These days, it seems that Taylor Swift is everywhere; on TV, billboards, and every radio station. She has received 11 Grammys, 58 Guinness World Records, and inspired university courses on her music. From her debut to her most recent Midnights album, Taylor has proven her worth in the music industry and become one of the top artists of 2023. Her Eras Tour, a three-hour concert with 44 of her top hits from her 10 albums, kicked Taylor’s popularity to another level as “Swifties” across the globe scrambled to get tickets. Taylor is known as a mastermind with lyrics (Midnights pun intended), and she has written all of her songs herself. She cares for her fans and employees and is one of the most charitable celebrities. She has donated millions to charities from hurricane relief to promoting children’s literacy in schools, and according to Forbes, “Swift reportedly gave bonuses totaling more than $55 million to those working on her show.”
In 2005, 15-year-old Taylor Swift signed on with Big Machine Records and created her first 6 albums with them. Big Machine Records owned the rights to those 6 albums up until 2018 when Swift broke ties with them. Scooter Braun, known for managing Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and many other celebrities, bought Big Machine Records in 2019 for $300 million. Taylor found out that the deal had been made via social media. Kelly Clarkson suggested to Swift that she rerecord her music so she owns it. That is what she did, rerecording 4 albums so far (Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989) with minor artistic differences from the originals. When a song or album says Taylor’s Version or TV, it basically means that she owns it.
1989 Taylor’s Version was dropped on October 27 and has been a smashing hit. Every Taylor’s Version album comes with vault songs, which are songs that didn’t make the cut for the original album. The 1989 Vault songs were amazing! See our ranking below!
Ranking:
Slut!:
Lucy: #3 Jill: #5
A dreamy sort of song with a similar message to that of 1989’s Blank Space. Taylor writes, “If I’m all dressed up, they might as well be looking at us. And if they call me a slut, you know it might be worth it for once.” She is often deemed a serial-dater by her peers, and she embraces that aspect of her reputation in this whimsical tune.
Say Don’t Go:
Lucy: #4 Jill: #1
A heart-wrenching song with an upbeat chorus and a beautiful bridge, outlining a relationship where one person was all in and the other had already left it behind. “Why do you have to make me love you? I said ‘I love you.’ You say nothing back.” This song really captivates the feeling of being left behind and having a relationship dictated by someone else. The chorus’ lyrics “I would stay forever if you say, ‘Don’t go’” add to the emotion of the song.
Now That We Don’t Talk:
Lucy: #2 Jill: # 4
This song shows Taylor observing an ex from an outside perspective, now that they are no longer talking. She sees him go through new phases, trying to find himself, and she ultimately realizes that she is better off without him. “Remind myself the more I gave you’d want me less. I cannot be your friend, so I pay the price of what I lost and what it cost now that we don’t talk.”
Suburban Legends:
Lucy: #5 Jill: #3
A song with a similar vibe to “Mastermind” from the Midnights album tells the story of two people who struggle to stay together after high school. The more this song is listened to, the better it seems to get. The highlight of the song lies in the bridge, where Swift writes poetically, “Tick-tock on the clock, I pace down your block. I broke my own heart ‘cause you were too polite to do it.”
Is it Over Now?:
Lucy: #1 Jill: #2
“Is it Over Now?” shows Taylor asking a special someone when the end of their relationship really was, if ever. This song shows her longing for someone that she should have forgotten. “Let’s fast forward to three hundred awkward blind dates later. If she’s got blue eyes I will surmise that you’ll probably date her. You dreamed of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor.” Many 1989 songs are suspected by fans to be about Taylor’s relationship with Harry Styles, with this one standing out in particular. Several lines in the song hint toward their time together, such as “When you lost control/red blood, white snow” which references a snowmobiling accident that they had gotten into together while dating.
These vault songs have quickly become fan favorites. Swifties around the globe are already anticipating the announcement of her next Taylor’s Version album, which is suspected to be Reputation…
