Taylor Swift has become one of the most decorated music artists of our time. With 11 Grammy wins and over 140 million records sold, Taylor Swift has become a phenomenon. Her most recent album ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ brings back all the feels from when it was first released in 2008 with a personal twist.
Before we get to the re-release, let’s bring it back to 2008. Taylor Swift was fresh off her first album entitled ‘Taylor Swift.’ The album went platinum in the US, and it had hits like ‘Our Song’ and ‘Teardrops on My Guitar.’ Taylor was 16 when the album was first released and had only been in the biz for a few years. Fans were anxiously awaiting her second album, and ‘Fearless’ delivered. ‘Fearless’ was #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 for 11 weeks, sold 10 million units in America, and won Grammys for Best Country Album and Album of the Year. Giving us amazing singles like ‘Love Story,’ ‘You Belong with Me,’ and ‘Fifteen.’
‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ includes 19 songs originally on the album, plus six new songs ‘from the vault.’ The album also contains three duets with Colbie Calliat, Keith Urban, and Maren Morris.
‘Fearless’ was a cultural shift in my life. As a child in New York, country music wasn’t exactly playing all the time around me. Swift was my first introduction to country music. Her storytelling abilities through melody and lyrics are impeccable. Her blonde curly hair entranced me. The music videos were theatrical experiences for my 9-year-old mind. I remember sitting at my parents’ Windows 7 computer and rewatching ‘You Belong with Me.’ I was mesmerized that Taylor played both the shy, good girl and the bad head cheerleader. And her getting the perfect quarterback boyfriend always made my heart flutter.
The sense of emotion and vulnerability is what drew me to ‘Fearless.’ It didn’t matter that Taylor was 12 years older than me. Her ability to openly share her stories is what got me into her music. ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ brings this rawness but with a whole new meaning. Taylor’s career and style have gone through immense changes since ‘Fearless.’ She has transitioned genres from country to pop to folk. Bringing her career back to the beginning helps show fans her love of her music and the power that the album has 13 years later.
But this new album has so much more meaning for Taylor Swift than just a re-release. Swift was signed to Nashville-based record label Big Machine Records from 2006 to 2017. In 2019, Scooter Braun, music manager, and entrepreneur purchased Big Machine Records for a whopping 300 Million dollars. This deal included the masters to all of Swift’s recorded music from Swift’s six albums she released with Big Machine.
After Braun owned Big Machine Records, he sold all of Swift’s catalog to an investment fund for an undisclosed sum ranging between 300 million to 450 million dollars. After the deal closed, Swift announced in late 2019 that she would be re-recording all of her albums and releasing them as ‘Taylor’s Version.’ This is a giant step towards Swift owning a majority of the rights of the music that she writes. Swift has admitted that she has often felt out of control of her career. Often speaking upon the sexism, she has faced in the industry. This new album uses these 13-year-old songs to help tell a different story of Taylor’s career.
‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ brings back so much nostalgia for fans, and it helps Swift feel more control over her music. It is Taylor’s way of owning her narrative, and that narrative is one I will continue to follow.
Words By Tommy Drennan.
Graphic By Emily Tobias.