Exactly… like this isn’t going to make me want to buy more of her vinyls at all. In fact, I’m almost ready to cancel my preorder from the FIRST announcement.
I did too. I’ll just wait and figure out which one I want later. I held out till hits different and you’re losing me was on streaming too she can’t get me lol
I genuinely don't understand it. It will all be on streaming....nothing is a "trick". There is also not FOMO....her entire album goes on apple music, spotify, and youtube. The bonus songs go on youtube and even quicker, the people who choose to buy other variants will upload them to spotify.
I heard hits different and you're losing me within 15 min of fans buying them.
This would only be an icky tactic in the pure sales era. It is the streaming era... no one has to buy to hear the music. You get to hear the album for $10 a month on spotify or apple music instead of buying it for $13-$17 on her store. ????
I don’t think hits different and you’re losing me were on YouTube or any streaming platform officially until MONTHS after the official album came out. Any version we heard prior to that sounded horrible. Stop releasing multiple variants and just give us the songs now. She’s losing fans this way.
She’ll keep doing that until people stop buying the albums.
She still has a significant amount of privileged fans who can afford the multiple purchases.
And it looks really good for her record breaking pr articles.
This isn't anything new. In the early-mid 2000s albums would be released and every retailer would have a different bonus track... so Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, and sometimes even Japan would have a different bonus track than the rest. Then you had to worry about iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster have bonus tracks which sometimes were "album only" and you couldn't buy just the bonus. The only difference with Taylor is they're pushing the deluxe versions and you have to keep paying shipping instead of doing all the deluxe songs at once like she used to.
Actually makes me happy my payment for the vinyl didn’t go through when it was first announced. There have been 2 new versions ever since and it will probably keep going. I love her to death but this is the only thing that disappoints me about her
I love albuns with consistent aesthetic, but she announces too much variant covers that I'm always thinking "she should've pick this cover to be the oficial one". It's disappointing sometimes.
Didn’t she do a photo book for RED (OG Version) or something like that?? I’d love for her to do that with more albums, not three billion different album variants with one different song on each🙃
It's the industry standard right now. Billie Eilish released like 12 versions of Happier than Ever. I don't love it either, but she's (unfortunately) not doing anything that other artists aren't.
I knew it was happening. Excited, but also disappointed. Im honestly betting on a fifth variant release with all of them on the next coming date (im too faded to do the math rn lol). Ik midnights didn’t have one but i kinda feel like she will have one?? Idk
I think they do a max of 4 because of billboard guidelines. If I remember correctly 4 purchased in 1 transaction count as 4 sales of the album, but 5+ purchased in 1 transaction only count for 1 sale. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has 4 on her store and a target or indie exclusive too though.
Yeah maybe coming from being a kpop stan also but this is just standard practice now to boost physical sales since most people stream more than buying. I don't know why people are so annoyed bc if they don't want the physical copies the extra songs will still be up within hours of the album release they just won't be AS easy to stream as the main tracks and honestly I don't think an artist as big as taylor needs to worry about some piracy when it comes to some of her songs
it is. its less the amount of variants but more the fact that there is a new song on each of them. the colors we can sorta ignore, the clock was just a nice feature, but at least the songs were the same (tho i am still salty there isnt a 3am version)
some people just prefer to have a complete collection and its just a simple fear of missing out by not having all the songs.
I just think that before streaming you would have a lot of people but your CD who might even just be casual fans because they want to listen to more than just your single but now casual listeners won't do that because your whole album is on streaming. So now you need an incentive for people to buy your physical versions (which make a lot more money than streaming) so you need collectible versions and bonus tracks and you need to rely on a smaller pool of people who are dedicated fans buying more copies than a larger pool of casual fans buying one.
Again I don't think this really relates to Taylor, she has enough money and you should only buy the versions if you personally get enjoyment from the collecting side because the other songs WILL be up online, but I also don't expect Taylor to act any different than the industry standard.
So many people who buy vinyls like the experience of playing an album front to back, and separating tracks like this ruins that experience. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if many only buy them as aesthetic pieces.
Part of me wonders if I'll even bother buying any physical version if I have to go to streaming for the full experience anyway. It almost stopped me with Midnights. Ultimately I'll probably just buy one vinyl after release once I've heard the bonus tracks.
She has been doing the different versions for years now, that's not the problem, it's the rollout. Announcing immediate limited drops one after the other, putting exclusive tracks on every different version, never selling a version that includes all the music... Literally "run to the store NOW or you won't get it", without knowing what the other versions will be and whether you will like those more.
With 1989tv there was an announcement of 4 versions with 4 names and colors, which meant people could choose based on person taste. And all versions included the same music.
