''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is the second
re-recorded album A re-recording is a recording produced following a new performance of a work of music. This is most commonly, but not exclusively, by a popular artist or group. It differs from a reissue, which involves a second or subsequent release of a previously ...
by American singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
. Released via
Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
on November 12, 2021, as a part of Swift's countermeasure against the
purchase of the masters of her back catalog, the album is the re-recording of Swift's fourth studio album, ''
Red'' (2012), and follows the first re-recording, ''
Fearless (Taylor's Version)
''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'' is the first re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, through Republic Records. It is a re-recording of Swift's second studio album, '' Fearless'' (2008), and the ...
'' (2021).
The 30-track ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' includes re-recorded versions of 20 songs from the deluxe edition of ''Red;'' the 2012 charity single "
Ronan"; the 10-minute-long, unabridged version of "
All Too Well
"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012), whereas its re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''R ...
"; Swift's own recordings of "
Better Man" (2016) and "
Babe
Babe or babes may refer to:
* Babe, a term of endearment
* A newborn baby
* An attractive (especially female) person
People Nickname
* Babe Adams (1882–1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher
* Babe Barna (1917–1972), American Maj ...
" (2018); and six previously unreleased "From the Vault" tracks. Swift and
Christopher Rowe produced the album with a majority of the original producers'','' with new inputs from
Aaron Dessner
Aaron Brooking Dessner (born April 23, 1976) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band the National, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums; a co-founder of the indie ...
and
Jack Antonoff amongst others.
Gary Lightbody
Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...
and
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
returned to provide guest vocals, with
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclai ...
and
Chris Stapleton
Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, t ...
as new additions.
Met with widespread acclaim, reviews commended ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' for Swift's vocals, enhanced production quality, and the new tracks. Contemporaneous critics described it as a classic
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
record with a
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
core, infusing
rock and
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
flairs, whilst examining various dynamics of love, life, loss and heartache. The album broke a string of commercial records, including the biggest vinyl sales week in
MRC Data
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and ev ...
history and the
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
record for the most single-day streams for an album by a female artist. It topped the charts in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was Swift's fourth number-one on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart in less than 16 months, making her the fastest artist to collect four number-one albums.
Swift promoted the album with televised appearances on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
and a self-directed ''
All Too Well: The Short Film''. 28 of its tracks charted on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, garnering the record for the most single-week new entries by an artist; "
All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012), whereas its re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''R ...
" debuted atop the chart, becoming Swift's eighth number-one on the Hot 100 and the
longest chart-topper of all time. "
I Bet You Think About Me
"I Bet You Think About Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, from Swift's second re-recorded album, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' (2021). Swift wrote the song with Lori McKen ...
" and "
Message in a Bottle" became
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
and
pop radio singles, respectively. Publications dubbed ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' as a key
pop culture
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ...
moment of 2021. It received various accolades, including a
Billboard Music Award
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by ''Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of t ...
, two
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
, and a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for Best Music Video for ''
All Too Well: The Short Film''.
Background
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
's fourth studio album, ''
Red,'' was released on October 22, 2012, by American
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independe ...
record label
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, distributed by Universal Music Group. Specializing in country and pop artists, Big Machine is based on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded in September 2005 by fo ...
. It witnessed Swift expand beyond her
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
roots and explore mainstream
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
, incorporating a variety of genres.
The effort was met with generally positive reviews and widespread commercial success. It garnered Swift's first number-one song on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, the album's lead single "
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fourth studio album, '' Red'' (2012). It was released for digital download and to U.S. pop radio as the lead single from ''Red'' on A ...
", and other successful singles in 2012 and 2013, such as "
I Knew You Were Trouble
"I Knew You Were Trouble" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, from her fourth studio album '' Red'' (2012). She wrote the song along with the track's producers, Max Martin and Shellback. A dance-pop, pop rock, and teen pop son ...
", "
22" and "
Everything Has Changed".
''Red'' became Swift's first number-one album in the UK, and her album with the most UK top-10 singles so far. Over the years, the album collected critical praise for showcasing Swift's artistry and versatility. It became one of the most acclaimed albums of the 2010s decade, appearing on many decade-end best-music lists. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' placed it at number 99 on its list of the
500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
As of June 2021, ''Red'' has moved over 7.5 million
album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditio ...
s in the US alone.
As per her contract with Big Machine, Swift released six studio albums under the label from 2006 to 2017. In late 2018, the contract with the label expired; she hence withdrew from Big Machine and signed a new recording deal with
Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
, a division of
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, which secured her the rights to own the
masters of the new music she will release. In 2019, American businessman
Scooter Braun
Scott Samuel "Scooter" Braun (born June 18, 1981) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment executive. Known as the manager for artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi and other artists ...
and his company Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine. As part of the acquisition, ownership of the masters to Swift's first six studio albums, including ''Red'', transferred to Braun.
In August 2019, Swift denounced Braun's purchase of the label, and announced that she would
re-record her first six studio albums, so as to own their masters herself. In November 2020, Braun sold the masters to
Shamrock Holdings
Shamrock Holdings, or Shamrock, is a private equity firm founded as the Roy E. Disney family's investment firm; the Disney family remains its sole investor. Shamrock is a private corporation, and is fully owned by the estate of Roy E. Disney.
Dis ...
, an American
private equity
In the field of finance, the term private equity (PE) refers to investment funds, usually limited partnerships (LP), which buy and restructure financially weak companies that produce goods and provide services. A private-equity fund is both a t ...
firm owned by the Disney estate, under the conditions that Braun and Ithaca Holdings will continue to financially profit from the albums. Swift began re-recording the albums in November 2020.
''
Fearless (Taylor's Version)
''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'' is the first re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, through Republic Records. It is a re-recording of Swift's second studio album, '' Fearless'' (2008), and the ...
'', the first of her six re-recorded albums, was released on April 9, 2021. It achieved critical and commercial success,
and debuted at number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart as the first re-recorded album in history to top the chart,
a return to the number-one spot 13 years after the original release in 2008.
