Red (Taylor's Version) is the second re-recorded album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on November 12, 2021, by Republic Records. It is part of Swift's re-recording projects following the 2019 dispute over the ownership of her back catalog.
| Red (Taylor's Version) | ||||
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| Studio album (re-recorded) by | ||||
| Released | November 12, 2021 | |||
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| Length | 130:26 | |||
| Label | Republic | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Taylor Swift chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Red (Taylor's Version) | ||||
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Red (Taylor's Version) includes re-recorded versions of the tracks on Swift's fourth studio album, Red (2012), and the 2012 charity single "Ronan"; and nine tracks denoted as "From the Vault":[a] six unreleased songs, a 10-minute-long version of "All Too Well", and solo versions of "Better Man" (2016) and "Babe" (2018), which Swift had written for other artists. Swift and most original producers reprised their works on the re-recorded tracks with additions from Christopher Rowe, and the vault tracks featured inputs from Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff, Elvira Anderfjärd, and Espionage, with features from Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Stapleton.
Music critics described Red (Taylor's Version) as an eclectic album combining styles of pop, country, rock, and electronic, featuring various instruments such as acoustic strings and electronic keyboards. Its songs address the different dynamics of love and heartbreak. Met with unanimous acclaim, the album received critical praise for Swift's vocals, its enhanced production quality, and the vault tracks. Commercially, Red (Taylor's Version) topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others. In the United States, it was Swift's fourth number-one on the Billboard 200 in less than 16 months, registering the shortest time span for an artist to collect four number-one albums.
Swift promoted the album with televised appearances on NBC talk shows and a self-directed short film accompanying "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)". Red (Taylor's Version) broke the record for the most single-week new entries by an artist with 26 of its tracks charting on the Billboard Hot 100; "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" became the longest chart-topper of all time. The vault tracks "I Bet You Think About Me" and "Message in a Bottle" were promoted as radio singles. Publications considered Red (Taylor's Version) a key pop culture moment of 2021. The album and its songs received a Billboard Music Award, three MTV Video Music Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award.
Background
Taylor Swift signed a recording contract with Nashville-based independent record label Big Machine in 2005.[1] As part of the contract, Big Machine released Swift's first six studio albums, from Taylor Swift (2006) to Reputation (2017).[2]
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Her fourth studio album, Red, was released on October 22, 2012. It expanded beyond the country stylings of her past albums and explored styles of mainstream pop and other genres.[3][4] The album's lead single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", was Swift's first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Other singles, "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "22", were commercially successful and propelled Swift towards pop stardom.[5][6] Although critical reviews of Red were generally positive, its eclectic musical influences led to critics questioning Swift's country-music identity;[7] the album was retrospectively regarded as a testament to Swift's artistic versatility.[8] Rolling Stone placed it at number 99 on its 2021 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[9]
By August 2018, Swift's contract with Big Machine had expired; she signed a new contract with Republic Records, a division of Universal Music Group, which secured her the rights to own the masters of the new music she would release.[10] In 2019, the talent manager Scooter Braun and his company Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Records. The masters of Swift's Big Machine-released albums, including Red, were effectively transferred to Braun, which resulted in a public dispute between Swift and Braun.[11] Swift denounced the purchase and began re-recording her first six studio albums, including Red, in November 2020.[12] By re-recording the albums, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use and therefore substituted the Big Machine–owned masters.[13]
The first in Swift's re-recording series was Fearless (Taylor's Version), which was released on April 9, 2021.[14] It is the re-recording of her second studio album, Fearless (2008). In addition to re-recordings of the original Fearless album tracks, Fearless (Taylor's Version) includes several unreleased tracks denoted as "From the Vault".[15][a] Fearless (Taylor's Version) became the first re-recorded album in history to top the US Billboard 200.[5] Two months after the release of Fearless (Taylor's Version), on June 18, 2021, Swift announced Red (Taylor's Version) as her second re-recorded album; it is the re-recording of Red.[5] In addition to the re-recordings of the original album tracks, Red (Taylor's Version) also includes nine vault tracks.[16]
