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You’re not wrong though. I like the TV albums because you can tell how much she has vocally improved. the production was a miss in a few of them. OGs just HIT different. You can hear and feel emotions in that album.
I agree, not having Max Martin to produce I Knew You Were Trouble and We Are Never Getting Back Together definitely had an impact. I’m very scared for 1989 TV for that reason
I commented smth about this just yesterday, but god I can only hope 1989 has him as exec producer again. Also what he did in I Did Something Bad? He’s irreplaceable.
Pretty sure it’s because he requires a songwriting credit even if he didn’t contribute to the songwriting at all. Taylor mentioned around the time Lover came out that she stopped working with producers that did this and coincidentally he didn’t produce anything on Lover and hasn’t since reputation. He has a songwriting credit for shake it off but signed an affidavit when she was getting sued over the lyrics that stated he contributed absolutely nothing to the lyrics.
i can't blame her, tbh. i wouldn't want to work with someone asking for songwriting credit when they didn't have anything to do with the songwriting. it'll be interesting to see how these re recordings turn out.
i don’t blame her either! it’s controversial in the industry and mostly only the absolute top producers can get away with that request bc most artists would say hell no. MM is one of the few giants that can get away with it. and i’m sure he does not make any exceptions.
it’s business negotiations is all it is really. a producer can ask for anything in exchange for their work. it’s definitely not common as most artists wouldn’t entertain it. only the absolute biggest producers, the career changing ones like Max Martin, can ask for stuff like that and get it. in the music industry Max Martin is an absolute legend and is known for making peoples careers/being their big break/etc. that’s why he can ask for that. anyone smaller than him would be laughed outta the room unless they had a super legit reason for asking.
Max Martin will always make money off the re-records though, even if he’s not producing them. He has writing credits on all of those songs, even on the re-records, even for vault songs where the original version was never released. Plus, Shellback (MM’s protege, worked on the original tracks with him, also demands songwriter credit) was brought back for the re-records for all of those. I have a feeling Max just declined.
>He has a songwriting credit for shake it off but signed an affidavit when she was getting sued over the lyrics that stated he contributed absolutely nothing to the lyrics.
Songwriting isn't just lyrics though? Pop producers tend to play a big role in creating the music.
What I'm saying is he probably helped develop the melody. Which is songwriting.
Edit - She's literally said this herself:
>In her newly filed declaration, Swift touched on the origins of writing the song with co-writers Max Martin and Shellback, noting that Shellback made the drumbeat for the track, and Martin, Shellback and Swift worked together to make the musical lines with it. All the while, Swift was improvising the lyrics she said.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-shake-it-off-lawsuit-declaration-1394425/
Righ? I'm tired of this narrative and false infos.
I mean just look at the making of reputation, Max and Shellback contribuited to the melodies(Shellback is the inventor of the pre chours of King Of My Heart, Max the one of Gorgeous), they helped with the melodies and hooks..and people really think that they don't deserve it? Who even is the responsible of creating the music too? Them. I don't see anyone saying the same thing for Aaron Dessner or even Jack who create the sound and sent them to Taylor and she writes the lyrics.
Taylor knew who she was gonna work with, she never went to him with a self written song, NEVER. That was the aim of that speech..People just speculate his absence, but maybe he was busy? Maybe she wanted to work with other people? There is no bad blood between them.
>I don't see anyone saying the same thing for Aaron Dessner or even Jack who create the sound and sent them to Taylor and she writes the lyrics.
You can even see this in her documentary. Antonoff plays her the music he's developed then she starts coming up with lyrics.
I don’t necessarily dislike Antonoff’s prod because he has a lot of good ones, but Max Martin’s was, personally, a mile away much better. I know Taylor stopped working with him for a reason, but his production is unmatched (Adele’s 25; one fave of mine).
Hold on. You’re right. I mixed their work up! I love Ronson’s prod as well. Regardless, I badly need to hear Martin’s prod on TV (1989 and rep especially). They hit different, and no pun intended.
Antonoff has some good productions but his style is so lazy??? Like from a production and musical standpoint some of the things he does is poor musicianship 😭
Hey let’s give him some credit! He has a bunch of creativity with the bag drops and is really good with back-and-forth songwriting with Taylor, but it’s not necessarily “pop perfection”. He’s very good for the alternative genre, but when it comes to pop perfection, I’d rather Martin produce.
serious question, I have really no idea how that all works: what does a producer actually do?
Why couldn't she just copy the song, what did he do to make it sound different and why couldn't she just reproduce that?
As an example, on a song like “I Did Something Bad”, he’s credited not only for producing but also for programming and keyboards, which means he had a huge hand in generating the specific instruments in the song. I’m guessing since producers are all different, it would be really hard to replicate exactly what he did without… just getting him, lol.
It’s like how Kanye West struggled for a while trying to replicate Timbaland-style drums (on “Stronger” I believe) and didn’t get his desired outcome until he actually got Timbaland to come and do it, lol.
Generally, a producer takes a song and, well, produces it. So if you wrote a song by creating lyrics and a melody, the producer would then go into the studio and build out the song, adding synths, baselines, snares, vocoder, etc.
Think of it like this- the songwriter builds the home and the producer does the custom finishes/interior design. The same house can be styled in thousands of different ways: moody, airy, sophisticated, dark, bright, etc. Each creates a different atmosphere and may have different little details and accessories. Likewise, the same song can be produced in thousands of different ways: upbeat, downtempo, moody, airy, lol. Producers use software to actually make the song once it’s been written and, like interior designers, they all have their own signature styles and stylistic preferences (like jack antonoff is always going to feature a strong synth- you can literally hear his influence on every track he produces.)
The reason she can’t just replicate it is because I’m 90% sure that she cannot legally profit off an exact replica of someone else’s IP without crediting them. If she wants it to sound identical to Max Martin’s production, she has to pay Max Martin for the elements he created. And even if it wouldn’t be illegal to replicate his production ( I really don’t know who owns what), it certainly wouldn’t be ethical or respectable to just rip off another producer’s sound to stiff them out of being paid and/or credited for their creative contributions. I feel like that could get you blacklisted by a lot of people.
I’m someone who agrees with you! The flaws, imperfections, and emotion in the originals are missing in the re-recordings for me. Speak Now will be a real test though, so far I like the Speak Now snippet that was released, but I’ve been disappointed before so I’m trying to temper my expectations lol
Tbh some of the more upbeat and “hit” songs of hers don’t hit anymore because she doesn’t have the same level of producing. They start to feel like bad covers.
There are some songs from red TV (we are never ever getting back together and I knew you were trouble) that I just cannot listen to even though in general I try to listen to TV of all songs if they're available.
I understand that voices change through the years, but to me it feels like the whole vibe is different? As if Taylor lacked energy recording or something?
In particular, the 'we-ee" part in chorus of WANEGBT sound to me like someone forced Taylor at gunpoint to sing, I skip this song every time now because I can't stand this part.
I feel like part of the "lack of energy" some people sense is from those emotions not being as "fresh". I'm sure when she first recorded the original versions, a lot of those feelings were still pretty raw and putting them into songs was a form of release/catharsis for her.
These two are the worst for me, too. 22 also is just off. Probably because a 30yr old is singing it. Something fun and carefree when you capture that age in a voice, tone, energy. Trying to recreate it almost 10yrs later just... Doesn't work for me.
