On Friday, Oct. 27, Taylor Swift released her much awaited album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), along with five vault tracks that instantly became fan favorites. In the first week of its release, the album exceeded a million in sales, claiming the top spot on Billboard 200. The album retained its classic pop theme but added a few mellower songs as well, giving everyone something to vibe to. This re-recorded version broke many of Swift’s own records set by her other albums. While the entire album is a bop, five of the songs really stood out to me. 

1. At the very top of my list, Wonderland continues to be my favorite song even after Swift’s re-record. Although not much was changed in this song, Swift’s re-recording has made the vocals crisper. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, she sings about falling down a rabbit hole and getting lost in a whimsical wonderland. After nine years, Swift changed her songs to have a stronger quality, departing from the softer tone she previously recorded during her move to New York and amidst various relationships. My favorite lines from this song are “We found Wonderland, you and I got lost in it” and “We pretended it could last forever.” I love these lines because even by themselves, you can really imagine the theme Swift was going for when she made this, as it really ecompasses the dreamy feel of the entire song. 
2. Next on the list, This Love, has quickly become one of my favorites as it is a break from the upbeat tempo of most of the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) songs like Welcome to New York and Bad Blood. This Love’s wistful and relaxing tone sets it apart and creates a romantic feeling that resonates throughout the album as a whole. After she released her first version of this song, Swift edited the introduction very minimally, changing only a single word and tweaking the melody to make it more of an indie genre vibe. This decision was likely influenced by other best-selling sister albums like Folklore and Evermore featuring songs like Cowboy Like Me. My favorite lines in this song are: “This love is good, this love is bad,” as these words truly show that Swift is just like us, making irrational decisions for the ones she loves.  
3. Say Don’t Go was one of Swift’s five vault tracks which were previously unreleased songs at the time of the original 1989 release in 2014. This was the most addicting vault song for me, followed closely by the public’s favorite, Is it Over Now? For teens, this song is so relatable due to its theme of loving someone but not having their love reciprocated. “I said, ‘I love you,’ you say nothin’ back,” Swift sings. I love the way Swift uses melody and lyrics to tie this song so perfectly to her other ones, ensuring the vault tracks don’t feel detached from the rest of her work.
4. From the deluxe version of the 1989 album, New Romantics has been a clear fan favorite due to its upbeat pop theme. My favorite part about this song is how listeners can easily tell Swift’s shift in perspective in how to approach love. It’s a lot different than Say Don’t Go or Wonderland because it’s not really whimsical or wistful. Instead, she acknowledges the fact that love isn’t going to be perfect for her and that “Everyday is like a battle” but there’s no point holding back and “Every night… is like a dream.” I also love how Swift has small references to her other songs. For example, she sings about building a castle out of bricks thrown at her which is similar to what she sang in Ours when she said “people throw rocks at things that shine.” The only part of this song that puts it lower on the list is its repetitiveness since the chorus and post-chorus make up the majority of the song.
5. The last one on the list, Blank Space, has been one of my favorite songs since I was about ten years old and that hasn’t changed. Listening to this song evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and unlike what many people think, it can never be overplayed. Apart from the song itself, I love the music video as it’s so entertaining to watch and see all of Taylor’s antics. Reading what she’s reflected on about this song, it’s reassuring to know this isn’t truly how she goes about her relationships which makes it all the more fun to enjoy. For someone not completely invested in each aspect of her songs, I also love how she didn’t change the overall feel of the song in her re-record because it helps maintain the sense of nostalgia.