All of its singles, "
Love Story (Taylor's Version)
"Love Story" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released as the lead single from her second studio album, '' Fearless'', on September 15, 2008, by Big Machine Records. Inspired by a boy who was unpopular with her fami ...
", "
You All Over Me
"You All Over Me" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring background vocals from American singer Maren Morris. It is the twenty-first track on Swift's first re-recorded album, ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'', ...
", and "
Mr. Perfectly Fine", peaked inside the top 10 of the
''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs, the first of which was her first number-one on the chart since "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and made her only the second artist in history to top the chart with both the original and re-recording of the same song, after "
I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, ...
" by
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
.
Music and lyrics
Composition
Music critics characterized ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' as a pop
and country album. The songs incorporate eclectic styles from
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
to
arena rock
Arena rock (also known as AOR, melodic rock, stadium rock, anthem rock, pomp rock, corporate rock and dad rock; ; ) is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of po ...
with both acoustic instruments and
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
elements.
Tracks 1–20 are re-recordings of all the songs on the original ''Red'', and track 21, "
Ronan (Taylor's Version)
"Ronan" is a charity single by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released as an iTunes-exclusive download on September 8, 2012, through Big Machine Records. The lyrics are based on a blog by Phoenix-resident Maya Thompson about her three- ...
", is a re-recording of a
charity single
A charity record or charity single is a song released by musicians with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity.
George Harrison's "Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-made ...
Swift had released in 2012.
All of the re-recorded tracks are musically identical to their original 2012 recordings, except "Girl at Home" which has been reworked into an
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a r ...
and
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
song. The re-recorded tracks feature a subtly sharper production and emphasize the instruments that, according to Carrie Battan from ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', resemble live performances.
Critics noted Swift's vocals on ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' are more mature and resonant compared to the original.
Tracks 22–30 are labeled "From the Vault", which are songs Swift had written but did not make the final cut of the 2012 album. While all of the "From the Vault" tracks consist of unreleased songs, two songs—"
Better Man" and "
Babe
Babe or babes may refer to:
* Babe, a term of endearment
* A newborn baby
* An attractive (especially female) person
People Nickname
* Babe Adams (1882–1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher
* Babe Barna (1917–1972), American Maj ...
"—are songs that had been written by Swift and recorded by
Little Big Town
Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman (née Roads), Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbr ...
in 2016 and
Sugarland in 2018 respectively.
Songs "From the Vault"
"Better Man" is a
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
-led country ballad that incorporates
mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of ...
and
strings with lyrics about the aftermath of a painful breakup.
"
Nothing New" is a
folk duet with
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclai ...
, with lyrics dealing with insecurities around aging,
and the "unfair social expectations on young women".
"Babe" is a
ska pop
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walk ...
song
with
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos t ...
,
keyboards,
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wi ...
, and percussion.
Its lyrics describe the missteps in a dissolving relationship.
"
Message in a Bottle" is an upbeat
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
track about the beginnings of a romantic connection.
"
I Bet You Think About Me
"I Bet You Think About Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, from Swift's second re-recorded album, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' (2021). Swift wrote the song with Lori McKen ...
" is a
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
song featuring background vocals by
Chris Stapleton
Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, t ...
,
and a prominent
harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica in ...
.
It has
tongue-in-cheek
The idiom tongue-in-cheek refers to a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner.
History
The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scot ...
lyrics deriding an ex-lover's luxurious and pretentious lifestyle. "Forever Winter" is a
power pop
Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, an ...
song opening with energetic brass.
Swift's vocals in the song are characterized by "nuanced, wide-ranging", fast-paced, breathy notes of syllables, set to horns, flutes, and guitars. Lyrically, "Forever Winter" is directed to a friend of Swift with
mental health
Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles Stress (biology), stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-maki ...
struggles.
"Run" is an acoustic,
indie folk
Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation.
The genre has it ...
-leaning duet with Ed Sheeran.
It is guided by a twiddling guitar and orchestral compositions, while its lyrics consist of romantic gestures.
"The Very First Night" is an uptempo dance-pop song driven by electronic programming and banjo in which Swift wishes she could go back in time to make a moment perfect.
"
All Too Well (10-Minute Version)", Swift's longest song in her entire discography, is a slow ballad driven by a thudding and insistent
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, and additional verses, chorus with a downtempo outro. Its lyrics take a more
feminist
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
proposition compared to the five-minute version,
and incorporates the popular
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
quote "
All's Well That Ends Well
''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the '' First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangi ...
".
Marketing
Artwork
The cover artwork of ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' depicts Swift wearing red lipstick, a beige
peacoat and a burgundy-colored "Matti" fisherman velvet cap, seated in a vintage 1932
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ou ...
Cabriolet
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
with an autumnal background. Janessa Leoné designed the cap which quickly sold out on Leoné's website. Swift also wears a customized ''Red'' ring on the cover, designed by jeweler Cathy Waterman; she wore Waterman's signature ''Love'' ring, gifted to her by Waterman's daughter Claire Winter Kislinger in 2011, while writing the original ''Red'' (2012).
Release
On June 18, 2021, Swift revealed that ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', the re-recorded issue of ''Red,'' would be released on November 19, 2021, and would contain all 30 songs that were meant to be on the 2012 version.
Swift also teased the original 10-minute version of "
All Too Well
"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012), whereas its re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''R ...
" as part of the track listing,
which was "probably a 20-minute song" according to American songwriter
Liz Rose
Elisabeth Wagner (born September 6, 1957), known professionally as Liz Rose, is an American country music songwriter, best known for her work with Taylor Swift. She has co-written seventeen of Swift's officially released songs, including "You Bel ...
, who had co-written some tracks on Swift's first two studio albums, ''
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
'' (2006) and ''
Fearless
Fearless or The Fearless may refer to:
Psychology
* Lack of fear
* Courage or bravery
Film, television and audio Film
* ''Fearless'' (1978 film), an Italian film directed by Stelvio Massi
* ''Fearless'' (1993 film), an American drama directed ...
'' (2008). Alongside the announcement,
pre-orders for the digital album were made available.