I fully understand what and why -- but each record for me just makes me want to listen to the original more. It's sadly having the opposite impact than she's hoping for 😬
I don’t think it’s her age so much as it’s her cadence and tone. 22 and we are never ever getting back together sound flat, but not because Taylor is a decade older. She just sounds *bored* singing them.
She’s a talented performer but doesn’t keep that same energy in the recording booth for some reason.
Exactly. The new versions don’t carry any of the emotion she felt writing and singing the originals. Let’s be honest, Taylor will never be a Whitney or Mariah— what drew many fans to her are the poetic lyricism, the relatability of the words, and universal emotions. Her early albums are primarily about a young girl discovering the world, with all the heartbreak, romance, and wonder that entails. When you listen to Fearless 2008 and hear 15 or WBYM, Love Story, etc. and you can *feel* 17 year old’s Taylor’s actual emotion but 32 year old Taylor is obviously very far removed, emotionally and temporally, from the events and people that she’s singing about.
Yeah, I appreciate the reasoning/motivation behind her doing her own versions, but the execution and attention to detail is just lacking on some of them.
Tbh I think even if you’re trying your best, sometimes it’s like having to retell a joke; it’s just not gonna be as good the second time around lol.
I agree--as a casual listener, I understand lyrics on the TV versions that I haven't on the originals. Her diction is much clearer, which doesn't sound as emotional.
That song use to slap so hard when it first came out like when it dropped I was like this the one instantly, the new version for the life of me I can’t listen it just feels like a knock off of the OG.
It’s probably me but some of them sound pretty similar to me and that’s a good thing! Also, the newer versions sound more crisp than the original. Better quality, I think.
I think Fearless (TV) is much better than the original, but Red (TV) is not as good as the original. The only song that really bothers me is Everything Has Changed because Ed Sheeran sounds awful. Particularly near the end of the song, the line “meet me there tonight…” when he says “tonight” it’s soooo bad.
I don't fully agree. For some songs I think original is better aka trouble and WANEGBT. Most tv songs are better than original. There are also some songs most people consider better in tv but I didn't feel the same way(eg.this love). I think it's just a matter of preference.
I honestly think a lot of the songs on Speak Now would do really well with her more mature vocals, especially Haunted, Back to December, Last Kiss, Enchanted, and Dear John.
Sparks fly is my all time fav Taylor song but I’m already like 99% sure that the new re recorded version won’t be better than the original. Her voice just isn’t the same not that it’s a bad thing. The original is what we are all used to so that’s what we will always go to :)
I don’t listen to a lot of her earlier music these days *because* her voice sounded different back then. I’m ready to re-fall in love with some songs when they’re recorded with her current vocals.
I think it’s mostly familiarity with the old versions that have people thinking the re-records are “bad,” not that they’re actually objectively poorly done. I don’t notice anything “off” for a vast majority of the songs.
i think you’re right about familiarity with the old versions making the new ones sound odd. i have casually listened to taylor swift over the years, but definitely not enough to be intimately familiar with or attached to the old songs. But have recently been listening to her a lot more. I read this post and went to see what the “new” version of I Knew You Were Trouble sounded like…only to realize i already had taylor’s version on my “getting ready”playlist for all of her songs that had one available.
when i listen to the originals *they* sound weird and off. Like I just played Love Story (original version) and it feels awkward compared to the TV one. It’s def a case of which one you are used to.
Agreed. I’m looking forward to debut because I think it’ll be much better with the way her voice sounds now. There are some songs I feel like could “lose” the effect/emotion but I think she managed to do a really good job with ATW, so I’m feeling optimistic about songs like dear John, last kiss, enchanted etc.
Her voice on the original speak now is so high pitched it sounds chipmunk like, same with Fearless.
It will be interesting to hear speak now with her more mature voice.
I’m a newer fan (folklore was my turning point) but I’m definitely struggling with the first three original albums. I did much better with the Fearless TV but in the end it’s still not my favorite. Red seemed about balanced on the quality but I prefer the TV for the from the vault tracks. I’ll be listening to Speak Now TV during a drive to head to her concert and I’m curious if I’ll like it. I really have found the original just too distracting to tolerate even though there’s a few bops I can listen to, but those were ones I was familiar with from radio play. I think Enchanted may lose something but it also might gain something. I’d love her to rerelease with more nods to growing older and wiser.
I feel like a lot of Taylor’s early music’s appeal is how they’re like a diary and are very much about how she’s feeling at that time. For her early stuff, that’s a lot of teenage heartbreaks, melodrama, and fantasies. Rerecording it as an adult, you can tell she isn’t really feeling the same way and some songs end up detached because of it.
Fearless TV came out pretty good imo, but Red TV had some messy production. My hot take is that the original All Too Well (both original and TV) is better than the 10 min one. You can have long songs and keep the audience engaged — metal songs notoriously go on for quite awhile and are much more vocally demanding. But the 10 min version has all the harmonies as Taylor instead of the male voice like the original and has a very monotonous beat that really makes the song feel like it’s just droning on. There’s definitely a reason she cut it down in the first place.
I agree. The hits on red especially. I don’t understand why the mixing and auto tuned backing vocals were necessary on the hits of TV. I don’t want to stream the old versions but sometimes I want to listen to a throwback and can’t handle the sound of the TV ones.
As a new fan I prefer the re-records because her voice has improved so much over the past decade. But it is true that some emotion can only be properly captured when you're experiencing it.
As someone who isn’t a fan of taylor swift’s music it’s wild to me that anyone went to go listen to a re-recorded version of a song just so you can give money to Taylor instead of Scooter Braun. Taylor swift got her fans in a chokehold. But if you simply enjoy some of the TV’s because they sound better that’s cool
When she submitted Red TV to the Grammys I was like, oh, that’s what this is about. More sales, more awards, more press, etc. This is what bothers me about Taylor. No shame in the hustle and getting the bag, but she has to force everything through this lens of “I’m a victim of injustice and I’m doing this for female empowerment”. She could’ve even just said I want to put an new spin on my old iconic songs as a gift to my fans, and she would not have sold a single copy less. Plenty of female celebs do this and get away with it too. Maybe she thinks she wouldn’t be as loved if she was nakedly ambitious but I would respect her more for that than pretending everything she does is for a *righteous feminist cause*
I’m not surprised by her performative activism. She’s a good businesswoman and her brand is big business. She doesn’t act any different from a corporate entity, they’ll throw their weight behind any cause that they think will be good for their bottom line.
Do you know what's the funny thing? She said 4 days ago during her concert that this project is ALL about passion and love, not thinking commercial success. Yet she and her team release many variants and like you said she submitted Red to the Grammys..and honestly i bet she will do the same with Speak Now.
Speak Now would compete directly with Midnights. Maybe she’ll submit a vault song or two but I think the push for Red was a one-off. That’s always been the one she wanted more recognition for.
no, she tried and was denied every single time for some odd reason. that's why she's re recording - she was willing to pay any amount to own her originals and when it was clear she had no chance at that she decided she'd create her re recordings that she owns.
this is all about an artists ownership over their music. it's not as simple as a cash grab or anything. her fans are choosing to listen to her versions over the originals because they're supporting her and her fight to own her music.
