Taylor Swift’s “1989” stands as a defining album and will celebrate its 10th birthday on Oct. 27. Upon release, this album transitioned Swift from country star that dabbled in pop to a fully-fledged pop star. At the time, “1989” became her third album to sell over a million copies in the U.S. in its first week and is certified 9x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The album exhibits a synth-pop driven sound, drawing inspiration from the ’80s. The cohesive meaning of the album reflects Swift’s move to New York, celebrating a new part of her life and fully embracing the pop sound.
The album and single covers show Swift around various locations in the city, truly showcasing New York, also supported by the introductory track “Welcome To New York.” “1989” is Swift’s most recognizable era for the general public within the 2010s, supported by three number one hits: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood.”
“Shake It Off” was the first single off the album, and its concept represented Swift’s pop persona. Produced by Max Martin, the lyrics promote self-acceptance and shaking off the criticism.
“Blank Space” showed how Swift took the “crazy ex-girlfriend” trope played against her by critics and turned the narrative into a comedic, satirical lyrical story. Tracks such as “Clean,” influenced by Imogen Heap’s production, take a minimalistic approach to pop music.
“New Romantics” features pulsating synth-pop beats with lyrics about being young in the big city and throwing past heartbreaks back. This album is timeless by today’s standards, sounding fresh especially because of the comeback of ’80s inspired music, from albums like “Future Nostalgia” by Dua Lipa and “After Hours” by The Weeknd.
Upon release, Jon Caramanica stated, “by making pop with almost no contemporary references, Ms. Swift is aiming somewhere even higher, a mode of timelessness that few true pop stars even bother aspiring to.”
The album does not include references that would date itself in time, making it sound fresh with each listen. With over 10 million pure sales, “1989” had a true pop culture impact at its time.
Swift had various viral performances such as “Shake It Off” at the 2014 Video Music Awards, “Style” at the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and “Out of the Woods” at the 58th Grammy Awards, which all reached millions of viewers.
Swift’s music videos for “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off” remain her most watched on YouTube, solidifying their positions as the top streamed songs off the album.
Swift’s secret sessions also gained popularity, where she would invite 89 of her top fans to her house for a pre-release listening session of the album.
The “1989 World Tour” topped her record at the time for highest grossing tour, grossing 250 million dollars at the time with just 85 shows.
Swift has gone through the re-recording process of her first six albums in an effort to regain control of her masters after a dispute with her old label, which sold her masters without her consent.
She signed with Republic Records in 2019, where she now holds more creative control and ownership of her recordings. With the gradual releases of her old albums “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” “Red (Taylor’s Version),” and “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” the public knew that “1989” would be next.
Her newfound commercial success, supported by the “Eras Tour,” has increased the popularity of her old music, which led her to announce the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” on Oct. 27, 2023, and upon release, it sold better in the first week compared to the original.
Swift gained another #1 single from the re-recorded version with the song “Is It Over Now,” which is about a relationship where Swift was unsure about her feelings.
Through its successful re-release and proven success over the past 10 years, “1989” has proven to be a timeless album within the era of fast-paced pop music dominated by current quick viral trends.