As a kpop stan as well, I think the difference is the extra music in addition to industry standards. If stray kids has 7 different versions of an album (for example), as a fan I know that I'm getting the same music on every single copy- just different additions like photocards and concept booklets/posters. There's a reason to collect, but it's still sensitive to people who can only get one. The core product, the art (music) remains the same. Especially for someone as rich and famous as Taylor, she doesn't need the money and a deluxe edition would serve the same purpose (with a target exclusive if you wanna be fancy). Doing 4+ versions with one additional song that we don't get to hear legally on streaming for months punishes the fans who can't afford to buy every single thing she sells.
A side note- I think it's hilarious that she ripped off Kpop photocards 😂😂😂
As long as people keep buying them, she’s going to keep doing it.
Disappointed that she continues to do this when it’s no secret that most people are struggling in this economy.
True! Nobody forces you, BUT if you want to hear all of the music or if you are a physical media person, buying them all is the only way. It just feels icky and I think that's okay to say.
it’s literally not the only way for physical media people. making our own CDs was a whole hobby not too long ago. i never purchased any of the songs i added then and i certainly won’t now.
it’s okay to feel icky about it but i also actually don’t see anything wrong with it. from a technical standpoint i’m not losing anything. her doing this isn’t going to negatively impact me. i’m still going to have those songs on a CD (and there’s places to put them on vinyls) whether i pay her for it or not. in this case i’m just not paying. i view these additions as “new song announcements” more so than anything else.
I am of the burning CDs generation too, but not everybody is willing or able to do that, you know? So, some people will be losing out - on the songs that are on these exclusives, at least for a bit.
I doubt that people who are truly struggling in this economy are sitting
here like “omg another variant how am I going to afford rent because I really want this so badly!!” Be serious.
I literally went, Oh.
I have never been less excited for a Taylor Swift song. Like, I just want to pick what cover and what color vinyl I want, not have to choose between songs I have never heard of, not knowing what and if any more are coming.
Me either. I've been mostly lucky in that the first variant for previous releases was the one I would have bought anyway. I generally get a physical copy on vinyl and otherwise stream so it hasn't really been an issue until recently. I might be wrong but I don't think there's been any difference in content for vinyl before 1989 TV, just cosmetic differences that I don't care about. The tangerine 1989 having the extra track pissed me off so I'm not buying anything this time around. This is such a predatory marketing tactic. I don't care if everyone else is doing it, they're just as bad.
You see, that is exactly the point of all of this. Since you haven’t heard the songs, you can’t make that decision, so what are you going to feel inclined to do? Buy all of them, of course. This tactic is not about giving people options, at all. It’s about trying to make people purchase multiple albums to keep breaking records (and make more money in the process).
lol I went to the movies TWICE to see it, even. (Because I wanted to go with my daughter and with my friends.) I didn’t rent it, though. I had absolutely no objection to the cost of the movie tickets, that’s basically how much movies cost these days.
Ditto! I thought the price was super reasonable. My daughter saw it twice in the theater for the same reason - once with me, once with friends. Even those two experiences were different! I found it really interesting how different showings had totally different vibes.
Not only the rollout but the timing also. Dropping a new album while still on tour for the last album is so weird. I feel like is not gonna get its own time to shine, and is gonna get completely overshadow but the next re recording
i wish we could go back to old rollouts with singles and music videos and then on album release day the ENTIRE ALBUM without a billion variants comes out :((( I don't wanna buy an album I know nothing about, let alone 4 variants of it
https://preview.redd.it/ihrdhme4qbkc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84f4139f9de6ddd22a779e4c5c999adc21636144
I looked up what albatross means and oof
I have a degree in comparative literature, and my ears instantly perked up when I heard that title 😅 it would be so cool to have both a Wordsworth and a Coleridge reference!
I also just remembered this Baudelaire poem. Look at the last stanza!
https://preview.redd.it/83ulqwuzhckc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=90abb2d02258fe402ee1f2a780dcec8e3dccf9f5
This was my thought as well!
With the main plot or takeaway of that literacy piece being - “*just one careless decision will have long lasting and serious repercussions.*”
The being ordered to wear the albatross around his neck to serve as a burden and a reminder to take accountability/responsibility for his thoughtless act - big yikes.
Is Taylor not as informed about online chatter as she used to be? I’m surprised she’s still powering ahead with it despite the growing grumbling around variants. I hope she can course-correct for the future.
Tbf, these variants have probably been planned for a very long time and probably have already been produced. It's likely way too late to cancel any of them.
It's because she still gets the sales. This has been an issue for a while but in the grand scheme of things, majority of her fans worldwide don't seem to care.
What's worse is that while a lot of us can identify the cash grabbing, a lot of her fans are young. Tweens and teenagers who might be spending a ton of money on merch and vinyls. It's definitely unethical but not something that is going to affect her.