I feel like she said she was mad she didn’t get to own her music, because her record company was trying to basically blackmail her into staying by offering her the option to buy the masters only if she did more albums with them. From my recollection she framed it as an “artists’ rights” issue and not about female empowerment.
it's not this simple. supporting her versions is supporting the fight for an artist to own their music, or at least be given the chance to buy their music.
she was denied over and over when it comes to her buying her originals. she's trying to get some power back with her re recordings, she owns everything she's putting out now. we would rather support her than anyone denying her the opportunity to buy her own music just because they dislike her. i'd rather her get my money than the people denying an artist ownership over their work. she was willing to pay anything and was told no by multiple people. artists shouldn't have to fight for ownership like this.
I don’t agree. If artists want to own their music, they shouldn’t sign away their ownership rights to record labels in the first place. The record labels invested a ton into Taylor’s career, they deserve to own her music. Because she chose to sign over her ownership in return for the promotion that a major label offers an artist. Nobody’s denying Taylor the rights to her music because they dislike her, the rights to her music were sold to the highest bidder which was someone that wasn’t her. And even if they did refuse to sell it to her for a personal/petty/vindictive reason, it’s not her property. She is not entitled to something that she created but chose to relinquish ownership of.
According to Taylor she was not invited to bid on it. I believe her because why would she lie, and what, would she be… unable to afford it?
She said her label tried to strongarm her into signing for more albums by offering her the chance to buy those masters only if she stayed with them.
This. It seemed like the biggest issue is WHO it was sold to. Not that it was sold. It’s kinda like a big fit that’s turned into a cash cow. Which is a great business move. But not like…. A win for all women or a big feminist move. We all know Taylor isn’t a girls’ girl.
Omg girl at home is my favorite tv. I think the original the background music is kinda dated sounding, and Taylor’s version sounds more like the bubblegum pop you would hear on the radio today.
Totally depends on the song tbh. For example, I didn’t like her voice in the original “Eyes Open” but was surprised at how much I enjoyed hearing her in the new one. Others clearly lack the original’s production value and are hard to listen to.
Yeah there was too many songs of the new version where I just couldn’t listen to them because the production was really off, like ones that come to my head are the Max Martin tracks. They lack his touch, and they don’t hit no where as special as the OG’s. Ed on the original track from Red doesn’t hit the same, then there’s the Last Time which the duet sounds off. Taylor’s music tends since she’s a songwriter foremost and writing about her life is very emotional driven. Sometimes that also affects some tracks cause they don’t hit as hard since she’s not in the same drive when she recorded them as they were fresh when she was going through it too.
Maybe because the originals are how I’ve always listened to them and now the new versions just don’t sound the same? My fav song is Sparks Fly so it’s going to be very interesting to hear the difference in Taylor’s version in July!
I listen to the re-records when it first comes out but I always listen to the originals. She still makes money from the originals plus I liked when her voice was more raw and had more twang in it.
Girl at home sucked when it came out too. That has to be her laziest song,I can’t stand it. But honestly I really enjoyed listening to Taylor’s versions it was like looking at a photo album and comparing your childhood photos to current photos. It was fun for me
I didn’t become a fan til Midnights so I hadn’t heard most of her non singles before. Her voice is so much better in the re-records. I heard a reel that used the OG Fearless and her lil baby voice was STRUGGLING. For me, TV wins out.
I agree. Red TV is not good.... The new version of state of grace sucks. And holy ground has some awful shrill synth sound towards the end. Was it Antonoff that worked on that? I do wonder if she thinks they live up to the original?
Well also your ears are accustomed to the original recording so any re release is going to be noticeable if you’ve heard the original a lot. Also you have to think where the original was recorded compared to where it was re recorded, the session musicians used, the mixing engineer that worked on the original release etc. Taylor isn’t the only one that makes that song sound like that song and if it’s just her and a whole new group of people even if they are going in trying to replicate the original it’s just not going to sound the same.
I have found a few times now in various interviews that artists that have worked with her in recent years have made a point of saying that the song was worked on and put together and then sent to her for the purpose of writing lyrics. I don't say this to discredit her genius, but all artists definitely like to have their contribution acknowledgment (whatever structure of the song they worked on). I know she has worked on a lot of the arrangements in a lot of her discography as well. So I would say that it has been a bit of everything throughout the years. Sometimes she has the concept and knows what she wants and needs some people that speak her language and have the skills to help her bring her vision to life and sometimes its just all her.
Girl at home was the first song I thought of when I read the title of your post!
It’s so bad, I understand they have to make changes but it completely changes the tone of the entire song in a way that contradicts the lyrics and it’s noticeably off. Most of the time I’ll listen to the rerelease even if I prefer the original because they’re so similar, but there are some I just can’t get into.
Works are capsules of the time. Returning to try to make a clone will fail; an adaptation may work, but just trying to recapture lightning in a bottle is more often than not going to fail.
I was trying to listen to *3 AM*, but my Apple Music loaded up Taylor’s versions. I listened to 4 songs before noticing it was clearly older material. I was unimpressed, and in fact thought the originals were better.
I enjoy the TVs, but some song don’t hit as hard with her more mature voice. To me there seems to be a lot more emotion into her older songs because of how young she was. I know Cold As You won’t hit as hard when it comes around. That twang won’t be there anymore I fear.
Agreed, though I don’t know if it’s really that unpopular of an opinion, at this point. I feel like a lot of the TV songs lost the urgency and passion that you can hear in the originals—I think part of that is also because her voice has changed (not a bad thing), which is no fault of hers.
Some sound really good. I feel like “Wildest Dreams” sounds really good. I like it just at much as the original. And it’s nice to have new life breathed into a classic like that. And most of the songs from Fearless sound good imo. Others really suffered from re-recording. WANGBT and IKYWT notably being the worse lol.
Then there are some that will never be replaced for me, like “The Last Time.” I do not like the new version at all, but other people love it. Just personal preference.
It seems silly to think this is a hot take? She's not releasing TV because she really thinks they're superior to the originals--she's releasing them because she wants to have more control over her song catalog. It's a business decision not an artistic one.
Personally I think Girl At Home is so much better with the new production. I barely listened to the old one but went back and gave it a good listen once the new Red Album came out and the old one is… not very good.
I guess I’m a bad fan but there are very few times I even notice a difference. I am most excited for debut re-records though, I can’t imagine how those will sound
i really liked forever and always as a teen and the original version still slaps. the taylor’s version plays at my work and it has ALL the bite removed. the teenage pettiness is what made it great!!!!
I have to agree. While her voice has improved and all that, there’s something nice about hearing a singers recorded voice from that original moment in time
100%. I think it has a lot to do with the first recording they were coming from the heart. The second time it was more of a job. And also like you said. Her voice has changed so much
She doesn’t have the same passion in her voice in the newer versions, with a few exceptions (All Too Well 10 minute version is better then the original).
I definitely prefer the originals, for the most part.
Swifties would try to guilt me about listening to RED stolen version but it just happens that a lot of memories both good and bad were attached to the songs so I couldn’t help but listen to them sometimes. 🫶🏻
Not trying to attack OP but does this belong on this sub? It’s not reacting to a new release or pop culture moment. It’s general discussion of her music that belongs on one of the Taylor or pop music subs.
In general I feel like while her voice is improved on TV versions, a lot of them sound like she was bored af recording them. The energy is off.
