1989 (Taylor’s Version) Review: A Record that Changed Music Forever

Taylor Swift was slowly shifting from country to pop all the way back to her record Fearless. That is where some pop seeds were planted and slowly watered and lovingly cared for throughout Speak Now and Red. These seeds bloomed into a glorious pop Sunflower entitled 1989, which will change music forever and launch Taylor Swift into music stardom reserved for Beyoncé, Rihanna, The Beatles, Madonna and Led Zeppelin. The Era’s Tour recently went on pre-sale in Australia where you needed a special code to even have the opportunity to buy tickets before they went on public sale. At one point in time….remember during a pre – sale…roughly 10% of Australia’s total population was online trying to get tickets. All of that started with 1989.

Way back in 2021 Swift dropped the Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version) and millions of Swifties, including me, lost their minds and saw this single as a sign that 1989 would be her next record. Well, we had to wait for Red (Taylor’s Version), Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and Midnights to come out before the pop masterpiece 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would drop. But now it’s here. I have said on the podcast that I think this is a perfect pop record, so I am excited to see what has changed and how it hits close to 9 years after its initial release. We’ll look at some standout tracks, some good tracks from The Vault and give a general review of the record.

Even though this record is 9 years removed from its original release, it is the closest to her current material. So the question is, how much different can it be? Well, I think this feels the most different than all the other Taylor’s Version releases. Let’s look at the first track Welcome to New York, which is one of my favourite tracks off the record. The original was short with cutting surgical syth over a menagerie of hand claps and electro percussion. Her sharp powerful vocals announced that she was here to conquer pop and take the world by storm. In Taylor’s Version the synth is more blended and warmer with exclamations of “Welcome to New York!” further up in the mix. Her vocal also has more range and more joy to it. The original track is from someone who had something to prove, while the Taylor’s Version is celebrating such a monumental achievement.

The next track we will look at is Shake it Off (Taylor’s Version). You may think that she can’t mess with this one too much because it is such a big hit. I argue the other side of that, which is that this track has been played so many times that it needs a fresh look to keep it interesting. Swift adopts a great middle ground where the core of the track is largely untouched, but the mix around it is switched up enough to keep it fresh. There are some extra laughs and vocal sound effects added to her rap, which is celebrating in the campiness of a Swift hip hop bridge in 2014. The key I think is that the horns are further up in the mix and sound far more organic. Moving the brass up lifts the track and gives it a 4th of July parade vibe, which is a ton of fun.

Ok. We looked at two of the biggest tracks on the record, but does she spend the same energy on a deep cut or will those be largely the same? A track that missed the cut on the 1989 tour here in Australia, which is where I got my 1989 hat that I wear on all the Jukebox shows, was Wonderland. This is a perfect example of how 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is hitting me. Compared to the original it is largely the same; however, it is the little changes that add up. There is an added warmth to the production and the arrangement is further up in the mix, which really brings in all those trippy chimes that get lost in the original. Overall, the changes give this track a more organic and personal feel.

I have found that songs from The Vault are usually there for a reason. These are tracks that did not make the final cut on the original record, but Taylor still feels are worth another go. There are usually about four or five on a record with one or two really worth it. The track “Slut!” is definitely going to be a talker, if not for the title alone. The track’s title and gender themes are more akin to something that should be on Midnights than 1989. I like how she takes the word “slut” and tries to reclaim it with this coming of age love song. I don’t think it totally succeeds and it definitely did not belong on 1989, but it is worth a listen. I like Suburban Legends because it has like a Lorde / Bob Dylan vibe to it with this Tim Burton suburban darkness to it with the syth. There is a darkness to it with this Dylan – esque “I have way too many words for this verse, but I’m going to fit them in anyway” vibe to it. I can see how this did not fit 1989‘s glittery pop aesthetic, but it could have been a B Side or something on Midnights. I think this could have been released on something and done well.

What can I say about a remake of a record I already think it perfect? I do like Taylor’s Version more due to its added warmth and overall joy. Like I said earlier, I see the original release of 1989 as akin to Born to Run or Straight Outta Compton, which is that they are being released by artists who feel that they have something to prove. There is a going for it all and holding nothing back energy to those records…like it’s now or never. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is someone coming back to their high school who has already won the NBA Championship. They are going to the old haunts, but it is about joy and celebration. They have been to the mountain top and can look back at those hard first steps with respect and gratitude. I adore this record and have already bought it twice.

Listen to 1989 (Taylor’s Version)