Music and lyrics
Composition
In a social media post, Swift wrote that re-recording Red made her think of the album, both musically and lyrically, as "resembling a heartbroken person [...], all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end".[16] Music critics mostly characterized Red (Taylor's Version) as a pop album with eclectic musical styles, as with the original album.[17][18][19][20] All songs feature the additional "Taylor's Version" moniker;[21] they incorporate diverse sounds, including synth-pop, arena rock, indie rock, electronic, dubstep, and folk,[22][23][24] using both acoustic and electronic instruments.[17][25] Tracks 1–20 are re-recordings of the original Red album songs, and they are country pop and experimental tracks intertwined between one another.[19][23] Track 21 is the re-recording of "Ronan", a 2012 standalone charity single inspired by a four-year-old boy who died from cancer complications.[26][27] Gary Lightbody of the rock band Snow Patrol and Ed Sheeran returned to feature on "The Last Time" and "Everything Has Changed", respectively.[28]
All but one re-recorded tracks feature the same arrangements as their original versions;[29] they were produced by their respective original producers, except Max Martin, Dann Huff, and Nathan Chapman, whose production was conducted by Christopher Rowe.[30] "Girl at Home" was reworked from an acoustic number into a synth-pop track produced by Elvira Anderfjärd.[31] The re-recorded tracks feature Swift's mature, deeper, and more resonant vocals,[23][26][32] and a subtly sharper production that either tweaks or emphasizes certain instruments. Pitchfork's Olivia Horn wrote that the melody of "Sad Beautiful Tragic" might have tweaked "a note or two",[31] USA Today's Melissa Ruggieri found the drums on "I Knew You Were Trouble" sharper and the guitars on "22" more defined,[33] and NME's Hannah Mylrea described the opening drums on "State of Grace" as "crisper", the soft rock guitars on "Red" as "a little brighter", and the mandolin on "Stay Stay Stay" as "lifted".[26] According to Carrie Battan from The New Yorker, some of the stronger instrumentation made the re-recorded album resemble a live performance.[34]
"From the Vault" tracks
Tracks 22–30 are labeled "From the Vault", which are songs Swift had written but did not include in the 2012 album. Two vault tracks—"Better Man" and "Babe"—are songs that had been written by Swift and recorded by Little Big Town in 2016 and Sugarland in 2018 respectively.[26] The closing track, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)", is an unabridged version of "All Too Well" that contains lyrics Swift wrote in 2011 before trimming down the track.[35] Carson Mlnarik from MTV News wrote that some vault tracks featured Swift's country songwriting, which was a reminder of how "Red is a country album at its core".[36] The vault tracks were produced by Anderfjärd, Espionage, Jack Antonoff, and Aaron Dessner.[30]
"Better Man" is a banjo-led country ballad that incorporates mandolin and strings[17][26] with lyrics about the aftermath of a painful breakup.[37] "Nothing New", a folk duet with Phoebe Bridgers, is about insecurities around aging and the social perceptions of young women.[17][37] "Babe", whose version by Sugarland is a country song, is reworked into a pop-ska and country-pop arrangement[24][37] consisting of slide guitar, keyboards, brass, and percussion.[26] Its lyrics describe the missteps in a dissolving relationship.[37]
"Message in a Bottle" is an upbeat dance-pop and electropop track about the beginnings of a romantic connection.[19][25][37] "I Bet You Think About Me", featuring background harmony vocals by Chris Stapleton, is a harmonica-driven country ballad.[37][38] It has tongue-in-cheek lyrics deriding an ex-lover's luxurious and pretentious lifestyle.[39] "Forever Winter" is a power pop song opening with energetic brass[17] before proceeding to the chorus that features Swift's dynamic vocals and incorporates horns, flutes, and guitars.[37] Lyrically, "Forever Winter" is about Swift trying to help a friend through his mental health struggles.[40][41]
"Run" is an acoustic indie folk-leaning duet with Ed Sheeran, who wrote the track with Swift the same day they wrote "Everything Has Changed".[17][25] The production of "Run" is driven by a twiddling guitar and orchestral compositions, while its lyrics consist of romantic gestures.[37] "The Very First Night" is an uptempo bubblegum and country pop song that sees Swift reminiscing about the first moments of a blossoming romance.[36][37][40] "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" is a slow ballad with a pop rock sound driven by a thudding and insistent bassline.[17][42] It features additional verses that provide a richer context to the original song.[25]
Release and promotion
