1989 Version Taylor Swift Vault ranked

All the new Vault songs on Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version), ranked from worst to best

Um, why do they all sound like they should be on Midnights?


If you’re a Swift as big as me, today is akin to Christmas. Today, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is in our arms, our ears and our hearts – and of all the Taylor Swift rerecordings it is 1989 that I was most perched and seated for. 1989 is the album that made me a Taylor Swift FAN. A die hard, card carrying Swiftie was born. Of course, the most exciting part of a Taylor’s Version is the fact we get new, never before heard songs from the era – so here are all of the vault songs from 1989 by Taylor Swift, ranked from worst to best.

5. Suburban Legends

A common theme for me across all the 1989 Taylor’s Version Vault songs ranked here is that somehow, Taylor Swift has all made them sound exactly like they should be on Midnights. It’s disappointing. I like Midnights, but I was hoping for that sugary 1989 veneer that makes that album so special. My least favourite right now is Suburban Legends. It’s got the most bog standard Jack Antonoff beat in the production ever, and the lyrics “Tick tock on the clock, I walk down your block” are ME levels of bad.

4. Say Don’t Go

MID. MIDNIGHTS. This is a Midnights track. She was not writing this in 2014. Sorry.

3. Now That We Don’t Talk

Okay, good stuff. Short and sweet. The synth here has that SLAP, that OOMPH that makes the pop of 1989, well, pop. It’s got a bit of urgency.

2. “Slut!”

I appreciate this one because it sounds different to the rest of the Vault tracks, and because I think out of all five it’s the best written. I think when I heard the song title I was expecting something less moving and more banger, but I’m pleasantly surprised. I can see it sitting next to This Love on the original tracklist. “If they call me a slut, you know it might be worth it for once” is a great lyric.

1. Is It Over Now?

Okay, fair play Ms. Swift. Is It Over Now ends 1989 (Taylor’s Version) in style. Whilst it has some Midnightsy moments in the production, especially that little scream thing in the intro, Is It Over Now really feels like 1989 on the whole and has that passion and drive in the chorus that elevates it above the other Vault tracks.

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