Don’t be too Swift to judge.
Swifties rejoice (or not), as Taylor Swift has finally dropped her long-awaited re-release of the 2014 album, 1989.
Already, fans haven’t been shy about sharing their reactions on X (formerly Twitter), with opinions thoroughly divided on one song in particular.
Dubbed 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the album features rerecorded tracks and is the fourth rerelease by Swift since her dispute with her former label, Big Machine, who own the original masters of the tracks.
Some are heralding the rerelease as one of Swift’s greatest achievements to date, with @vampireswiftt succinctly using imagery to convey the fandom’s opinion.
All swifties rn: #1989TaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/wswF3NrAz2
— d 💌 (@vampireswiftt) October 27, 2023
Others, such as @3ambatman, are left pondering how they will go about their lives now.
swifties after listening to the whole album #1989TaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/TA2gOc0SUZ
— selina kyle(taylor’s version) (@3ambatman) October 27, 2023
Those who were fans of the original album are mostly delighted to relive their younger years, as Swift reclaims agency over her own music.
@wwandaxvisionn used a popular meme of Miranda Cosgrove from iCarly to sum it up.
me listening to 1989 in 2014 vs me listening to 1989 (taylor’s version) in 2023 #1989TaylorsVersion pic.twitter.com/DB3XVpEK7V
— tommaso ⸆⸉; eras tour milan n2🩵 (@wwandaxvisionn) October 27, 2023
However, others have been enjoying most of the album but aren’t particularly fond of specific tracks – such as Ari on X, who isn’t a fan of Taylor’s Version of Style.
#1989TaylorsVersion
— Ari ᱬ ⸆⸉ (@Aris_Multiverse) October 27, 2023
(I'm sorry please don't hate me)
Style Style TV pic.twitter.com/DLW7vHFteo
X user @celiastjame also prefers the original, saying “style og is so scrumptious i will just have to ignore this imposter sorry”.
George Griffiths offered a more detailed take on why Style hasn’t landed with them, citing how empty it sounds when compared to the 2014 original.
He said: “1989 is by and the far [sic] the worst rerecording of taylor swift’s career. It sounds cheap, over-produced and rushed. She sounds – emotionally – too far away from the original.
“Proof that lightning cannot – and will not – strike twice, even if you try to make it.”
The rerecording has mostly been a success with the critics, though, with NME and The Telegraph giving it five stars and The Standard giving it four.
The Independent stands as an early outlier, only awarding the album three out of five stars.
No matter the opinion, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is at the number one spot on Apple Music – and the strain caused by users rushing to download and stream it caused issues, preventing fans from listening to it until the initial peak died down.
Swift has been enjoying endless success as of late, with the Eras tour proving to be immensely popular with consecutive sell-out shows.
The Eras Tour film recently launched in cinemas in the UK for fans who missed out on securing tickets to the live performances, or those who simply can’t get enough.
The Eras Tour will end on 23rd November 2024 in Toronto, Canada, after starting all the way back on 17th March 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.
Fans are also speculating that Swift may not only be busy as a performing artist, but also as a successful author, too – if rumours are to be believed.
You can purchase the CD release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) for £12.99 on Amazon.
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