On June 18, 2021, Swift released the cover art of Red (Taylor's Version) and initially announced that the re-recorded album would be released on November 19, 2021.[5] Alongside the announcement, pre-orders for the digital album were made available.[43] The cover depicts Swift wearing red lipstick, a beige peacoat, and a burgundy-colored "Matti" fisherman velvet cap, seated in a vintage 1932 Chevrolet Cabriolet convertible with an autumnal background. Janessa Leoné designed the cap which quickly sold out on Leoné's website.[44][45] The customized ring that Swift wears on the cover was designed by one of Swift's real-life friends.[46] On August 5, 2021, Swift posted a video across her social media, teasing a word puzzle for the fans to solve; it spelled out "Chris Stapleton", "Phoebe Bridgers", "Babe", "Better Man", and "All Too Well Ten Minute Version".[47][48] Concurrently, pre-orders for the album's CDs went up on Swift's website.[47] She posted the official track listing on August 6.[49]
On September 30, Swift announced Red (Taylor's Version) would be released on November 12, a week earlier than scheduled.[16] She used social media to release snippets of several re-recorded songs prior to the album release: "22" and "I Knew You Were Trouble" via an Instagram story on August 5,[47] "Red" via an Instagram video on October 24,[50] and "Babe" via Tumblr on November 11.[51] Via Republic Records, Red (Taylor's Version) was released for streaming, download, and physical formats of CD and vinyls including limited editions with customized merchandise for the retailors Target Corporation, Walmart, and Urban Outfitters.[52][53] In January 2022, five streaming "chapters" containing tracks from Red (Taylor's Version) were released: Could You Be the One Chapter, She Wrote a Song About Me Chapter, The Slow Motion Chapter, and From the Vault Chapter.[54][55]
Starbucks partnered with Swift to commemorate the release of Red (Taylor's Version), which coincided with the company's "red cup holiday season".[56] Swift promoted Red (Taylor's Version) via two NBC late-night talk shows, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, which aired back-to-back on November 11.[57] Concurrently with the album's release on November 12, she premiered All Too Well: The Short Film, which accompanied "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" and stars herself, Sadie Sink, and Dylan O'Brien; she also performed the song at the premiere.[58][59] The following day, she appeared as the musical guest and performed "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" on Saturday Night Live.[60] The song was a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the longest number-one song in history, surpassing the 8-minutes-and-37-seconds "American Pie" (1971) by Don McLean.[61] The vault tracks "I Bet You Think About Me" and "Message in a Bottle" were promoted as singles respectively to country radio[62][63] and pop/adult contemporary radio formats.[64]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.6/10[65] |
| Metacritic | 91/100[66] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [20] |
| The A.V. Club | A−[23] |
| Clash | 9/10[67] |
| The Guardian | [24] |
| The Independent | [17] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 9/10[68] |
| The New Zealand Herald | [69] |
| NME | [26] |
| Pitchfork | 8.5/10[31] |
| Rolling Stone | [25] |
Red (Taylor's Version) received universal critical acclaim.[70] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received a weighted mean score of 91 based on 16 reviews; it is Swift's highest-rated project on the site.[66]
Lydia Burgham of The New Zealand Herald wrote that listening to Red (Taylor's Version) made her reflect on the original Red as Swift's "magnum opus".[69] Many critics opined that the re-recorded tracks had a better production with more emphasis on the instrumentation, including Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone,[25] Helen Brown of The Independent,[17] and Hannah Mylrea of NME.[26] Under the Radar's Andy Von Pip[71] and Melissa Ruggieri of USA Today[33] highlighted Swift's vocals as being more mature and warmer. The Line of Best Fit's Paul Bridgewater wrote that they were "subtly bolder and more assertive",[68] and Kate Solomon of the i wrote that they had "newly limber muscles".[72] Some critics such as Bobby Olivier of Spin[73] and Laura Snapes of The Guardian[24] thought that the changes in production and vocals brought forth a less intense listening experience than the original album, but Ruggieri opined that they "don't diminish the spirit of the 2012 edition".[33]
The lyricism of Swift's songwriting was particularly well-received. Red (Taylor's Version) was Pitchfork's "Best New Music" of its release week; Olivia Horn summed up the album as a representation of Swift's "ecstatic, expressive vocals, tart humor, vivid imagery, and tender attention to the nuances of love and loss".[31] Von Pip wrote that the re-recorded album made the original's lyrical sentiments more lingering.[71] Anna Leszkiewicz of the New Statesman described Red (Taylor's Version) as a masterful recount of complicated early-adulthood feelings,[74] and Ana Clara Ribeiro of PopMatters wrote that the re-recorded album upheld the enduring lyrical sentiments that stood the test of time.[75] In the Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney wrote, "the songs' carousel of romantic drama still spins vibrantly, constructed with a winning mix of wit, design and sincerity."[28] Beth Kirkbride of Clash said, Red (Taylor's Version) is a "medley of genres" toying with various styles and "an exercise in catharsis".[67]
