Taylor Swift announces re-recorded version of Fearless featuring 6 unreleased songs
Taylor Swift is putting a fresh coat of paint on some old classics — and bringing some unheard tracks out of "the vault."
The pop star is set to release a re-recorded version of her second studio album Fearless, which she announced Thursday will include six previously unreleased songs. Swift is calling this "Taylor's version" of the hit 2008 album, and the re-recorded version of her song "Love Story" will drop at midnight.
Swift previously announced plans to re-record her old songs to gain ownership over their master recordings amid a feud with Scooter Braun, the music manager who obtained the rights to her first six albums' masters and whom she has accused of "incessant, manipulative bullying." Braun sold the masters to an investment fund in November, which Swift described as the "second time my music had been sold without my knowledge."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Last year, Swift announced she had started re-recording her old songs, saying this would "diminish the value of my old masters" but allow fans to "listen to those albums without feelings of guilt for benefiting Scooter," as well as help her to regain "the sense of pride I once had when hearing songs from my first six albums." In doing so, The New York Times explains, she "cannot only urge her loyal legions of fans to stream and buy the versions she owns, but may also encourage brands, filmmakers and other potential corporate partners to avoid using the originals."
On Good Morning America, Swift said the six additional tracks are "songs from the vault" that "almost made the original Fearless album, but I've now gone back and recorded those." She also said "artists should own their own work for so many reasons, but the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work."
The "Taylor's version" of Fearless is set to be released on April 9. Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Decrepit train stations across the US are being revitalized
Under the Radar These buildings function as hotels, restaurants and even museums
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: January 30, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: January 30, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published