As a Taylor Swift fan since her country days, I’ve been impatiently waiting for all her re-recordings alongside all the other Swifties. Watching her go from a sixteen year old debut sensation with songs such as “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “Our Song” to a multi-genre Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter has been an incredible journey. While Swift has been my top Spotify artist for multiple years in a row, I can confidently say I continue to fall in love with her music – old and new alike. I’m particularly excited for her Taylor’s Version rerecorded albums – here are my most anticipated songs from each.
Starting off with her debut album, Taylor Swift, we have the songs that captured the heart and soul of America in 2006. Every Swiftie has one specific song they can confidently say made them a fan, and, for me, that song is “Picture To Burn”. This country banger was the perfect soundtrack for dancing alone in my bedroom. I remember loving the rage and fierce tone in Swift’s voice as she absolutely demolished this heartbreak anthem. There is no arguing that her vocal range and strength has continuously improved, and I cannot wait to hear this track with 2021 power behind it.
Speak Now is Swift’s third studio album written completely solo at the young age of 19. My personal favorite, this album contains everything from heart wrenching ballads to savage upbeat jams. While it’s tough to compete with iconic tracks like “Enchanted” and “Dear John,” there’s no hiding the fact that I’m most excited for closing track “Long Live.” Swift has always been very transparent with her fanbase, this song is an explicit thank you from her to us. Over a decade later, seeing the size of her supporters continue to grow is surreal for all parties involved. There’s no doubt that we’ll all need tissues in hand as we listen to 31-year-old Taylor reminisce on the growth of her followers and career with lyrics like “I had the time of my life with you.”
Only a little longer to wait until Red (Taylor’s Version) is released on November 12th, 2021. This perfect fall album will always have a hold on us as Swift’s first country/pop album, and, of course, for the iconic bridge of “All Too Well.” That aside, my underrated favorite and most anticipated re-release is without a doubt “Starlight.” This gorgeous love song full of big dreams and picture-perfect romance has always had a hold on me. The wishful thinking, old school fairytale aesthetic created within this masterpiece has never been given enough credit. In just over a month I can dance around to “Starlight (Taylor’s Version)” and hope others will finally notice how truly incredible this song is.
Swift’s fifth studio album,1989 ,absolutely tore up the charts as it redefined the meaning of pop. This album showed the world it’s more than possible for an artist to transition genres, solidifying that fact by winning Album Of The Year at the 2016 Grammys. 1989 totaled seven singles during the course of its era, my favorite being “I Know Places.” It’s no secret Swift has an unmatched talent for songwriting, and I believe the imagery in this track is criminally underrated. Every time I listen to this song, I feel like I’m right there on the run with her. Once again, I’m overjoyed with the thought of improved vocals for this track, especially her high note “And we run” in the second verse.
Finally, the fifth and final rerecording is Reputation. While this studio album shocked all Swifties at the time of its release, it’s only grown to become a fan favorite. Although Swift cannot rerecorded it until November 2022, I’m already eager to be back with the snakes and self-destruction held within the songs of Reputation. My original favorite track was no other than “Don’t Blame Me” for its sinister sound and ear piercing beats. This song has continued to be a top contender of mine, chiefly after seeing Swift perform it live on the Reputation Tour. This crazy intense and metaphorically genius song will continue to be a jaw dropper with (Taylor’s Version). With the extensive discography Swift has produced there is certainly no lack of exhilaration for Swifties anytime in the near future.