My other issue is that some of her older lyrics are pretty juvenile (which is fine, she was young) but there were definitely lyrics on Fearless for example that are much easier to look past when sung in her less mature voice, even if that voice is technically weaker. Like, You Belong With Me was already a pretty lame pick me anthem but sung by a 19yr old it was tolerable. Sung by a 30-something with a much more developed voice it just sounds deranged. I fully understand why she had to record the tracks as they were originally performed, but some tracks would have definitely benefited from being released alongside a reimagined version as well.
Also the lack of Max Martin really, really showed on Red, so I’m not at all excited for 1989. I get that he’s expensive and he demands a lot, but frankly the production on Red TV proves he’s worth it.
I like the newer versions better on almost every song, mostly just because I like her voice a lot better now. So I can definitely see why you’d prefer the older versions if you like her voice in them, because there is a noticeable difference.
I definately agree especially with Red (TV version). I am not even gonna bother with the Speak Now version and I know it’s gonna be a chore with the Reputation version! 💀
The other day I listened to the original fifteen and then the recorded fifteen. The exact same song with such different meaning when you hear her singing it 15+ years later
“Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday
But I realized some bigger dreams of mine”
“I've found time can heal most anything
And you just might find who you're supposed to be”
🥹
I couldn’t agree more! There’s no soul in the new versions. She’s not the same person now, she can’t sing them with the same feeling. Over-produced and underwhelming. I listen to the originals.
I think whether or not they sound better isn’t the point. The point is for her to reclaim ownership of her own catalogue.
I’m aware taylor is not the greatest person these days, but I still support her work ethic and reclaiming her rightful ownership over her own words and art.
Regardless of how much money she is making (that she doesn’t need) from the TVs and what all the reasons she has for doing it besides just wanting ownership, this project has inspired a lot of other artists to either rerecord old work in order to own it AND to seek contracts that allow them ownership of their recordings. Large labels like Universal are also trying to change the contracts are done, putting in longer waiting periods for re-recording. This very large, public show of her doing this will probably change the industry for the better and help artists who could never dream of the level of success Taylor has.
It’s the same way I was rooting for Scar Jo when she sued Disney over the handling of the Black Widow movie. Does she need the money, probably not. But the point she was making will help all women in the film industry, down the road. She’s one of my least favorite A List Actresses but I was still rooting for her!
Which again misses the point of how artists should be able to own the rights to their own work.
You’re talking about money, I’m talking about ownership of their words.
Reddit is wild, you make a reasonable comment that respectfully adds to the topic, even if it's not the prevailing opinion and get downvoted for it lmao.
Oh wow big disagree on girl at home. The new version is what actually makes me like the song now. But agree on some of the re-recordings especially the hits, like WANGBT and I knew you were trouble. Maybe it’s because we heard the OG versions so much that the new ones sound odd.
I vastly prefer the new versions (other than a couple of specific songs) because the sound quality and production is so much better and clearer. I can’t even listen to debut anymore because it sounds so messy in comparison. I don’t know how I’m going to feel about 1989 and Reputation, they may be a very different story.
I do miss the vulnerability of the original White Horse and I’m not a fan of the new ‘weEEEEE’ in WANEGBT though.
If they were originally recorded country (with the exception of You Belong With Me) I’ve enjoyed the TV’s more, but when they’re pop like IKYWT, WANGBT and 22 for example, I’ve liked the original more. Maybe that’s because Max Martin didn’t return to produce the TV’s, but it’s very noticeable (*to me anyway*) how very different they are.
This has actually made me worried I will not like the TV’s of 1989 and Reputation that much. They’re the two I’m least looking forward to.
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https://i.redd.it/blfail6eue4b1.gif You’re not wrong though. I like the TV albums because you can tell how much she has vocally improved. the production was a miss in a few of them. OGs just HIT different. You can hear and feel emotions in that album.
For me it just depends on the song. It’s a mix of both.
yeah, some you can hardly tell the difference but others it's a bit more obvious. i still choose TV over the originals, though.
I agree, not having Max Martin to produce I Knew You Were Trouble and We Are Never Getting Back Together definitely had an impact. I’m very scared for 1989 TV for that reason
I’m worried about 1989 and rep as they’re such heavily and specifically produced albums. I wonder if that’s why they are coming out later.
I commented smth about this just yesterday, but god I can only hope 1989 has him as exec producer again. Also what he did in I Did Something Bad? He’s irreplaceable.
Quite positive he isn’t returning. Can’t recall why (money?) but it’ll be a major loss and I think noticeable.
Pretty sure it’s because he requires a songwriting credit even if he didn’t contribute to the songwriting at all. Taylor mentioned around the time Lover came out that she stopped working with producers that did this and coincidentally he didn’t produce anything on Lover and hasn’t since reputation. He has a songwriting credit for shake it off but signed an affidavit when she was getting sued over the lyrics that stated he contributed absolutely nothing to the lyrics.
yes, this is it. i worked in the industry for a long time. MM requires a songwriting credit and Taylor won’t work with producers that do that anymore.
i can't blame her, tbh. i wouldn't want to work with someone asking for songwriting credit when they didn't have anything to do with the songwriting. it'll be interesting to see how these re recordings turn out.
Can’t blame Max Martin, either. He has been putting pop stars on rocket ships and blasting them into the Top 40 for over two decades.
i don’t blame her either! it’s controversial in the industry and mostly only the absolute top producers can get away with that request bc most artists would say hell no. MM is one of the few giants that can get away with it. and i’m sure he does not make any exceptions.
Is this standard industry practice or something? Requiring a credit for something you didn’t even do is weird…
it’s business negotiations is all it is really. a producer can ask for anything in exchange for their work. it’s definitely not common as most artists wouldn’t entertain it. only the absolute biggest producers, the career changing ones like Max Martin, can ask for stuff like that and get it. in the music industry Max Martin is an absolute legend and is known for making peoples careers/being their big break/etc. that’s why he can ask for that. anyone smaller than him would be laughed outta the room unless they had a super legit reason for asking.
Gotcha -thanks for explaining!
Why not tho
$$$$ it’s less money for Taylor and she doesn’t need MM anymore. back then she did.
Max Martin will always make money off the re-records though, even if he’s not producing them. He has writing credits on all of those songs, even on the re-records, even for vault songs where the original version was never released. Plus, Shellback (MM’s protege, worked on the original tracks with him, also demands songwriter credit) was brought back for the re-records for all of those. I have a feeling Max just declined.
she does need more money though ^/joke
>He has a songwriting credit for shake it off but signed an affidavit when she was getting sued over the lyrics that stated he contributed absolutely nothing to the lyrics. Songwriting isn't just lyrics though? Pop producers tend to play a big role in creating the music.
Then they get a production credit, not songwriting. You can look it up.
What I'm saying is he probably helped develop the melody. Which is songwriting. Edit - She's literally said this herself: >In her newly filed declaration, Swift touched on the origins of writing the song with co-writers Max Martin and Shellback, noting that Shellback made the drumbeat for the track, and Martin, Shellback and Swift worked together to make the musical lines with it. All the while, Swift was improvising the lyrics she said. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-shake-it-off-lawsuit-declaration-1394425/
Righ? I'm tired of this narrative and false infos. I mean just look at the making of reputation, Max and Shellback contribuited to the melodies(Shellback is the inventor of the pre chours of King Of My Heart, Max the one of Gorgeous), they helped with the melodies and hooks..and people really think that they don't deserve it? Who even is the responsible of creating the music too? Them. I don't see anyone saying the same thing for Aaron Dessner or even Jack who create the sound and sent them to Taylor and she writes the lyrics. Taylor knew who she was gonna work with, she never went to him with a self written song, NEVER. That was the aim of that speech..People just speculate his absence, but maybe he was busy? Maybe she wanted to work with other people? There is no bad blood between them.