On June 27, English singer-songwriter
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
appeared on ''
The Official Big Top 40
''The Sky VIP Official Big Top 40 from Global'' is a radio chart show broadcast every Sunday from 4 to 7pm on Global's Capital and Heart networks, presented by Will Manning. It was started in May 2009 but the show is the descendant of ''The Ne ...
'', where he confirmed his involvement with ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', saying he re-recorded "Everything Has Changed"—his duet with Swift on ''Red''.
Three days later, Swift's 2012
charity single
A charity record or charity single is a song released by musicians with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity.
George Harrison's "Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-made ...
, "
Ronan", was also confirmed as a track on the album by Swift's co-writer and the mother of the song's subject, Maya Thompson, via her blog. On August 5, Swift posted a cryptic video across her social media, teasing a
word puzzle
Word games (also called word game puzzles or word search games) are spoken, board, or video games often designed to test ability with language or to explore its properties.
Word games are generally used as a source of entertainment, but can ad ...
for the fans to solve; it spelled out "
Chris Stapleton
Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, t ...
", "
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclai ...
", "
Babe
Babe or babes may refer to:
* Babe, a term of endearment
* A newborn baby
* An attractive (especially female) person
People Nickname
* Babe Adams (1882–1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher
* Babe Barna (1917–1972), American Maj ...
", "
Better Man", and "All Too Well Ten Minute Version".
Concurrently, pre-orders for the album's CDs went up on Swift's website.
She posted the official track listing on August 6.
Before releasing any song from ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', Swift released "
Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)
"Wildest Dreams" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fifth studio album, ''1989'' (2014). Swift wrote the song with its producers Max Martin and Shellback. "Wildest Dreams" is a synth-pop and dream pop power b ...
" on September 17, a track set to appear on the re-recording of her 2014 studio album, ''
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
''. She said she saw "Wildest Dreams" trending on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version o ...
and thought fans should have her version.
On September 30, Swift announced ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' would be released on November 12, a week earlier than scheduled. She confirmed the album's
vinyl LPs would also be shipped the same week.
A snippet of the title track, "
Red (Taylor's Version)", featured in a teaser video posted by Swift on October 24, sporting a red dress, the ''Red'' ring from the album cover, alongside an array of red clothes and accessories. On November 5 via ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. ...
'', Swift revealed a teaser for ''
All Too Well: The Short Film'', which is based on and titled after the namesake song, screening on November 12 alongside the album. The teaser showed a vintage car driving past a road bounded by autumnal woods, and it was written and directed by Swift starring herself,
Sadie Sink, and
Dylan O'Brien
Dylan Rhodes O'Brien (born August 26, 1991) is an American actor. His first major role was Stiles Stilinski on the MTV supernatural drama ''Teen Wolf'' (2011–2017), where he was a series regular during all six seasons. He achieved further pr ...
. On November 11, the official film poster was revealed on her social media, followed by a short teaser of the album's 24th track, "
Babe (Taylor's Version)", on
Tumblr
Tumblr (stylized as tumblr; pronounced "tumbler") is an American microblogging and social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and currently owned by Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content to ...
.
Swift released four six-song compilations, ''Red (Taylor's Version): Could You Be the One Chapter'', ''Red (Taylor's Version): She Wrote a Song About Me Chapter'', ''Red (Taylor's Version): The Slow Motion Chapter'' and ''Red (Taylor's Version): From The Vault Chapter'' on January 13, 18, 25 and 31, 2022, respectively.
Promotion
Swift promoted the album on all three
late-night shows of American television network
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
which were all taped at
30 Rockefeller Plaza
30 Rockefeller Plaza (officially the Comcast Building; formerly RCA Building and GE Building) is a skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Completed in 1933, the 66-s ...
;
she appeared on the talk shows ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
'' and ''
Late Night with Seth Meyers
''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknigh ...
'' that aired back-to-back on November 11, followed by the album's release at midnight. She appeared as the musical guest of the live sketch comedy show ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' on November 13, her fifth appearance on the show, where she performed the 10-minute version of "All Too Well". The first live performance of "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" was at
Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...
, New York City, on November 12, following the premiere of Swift's self-directed ''
All Too Well: The Short Film'', which stars
Sadie Sink and
Dylan O'Brien
Dylan Rhodes O'Brien (born August 26, 1991) is an American actor. His first major role was Stiles Stilinski on the MTV supernatural drama ''Teen Wolf'' (2011–2017), where he was a series regular during all six seasons. He achieved further pr ...
.
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 cou ...
partnered with Swift to commemorate the release of ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', which coincided with the company's "
red cup holiday season"; customers were able to order Swift's favorite coffee drink by simply ordering a "Taylor's Latte", whereas her music, including the album, were played inside Starbucks stores.
Singles
On November 15, 2021, "
I Bet You Think About Me
"I Bet You Think About Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, from Swift's second re-recorded album, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' (2021). Swift wrote the song with Lori McKen ...
" featuring Chris Stapleton was serviced to U.S.
country radio Country radio refers to radio stations that play country music. Most country radio stations are commercial radio stations. Most country radio stations usually play only music which has been officially released to country radio by record labels. Th ...
stations as a single from the album. On the same day, "
All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012), whereas its re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''R ...
" with a digital cover artwork was made available for
download
In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...
on Swift's webstore as a
promotional single
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
.
The song debuted atop the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It became Swift's eighth number-one on that chart and the longest number-one song in history, surpassing the previous record-holder
Don McLean
Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1971 hit song " American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early ...
's "
American Pie (Parts I and II)". "
Message in a Bottle" impacted U.S. pop radio later that month.
Critical reception
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised the enhanced production and Swift's vocals.
At
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a
normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received a
weighted mean
The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
score of 91 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim"; it is Swift's highest-rated project on the site and the second-highest rated album of 2021, behind
''Carnage'' by Australian musicians
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ...
and
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...
.
In a rave review, Lydia Burgham of ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspape ...
'' hailed ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' as Swift's
magnum opus
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
.
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' music critic
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
wrote "the new ''Red'' is even bigger, glossier, deeper, casually crueler", powered by Swift's adult voice.
