Taylor Swift didn't just release an album in 2014. She basically rebooted her entire identity. When people look up the 1989 taylor swift tracklist, they aren't just looking for a list of songs; they’re looking for the blueprint of how a country star killed her old self to become the world’s biggest pop icon. It was risky. Her label was terrified. But that 4:00 AM epiphany she had about '80s synth-pop changed everything.
Honestly, the tracklist is a masterclass in sequencing. You start with the bright, neon-soaked energy of New York and end with the clean, rainy catharsis of moving on. Then, 2023 happened. The re-release—1989 (Taylor’s Version)—didn't just give us the old songs back; it added five "From The Vault" tracks that kinda reframed the whole story.
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The Original 1989 Taylor Swift Tracklist (2014)
The standard edition that dropped on October 27, 2014, had 13 tracks. Classic Taylor. She’s always been obsessed with that number, and for this record, it represented a lean, "sonically cohesive" collection. Gone were the banjos and the "teardrops on my guitar." Instead, we got Max Martin’s polish and Jack Antonoff’s vintage synths.
- Welcome To New York – The mission statement. It’s loud, it’s optimistic, and it famously includes the line "boys and boys and girls and girls," which was a pretty big deal for her to include at the time.
- Blank Space – This is where she started satirizing her own "serial dater" reputation. "Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream" is arguably one of the best pop lyrics of the decade.
- Style – It’s about Harry Styles. Everyone knows it. The James Dean daydream look, the paper airplane necklace—it’s all there.
- Out Of The Woods – This was her first big collaboration with Jack Antonoff. It’s frantic and repetitive in a way that perfectly mimics an anxiety attack.
- All You Had To Do Was Stay – The "Track 5" of the album. Usually, her Track 5s are devastating ballads (think All Too Well), but here it’s a high-pitched, frustrated pop song.
- Shake It Off – The lead single. You’ve heard it at every wedding since 2014.
- I Wish You Would – A cinematic "John Hughes movie" vibe about two people pining for each other but never actually speaking.
- Bad Blood – The "feud" song. Most people associate this with the Katy Perry drama, especially with the music video that featured basically every famous person in Hollywood.
- Wildest Dreams – Lana Del Rey-esque dreamy pop with a literal heartbeat (Taylor’s own) as the percussion.
- How You Get The Girl – A bit more "classic Taylor" in its storytelling, but with a heavy synth beat.
- This Love – The only song on the album Taylor wrote entirely by herself. It’s slow, atmospheric, and feels like a bridge back to her Red era.
- I Know Places – A darker track about hiding a relationship from the "hunters" (the paparazzi).
- Clean – Co-written with Imogen Heap. It’s the perfect ending—about finally being "sober" from a toxic relationship.
The Deluxe Edition added three more heavy hitters: Wonderland, You Are In Love, and New Romantics. Fans were actually pretty annoyed back then that "New Romantics" wasn't on the main album because it’s a total anthem.
Why the Taylor's Version Vault Tracks Changed the Game
When Taylor re-released the album in 2023, the 1989 taylor swift tracklist expanded to 21 tracks. The "Vault" tracks—songs that were written for the original album but got cut—are surprisingly different from the 2014 vibe. They sound a lot more like her Midnights era. They’re moodier, wordier, and a bit more cynical.
- "Slut!" – People expected an angry rock song. Instead, we got a dreamy, ethereal track about how if she’s going to be shamed for dating anyway, she might as well be in love.
- Say Don't Go – Co-written with Diane Warren. It’s the ultimate "why did you lead me on?" anthem.
- Now That We Don't Talk – This is Taylor's shortest song ever, but it packs a punch. It’s about the relief of not having to pretend to like someone's weird hobbies (like "acid rock" or "mega yachts") after a breakup.
- Suburban Legends – A nostalgic look at high school glory and how it doesn't always translate to adult life.
- Is It Over Now? – The crown jewel. It went straight to #1. It’s a "sister song" to "Out Of The Woods" and basically confirmed all the rumors about her and Harry Styles' breakup, mentioning "red blood, white snow" from their snowmobile accident.
Comparing the 2014 and 2023 Versions
| Feature | 1989 (Original) | 1989 (Taylor's Version) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Tracks | 13 (Standard) / 16 (Deluxe) | 21 (Standard) / 22 (with Kendrick) |
| Main Producers | Max Martin, Shellback | Jack Antonoff, Christopher Rowe |
| The "Vibe" | Sharp, high-energy, 2010s Pop | Deeper vocals, synth-heavy, dreamy |
| Best Vault Track | N/A | Is It Over Now? |
The Impact of the 1989 Era
You have to remember, Taylor was coming off Red, which was a "mush" of genres. On 1989, she told her label she was making a "straight pop" record. They didn't want her to. They wanted her to put three country songs on it for Nashville radio. She said no.
That stubbornness is why this album won Album of the Year at the Grammys. It’s also why she had to re-record it—to own the masters of these specific songs. When you listen to the re-recorded 1989 taylor swift tracklist, her voice is much stronger. She doesn't sound like a girl in her 20s trying to prove something; she sounds like a woman who already won.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're revisiting the album or hearing it for the first time, try these steps to get the full experience:
- Listen to "Clean" followed immediately by "Slut!" – It highlights the contrast between the 2014 production and the new Vault style.
- Watch the voice memos – The original deluxe version included Taylor's early recordings of "Blank Space" and "I Wish You Would." It’s a great look into how these massive pop songs started as simple acoustic melodies.
- Compare the "Bad Blood" versions – The re-recording of the Kendrick Lamar remix is officially back on the Taylor's Version deluxe, and his new verse is just as sharp as the original.
- Check the liner notes – Taylor used to hide secret messages in the lyrics (capitalizing random letters). While she doesn't do that anymore, the "Vault" track lyrics provide enough "Easter eggs" to keep you busy for weeks.