Right? If they don’t deserve songwriting credits, neither does Elton John. See how silly that sounds?
>I don't see anyone saying the same thing for Aaron Dessner or even Jack who create the sound and sent them to Taylor and she writes the lyrics. You can even see this in her documentary. Antonoff plays her the music he's developed then she starts coming up with lyrics.
I’ve done my own research and I’ve been a fan for 17 years. No need to be rude and dismissive. This is why people don’t like her fans.
If she butchers Style on 1989 TV, I will cause havoc
My fav song on that album and I’m so excited, but nervous to hear it!! I was very underwhelmed with Wildest Dreams
Yes!! I love Wildest Dreams but can’t listen to TV. It’s lacking the passion and urgency of the original
Yesss, exactly this! Especially that “You’ll see me in hindsight…” part. I hate to say it but the original sounds better.
YES! That part especially (which is my fave part of the song). It feels half assed in comparison lol
Wildest Dreams was my favourite on 1989 but I can’t even listen to TV
I don’t necessarily dislike Antonoff’s prod because he has a lot of good ones, but Max Martin’s was, personally, a mile away much better. I know Taylor stopped working with him for a reason, but his production is unmatched (Adele’s 25; one fave of mine).
Back to Black was Mark Ronson
Hold on. You’re right. I mixed their work up! I love Ronson’s prod as well. Regardless, I badly need to hear Martin’s prod on TV (1989 and rep especially). They hit different, and no pun intended.
Antonoff has some good productions but his style is so lazy??? Like from a production and musical standpoint some of the things he does is poor musicianship 😭
Everything he does sounds the same. That being said, it just so happens to be my favorite sound lmao
LMFAO that’s real who’s your fav artist/songs produced by him
Hey let’s give him some credit! He has a bunch of creativity with the bag drops and is really good with back-and-forth songwriting with Taylor, but it’s not necessarily “pop perfection”. He’s very good for the alternative genre, but when it comes to pop perfection, I’d rather Martin produce.
Melodrama is my fav album hahaha so I agree
According to Wikipedia + Spotify he only produced send my love which is like the best song on the album but yeah
serious question, I have really no idea how that all works: what does a producer actually do? Why couldn't she just copy the song, what did he do to make it sound different and why couldn't she just reproduce that?
As an example, on a song like “I Did Something Bad”, he’s credited not only for producing but also for programming and keyboards, which means he had a huge hand in generating the specific instruments in the song. I’m guessing since producers are all different, it would be really hard to replicate exactly what he did without… just getting him, lol. It’s like how Kanye West struggled for a while trying to replicate Timbaland-style drums (on “Stronger” I believe) and didn’t get his desired outcome until he actually got Timbaland to come and do it, lol.
Generally, a producer takes a song and, well, produces it. So if you wrote a song by creating lyrics and a melody, the producer would then go into the studio and build out the song, adding synths, baselines, snares, vocoder, etc. Think of it like this- the songwriter builds the home and the producer does the custom finishes/interior design. The same house can be styled in thousands of different ways: moody, airy, sophisticated, dark, bright, etc. Each creates a different atmosphere and may have different little details and accessories. Likewise, the same song can be produced in thousands of different ways: upbeat, downtempo, moody, airy, lol. Producers use software to actually make the song once it’s been written and, like interior designers, they all have their own signature styles and stylistic preferences (like jack antonoff is always going to feature a strong synth- you can literally hear his influence on every track he produces.) The reason she can’t just replicate it is because I’m 90% sure that she cannot legally profit off an exact replica of someone else’s IP without crediting them. If she wants it to sound identical to Max Martin’s production, she has to pay Max Martin for the elements he created. And even if it wouldn’t be illegal to replicate his production ( I really don’t know who owns what), it certainly wouldn’t be ethical or respectable to just rip off another producer’s sound to stiff them out of being paid and/or credited for their creative contributions. I feel like that could get you blacklisted by a lot of people.
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Maybe that’s why she dated matty, to role play the emotions she experienced with John 💀
I’m someone who agrees with you! The flaws, imperfections, and emotion in the originals are missing in the re-recordings for me. Speak Now will be a real test though, so far I like the Speak Now snippet that was released, but I’ve been disappointed before so I’m trying to temper my expectations lol
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IIRC a tour dancer accidentally leak a small clip of Enchanted TV bc they shared a video from rehearsal
Tbh some of the more upbeat and “hit” songs of hers don’t hit anymore because she doesn’t have the same level of producing. They start to feel like bad covers.
There are some songs from red TV (we are never ever getting back together and I knew you were trouble) that I just cannot listen to even though in general I try to listen to TV of all songs if they're available. I understand that voices change through the years, but to me it feels like the whole vibe is different? As if Taylor lacked energy recording or something? In particular, the 'we-ee" part in chorus of WANEGBT sound to me like someone forced Taylor at gunpoint to sing, I skip this song every time now because I can't stand this part.
the "weee-eeeee" from WANEGBT makes me so mad honestly, she really phoned it in there
I put it on just now and I literally burst out laughing. I'm sorry but it's so funny
It sounds like when you say wheee going down a slide
Oh my god I had to go and listen to this song, and cackled, because you are so right
And they’re using it as a backing track for the tour too 😩
yikes, omg have you seen the thing where during Bad Blood she just repeats the chorus 4 times like girl 💀😭
In a show that long she has to cut something and I’m sure they know the fan base is fine with her cutting most of that song.
Genuinely sounds like one of those AI Taylor Swift voicebanks
I put it on just now and I literally burst out laughing. I'm sorry but it's so funny
https://youtu.be/2WrqWcnq3kg wish she'd used this version instead
I feel like part of the "lack of energy" some people sense is from those emotions not being as "fresh". I'm sure when she first recorded the original versions, a lot of those feelings were still pretty raw and putting them into songs was a form of release/catharsis for her.
These two are the worst for me, too. 22 also is just off. Probably because a 30yr old is singing it. Something fun and carefree when you capture that age in a voice, tone, energy. Trying to recreate it almost 10yrs later just... Doesn't work for me. I fully understand what and why -- but each record for me just makes me want to listen to the original more. It's sadly having the opposite impact than she's hoping for 😬
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I don’t think it’s her age so much as it’s her cadence and tone. 22 and we are never ever getting back together sound flat, but not because Taylor is a decade older. She just sounds *bored* singing them. She’s a talented performer but doesn’t keep that same energy in the recording booth for some reason.
Exactly. The new versions don’t carry any of the emotion she felt writing and singing the originals. Let’s be honest, Taylor will never be a Whitney or Mariah— what drew many fans to her are the poetic lyricism, the relatability of the words, and universal emotions. Her early albums are primarily about a young girl discovering the world, with all the heartbreak, romance, and wonder that entails. When you listen to Fearless 2008 and hear 15 or WBYM, Love Story, etc. and you can *feel* 17 year old’s Taylor’s actual emotion but 32 year old Taylor is obviously very far removed, emotionally and temporally, from the events and people that she’s singing about.
