Taylor's Version: Why Taylor Swift is re-recording her albums - and which ones are left

Taylor Swift is a force of nature having recently released her eleventh studio album all while touring the world with her record-breaking Eras Tour.

The star’s most recent album The Tortured Poets Department follows her 2022 record Midnights and “Taylor’s Version” of 1989 which came out in 2023 as part of her ongoing re-recording project.

Taylor Swift fans are booking out Glasgow hotels for her Murrayfield shows this summer as prices soar in the Capital. Taylor Swift pictured during the first European Eras Tour show in Paris, France. Image: Getty | AFP via Getty Images

Since releasing Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in 2021, Swift has now re-recorded four of her first six albums in a bid to reclaim her music and sweetening the deal for fans with extras such as “From the Vault” tracks, additional collaborations and new music videos.

But why is Taylor Swift re-recording her albums? And which records are left before she completes her re-recording project?

Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her albums?

To put it simply, Taylor Swift is re-recording her old albums following a dispute over her masters with Scooter Braun, Scott Borchetta and her former record label.

Her music career began when she was fifteen-years-old after she signed a deal with Big Machine Records in 2005. As with many musicians’ contracts, her record label owned the masters, or original recordings, of Swift's first six albums - even when the singer's deal expired and she moved to Universal’s Republic Records in 2018.

In her new contract she made sure to secure ownership of her future masters, updating the terms to reflect her success as an artist.

Taylor Swift in 2007, following the release of self-titled debut album. Image: Getty | Getty Images

However, signing with a new label meant leaving behind Big Machine Records.

Following Swift's departure, the company - which was founded by Scott Borchetta - sold her masters to private-equity group Ithaca Holdings, an entity owned by Scooter Braun. Braun then sold her recordings to another company, Shamrock Holdings, for a reported $300 million in 2019.

As a result of her masters being sold, Taylor Swift would not be entitled to any of the money generated from streams or downloads of her first six records, with all of the earnings instead going to straight to Braun.

In a post on social media site Tumblr in 2019, Swift publicly came out against the sale of her masters to the music executive sharing that she had faced "incessant, manipulative bullying" at Braun's hands.

Several high profile artists including Justin Bieber (left) have reportedly left Scooter Braun's (right) management firm. Image: Lisa O'Connor/AFP | AFP via Getty Images

She wrote: “When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter.

“Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words ‘Scooter Braun’ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did.”

Swift described Braun owning her work as a “worst case scenario”, stating that she was not given the opportunity to purchase her masters and that she learned of the sale at the same time as the rest of the world.

She continued: "For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work. Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in.

"I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future."

In order to claim back ownership of her music, Taylor Swift announced her decision to re-record her old albums in August 2019.

In November of the same year, the singer-songwriter claimed on social media that Braun and Borchetta blocked her from performing a medley of her songs at that year’s American Music Awards where she was being honoured as Artist of the Decade.

Asking fans to help share her message, she said: "I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate.”

Taylor's Version: What it means

On April 9, 2021, the star released her first re-recorded album: Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Including six tracks which had never before been released, both the album - and each song on the record - were marked “Taylor’s Version” to let fans know which edition they should listen to.

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In November that same year, Swift released Red (Taylor's Version) - also with several unheard tracks. This was then followed by Speak Now (Taylor's Version), which came out in July 2023, and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) which was released just a few months later in October.

Essentially, when fans listen to “Taylor’s Version” of songs they are supporting the star and engaging with the music as she wishes them to.

However, this does only apply to her first six albums as Swift owns the rights to her music from 2019’s Lover onwards.

Are Taylor Swift's re-recordings different than the originals?

As a whole, Swift is faithfully re-recording each album - but that doesn't mean there won't be slight differences.

Her voice now is certainly more mature than much of her older work and listeners are likely to pick up on production updates or even, in the case of Better Than Revenge, a changed lyric to better suit the times.

But overall, each album is faithful recreation with fans treated to additional "from the vault" tracks.

What does 'From the Vault' mean?

"From the Vault" tracks are songs which Taylor Swift wrote as the original albums were being created, but which ultimately did not make the cut.

They add an interesting layer to her discography, with new meanings to be found within each album as a result.

From the Vault tracks on Fearless include You All Over Me (featuring Maren Morris), Mr. Perfectly Fine, That's When (featuring Keith Urban), We Were Happy, Don't You and Bye Bye Baby.

On Red (Taylor's Version), From the Vault songs include Nothing New (featuring Phoebe Bridgers), Run (featuring Ed Sheeran), The Very First Night, Forever Winter, Babe, Message In A Bottle, I Bet You Think About Me, Better Man and All Too Well (10 Minute Version).

From the Vault on Speak Now songs are Electric Touch (featuring Fall Out Boy), When Emma Falls in Love, I Can See You, Castles Crumbling (featuring Hayley Williams), Foolish One and Timeless.

Taylor Swift attends the "All Too Well" New York Premiere. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Swift released five From the Vault tracks with 1989 (Taylor's Version) including Slut, Is It Over Now, Now That We Don’t Talk, Say Don’t Go and Suburban Legends.

As the tracks were written during specific periods of the singer's life, certain songs caused uproar among fans such as the ten minute version of All Too Well which saw fans digging into her relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal.

What Taylor Swift albums are still to be re-recorded?

Taylor Swift has just two albums left to re-record: her self-titled debut and 2017’s Reputation.

Now over the halfway mark with four Taylor’s Version albums having been released, some Swifties speculate that the singer is waiting to tackle these particular albums in a symoblic move for her to reclaim both her name and her reputation.

But with the Eras Tour soon heading to the UK, there may be some waiting involved before Swift heads back into the studio - but she’s surprised fans plenty in the past.