Some critics highlighted Swift's insight and musicality. The Line of Best Fit's 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.[68] Slant Magazine's Jonathan Keefe,[76] The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber,[77] and Consequence's Mary Siroky felt the expanded album testifies to Swift's musical growth, exuding "a stronger emotional resonance".[29] Variety's Chris Willman appreciated the vault tracks.[78]
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, Top Country Artist, Top Country Female Artist, and Top Billboard 200 Artist.[79] At the 2022 American Music Awards, Swift won all six of her nominations, including Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Female Artist, and Favorite Country Female Artist.[80] At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, "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, and Best Country Song, respectively, with All Too Well: The Short Film winning its category.[81][82]
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 | 25 | [83] |
| Clash | 12 | [84] | |
| Insider | The Best Albums of 2021 | 4 | |
| Metacritic | The 40 Best Albums of 2021 | 2 | [86] |
| People | The Top Albums of 2021 | 4 |
| Organization | Year | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guinness World Records | 2022 | Most Day-one Streams of An Album on Spotify (Female) | Won | |
| NME Awards | 2022 | Best Reissue | Won | |
| Kids' Choice Awards | 2022 | Favorite Album | Nominated | |
| Billboard Music Awards | 2022 | Top Country Album | Won | |
| American Music Awards | 2022 | Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Won | |
| Favorite Country Album | Won | |||
| ARIA Music Awards | 2022 | Best International Artist | Nominated | |
| Gold Derby Music Awards | 2023 | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best Country/Americana Album | Won | |||
| Juno Awards | 2023 | International Album of the Year | Nominated | [93] |
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, with more than 90.8 million global opening-day streams, surpassing the previous record of 80.6 million by Swift's own Folklore (2020).[note 1] 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.[95] The album moved over 1.2 million album-equivalent units globally in its first week.[96] All of the album's tracks appeared on the Billboard Global 200 chart as 28 new entries,[note 2] alongside "Enchanted" (2010), "Blank Space" (2014) and "Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)" (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.[97] 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.[98] The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) reported that Swift was the world's best selling soloist and female artist of 2021, for a third consecutive year.[99] The album sold 1.14 million copies in 2021.[100]
United States
Within five days of its release, Red (Taylor's Version) sold over 500,000 album-equivalent units, 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 (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).[101][note 3]
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 (839,000) and Drake'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's 2019 album Thank U, Next (307.1 million streams), and the biggest for a country album, surpassing Morgan Wallen'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's Crash My Party 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, 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's 46-year-old record.[104] The album further topped the Top Country Albums as Swift's seventh number-one and spent 7 weeks at the top,[105] helping Swift surpass Shania Twain as the longest reigning female artist of the chart with 98 weeks atop it.[106] 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.[107] As of July 2023, the album has sold 3.32 million units in the country.[108]
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 (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.[109] "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)", 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" and Evermore in December 2020.[110]
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 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.[111] 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.[112]
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and moved over 72,000 units within its first week. It became Swift's eighth consecutive number-one album, tying her with Kylie Minogue as the female artists with the second most number-one albums in the UK, only behind Madonna (12). Red (Taylor's Version) earned the highest opening-week sales for a female artist in 2021, eclipsing Sour by Olivia Rodrigo (51,000 units).[113][note 3]
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.[114]