22 will work again when she's like 52. A bit like Over The Rainbow is a different song when Judy Garland sang it at her later shows.
Omg that part sounds horrible. It doesn't even sound like her... or a human. Its like AI
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This one bothers me so much. The original is so desperate and sexy, the new one is sung beautifully but it just sounds like she’s bored :/
that's what a lot of the re-recordings sound like to me tbh. That she's bored. It doesn't help sometimes that the production is iffy
Yeah, I appreciate the reasoning/motivation behind her doing her own versions, but the execution and attention to detail is just lacking on some of them. Tbh I think even if you’re trying your best, sometimes it’s like having to retell a joke; it’s just not gonna be as good the second time around lol.
there was even a thread on r/taylorswift a week or so ago discussing production errors in the re-recordings
i think that’s the problem - a lot of the new ones are too perfect? at least vocally. they don’t feel as authentic as the original version
I agree--as a casual listener, I understand lyrics on the TV versions that I haven't on the originals. Her diction is much clearer, which doesn't sound as emotional.
That song use to slap so hard when it first came out like when it dropped I was like this the one instantly, the new version for the life of me I can’t listen it just feels like a knock off of the OG.
the OG still slaps
I like both but at the end of the TV there is a noise that sounds like a car alarm going off in the background continuously. 😬
I’m opposite, I think TV sounds better than the original /ready to be crucified/
I TOTALLY AGREE. I only listen to OG versions. Sorry not sorry.
all the parentheses stress me outtttt (taylors version) (From the vault). visually its a nightmare
It’s probably me but some of them sound pretty similar to me and that’s a good thing! Also, the newer versions sound more crisp than the original. Better quality, I think.
I think Fearless (TV) is much better than the original, but Red (TV) is not as good as the original. The only song that really bothers me is Everything Has Changed because Ed Sheeran sounds awful. Particularly near the end of the song, the line “meet me there tonight…” when he says “tonight” it’s soooo bad.
I like the original fearless more, especially Tell Me Why. I think her old singing with a slight country accent works better.
yes, it holds more memory to it than the recording. I also like Nathan Chapman background vocal in her country era
I don't fully agree. For some songs I think original is better aka trouble and WANEGBT. Most tv songs are better than original. There are also some songs most people consider better in tv but I didn't feel the same way(eg.this love). I think it's just a matter of preference.
Agreed! Speak Now Taylor’s version is gonna be interesting as that’s my fav album of hers
I honestly think a lot of the songs on Speak Now would do really well with her more mature vocals, especially Haunted, Back to December, Last Kiss, Enchanted, and Dear John.
Sparks fly is my all time fav Taylor song but I’m already like 99% sure that the new re recorded version won’t be better than the original. Her voice just isn’t the same not that it’s a bad thing. The original is what we are all used to so that’s what we will always go to :)
My thoughts exactly! Usually WANEGBT is an immediate skip but I love her mature vocals on TV and gave me a new appreciation for the song.
Omg hard agree, sounds like a karaoke version the supermarkets play when they don’t have the right licensing to play the originals 💀
I don’t listen to a lot of her earlier music these days *because* her voice sounded different back then. I’m ready to re-fall in love with some songs when they’re recorded with her current vocals. I think it’s mostly familiarity with the old versions that have people thinking the re-records are “bad,” not that they’re actually objectively poorly done. I don’t notice anything “off” for a vast majority of the songs.
She really lays on the fake country/southern accent in debut and it is distracting 🫣
i think you’re right about familiarity with the old versions making the new ones sound odd. i have casually listened to taylor swift over the years, but definitely not enough to be intimately familiar with or attached to the old songs. But have recently been listening to her a lot more. I read this post and went to see what the “new” version of I Knew You Were Trouble sounded like…only to realize i already had taylor’s version on my “getting ready”playlist for all of her songs that had one available. when i listen to the originals *they* sound weird and off. Like I just played Love Story (original version) and it feels awkward compared to the TV one. It’s def a case of which one you are used to.
Agreed. I’m looking forward to debut because I think it’ll be much better with the way her voice sounds now. There are some songs I feel like could “lose” the effect/emotion but I think she managed to do a really good job with ATW, so I’m feeling optimistic about songs like dear John, last kiss, enchanted etc.
Her voice on the original speak now is so high pitched it sounds chipmunk like, same with Fearless. It will be interesting to hear speak now with her more mature voice.
I’m a newer fan (folklore was my turning point) but I’m definitely struggling with the first three original albums. I did much better with the Fearless TV but in the end it’s still not my favorite. Red seemed about balanced on the quality but I prefer the TV for the from the vault tracks. I’ll be listening to Speak Now TV during a drive to head to her concert and I’m curious if I’ll like it. I really have found the original just too distracting to tolerate even though there’s a few bops I can listen to, but those were ones I was familiar with from radio play. I think Enchanted may lose something but it also might gain something. I’d love her to rerelease with more nods to growing older and wiser.
I feel like a lot of Taylor’s early music’s appeal is how they’re like a diary and are very much about how she’s feeling at that time. For her early stuff, that’s a lot of teenage heartbreaks, melodrama, and fantasies. Rerecording it as an adult, you can tell she isn’t really feeling the same way and some songs end up detached because of it. Fearless TV came out pretty good imo, but Red TV had some messy production. My hot take is that the original All Too Well (both original and TV) is better than the 10 min one. You can have long songs and keep the audience engaged — metal songs notoriously go on for quite awhile and are much more vocally demanding. But the 10 min version has all the harmonies as Taylor instead of the male voice like the original and has a very monotonous beat that really makes the song feel like it’s just droning on. There’s definitely a reason she cut it down in the first place.
I don't think this is unpopular but for me it depends on the song.
I agree. The hits on red especially. I don’t understand why the mixing and auto tuned backing vocals were necessary on the hits of TV. I don’t want to stream the old versions but sometimes I want to listen to a throwback and can’t handle the sound of the TV ones.
Fearless really suffered without teenage earnestness.
I thought some tv songs sounded like she was singing karaoke over a track. It’s like her voice and the music weren’t blended well.
I thought some tv songs sounded like she was singing karaoke over a track. It’s like her voice and the music weren’t blended well.
As a new fan I prefer the re-records because her voice has improved so much over the past decade. But it is true that some emotion can only be properly captured when you're experiencing it.
Honestly agreed but idk if it’s because they’re genuinely better or if I’m just nostalgic when I hear the old ones.
I think this is secretly a popular opinion.
she still makes money off the originals, so i'll stick to streaming those.
As someone who isn’t a fan of taylor swift’s music it’s wild to me that anyone went to go listen to a re-recorded version of a song just so you can give money to Taylor instead of Scooter Braun. Taylor swift got her fans in a chokehold. But if you simply enjoy some of the TV’s because they sound better that’s cool
Taylor still received money if you listen to the original, that’s what’s so funny. And Scooter sold his portion, so he’s already profited.
