I’ve never really considered myself a Swiftie; at least, not by the typical standards. I’m a fan, of course, but the level of engagement displayed by most fans is not equivalent to my own. I’ve never understood it. At least, not until this past week.
Why, you ask? Because 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is finally here, and I am a 1989 girlie through and through. I have a very deep history with this album, as I’m sure many my age also do. 1989 came out when I was nine years old, in the fourth grade, and it was the first album I ever bought with my own money (and by “bought with my own money,” I mean I gave my mom the money in cash, and she in turn downloaded the album onto the old iPhone 4 I was allowed to use to listen to music). This album holds such a special place in my heart, from listening to “Shake it Off” on the car radio while driving to the ice rink, to singing “Blank Space” in the lunch line with my best friend, to performing my own version of “Wonderland” in my living room (the recording of which will never see the light of day). The memories are unmatched.
Obviously, when I heard over the summer that 1989 TV would be released in October, I lost it just a little bit. Of course, I was long since out of my Swiftie phase at this point; Reputation and Lover weren’t really my thing, and while I adore both Folklore and Evermore, and think Midnights is an amazing album, I was at this point a very casual listener. No merchandise, no getting into ridiculous fights on TikTok, no tickets to the Eras Tour. But 1989 was coming back. The album that got me into Taylor’s music in the first place was coming back, and I went a little insane about it. I bought the vinyl and the cardigan—my first ever Taylor cardigan—and I listened to it over and over again. I am so incredibly not normal about this album, and I haven’t been since 2014. So with that out of the way, let me give you my own personal little ranking of all the songs. Keep in mind that I think there are no skips, and I love all of these. I just like certain songs more than others.
- I Know Places
I have been a huge I Know Places fan for years, and it was one of my favorites from the beginning. But now? With all the improvements? Her growl?? I am in love with this song, and probably also in love with Taylor herself. I will never get over this. Ever.
- Is it Over Now?
Oh my god. This song. What can I say about Is It Over Now? that hasn’t already been said? The bridge is so catchy, and the lyrics? Devastating. This song changed my life forever, and I’ve probably listened to it more in the past week than all other songs combined.
- Clean
Clean is such a wonderful song, especially when you listen to it as the weather’s changing. It came on my Spotify playlist when I was walking out in the first snow of the year, and suddenly I just… understood. And her voice in the updated version is so clear and pure. Everything about this song fits together so well. I love it.
- Bad Blood with Kendrick Lamar
There’s something about this feature that elevates this song so much. Bad Blood is a good song, not my favorite but not my least favorite, and I was worried I’d end up disliking it after this feature, as I don’t tend to like it when rap artists are featured on non-rap songs. However, Kendrick ate this song up! It’s on a whole new level now, and I’m obsessed.
- You are in Love
My ranking of this one wasn’t really changed much when Taylor’s Version was released. It’s a good song, and it’s pretty high up on the list. I think it’s very sweet, and I have a lot of good memories of it. And of course, Taylor sounds amazing on it.
- Welcome to New York
Now this is a ranking that changed! I was honestly not the biggest fan of this one when it first came out. Something about it was just… lackluster. It was still good, but probably would’ve gotten last place. But now? I get the hype. It’s such a good song, it just took me til Taylor’s Version came out to realize it.
- Now That We Don’t Talk
Honestly, all the Vault tracks on this album are SO good. Probably one of the best Vaults yet. And Now That We Don’t Talk is a great example of what makes it so good. It’s a good song, and it combines 1989 with a more modern sound so well. It’s giving Midnights in the best way possible, and it’s so catchy.
- Wildest Dreams
Wildest Dreams will always have a special place in my heart. I adore this song, and I have very, very specific memories with it. It hit hard in the original, and it’s hit hard in the two years since she released her version of this song specifically. I apologize for the person I become whenever this song is on.
