In summer 2019, Taylor Swift announced that she would be re-recording her first five albums. For those who don’t know, Taylor never personally owned her original music on her first six albums due to the terms of her contract with her record labels. This is a long, LONG story, and you can read more about it in Taylor’s own words on Tumblr and Twitter, but ultimately she just wants the right to own her own music; a right that she has been refused repeatedly.
Anyway, no more about the men of the music industry taking unfair control over one of the most talented and popular artists of this generation by holding her original artwork and creations hostage — let’s move on to the good stuff. Taylor has taken her art into her own hands and her re-recording era is underway! We already got Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021 and Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021, so what’s coming next? Taylor loves putting some secret meaning and symbolism behind her release dates, so what time of year will we get each album? What album is coming last? Well, I’m no expert, but as a certified Blondie fanatic, here’s what re-recordings I see coming and when.
1989 (Taylor’s Version)
I think we’ll be getting 1989 (Taylor’s Version) next. There’s so much demand for it, and I am a STRONG believer that the birds at the bottom of the wedding cake in the “I Bet You Think About Me” music video were seagulls, like on Taylor’s shirt in the 1989 album cover! They were right below the layer of the cake with the iconic “Red” ring design on it, and I think it was meant to show that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will follow Red (Taylor’s Version). Most of the songs from this album are super fun summer anthems, so I think we’ll get a spring announcement for an early summer release.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Honestly, I don’t have a lot to go on for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). I know a lot of people think it’s coming next, but I see a lot more signs pointing toward 1989 (Taylor’s Version) coming sooner (even though I’m more excited for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)). My only inclination is, with her coordinating lots of her releases around the seasons, I can see Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) having a late fall/winter release.
Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version)
Unpopular opinion, I don’t see Taylor Swift (aka “debut”) getting re-recorded last. I think it’s a very real possibility, and I’m pretty split between what I think will happen, but more about that next. Although I love this album, it really isn’t one of her most popular, even among die-hard fans. I could see her incorporating some kind of surprise drop with this album, like releasing it on her birthday (December 13th) to symbolize how that album was the “birth” of her musical career.
Reputation (Taylor’s Version)
I have an ABUNDANCE of reasons why I think Reputation (Taylor’s Version) will be the final re-record. It would be a major full-circle moment since so much of this album is focused on her treatment that influenced her re-recordings. Plus, Taylor can’t legally drop the re-record of the album for five years after its original release, so it can’t be coming too soon. I can see us getting a “dark winter” without updates like when Taylor went off-the-grid between 1989 and Reputation, getting lots of buildup in late winter/early spring, and a spring release to symbolize new beginnings. But, I wouldn’t be surprised by her dropping it on the exact day she is legally allowed to do so, which would be November 10th, 2022.
Now, don’t hold me to this. I could be wrong! We never really know what Taylor is thinking, and she loves to throw us off with surprises, like when she just went and dropped Evermore out of nowhere. But, if I am right, wouldn’t that be so cool? Almost like I got into the mind of a genius. But, no matter when we end up getting each of the re-records, I’m going to be just as happy and bouncing off the walls excited!
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