Helen Brown of ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' stated ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is a "better, brighter version of a terrific pop album".
''
NME'' Hannah Mylrea praised the album's newly added tracks, and highlighted the sharper production quality and the "instrumentation being brought further into focus".
Beth Kirkbride, writing for ''
Clash'', said that, with the new additions, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is a "medley of genres" toying with various styles. She described its subject matter as "an exercise in catharsis" that retreads like a storybook of Swift's formative years.
Kate Solomon of ''
I'' wrote that Swift's voice is "leagues better now" and "the vocal furniture that she adds to the songs are like her revelling in that knowledge, flexing newly limber muscles."
''
Under the Radar'' reviewer Andy Von Pip commended ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' for having a sharper production and "richer" vocal performances than ''Red'' without losing the seriousness and emotional heft of its subject matter. ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' Chris Willman called its vault tracks "a collection of songs that doesn't have a real dud". Reviewing for ''
The Line of Best Fit
''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music.
It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
'', Paul Bridgewater opined that ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' "balances fan service alongside an insightful documentation of one of modern pop's best songwriters at a key juncture in her career", and added that Swift has carefully curated the expanded tracklist without devolving from the album's original appeal.
''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
'' critic Jonathan Keefe said that ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is a testament to the growth of Swift's musicality and praised the album's instrumental quality for giving its songs "a stronger emotional resonance".
Calling ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' a "highly rewarding listen" for both fans and casual listeners and "another towering victory" for Swift after ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'', Bobby Olivier of
''Spin'' praised all aspects of the album—the vocal performances, songwriting, and production.
''
Consequence'' Mary Siroky felt the expanded record functions as a closure to the original album, allowing Swift to "finish the story on her terms".
Receiving the coveted "Best New Music" honor from ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'', critic Olivia Horn said ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' contains Swift's signature "ecstatic, expressive vocals, tart humor, vivid imagery, and tender attention to the nuances of love and loss", and makes an artistic statement about revisiting the past, "both the flattering and the less flattering bits".
''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' Spencer Kornhaber said Swift "continues to push herself to new places as she doubles down on the things that make her beloved".
Melissa Reguieri, in her ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' review, appreciated the versatile musicality, strong vocals, meticulous replication, and enhanced production quality of ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', as well as regarding the album an "intriguing study" of Swift's lyrical proficiency.
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur ...
called the album "an absolute triumph" for the insight of its musical and lyrical approach, and criticized their own "immature" review of the album in 2012, confirming "Swift's observations about love and life at age twenty-two were simply amazing".
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' writer Laura Snapes stated that Swift's voice is richer and more mature in the re-recorded album, but its lack of twang "slightly blunts the rabid, deliciously vindictive edge that fueled the original's tumultuous depiction of heartbreak".
Accolades
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' received many accolades of the music industry, such as placements on best-of lists. At the 2022
''Billboard'' Music Awards, Swift received seven nominations, including wins for
Top Country Album nomination for ''Red (Taylor's Version),''
Top Country Artist, Top Country Female Artist, and
Top ''Billboard'' 200 Artist.
At the
American Music Awards of 2022
The 50th Annual American Music Awards were held on November 20, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, in recognition of the most popular artists and music within the eligibility period of September 24, 2021, through September 22, 2022. W ...
, Swift won in all of the six categories for which she was nominated including
Artist of the Year,
Favorite Pop Female Artist, and
Favorite Country Female Artist.
"All Too Well (10 Minute Version)", ''
All Too Well: The Short Film'', and "I Bet You Think About Me" were nominated for
Song of the Year,
Best Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
, and
Best Country Song
The Grammy Award for Best Country Song (sometimes known as the Country Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1965. The award is given to the songwriter(s) of the song, not to the artist, except if the artist is also the songwriter.
There ha ...
, respectively, at the
65th Annual Grammy Awards
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It will recognize the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2021, to September 3 ...
, with ''All Too Well: The Short Film'' winning for Best Music Video.
Commercial performance
Upon release ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' broke several streaming records. It became the most-streamed album in a day from a female artist on
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...
, with more than 90.8 million global opening-day streams, surpassing the previous record of 80.6 million by Swift's own ''
Folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...
'' (2020). Bolstered by the album's strong performance, Swift also became the most streamed woman in a single day—with more than 122.9 million global streams on the platform across her entire discography—and the first woman in Spotify history to amass 100 million streams in a day. The album moved over 1.2 million copies globally in its first week. All of the album's tracks appeared on the
''Billboard'' Global 200 chart as 28 new entries, alongside "
Enchanted" (2010), "
Blank Space
"Blank Space" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fifth studio album, ''1989''. The song was released to US radio stations as the second single from ''1989'' on November 10, 2014, by Republic Records in partners ...
" (2014) and "
Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)
"Wildest Dreams" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fifth studio album, ''1989'' (2014). Swift wrote the song with its producers Max Martin and Shellback. "Wildest Dreams" is a synth-pop and dream pop power b ...
" (2021), giving Swift a sum of 31 songs charting in the same week (November 27, 2021); 25 of those were in the top 100 region. At the end of the year, Swift was the most streamed woman on Spotify in 2021, and the second most streamed act behind Puerto Rican rapper
Bad Bunny
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (born March 10, 1994), known professionally as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His musical style is defined as Latin trap and reggaeton. He rose to prominence in 2016 with his song "Diles", w ...
. The
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI) reported that Swift was
the world's best selling soloist and female artist of 2021, for a third consecutive year. The album sold 1.14 million copies in 2021.
United States
Within five days of its release, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' sold over 500,000
album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditio ...
s, including 325,000 album sales, which marked 2021's largest sales week for an album already, surpassing Swift's own ''
Evermore'' (2020). Of those sales, 112,000 were in the vinyl LP format, breaking the record for the largest vinyl sales week for an album in the history of
MRC Data
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and ev ...
(also held previously by ''Evermore''). Concurrently, Swift had three of the four largest album sales weeks of 2021, with ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', ''Evermore'' and ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)''.