In Australia, Swift achieved a chart double by topping both ARIA Albums and 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 to have four number-one albums in a span of two years. Additionally, she tied with Eminem 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 and "Blank Space" 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.[115] 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,[116] and on the Japanese Hot Albums Billboard Japan at number 16.[117]
Impact
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Various brands and companies[note 4] used their social media accounts to endorse the album; some of them added "(Taylor's Version)" to their Twitter usernames during the release week.[118] Fitness equipment manufacturer Peloton announced that the album's songs will be used in their on-demand classes, such as of cycling, running, and yoga, upon popular demand.[119] Paper wrote that Swift's impact was "felt across social media", with the brands "capitalizing on her momentum".[118] Inc. said the companies leveraged the album's cultural relevance.[120] Beauty company Cosmetify reported that Google searches for "red lipstick" increased 669 percent following the release of Red (Taylor's Version).[121]
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's 30 and Mitski's "The Only Heartbreaker"; it is a counterpart to "Hot Girl Summer", a catchphrase coined by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion 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".[122]
The Wall Street Journal 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, and landing "lucrative" licensing deals for usage in motion pictures. According to the newspaper, Universal Music Group—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.[123] Variety named Swift the "Queen of Stream" for setting multiple streaming records with the release of Red (Taylor's Version).[124] Rolling Stone 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.[125]
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 moments of 2021.[126][127][128] Vogue called it a "multimedia, news-cycle-dominating release" and stated "nobody releases (or rereleases!) an album like Swift."[129] The Recording Academy called Red (Taylor's Version) a pop phenomenon that defined 2021.[130] Ms. and Slate journalists stated Red (Taylor's Version) is a testament to Red's legacy, highlighting how some critics in 2012 called Red a sub-par album citing its "hyper-emotionality and obsessive romanticism" but eventually saw it as a "masterclass in pop songwriting and poetry ahead of its time". Ms. wrote the period's sexist 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.[19][70] Billboard named Swift the "Greatest Pop Star of 2021" for her "unequivocal" success that year.[131] Swift was the highest-paid musician of 2021 globally, earning an estimated $65.8 million in take-home pay.[132]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "State of Grace" | Taylor Swift |
| 4:55 |
| 2. | "Red" | Swift |
| 3:43 |
| 3. | "Treacherous" |
| Wilson | 4:02 |
| 4. | "I Knew You Were Trouble" |
|
| 3:39 |
| 5. | "All Too Well" |
|
| 5:29 |
| 6. | "22" |
|
| 3:50 |
| 7. | "I Almost Do" | Swift |
| 4:04 |
| 8. | "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" |
|
| 3:13 |
| 9. | "Stay Stay Stay" | Swift |
| 3:25 |
| 10. | "The Last Time" (featuring Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol) |
| Lee | 4:59 |
| 11. | "Holy Ground" | Swift | Jeff Bhasker | 3:22 |
| 12. | "Sad Beautiful Tragic" | Swift |
| 4:44 |
| 13. | "The Lucky One" | Swift | Bhasker | 4:00 |
| 14. | "Everything Has Changed" (featuring Ed Sheeran) |
| Butch Walker | 4:05 |
| 15. | "Starlight" | Swift |
| 3:40 |
| 16. | "Begin Again" | Swift |
| 3:58 |
| 17. | "The Moment I Knew" | Swift |
| 4:45 |
| 18. | "Come Back... Be Here" |
| Wilson | 3:43 |
| 19. | "Girl at Home" | Swift | Elvira Anderfjärd | 3:40 |
| 20. | "State of Grace" (acoustic version) | Swift |
| 5:21 |
| 21. | "Ronan" |
|
| 4:24 |
| 22. | "Better Man" | Swift |
| 4:57 |
| 23. | "Nothing New" (featuring Phoebe Bridgers) | Swift | 4:18 | |
| 24. | "Babe" |
|
| 3:44 |
| 25. | "Message in a Bottle" |
|
| 3:45 |
| 26. | "I Bet You Think About Me" (featuring Chris Stapleton) |
|
| 4:45 |
| 27. | "Forever Winter" |
|
| 4:23 |
| 28. | "Run" (featuring Ed Sheeran) |
|
| 4:00 |
| 29. | "The Very First Night" | 3:20 | ||
| 30. | "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" |
|
| 10:13 |
| Total length: | 130:26 | |||
Notes
Personnel
Musicians
- Taylor Swift – 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 (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 (16)
- Mike Meadows – electric guitar (1), synthesizer (1, 2, 4, 6, 8), Hammond B3 (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 – strings (1, 2, 17), bouzouki (2), violin (16)
- David Cook – piano (2, 5, 16)
- Dan Wilson – bass, guitar (3, 18); background vocals (3)
- Aaron Sterling – 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 – bass, guitar, keyboards, piano (10)
- Davide Rossi – string arrangement, cello, viola, violin (10)
- Matt Bishop – drums (10)
- Gary Lightbody – vocals, guitar (10); background vocals (14)
- Owen Pallett – string arrangement (10)
- Bebel Matsumiya – background vocals (11, 13)
