Anyone who has been on social media channels the past week could not have missed the nostalgic train ride back to 2008. Following months of hinting at the tracks that would make their way out her vault, Taylor Swift has finally released the official line-up of songs and the re-recorded version of her 2008 album Fearless.
Fans cannot get enough. Marking the start of her “From The Vault” collection, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) offers a non-stop trip down memory lane and with 26 brilliant songs playing in the background, everyone has bought a ticket.
Taylor Alison Swift, or more popularly known as Taylor Swift, is the American singer-songwriter who has immortalized decades through her music. Held as an icon of her time, Taylor first launched her career with her debut self-titled album in 2006.
Her songs “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “Our Song” easily crooned their way to radios nationwide and marked Taylor as a talent emerging into a bright future in the industry. Building on the success of her Taylor Swift album, she soon released the well-loved Fearless album in 2008, which catapulted her into international recognition.
Then, she was everywhere. On headlines, interviews, radios, and movies, Taylor Swift was the name on everyone’s lips, and more than a decade later, things are not much different. Following Fearless, Taylor wrote and sang for seven more albums, each encapsulating an era and defining the year that it was released.
“Speak Now,” “Red,” “1989,” “Reputation,” and “Lover” all carried anthems of the fans who grew up alongside the well-loved artist. There seemed to be nothing that Taylor couldn’t do—from veritable bangers, poignant songs, to dance tracks. In 2020, she proved that theory right.
While under enforced lockdown, Taylor Swift got busy and surprised fans with a new album. Drawing listeners in for a walk into the woods or a quiet conversation around a bonfire, the critically acclaimed Folklore drew rave reviews and overwhelming feedback praising Taylor’s brilliant artistry. The positive comments kept coming in and, with the subsequent release of Evermore, they snowballed into an avalanche.
On April 9, 2021, the celebrated “Artist of the Decade” dropped her re-recording of her Fearless album. Recorded thirteen years after the songs became soundtracks of daily life, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) perfectly captures a teenager’s feelings in 2008, sung in matured and smoother vocals, and mixed with 2021’s advanced technology.
The album features 26 songs, six of which were previously unreleased, and has settled on the number one spot in local and international music charts. A day after its walk out of the vault, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) completely dominated the streaming platform, Spotify, with a jaw-dropping number of listens.
Already hosting around 46 million monthly listeners on the platform, the album has garnered millions of listens just four days after its release. With the astounding success of Fearless (Taylor’s Version), it seems as if Taylor has single-handedly turned back the clock to 2008 and, from the brewing excitement for upcoming tracks from the vault, nobody is complaining.
Catch a ride to 2008. Listen to Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and learn more about Taylor Swift on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, or her official website.
References:
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.