Upon completion of its full tracking week, ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' debuted at number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 with 605,000 units, marking the third largest week of 2021, behind ''
30'' by
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
(839,000) and
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
's ''Certified Lover Boy'' (613,000). The first-week sum consists of 303.23 million on-demand streams, the largest streaming week of 2021 for an album by a woman, the second-largest ever after
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
's 2019 album ''
Thank U, Next
''Thank U, Next'' is the fifth studio album by American singer Ariana Grande, released on February 8, 2019, by Republic Records. It was released six months after her fourth studio album '' Sweetener'' (2018), conceived in the midst of Grande ...
'' (307.1 million streams), and the biggest for a country album, surpassing
Morgan Wallen
Morgan Cole Wallen (born May 13, 1993) is an American country singer and songwriter. He competed in the sixth season of ''The Voice'', originally as a member of Usher's team, but later as a member of Adam Levine's team. After being eliminated ...
's 2021 album ''
Dangerous: The Double Album'' (240.18 million). The album opened with 369,000 pure album sales, of which 114,000 were vinyl LP sales, and marked the largest sales week for a country album since
Luke Bryan
Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country singer, songwriter, and television personality. He began his music career writing songs for Travis Tritt and Billy Currington before signing with Capitol Nashville in 2007. ...
's ''
Crash My Party
''Crash My Party'' is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released on August 13, 2013 by Capitol Nashville. Its first single, the title track, reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Country Airplay chart ...
'' sold 528,000 copies in 2014. It marked Swift's tenth ''Billboard'' 200 chart-topper, making her the second woman to score that many number-one albums after
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
, who has 11. Swift also became the fastest soloist to earn four number-ones on the ''Billboard'' 200 (less than 16 months), breaking
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
's 46-year-old record. The album further topped the
Top Country Albums
Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales ...
as Swift's seventh number-one and spent 7 weeks at the top, helping Swift surpass
Shania Twain
Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( , ; née Edwards; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and one of the best-s ...
as the longest reigning female artist of the chart with 98 weeks atop it. ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' ranked second on the best-selling albums list of 2021, alongside ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'', ''Evermore'' and ''Folklore'' in the top 10.
26 of the album's tracks entered the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 simultaneously, setting the records for the most debuts on the Hot 100 in a single week and the most simultaneous Hot 100 entries by a female artist, both of which were held by Swift herself with the release of ''
Lover
Lover or lovers may refer to a person having a sexual or romantic relationship with someone outside marriage. In this context see:
* Sexual partner
* Mistress (lover)
* Extramarital sex
* Premarital sex
Lover or Lovers may also refer to:
G ...
'' (2019). Her career total entries increased to 164, extending her record for the most Hot 100 entries by a female artist. Four of those tracks landed inside the Hot 100's top 40 region, bringing Swift's sum of top-40 entries to 85—the third highest sum in history, surpassing
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
. "
All Too Well (Taylor's Version)
"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Its five-minute version is part of her fourth studio album, ''Red'' (2012), whereas its re-recording and uncut 10-minute version is part of her second re-recorded album, ''R ...
", carried by the success of its 10-minute rendition, arrived atop the Hot 100 chart as Swift's eighth number-one song in the US. Swift became the first act in history to debut at number-one on both the ''Billboard'' 200 and Hot 100 charts simultaneously in three different occasions, following "
Cardigan" and ''Folklore'' in August 2020 and "
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...
" and ''Evermore'' in December 2020.
Elsewhere
''Red (Taylor's Version)'' opened at the number one spot of the
''Billboard'' Canadian Albums, scoring Swift her tenth consecutive number-one album in Canada. All of its tracks debuted on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record ...
chart together, with "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" at number one, "
State of Grace (Taylor's Version)" at number 9, and nine other tracks in the top 40. ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' was the best-selling country album in Canada by a female artist in 2021. Overall, it was the fifth best-seller across all genres, and one of the top 10 best-selling digital, CD and vinyl albums.
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
and moved over 72,000 units within its first week. It became Swift's eighth consecutive number-one album, tying her with
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
as the female artists with the second most number-one albums in the UK, only behind
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
(12). ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' earned the highest opening-week sales for a female artist in 2021, eclipsing ''
Sour'' by
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo (born February 20, 2003) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She gained recognition in the late 2010s with her lead roles on the Disney television programs '' Bizaardvark'' and '' High School Musical: The Musi ...
(51,000 units).
It also topped the
Irish Albums Chart as Swift's seventh number-one album in Ireland—the most for a female artist this millennium. The album debuted atop the chart alongside "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" debuting atop the Irish Singles Chart, marking a "chart double". Additionally, "State of Grace (Taylor's Version)" and "Red (Taylor's Version)" arrived at numbers 7 and 9 on the singles chart, respectively.
In Australia, Swift achieved a chart double by topping both
ARIA Albums and
Singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
charts simultaneously; she scored her ninth number-one album on the former with ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' and her second of 2021 following ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)''. Swift became the first artist in the history of the
ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
to have four number-one albums in a span of two years. Additionally, she tied
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing Hip hop music, hip hop in Middle America (United Sta ...
for the most consecutive number one albums on the ARIA Albums Chart, at nine each. "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" debuted atop the singles chart as Swift's eighth Australian number-one song. It marked the fourth time she achieved a chart double, after ''
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
'' and "
Blank Space
"Blank Space" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fifth studio album, ''1989''. The song was released to US radio stations as the second single from ''1989'' on November 10, 2014, by Republic Records in partners ...
" in 2014, ''Folklore'' and "Cardigan", and ''Evermore'' and "Willow". Eleven other tracks from ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' also entered the ARIA Singles Chart the same week. The album debuted at number one on the
New Zealand Albums Chart as well, as Swift's tenth number one album there. In Japan, the album debuted at number 15 on the
Oricon Albums Chart
The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon Al ...
,
and on the Japanese Hot Albums ''
Billboard Japan
''Billboard Japan'' is a sister organization of the U.S.-based music magazine '' Billboard''. It is operated by the Japanese Osaka-based company Hanshin Contents Link (a subsidiary of Hanshin Electric Railway), holding an exclusive licence from '' ...
