The Album

that Crashed
Spotify
April 29, 2022
By: Gaby Gwee

Rating: 5/5
On TikTok, a well-known
social media platform,
there is a side called SwiftTok, that solely posts videos about theories and predictions
around her discography. The number 13, a red scarf, and anything about cats is an
immediate hint to the fan base that will lead them to decoding messages and secret
meanings.

Ever since Swift announced the rerecording of her heart-breaking album mid-summer
last year, the anticipation has reached high stakes. Swift is known for doing the
impossible, and here she is again – bringing back Red that is even classier and casually
cruel.

Red, her third studio album, determined the rest of her career in the music industry.
Swift used this album as a crossover from country to pop, and fans were in awe.
Through her lyrics, collaborations and impact on the pop genre, Red (Taylor’s Version)
touches the hearts of all.

Originally released a decade ago in 2012, Swift rereleased Red with additional tracks
called “vault tracks,” songs that never made the first album. This is the second of the
six albums that Swift is rerecording in hope to gain back control of the master tracks.

Scooter Braun bought Big Machine Records, Swift’s old label, for $330 million which
included the ownership of Swift’s first six albums. Due to unfavourable conditions,
Swift has been unable to reclaim her masters back. Braun later resold the masters to
Shamrock Holdings, an investment firm owned by Disney, for $300 million. Shamrock
offered Swift to repurchase her masters, however she declined and reiterated that she
would be rerecording the first six albums.
As a consequence of the controversy, the first six albums of Swift’s discography are
only available through streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music.

Like Fearless (Taylor’s Version), the first

rerecording released in early 2021, Red
(Taylor’s Version) stays true to the original
album. Each song on the album describes
each stage of a relationship, from every sweet
disposition to last kiss.

Songs that fit into the pop genre have a good

rhythm, a catchy beat, and has words that are
easily remembered. Thriller by Michael
Jackson, 25 by Adele, and Abbey Road by
The Beatles are some pop albums that
captures the genre with their tunes. Red
(Taylor’s Version) is the album that shifts Swift
from country to pop ever so effortlessly.

With the extra verses in “All Too Well (10 "All Too Well" Short Film Poster
Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the
Vault)” explaining how he didn’t show up to her 21st birthday, I now have a totally
different understand of “The Moment I Knew (Taylor’s Version). This even ties into
“Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” a duet with
Phoebe Bridgers, which hits hard with the line “How can a person know everything at
18 but nothing at 22?” which explains how young and naïve she was when she dated
her most infamous ex, Jake Gyllenhaal.

Coincidentally, the song “22 (Taylor’s Version)” fits right into the picture. With this
upbeat pop bop, Swift
encapsulates the free
feeling of being 22. The
story she builds with these
songs infuriates me as
listeners can piece together
how her exes have treated
her.

Swift decided to shift her

music genre to pop with
this album. “We Are Never
Ever Getting Back Together
(Taylor’s Version)” is a
classic pop song with an
upbeat tune. The we’s are
Swift Performing the 10-Minute-Version of “All Too Well" on SNL
crisper and the passion in
her voice in “I mean this is exhausting” exuberates her stance on men. I personally
love this song for the gym.

“Girl At Home (Taylor’s Version)” has an updated synth-pop beginning that has been
updated since the 2012 version of a basic pop song. I was surprised to hear the
beginning since it was so different and it truly wasn’t one of my favourite songs, yet it
has grown on me.

Songs “Better Man (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” and “Babe (Taylor’s Version)
(From the Vault)” now have proper Swift versions. She wrote both songs and gave them
to other artists. “Better Man” was given to Little Big Town in 2016, and “Babe” was
Sugarland’s 2018 hit. Both songs excel as Swift takes lead vocals.

Promotional Photos for Red (Taylor's Version)

“Ronan (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” is a special one. Written for a mother who
lost her four-year-old son to childhood cancer, Swift dedicates this 2012 single to
cancer research. This song has made me shed a tear as her emotion in her voice floods
the room as she sings “We’re gonna fly away from here / You were my best four years.”

Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift collaborated on two songs, “Everything Has Changed
(Taylor’s Version)” and “Run (feat. Ed Sheeran) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).”
Both mellow and acoustic songs go back to the roots of their friendship, showing that
they truly care for each other, even if career and life-changing decisions were
underway.

Rob Sheffield, an American journalist for Rolling Stone, describes the 10-minute hit
song as a “masterpiece” and “Swift at her absolute best.” Sheffield continues to
describe this song as a song that hits every emotional detail.

Journalist for Pitchfork, Olivia Horn rates Red (Taylor’s Version) an 8.5/10. She
comments “Hunting for subtle differences between the old and the new feels like a
game of Where’s Waldo?, and sometimes just a test of headphone fidelity.” All songs
might not have the greatest difference, unlike “Girl At Home (Taylor’s Version),” yet it
is all part of the fun in new music.

Swift doesn’t have to rerecord her old hits as someone who usually rerecords music is
hitting the gas and reaching a block. By releasing two albums in 2020 and two albums
in 2021, she has evidently not hit a stopping point. Coming to the end of the first half
of the year, Swift has not dropped any hints about the next album rerecorded leaving
Swifties hungry for more.
 Works Cited

digital@fwv-us.com, “The V Foundation to Receive $100,000 Donation From Sales of

Taylor Swift’s Single “Ronan.”” V Foundation, March 4, 2014,
https://www.v.org/2014/the-v-foundation-to-receive-100000-donation-from-
sales-of-taylor-swifts-single-ronan/, Accessed April 22, 2022.

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version).” Republic Records, April 9, 2021,

https://www.republicrecords.com/music/fearless-taylors-version, Accessed April
22, 2022.

Halperin, Shirley. “Scooter Braun Sells Taylor Swift’s Big Machine Masters for Big
Payday.” Variety, November 16, 2020,
https://variety.com/2020/music/news/scooter-braun-sells-taylor-swift-big-
machine-masters-1234832080/, Accessed April 22, 2022.

Havens, Lyndsey, “Taylor Swift Revealed as Songwriter for Little Big Town’s ‘Better
Man’.” Billboard, November 1, 2016,
https://www.billboard.com/music/country/taylor-swift-songwriter-little-big-town-
better-man-7564570/, Accessed April 22, 2022.

Horn, Olivia, “Red (Taylor’s Version).” Pitchfork, November 15, 2021,

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-red-taylors-version/, Accessed
April 22, 2022.

Newman, Melinda, “How Sugarland’s New Song ‘Babe’ With Taylor Swift Came
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“Red.” Apollo A-1 LLC, October 22, 2012,

https://open.spotify.com/album/1EoDsNmgTLtmwe1BDAVxV5, Accessed April
22, 2022.

“Red (Taylor’s Version).” Republic Records, November 12, 2021,

https://www.republicrecords.com/music/red-taylors-version, Accessed April 22,
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Sheffield, Rob, “‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ Makes a Classic Even Better.” Rolling Stone,
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reviews/review-red-taylors-version-1255956/, Accessed April 22, 2022.

Swift, Taylor [taylorswift]. “I’ve always said the world is a different place for the
heartbroken.” Instagram, June 18, 2021,
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRUBXtjZXT/, Accessed April 22, 2022.
Swift, Taylor [taylorswift]. “Shot on 35mm film with cinematography by the brilliant
@the_rinayang.” Instagram, November 11, 2021,
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWIyzljLVjI/ , Accessed April 22, 2022.

Swift, Taylor [taylorswift]. “Just a friendly reminder that I would never have thought it
was possible to go back and remake my previous work, uncovering lost art and
forgotten gems along the way, if you hadn’t emboldened me.” Instagram,
November 12, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/p/CWKdA97Moyf/, Accessed
April 22, 2022.

[taylornation]. “Sad Girl Autumn.” Instagram, December 22, 2021,

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXy68VzFyJh/, Accessed April 22, 2022.

“Taylor Swift – All Too Well: The Short Film.” YouTube, uploaded by Taylor Swift,
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Accessed April 22, 2022.

“Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Live on Saturday Night Live).”
YouTube, uploaded by Taylor Swift, November 14, 2021,
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“#swifttok.” TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/tag/swifttok?lang=en,

Accessed April 22, 2022.