- Jeff Bhasker – 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 – vocals, acoustic guitar (14, 28); background vocals (14)
- Butch Walker – 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 (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 – 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 (22, 26), acoustic guitar, mandolin (22); harmonica (26)
- London Contemporary Orchestra – orchestra (22, 26, 28)
- Galya Bisengalieva – orchestra leader, violin
- Robert Ames – conductor
- Jonny Byers, Max Ruisi, Oliver Coates – cello
- Dave Brown – double bass
- Clifton Harrison, Matthew Kettle, Stephanie Edmundson, Zoe Matthews – viola
- Anna Ovsyanikova, Anna de Bruin, Antonia Kesel, Charis Jenson, Charlotte Reid, Eloisa-Fleur Thorn, Guy Button, Natalie Klouda, Nicole Crespo O'Donoghue, Nicole Stokes, Zara Benyounes – violin
- James Krivchenia – drums, percussion (22, 26, 28)
- Clarice Jensen – cello (23)
- Yuki Numata Resnick – violin (23)
- Phoebe Bridgers – vocals (23)
- Jack Antonoff – acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, keyboards (24, 27, 30); Mellotron, percussion, programming (24, 27, 30); drums (24, 27), 12-string acoustic guitar (27), slide guitar (30)
- Mikey Freedom Hart – acoustic guitar (24), celesta, Hammond B3 (24, 30); electric guitar, slide guitar, synthesizer (24, 27); bass, pedal steel (27); baritone guitar, organ (30), piano, Wurlitzer organ (30)
- Sean Hutchinson – drums, percussion (24, 27, 30)
- Evan Smith – flute, 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 – vocals (26)
- Mark Foster – background vocals (27)
- Thomas Bartlett – keyboards, synthesizer (28)
- Espen Lind – bass (29)
- Freddy Holm – dobro, guitar, keyboards (29)
- Torstein Lofthus – drums (29)
- Amund Bjørklund – keyboards (29)
- Bobby Hawk – strings (30)
Technical
- Taylor Swift – executive producer
- Randy Merrill – 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, editing (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
| Chart (2023)[note 5] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[159] | 47 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[160] | 60 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2021) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[161] | 19 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[162] | 96 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[163] | 75 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[164] | 37 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[165] | 39 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[166] | 49 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[167] | 75 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[168] | 32 |
| Chart (2022) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[169] | 23 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[170] | 56 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[171] | 5 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[172] | 26 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[173] | 24 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[174] | 58 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[175] | 52 |
| US Billboard 200[176] | 5 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[177] | 2 |
| Chart (2023) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[178] | 29 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[179] | 55 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[180] | 26 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[181] | 67 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[182] | 49 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[183] | 62 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[184] | 51 |
| US Billboard 200[185] | 17 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[186] | 5 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[187] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[188] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[189] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[190] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[191] | 2× Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[192] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[193] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[194] | Platinum | 300,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Version | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | November 12, 2021 | Standard | Republic | [195] | |
| Japan | November 13, 2021 | Deluxe | CD | Universal Music Japan | [196] |
| Brazil | December 31, 2021 | Standard | Universal Music Brasil | [197] | |
| February 7, 2022 | Standard | Cassette | |||
| Deluxe |
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
- McNutt, Myles (2020). "From 'Mine' to 'Ours': Gendered Hierarchies of Authorship and the Limits of Taylor Swift's Paratextual Feminism". Communication, Culture and Critique. 13 (1): 72–91. doi:10.1093/ccc/tcz042.
- Spencer, Liv (2010). Taylor Swift: Every Day Is a Fairytale – The Unofficial Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-931-8.
- Tanner, Grafton (2020). The Circle of the Snake: Nostalgia and Utopia in the Age of Big Tech. John Hunt Publishing. ISBN 978-1789040234.
External links
- Red (Taylor's Version) at Discogs (list of releases)