'' at number 16.
Impact
![Red (Taylor's Version) logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Red_%28Taylor%27s_Version%29_logo.svg)
Various brands and companies used their social media accounts to endorse the album; some of them added "(Taylor's Version)" to their Twitter usernames during the release week''.''
Fitness equipment manufacturer
Peloton
In a road bicycle race, the peloton (from French, originally meaning 'platoon') is the main group or pack of riders. Riders in a group save energy by riding close ( drafting or slipstreaming) to (particularly behind) other riders. The reducti ...
announced that the album's songs will be used in their on-demand classes, such as of cycling, running, and
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
, upon popular demand. ''
Paper
Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distribu ...
'' wrote that Swift's impact was "felt across social media", with the brands "capitalizing on her momentum".
''
Inc.'' said the companies leveraged the album's cultural relevance. Beauty company Cosmetify reported that Google searches for "red lipstick" increased 669 percent following the release of ''Red (Taylor's Version)''.
Media outlets and fans online dubbed ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' as part of a 2021 music trend called "Sad Girl Autumn" or "Sad Girl Fall", which refers to the release of melancholic and introspective music by female artists during autumn, such as
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
's ''
30'' and
Mitski
Mitski Miyawaki (born Mitsuki Laycock; September 27, 1990), known professionally by the mononym Mitski, is a Japanese-born American singer-songwriter. Mitski self-released her first two albums, '' Lush'' (2012) and '' Retired from Sad, New Caree ...
's "
The Only Heartbreaker"; it is a counterpart to "Hot Girl Summer", a
catchphrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
coined by American rapper
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...
with
her 2019 song of the same name. Swift herself acknowledged the phenomenon by releasing an acoustic rendition of "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" subtitled "Sad Girl Autumn Version".
''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' stated that ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is "reshaping the music industry", highlighting how the re-recorded songs are outperforming their original counterparts on streaming services, going viral on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version o ...
, and landing "lucrative" licensing deals for usage in motion pictures. According to the newspaper,
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
—the parent company of Republic Records—implemented stricter terms in recording deals which effectively doubled the time before an artist can rerecord their music. Other changes in the contracts included increased royalty payments to artists following their demands for better revenue shares. ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' named Swift the "Queen of Stream" for setting multiple streaming records with the release of ''Red (Taylor's Version)''. ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' opined "it's no small feat" for a re-released album to score a number-one song, and said deluxe or special editions of albums are often "gimmicky", but ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' challenged that norm and evolved on the original album rather than attempting to replace it.
Publications have said the release of ''Red (Taylor's Version)'', "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)", the
accompanying short film, and Swift's re-recording venture collectively is one of the biggest newsmakers and
pop culture
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ...
moments of 2021. ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' called it a "
multimedia
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradit ...
,
news-cycle-dominating release" and stated "nobody releases (or rereleases!) an album like Swift."
The Recording Academy
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
called ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' a pop phenomenon that defined 2021. ''
Ms.
Ms. (American English) or Ms (British English; normally , but also , or when unstressed)''Oxford English Dictionary'' online, Ms, ''n.2''. Etymology: "An orthographic and phonetic blend of Mrs ''n.1'' and miss ''n.2'' Compare mizz ''n.'' The pr ...
'' and
''Slate'' journalists stated ''Red (Taylor's Version)'' is a testament to ''Red'' legacy, highlighting how some critics in 2012 called ''Red'' a sub-par album citing its "hyper-emotionality and obsessive
romanticism
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
" but eventually saw it as a "masterclass in pop songwriting and poetry ahead of its time". ''Ms.'' wrote the period's
sexist
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...
scrutiny downplayed her artistry; ''Slate'' stated the media had no sympathy for Swift, painting her as a "boy-crazy, vengeful ex" and failing to assess ''Red'' without prejudice.
''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' named Swift the "Greatest Pop Star of 2021" for her "unequivocal" success that year. Swift was the highest-paid musician of 2021 globally, earning an estimated $65.8 million in take-home pay.
Track listing
Notes
* signifies executive producer
* signifies vocal producer
* All tracks on the standard edition are noted as "Taylor's Version"; tracks 22-30 are additionally noted as "From the Vault".
* The album's CD package consists of two discs; one containing tracks 1-16, and the other with tracks 17-30.
Personnel
Musicians
*
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
– vocals
, background vocals
(1–4, 6–9, 11–15, 17, 18)
* Amos Heller – bass guitar
(1, 2, 4–9, 16, 20), synth bass
(5, 6, 8), clapping
(9)
* Matt Billingslea – drums, percussion
(1, 2, 4–9, 16, 20, 21);
vibraphone
The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist ...
(1), drum
programming (4, 6, 8), clapping
(9)
* Max Bernstein – electric guitar
(1, 2, 4, 9), synthesizer
(4–6, 8, 9, 16, 20), acoustic guitar
(7),
steel guitar
A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conv ...
(16)
* Mike Meadows – electric guitar
(1), synthesizer
(1, 2, 4, 6, 8),
Hammond B3
Hammond may refer to:
People
* Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist
* Hammond (surname)
* Justice Hammond (disambiguation)
Places Antarctica
* Hammond Glacier, Antarctica
Australia
*Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in Sou ...
(2, 16), acoustic guitar
(4–9, 11, 13, 16, 20), background vocals
(5, 9), clapping
(9), mandolin
(9, 16), piano
(21)
* Paul Sidoti – electric guitar
(1, 2, 4–6, 8, 9, 16, 21), acoustic guitar
(7), piano
(20)
*
Jonathan Yudkin
Jonathan Yudkin is an American multi-instrumentalist who is a proficient player of banjo, violin, mandolin, and other stringed instruments. He is a Nashville-based session musician, record producer, arranger, and band leader.
Biography
Growin ...
– strings
(1, 2, 17),
bouzouki
The bouzouki (, also ; el, μπουζούκι ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', from Greek ), also spelled buzuki or buzuci, is a musical instrument popular in Greece. It is a member of the long-necked lute family, with a round body with a flat top and ...