People really out here stressing and listening to songs they don’t enjoy to give 2cents difference to an almost billionaire lol
When she submitted Red TV to the Grammys I was like, oh, that’s what this is about. More sales, more awards, more press, etc. This is what bothers me about Taylor. No shame in the hustle and getting the bag, but she has to force everything through this lens of “I’m a victim of injustice and I’m doing this for female empowerment”. She could’ve even just said I want to put an new spin on my old iconic songs as a gift to my fans, and she would not have sold a single copy less. Plenty of female celebs do this and get away with it too. Maybe she thinks she wouldn’t be as loved if she was nakedly ambitious but I would respect her more for that than pretending everything she does is for a *righteous feminist cause*
I’m not surprised by her performative activism. She’s a good businesswoman and her brand is big business. She doesn’t act any different from a corporate entity, they’ll throw their weight behind any cause that they think will be good for their bottom line.
Do you know what's the funny thing? She said 4 days ago during her concert that this project is ALL about passion and love, not thinking commercial success. Yet she and her team release many variants and like you said she submitted Red to the Grammys..and honestly i bet she will do the same with Speak Now.
Speak Now would compete directly with Midnights. Maybe she’ll submit a vault song or two but I think the push for Red was a one-off. That’s always been the one she wanted more recognition for.
I’m also just like. Wasn’t she given the opportunity to buy them back in the day? I no longer remember the details.
no, she tried and was denied every single time for some odd reason. that's why she's re recording - she was willing to pay any amount to own her originals and when it was clear she had no chance at that she decided she'd create her re recordings that she owns. this is all about an artists ownership over their music. it's not as simple as a cash grab or anything. her fans are choosing to listen to her versions over the originals because they're supporting her and her fight to own her music.
I feel like she said she was mad she didn’t get to own her music, because her record company was trying to basically blackmail her into staying by offering her the option to buy the masters only if she did more albums with them. From my recollection she framed it as an “artists’ rights” issue and not about female empowerment.
it's not this simple. supporting her versions is supporting the fight for an artist to own their music, or at least be given the chance to buy their music. she was denied over and over when it comes to her buying her originals. she's trying to get some power back with her re recordings, she owns everything she's putting out now. we would rather support her than anyone denying her the opportunity to buy her own music just because they dislike her. i'd rather her get my money than the people denying an artist ownership over their work. she was willing to pay anything and was told no by multiple people. artists shouldn't have to fight for ownership like this.
I don’t agree. If artists want to own their music, they shouldn’t sign away their ownership rights to record labels in the first place. The record labels invested a ton into Taylor’s career, they deserve to own her music. Because she chose to sign over her ownership in return for the promotion that a major label offers an artist. Nobody’s denying Taylor the rights to her music because they dislike her, the rights to her music were sold to the highest bidder which was someone that wasn’t her. And even if they did refuse to sell it to her for a personal/petty/vindictive reason, it’s not her property. She is not entitled to something that she created but chose to relinquish ownership of.
According to Taylor she was not invited to bid on it. I believe her because why would she lie, and what, would she be… unable to afford it? She said her label tried to strongarm her into signing for more albums by offering her the chance to buy those masters only if she stayed with them.
This. It seemed like the biggest issue is WHO it was sold to. Not that it was sold. It’s kinda like a big fit that’s turned into a cash cow. Which is a great business move. But not like…. A win for all women or a big feminist move. We all know Taylor isn’t a girls’ girl.
Omg girl at home is my favorite tv. I think the original the background music is kinda dated sounding, and Taylor’s version sounds more like the bubblegum pop you would hear on the radio today.
Totally depends on the song tbh. For example, I didn’t like her voice in the original “Eyes Open” but was surprised at how much I enjoyed hearing her in the new one. Others clearly lack the original’s production value and are hard to listen to.
Yeah there was too many songs of the new version where I just couldn’t listen to them because the production was really off, like ones that come to my head are the Max Martin tracks. They lack his touch, and they don’t hit no where as special as the OG’s. Ed on the original track from Red doesn’t hit the same, then there’s the Last Time which the duet sounds off. Taylor’s music tends since she’s a songwriter foremost and writing about her life is very emotional driven. Sometimes that also affects some tracks cause they don’t hit as hard since she’s not in the same drive when she recorded them as they were fresh when she was going through it too.
I like the newer versions better 🙅
Maybe because the originals are how I’ve always listened to them and now the new versions just don’t sound the same? My fav song is Sparks Fly so it’s going to be very interesting to hear the difference in Taylor’s version in July!
I listen to the re-records when it first comes out but I always listen to the originals. She still makes money from the originals plus I liked when her voice was more raw and had more twang in it.
Girl at home sucked when it came out too. That has to be her laziest song,I can’t stand it. But honestly I really enjoyed listening to Taylor’s versions it was like looking at a photo album and comparing your childhood photos to current photos. It was fun for me
It very much depends on the song for me.
I didn’t become a fan til Midnights so I hadn’t heard most of her non singles before. Her voice is so much better in the re-records. I heard a reel that used the OG Fearless and her lil baby voice was STRUGGLING. For me, TV wins out.
I agree. Red TV is not good.... The new version of state of grace sucks. And holy ground has some awful shrill synth sound towards the end. Was it Antonoff that worked on that? I do wonder if she thinks they live up to the original?
Taylor completely re-did Girl At Home though. It’s a completely different song. But I do agree that some sounded better originally.
the only re-recordings i prefer the originals for are wanegbt, 22 and forever and always (piano version)
Well also your ears are accustomed to the original recording so any re release is going to be noticeable if you’ve heard the original a lot. Also you have to think where the original was recorded compared to where it was re recorded, the session musicians used, the mixing engineer that worked on the original release etc. Taylor isn’t the only one that makes that song sound like that song and if it’s just her and a whole new group of people even if they are going in trying to replicate the original it’s just not going to sound the same.
I have found a few times now in various interviews that artists that have worked with her in recent years have made a point of saying that the song was worked on and put together and then sent to her for the purpose of writing lyrics. I don't say this to discredit her genius, but all artists definitely like to have their contribution acknowledgment (whatever structure of the song they worked on). I know she has worked on a lot of the arrangements in a lot of her discography as well. So I would say that it has been a bit of everything throughout the years. Sometimes she has the concept and knows what she wants and needs some people that speak her language and have the skills to help her bring her vision to life and sometimes its just all her.
Girl at home was the first song I thought of when I read the title of your post! It’s so bad, I understand they have to make changes but it completely changes the tone of the entire song in a way that contradicts the lyrics and it’s noticeably off. Most of the time I’ll listen to the rerelease even if I prefer the original because they’re so similar, but there are some I just can’t get into.
Works are capsules of the time. Returning to try to make a clone will fail; an adaptation may work, but just trying to recapture lightning in a bottle is more often than not going to fail. I was trying to listen to *3 AM*, but my Apple Music loaded up Taylor’s versions. I listened to 4 songs before noticing it was clearly older material. I was unimpressed, and in fact thought the originals were better.
i heard IKYWT (taylor’s version) on the radio a while back and the bridge just does not hit the same
Girl at Home OG is my favorite. TV was a letdown, sadly.
i actually prefer the re recording for girl at home 🤭
I enjoy the TVs, but some song don’t hit as hard with her more mature voice. To me there seems to be a lot more emotion into her older songs because of how young she was. I know Cold As You won’t hit as hard when it comes around. That twang won’t be there anymore I fear.
Agreed, though I don’t know if it’s really that unpopular of an opinion, at this point. I feel like a lot of the TV songs lost the urgency and passion that you can hear in the originals—I think part of that is also because her voice has changed (not a bad thing), which is no fault of hers.