- Blank Space
Honestly, this one didn’t change much, both in terms of my ranking of it, and in terms of the original vs. Taylor’s Version. It’s a good song, it’s a hit for a reason, and I will always sing along badly, at the top of my lungs. And of course, we love that she enunciated “of ex-lovers” better this time (though my mom still insists it sounds like “Starbucks lovers,” even 9 years later).
- Wonderland
I love Wonderland, I’ve always loved Wonderland, and Taylor made it so much better this time around. Her voice is so strong on this one, and I love how it’s evolved. I just don’t think it’s the kind of song I’d go out of my way to listen to on repeat the way I would with some others.
- How You Get the Girl
I am a huge fan of How You Get the Girl, honestly. I never really think about it much, but I will be singing my heart out if it ever comes on someone’s playlist. I love what Taylor did with it, and its ranking honestly stayed pretty much the same as where I’d have had it in the original.
- All You Had to Do was Stay
All You Had to Do was Stay is definitely getting the “great song, just not quite for me” award. I love the way this one was produced and everything about it is wonderful, I just don’t think I like it much. Taylor’s voice is amazing in this one, though.
- Shake it Off
Shake it Off is a classic, and I love it so much. It’s always going to have that status as a hit song. Taylor, of course, sounds amazing, and the way she did the speaking part in the middle of it turned out better than I ever expected. However, it’s not quite my style of song. It feels too radio-ish. Of course, it’s still iconic and I still will listen to it at full blast if it comes on.
- Out of the Woods
Out of the Woods sounds amazing, and it’s such a fun song. However, it’s just not quite my style of music, you know? Similar to Shake it Off. I think the repetition is what gets me; it’s just a bit off-putting for me.
- Bad Blood
Bad Blood is a good song. It was a good song, and it’s still a good song. I don’t really notice many differences between this one and the original, and when the original was a decidedly “good” song, then it’s going to get a decidedly good ranking.
- Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends… I feel like this one’ll get a bit of a resurgence very very soon, with a lot of people claiming it as their “underrated fav.” Well, here I am claiming it first. Suburban Legends is my underrated fave off this album. So why is it so low? Because I’m basic and put all the overrated songs first. I am very happy with Suburban Legends. It’s a decidedly nice song, and I enjoy listening to it. Not much else to say about it.
- Say Don’t Go
This might be blasphemy to some, but I feel like Say Don’t Go is really just “okay.” I like it, I like all the songs off this album, I just don’t really have much to say on this one. It’s good, but I was expecting more from the Vault, I suppose. I’ll still listen to it and enjoy it.
- Slut
This one is another blasphemous one. There’s honestly nothing wrong with this song; it’s objectively very good. It’s just not quite my style of music. It’s sweet and the meaning is wonderful, it’s just… it’s okay, to me. It’s an okay song. Or rather, it’s a great song that my ears think is just okay.
- New Romantics
I gotta admit, this one fell a lot on this ranking, mostly because the audio mixing is just… so off. Playing around with my Spotify settings helped a bit, but the instrumentals are still so much louder than Taylor’s voice. I still love this song, but I just don’t like it as much anymore. It’s really sad, honestly; I used to be a huge fan of it. It’s still pretty good, I just… I don’t like change, and that’s mostly the reason this one is so low on the list.
- This Love
Call me crazy, but I was never a huge This Love girlie… it’s just not the best. And I don’t hear much change, other than the maturity of Taylor’s voice, so… yeah. This one’s pretty low on the list. I still love it, it’s just not my thing.
- Style
Oh, speaking of not liking change, can we talk about what happened to Style? I just… okay, the changes aren’t really bad. There’s nothing wrong with adding a bit of extra twang to the guitar, or making the intro more staccato, or singing with a slightly more neutral tone, it just doesn’t sit right with me. I still love Style, and I’ll still be listening to it, but I genuinely prefer the stolen version in a lot of ways.
- I Wish You Would
I don’t like I Wish You Would. I don’t dislike it. I’ll listen to it, but I won’t seek it out to listen. I occasionally skip it. I don’t know what my problem with it is, it’s just… eh. It never really hit for me, and that didn’t change with Taylor’s Version.