(2), violin
(16)
* David Cook – piano
(2, 5, 16)
*
Dan Wilson – bass, guitar
(3, 18); background vocals
(3)
*
Aaron Sterling
Aaron Sterling (born July 9, 1980) is an American drummer, producer, engineer, and session musician who lives in Los Angeles. The son of professional musicians, Sterling grew up in Texas and Nashville, Tennessee, before moving to L.A. in 2000. ...
– drums, percussion, programming
(3, 18)
* Andy Thompson – electric guitar
(3), keyboards
(3, 18), bass, conductor, synth bass
(18)
* Sara Mulford – piano
(3, 18), synthesizer
(18)
* Dan Burns –
programming (4, 6, 8)
*
Jacknife Lee
Garret "Jacknife" Lee is an Irish music producer and mixer. He has worked with a variety of artists, including the Cars, U2, R.E.M., the Killers, Robbie Williams, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, Two Door Cinema Club, AFI, the Hives, Weezer, One Dir ...
– bass, guitar, keyboards, piano
(10)
*
Davide Rossi
Davide Rossi (born 7 August 1970) is an Italian violinist, string arranger, composer, conductor and a record producer, perhaps best known for having been the violinist, guitar and keytar-player for the British electronic music duo Goldfrapp f ...
– string arrangement, cello, viola, violin
(10)
* Matt Bishop – drums
(10)
*
Gary Lightbody
Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...
– vocals, guitar
(10); background vocals
(14)
*
Owen Pallett
Michael James Owen Pallett (born September 7, 1979) is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist. Under their erstwhile moniker of Final Fantasy, Pallett won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album '' He Poos Clouds''. Palle ...
– string arrangement
(10)
* Bebel Matsumiya – background vocals
(11, 13)
*
Jeff Bhasker
Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013.
An accomplished producer, he ...
– background vocals, synthesizer
(11, 13)
* Ian Gold – drum programming
(11, 13)
* Anders Mouridsen – electric guitar
(11, 13)
*
Alexander Sasha Krivtsov – acoustic bass guitar
(12, 17), electric bass
(15)
* Justin Derrico – acoustic guitar
(12, 15, 17), bouzouki, electric guitar
(15); ukulele
(17)
*
Nate Morton – drums
(12, 15, 17), drum programming
(15)
*
Paul Mirkovich – piano, synthesizer
(12, 15, 17); synth bass
(12, 17), drum programming
(15, 17)
*
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
– vocals, acoustic guitar
(14, 28); background vocals
(14)
*
Butch Walker
Bradley Glenn "Butch" Walker (born November 14, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the glam metal band SouthGang from the late 1980s to early 1990s as well as the lead vocalist ...
– background vocals, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion
(14)
* Pete Amato – drum programming
(15)
* Charlie Judge – accordion
(16)
* Caitlin Evanson – background vocals
(16, 22)
* Liz Huett – background vocals
(17, 22)
* Dan Lawonn – cello
(18)
* Kirsten Whitson – cello
(18)
* Ruth Marshall – cello
(18)
* Charlie Block –
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
(18)
*
David Campbell – string arrangement
(18)
* Sam Bergman – viola
(18)
* Valerie Little – viola
(18)
* Allison Ostrander – violin
(18)
* Conor O'Brien – violin
(18)
* Erika Hoogeveen – violin
(18)
* Felicity James – violin
(18)
* Huldah Niles – violin
(18)
* Kate Bennett – violin
(18)
* Mary Alice Hutton – violin
(18)
* Natalia Moiseeva – violin
(18)
* Natsuki Kumagai – violin
(18)
* Troy Gardner – violin
(18)
* Elvira Anderfjärd – background vocals, bass, drums, keyboards, programming
(19, 25)
*
Aaron Dessner
Aaron Brooking Dessner (born April 23, 1976) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band the National, with whom he has recorded eight studio albums; a co-founder of the indie ...
– acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, piano
(22, 23, 26); synthesizer
(22, 23, 28), drum programming
(22, 28)
*
Josh Kaufman – electric guitar
(22, 26, 28),
lap steel guitar
The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of playing a traditional a ...
(22, 26), acoustic guitar, mandolin
(22); harmonica
(26)
*
London Contemporary Orchestra
The London Contemporary Orchestra (LCO), founded in 2008 by Hugh Brunt and Robert Ames, is an ensemble of young musicians whose stated aim is "to explore and promote new music to an increasingly wide audience". LCO staged its inaugural season a ...
– orchestra
(22, 26, 28)
** Orchestra leader –
Galya Bisengalieva
** Conductor –
Robert Ames
** Cello – Jonny Byers, Max Ruisi, Oliver Coates
** Double bass – Dave Brown
** Viola – Clifton Harrison, Matthew Kettle, Stephanie Edmundson, Zoe Matthews
** Violin – Anna Ovsyanikova, Anna de Bruin, Antonia Kesel, Charis Jenson, Charlotte Reid, Eloisa-Fleur Thorn, Galya Bisengalieva, Guy Button, Natalie Klouda, Nicole Crespo O'Donoghue, Nicole Stokes, Zara Benyounes
*
James Krivchenia
Big Thief is an American indie rock band with folk roots based in Brooklyn, New York. Its members are Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals), Buck Meek (guitar, backing vocals), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums).
The band's debu ...
– drums, percussion
(22, 26, 28)
* Clarice Jensen – cello
(23)
* Yuki Numata Resnick – violin
(23)
*
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, ''Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical acclai ...
– vocals
(23)
*
Jack Antonoff – acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, keyboards
(24, 27, 30);
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. ...
, percussion, programming
(24, 27, 30); drums
(24, 27),
12-string acoustic guitar
A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 strings in six courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lower four courses are tuned in ...
(27),
slide guitar
Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos t ...
(30)
* Mikey Freedom Hart – acoustic guitar
(24),
celesta
The celesta or celeste , also called a bell-piano, is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. It looks similar to an upright piano (four- or five- octave), albeit with smaller keys and a much smaller cabinet, or a large wooden music box ...