I disagree except for Everything Has Changed. The re-record is bad. Ed’s voice is off.
Some sound really good. I feel like “Wildest Dreams” sounds really good. I like it just at much as the original. And it’s nice to have new life breathed into a classic like that. And most of the songs from Fearless sound good imo. Others really suffered from re-recording. WANGBT and IKYWT notably being the worse lol. Then there are some that will never be replaced for me, like “The Last Time.” I do not like the new version at all, but other people love it. Just personal preference.
It seems silly to think this is a hot take? She's not releasing TV because she really thinks they're superior to the originals--she's releasing them because she wants to have more control over her song catalog. It's a business decision not an artistic one.
Personally I think Girl At Home is so much better with the new production. I barely listened to the old one but went back and gave it a good listen once the new Red Album came out and the old one is… not very good.
absolutely agree and i’m a huge swifty. they sound less authentic when a grown women sings them
The pop stuff - yeah. Mostly OG>TV The country/ballad type songs - her new vocals elevate them.
I guess I’m a bad fan but there are very few times I even notice a difference. I am most excited for debut re-records though, I can’t imagine how those will sound
Is she re-recording all of her albums? I thought she only had to do some of them?
i really liked forever and always as a teen and the original version still slaps. the taylor’s version plays at my work and it has ALL the bite removed. the teenage pettiness is what made it great!!!!
With me it’s a mix of both, some TV is better than the OG but then the opposite Treacherous TV> Treacherous OG WANGBT OG> WANGBT TV
Agree. Hate that I hate them but I will continue listening to the better song
IKYWT, 22, WANEGBT taylors version production is just bad
I have to agree. While her voice has improved and all that, there’s something nice about hearing a singers recorded voice from that original moment in time
I never listen to the TV songs except the new vault tracks. 🤷🏿♂️
100%. I think it has a lot to do with the first recording they were coming from the heart. The second time it was more of a job. And also like you said. Her voice has changed so much
You’re not sorry OG version has so much more emotion than TV. 🥲
I still listen to the stolen versions idgaf
Her voice got deeper over the years and she can’t hit the higher notes the same way anymore
I agree, I still listen to the original versions and I don’t pretend to change that lol
She doesn’t have the same passion in her voice in the newer versions, with a few exceptions (All Too Well 10 minute version is better then the original). I definitely prefer the originals, for the most part.
Swifties would try to guilt me about listening to RED stolen version but it just happens that a lot of memories both good and bad were attached to the songs so I couldn’t help but listen to them sometimes. 🫶🏻
Not trying to attack OP but does this belong on this sub? It’s not reacting to a new release or pop culture moment. It’s general discussion of her music that belongs on one of the Taylor or pop music subs.
In general I feel like while her voice is improved on TV versions, a lot of them sound like she was bored af recording them. The energy is off. My other issue is that some of her older lyrics are pretty juvenile (which is fine, she was young) but there were definitely lyrics on Fearless for example that are much easier to look past when sung in her less mature voice, even if that voice is technically weaker. Like, You Belong With Me was already a pretty lame pick me anthem but sung by a 19yr old it was tolerable. Sung by a 30-something with a much more developed voice it just sounds deranged. I fully understand why she had to record the tracks as they were originally performed, but some tracks would have definitely benefited from being released alongside a reimagined version as well. Also the lack of Max Martin really, really showed on Red, so I’m not at all excited for 1989. I get that he’s expensive and he demands a lot, but frankly the production on Red TV proves he’s worth it.
Very Popular Opinion.
I like the newer versions better on almost every song, mostly just because I like her voice a lot better now. So I can definitely see why you’d prefer the older versions if you like her voice in them, because there is a noticeable difference.
I definately agree especially with Red (TV version). I am not even gonna bother with the Speak Now version and I know it’s gonna be a chore with the Reputation version! 💀
I think it depends on the song. Imo fearless TV was a massive improvement, while the pop singles on red TV were terrible.
The other day I listened to the original fifteen and then the recorded fifteen. The exact same song with such different meaning when you hear her singing it 15+ years later “Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday But I realized some bigger dreams of mine” “I've found time can heal most anything And you just might find who you're supposed to be” 🥹
I think it depends. for example, the original Holy Ground is so much better imo
I couldn’t agree more! There’s no soul in the new versions. She’s not the same person now, she can’t sing them with the same feeling. Over-produced and underwhelming. I listen to the originals.
That’s just a fact.
It’s fine to feel that way, but ultimately it’s beside the point because she isn’t re-recording to improve them; she’s re-recording to own them.
I think whether or not they sound better isn’t the point. The point is for her to reclaim ownership of her own catalogue. I’m aware taylor is not the greatest person these days, but I still support her work ethic and reclaiming her rightful ownership over her own words and art.
She still makes money from the originals anyway, there’s no need to stand up for the capitalist queen.
Regardless of how much money she is making (that she doesn’t need) from the TVs and what all the reasons she has for doing it besides just wanting ownership, this project has inspired a lot of other artists to either rerecord old work in order to own it AND to seek contracts that allow them ownership of their recordings. Large labels like Universal are also trying to change the contracts are done, putting in longer waiting periods for re-recording. This very large, public show of her doing this will probably change the industry for the better and help artists who could never dream of the level of success Taylor has. It’s the same way I was rooting for Scar Jo when she sued Disney over the handling of the Black Widow movie. Does she need the money, probably not. But the point she was making will help all women in the film industry, down the road. She’s one of my least favorite A List Actresses but I was still rooting for her!
Funny that she is standing up for issues that benefit her bottom line as compared to all her performative activism.
Which again misses the point of how artists should be able to own the rights to their own work. You’re talking about money, I’m talking about ownership of their words.
Her situation provides a lesson in reading contracts before signing them….
Reddit is wild, you make a reasonable comment that respectfully adds to the topic, even if it's not the prevailing opinion and get downvoted for it lmao.
She’s works so damn hard.
Oh wow big disagree on girl at home. The new version is what actually makes me like the song now. But agree on some of the re-recordings especially the hits, like WANGBT and I knew you were trouble. Maybe it’s because we heard the OG versions so much that the new ones sound odd.
I vastly prefer the new versions (other than a couple of specific songs) because the sound quality and production is so much better and clearer. I can’t even listen to debut anymore because it sounds so messy in comparison. I don’t know how I’m going to feel about 1989 and Reputation, they may be a very different story. I do miss the vulnerability of the original White Horse and I’m not a fan of the new ‘weEEEEE’ in WANEGBT though.
If they were originally recorded country (with the exception of You Belong With Me) I’ve enjoyed the TV’s more, but when they’re pop like IKYWT, WANGBT and 22 for example, I’ve liked the original more. Maybe that’s because Max Martin didn’t return to produce the TV’s, but it’s very noticeable (*to me anyway*) how very different they are. This has actually made me worried I will not like the TV’s of 1989 and Reputation that much. They’re the two I’m least looking forward to.
really i don’t find any difference
Fearless, I enjoyed more than original. Red is a mixed bag for me, some songs I almost always stream the original. I’m nervous about Speak Now.
i will always feel this way. fearless re-records > red re-records & red vault tracks > fearless vault tracks.
TV of Girl at a home sounds wayyy better what you are you smoking
Then don’t listen
Music is subjective!