Taylor Swift’s “New” Album Is Dropping In July
Speak Now (Taylor's Version), is expected on Friday, July 7.
At a recent concert in Nashville, Taylor Swift had some exciting news to share with her fans. The singer announced that she has a new album in the works and that it will be released in just a few months — well, the album isn’t exactly new. Actually, it is a re-recorded version of her studio album Speak Now, but Swifties are thrilled anyway.
The new release, titled Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), is expected on Friday, July 7. The title will be the third album to be re-recorded by the artist herself. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will be a slightly reimagined version of the original album of the same name, with each tune re-recorded, but kept mostly the same as the first edition. Swift announced the upcoming release at the first show of the Eras Tour in Nashville, her hometown, and after the news was shared, she performed an acoustic version of the set’s “Sparks Fly,” to the delight of those in attendance.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) will feature 22 tracks, including six previously unreleased songs that were written during the original Speak Now sessions but which were eventually left off the tracklist for one reason or another. The unheard cuts are called “From the Vault,” and there is no word yet on what these songs will sound like or who they may feature. However, fans can expect to hear all of the hit singles from the original Speak Now, including “Mine,” “Back to December,” “Mean,” and “The Story of Us.”
Swift’s decision to re-record her first six albums comes as a way to regain control over her work. She does not own the rights to the music that made her a star, as it has been sold several times, and she was unable to acquire them. By re-recording and re-releasing her music, Swift aims to grab some form ownership of her work and ensure that she benefits from her artistry’s success. This way, fans can choose to only buy and stream the updated work, which she owns entirely.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) follows the release of two other re-recorded albums, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version). Both arrived in 2021 and proved to be huge successes, with the two LPs hitting number one on the Billboard 200 and selling exceptionally well.
Fans had been speculating for over a year that Speak Now would be the next album to receive the re-recorded treatment. The music videos for “Bejeweled” and “Lavender Haze,” both singles from Swift’s latest album of all-original material Midnights, contained several Easter Egg clues that hinted at the upcoming release (which is in keeping with the singer’s ways). Swift strategically used the color purple on social media and at her concerts recently, and fans understand that the shade is forever connected to Speak Now, as it featured prominently on the album’s cover image.
On Instagram, Swift confirmed the news for those who weren’t at the Nashville concert. She also revealed the new cover and captioned the stunning snap with some more info about the upcoming album:
“It fills me with such pride and joy to announce that my version of Speak Now will be out July 7 (just in time for July 9th, iykyk 😆) I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20. The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness. I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing … and living to speak about it.”
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