, as the pair had beef during the time of the original album, inspiring the song “Bad Blood”. Matty Healy of The 1975 has also been theorised to perhaps feature on the album as the pair had been seen attending a music studio in New York back in May 2023 together. Fans also noticed a neon rectangular box in the “I Can See You” music video, which has become an iconic part of The 1975 brand, as they have used it for previous albums and as a stage design for tours.
While it is still unclear what to expect from the vault tracks, we can guarantee that they will be just as iconic as all the previous songs from the original 1989 album.
When will it be released?
1989 (Taylor’s Version) is set to be released and available to stream on 27 October 2023.
You can currently pre-order the physical copy of the album on CD, cassette or vinyl, online at Taylor Swift’s official store or on The Record Hub, an online vinyl store in Ireland.
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