Taylor’s Version

After losing ownership of her original six albums, Taylor Swift is rerecording and re-releasing her own versions, giving the fans the ability to experience her music in a new way.

WORDS by HANNA MASRI and MADELEINE NICKS ART by CLAIRE TOLLES

It’s safe to say that we’re all crumpled pieces of paper lying here after listening to “Red (Taylor’s Version).” An album that was first released in 2012 has undergone a modern re-recording, and the new version is the moststreamed album in a single day from a solo female artist with 90.8 million streams on Spotify. For the non-Swifties of the world, it might seem unnecessary and repetitive for Swift to re-record her older albums, but she has her reasons. The issue begins and ends with ownership. When Swift started her career as a young teenager, she signed with the label Big Machine Records under Scott Borchetta. Because of that original contract, the label techni cally owned the masters to her first six albums.

In 2018, Swift left Big Machine Records and moved to Universal Music Group, where she could record and retain the rights of her future albums, starting with "Lover." "In Taylor's re-recordings, the lyrics and sounds haven't changed, but it's the business aspect that's shifted. She has been fighting for years for the distribution of her work and the ownership of her music, and the re-recordings symbolize a new era of Taylor Swift," junior Alexandra Siegel said.

While Swift signed with Universal, a manager named Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun bought Big Machine Records and Swift's masters along with it, which was a shocking and brutal surprise for Swift.

According to Swift in a Tumblr post, she had a turbulent pre-existing relationship with Braun, who bullied her for years through his clients, such as Kanye West.

Swift described this ownership as her "musical legacy [lying] in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it."

A series of scandals followed, flooding the internet. Braun and Borsheta blocked Taylor from performing or using her old music.

Swift attempted to negotiate the terms of the ownership, but her attempts did not change any-

thing. So, to regain the rights to her work,

Swift decided to painstakingly re-record all of her previous work: "Taylor Swift," "Fearless," "Speak Now," "Red," "1989," and "Reputation." "The dispute between her old record label was confronted at the 2019 AMAs. I remember watching that in shock and amazement," Alexandra said. "Out of the many times she has performed, this performance has stuck with me forever. It signifies her breaking her silence and expressing her issues with her old label and brings forth a new version of Taylor that I have not seen before."

She started with "Fearless (Taylor's Version)," the album that arguably launched her to her current level of fame.

The "Fearless" album, released in 2008, marks the beginning of Swift's notoriety.

Still connected with her country roots, the album featured songs such as "Love Story," "You Belong With Me," "Fifteen," and "The Way I Loved You," all of which have a pure, innocent, romantic feel which is synonymous with Swift's early image.

This is a perfect example of what the re-recordings allow Swift to do: revisit old songs with better production, a stronger voice, and more creative freedom, allowing a new generation of fans to appreciate and experience her music like it’s the first time. “Red has a story-like quality that I love, and listening to the album and the songs 10 years later is a beautiful experience.” -Ashly Pryor ‘23

The "Fearless" era is what many current high school students remember as their first experience with Swift. Along with these iconic songs were iconic music videos.

Swift re-released Fearless in April 2021, marking the beginning of Swift gaining ownership over her music.

On Nov. 12, she re-released "Red (Taylor's Version)," and took special care to listen to what fans thought was missing or deserved more attention in the original album from 2012.

Swift delivered authentic content that not only plays to her strengths but allows fans to experience the music in a new, more personal way. "The Red tour was the first-ever concert I went to when I was nine years old," said junior Ashly Pryor. "I think "Red" will always hold a special place in my heart. "Red" has a story-like quality that I love, and listening to the album and the songs 10 years later is a beautiful experience."

A significant benefit of the re-recordings is a new sound given to the songs. Swift's mature voice and sound allow for powerful but subtle differences in lyrics and style.

Swift sounded as young as she was in her previous recordings of these songs.

She approaches the lyrics with voice, confidence, and maturity in these new versions.

Possibly the most exciting part of Taylor's Versions is that she is releasing songs from her vault.

These are tracks that were written at the same time as the original album, but for whatever reason, were not ultimately included.

The most highly anticipated and teased vault track from "Red (Taylor's Version)" is a ten-minute version of the cult favorite heartbreak anthem, "All Too Well." "The new "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)" is a whole novel in itself," said Ashly.

The song chronicles Swift's rumored tumultuous relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, ten years her senior. While neither of them confirmed they were a couple at the time, Swift seems to be making history more clear now.

Instead of a classic music video, Swift instead decided to write, produce, and star in a short film depicting the emotional scenes of the song.

The film drops hints that seem to confirm more and more details about the alleged relationship, with the actors Sadie Sink and Dylan O'Brien being the age that Swift and Gyllenhaal were when they supposedly dating.

While the original song was never a single, Swifties quickly claimed it as one of Swift's most moving and popular songs.

The lyricism and depth of the 10-minute version extends the original narrative of the song and gives the fans a whole new and broader perspective of that time in Swift's life. "Growing up I always loved TS. She was an icon and I looked up to her. Seeing a female superstar really inspired me as a young kid, “said junior Molly Morouse.

“These re-recordings are really nostalgic, because I loved "Red," and now that there's a rebirth of it, it's like a rebirth of my childhood.” And the fans agree, as the song recently overtook Don McLean's "American Pie" to become the longest song to ever peak at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

This is a perfect example of what the re-recordings allow Swift to do: revisit old songs with better production, a stronger voice, and more creative freedom, allowing a new generation of fans to appreciate and experience her music like it's the first time.