, Hammond B3
(24, 30); electric guitar, slide guitar, synthesizer
(24, 27); bass,
pedal steel
The pedal steel guitar is a console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all steel guitars, it can ...
(27);
baritone guitar
The baritone guitar is a guitar with a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Gretsch, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP Guitars, PRS Guitars, Music Man, Danelectro, Sc ...
, organ
(30), piano,
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...
organ
(30)
* Sean Hutchinson – drums, percussion
(24, 27, 30)
* Evan Smith –
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedles ...
, saxophone
(24, 27, 30); synthesizer
(30)
* Michael Riddleberger – percussion
(24, 27, 30)
* Cole Kamen-Green – trumpet
(24, 27)
*
Shellback – guitar, keyboards, programming
(25)
*
Chris Stapleton
Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, t ...
– vocals
(26)
*
Mark Foster – background vocals
(27)
*
Thomas Bartlett – keyboards, synthesizer
(28)
*
Espen Lind
Espen Lind (born 13 May 1971) is a Norwegian record producer, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production team Espionage, and together with his long time partner Amund Bjorklund he has written and/or produced ...
– bass
(29)
* Freddy Holm –
dobro
Dobro is an American brand of resonator guitars, currently owned by Gibson (guitar company), Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar.
...
, guitar, keyboards
(29)
*
Torstein Lofthus
Torstein Lofthus (born 10 March 1977) is a Norwegian drummer and composer who has been a member of the bands Shining, Elephant9, the Mathias Eick Band, D'Sound, and Ebersson/Zanussi/Lofthus. He is married to Hege Lofthus.
Career
Lofthus h ...
– drums
(29)
*
Amund Bjørklund
Amund Bjørklund is a songwriter and record producer of Norwegian / Icelandic background. He is one half of the production team Espionage. He is also the co-founder of music school LIMPI in Lillehammer.
Amund's songs have sold in excess of 50 ...
– keyboards
(29)
* Bobby Hawk – strings
(30)
Technical
* Taylor Swift – executive producer
*
Randy Merrill
Randy Merrill is an American mastering engineer who has worked with international artists including DAY6, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, One Direction, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Beck, Liam Gallagher, Jonas Brothers, Muse, Cage the ...
–
mastering
*
Şerban Ghenea –
mixing (1–21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30)
* Jonathan Low – mixing, recording
(22, 23, 25, 28, 30); engineering
(23, 28)
* Bryce Bordone – mix engineering
(1–9, 11–21, 24, 25, 27), mixing assistance
(10, 29)
* Derek Garten –
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
,
editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, or ...
(1, 2, 4–7, 9, 12, 15–17, 20, 21); vocal engineering
(22)
* John Hanes – engineering
(10, 29)
* Ian Gold – engineering
(11, 13)
* Aaron Dessner – engineering
(23, 28), recording
(22, 23)
* Bella Blasko – engineering, recording
(23, 28)
* Will Maclellan – engineering
(23, 28)
* Cole Kamen-Green – engineering
(24, 27)
* David Hart – engineering
(24, 27, 30)
* Evan Smith – engineering
(24, 27, 30)
* Jack Antonoff – engineering, recording
(24, 27, 30)
* John Rooney – engineering, engineering assistance
(24, 27, 30)
* Laura Sisk – engineering, recording
(24, 27, 30)
* Michael Riddleberger – engineering
(24, 27, 30)
* Mikey Freedom Hart – engineering
(24, 27, 30)
* Sean Hutchinson – engineering
(24, 27, 30)
* Jon Gautier – engineering
(30)
* David Payne –
recording (1, 2, 5, 7, 16, 20, 21)
* Aaron Sterling – recording
(3, 18)
* Andy Thompson – recording
(3, 18)
*
John Mark Nelson – recording
(3, 18)
* Sara Mulford – recording
(3, 18)
* Jacknife Lee – recording
(10)
* Matt Bishop – recording, editing
(10)
* Travis Ference – recording, additional engineering
(12, 15, 17); editing
(15)
* Butch Walker – recording
(14)
* Justin Derrico – recording
(15), additional engineering
(12, 15, 17)
* Miles Hanson – recording
(18)
* Elvira Anderfjärd – recording
(19)
* Jeremy Murphy – recording
(22, 28)
* Espen Lind – recording
(29)
* Mike Hartung – recording
(29)
*
Christopher Rowe – vocal engineering
* Sam Holland – vocal engineering
(4, 8)
* Robert Sellens – vocal engineering
(14, 28)
* Tony Berg – vocal production
(23)
* Austin Brown – editing, engineering assistance
(1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 16, 20, 21)
* Dan Burns – additional engineering
(1, 2, 4, 5, 7–9, 16, 20, 21)
* Paul Mirkovich – additional engineering
(12, 15, 17)
* Pete Amato – additional engineering
(15)
* Daniel Ficca – additional engineering
(18)
* Josh Kaufman – additional engineering
(26)
* Jeff Fitzpatrick – engineering assistance
(17)
* Jon Sher – engineering assistance
(24, 27, 30)
* Lauren Marquez – engineering assistance
(24, 27, 30)
* Michael Fahey – engineering assistance
(26)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
See also
*
List of ''Billboard'' 200 number-one albums of 2021
*
List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2020s
* List of UK Album Downloads Chart number ones of the 2020s
* List of number-one albums of 2021 (Australia)
* List of number-one albums of 2021 (Canada)
* List of number-one albums of 2021 (Ireland)
* List of number-one albums from the 2020s (New Zealand)
* List of number-one albums in Norway
Footnotes
References
Cited literature
*
*
{{Authority control
2021 albums
Taylor Swift albums
Republic Records albums
Albums produced by Taylor Swift
Albums produced by Shellback (record producer)
Albums produced by Jack Antonoff
Albums produced by Aaron Dessner
Albums produced by Butch Walker
Albums produced by Jacknife Lee
Albums produced by Jeff Bhasker
Albums produced by Dan Wilson (musician)
Country albums by American artists
Pop albums by American artists
Albums produced by Chris Rowe