Taylor Swift had identified as a country musician until her fourth studio album, Red, which was released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. The album incorporates eclectic … See more

Swift began writing her fifth studio album in mid-2013, when she was touring to support Red. She viewed Red as an album that straddled … See more

Swift named 1989 after her birth year and said it signified a symbolic rebirth of her image and artistry. As creative director for the album's packaging, Swift included pictures taken with a Polaroid instant camera—a photographic method popular in the 1980s. The … See more

US music-industry publications were fond of predicting 1989's sales performance; the music industry had seen declining record sales brought by digital download and streaming platforms, … See more

Music and lyrics
The standard edition of 1989 includes 13 tracks; the deluxe edition includes six additional tracks—three original songs and three voice memos. The album prominently incorporates synthesizers, programmed See more

Swift marketed 1989 as her first "official pop" album. To bolster sales, Swift and Big Machine implemented an extensive marketing plan. As … See more

When 1989 was first released, contemporary music critics gave it generally positive reviews. On Metacritic, a review aggregator … See more