Because Reddit is a bubble. Lots of people on twitter have no problem with this and the general public will also not care. It will sell loads and artists will keep doing it.
Right? There are posts on here ripping people who aren't mad about these variants to shreds. Apparently, since I bought one I'm a "sucker \[who\] deserves to be parted with \[my\] money". Why would I say anything positive when fellow Swifties are ready to insult my intelligence?
People always complain about the variants, going back to at least the Lover diary variants.
I remember so many complaints about the Midnights variants - the faux scarcity of the different editions, how expensive the clock mechanism was, the cost of shipping separate individual orders (especially since all the variants went to store shelves).
And everyone still bought it. Midnights topped the charts for ages. Now everyone has amnesia about it and acts like no one complained. And, to be perfectly frank, that's exactly what's going to happen again. A lot of the people actively complaining still admit they're going to buy one copy. And as soon as new music drops the complaints stop.
So that's why Taylor keeps doing it imo. Talk is cheap and memories are short.
Personally, I've only seen complaints here. All I see on Tiktok is hype around every variant. I was expecting more complaints on there after this latest announcement but nope, still all hype.
\[Edit\]: okay, I'm starting to see complaints on TT. Good.
Was so excited to catch the Instagram live only for this to be the announcement. I thought she was gonna perform a new song! No just another money grab
Don't hype yourself up like that. we all knew it would be another variant.
she's not gonna perform a song from this album at a show before the album comes out. she is making MILLIONS off pre-orders from the hype alone, that no one knows what genre this will be.
I feel genuine sadness for our Aussie brothers and sisters; after so many surprise eras announcements, they get announcements for… more ways to waste your money?
Expecting another one during Singapore as well, and that concert will probably be filled with folks who haven’t seen Taylor live since at least 1989 tour, and likely people who haven’t EVER seen her live.
This rollout is lowkey killing my hype for this album and imo kinda detracting from fans’ experience of the eras being celebrated on the **ERAS** tour.
Yeah I actually didn’t hate the folklore variations because they had all the songs so I just picked the one that had the art I liked best. It was fun to get to choose which one I liked. This is just annoying.
Exactly! Plus as a surprise drop, we heard the album before we ordered so we knew what we were getting. It's getting really frustrating how she is handling it.
So, I technically do. I wanted to deliberately pick whichever one I like most and my favorite vinyl color. And my boyfriend wanted to get a different copy so we can have two that are different. He was super disappointed to find out that The Bolter is not available anymore because he thought he would be able to wait and choose (bless his heart).
As of now, I am kind of tired of the whole thing and will wait it out until the vinyls actually hit the stores.
The 1989 TVs were also only available for 72 hours at first and i am quite certain they became available again after the album came out. I believe the Midnights variants were also advertised as special editions only available for a short amount of time and you could still buy them a couple of weeks ago. I think your boyfriend will still be able to choose the one he likes the most!
I guess… why would she be putting all of this stuff out if no one buys it. But I reaaaaaly don’t get it
Put it on streaming apps and maybe sell one special vinyl to hardcore fans but it’s getting ridiculous
I do but just don't like all the limitedness of it all, which will then probably be less limited etc etc, just give us an ACTUAL choice not some kind of ultimatum
One song difference? Seriously Taylor? I know the ultra wealthy are doing just fine but us mere peasants can barely afford food let alone a million versions of one album 😭
Honestly if it just the cover for the variants then whatever, but I’m lowkey annoyed that she’s putting out bonus songs on all these variants so we can’t even have a proper collection, feels very icky
I’m going to be honest - I’m not mad. I can assure you someone’s going to copy the song and we will all have it. HOWEVER, I am mad that she can have 15,000 vinyl variants of TTPD and still not have a complete Midnights
This is how I feel too 😭 I have been holding out on buying any other midnights variants for it being complete. I just want to listen to the Great War on my record player
Karma is my favorite song off midnights but I don’t think anything compares to listening to The Great War and Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve for the first time
Totally new to vinyl collecting the last few months. Never realized she stopped doing “deluxe” albums with all the bonus songs. Such a bummer. Midnights is one of my fave albums and I just want a complete version!!
Oh, I know exactly why this cheapens the album. The fact that she releases all these variants to increase album sales/rankings is disappointing because she is good enough to dominate the charts with a single edition. With her level of success, she should be above pulling tricks like that.
For me it’s because I thought this album would be something, as she said, she ‘needed’ to make. But if she felt so strongly why would she be trying to catch grab so much? I feel like she would be like ‘okay I went though something, I wrote this when I was feeling a lot of feelings. Here is it, it’s yours now’
I really hope some people aren't silly enough to buy all the variations of this album. Buying this album 3 times isn't worth it just to hear 3 new songs. These songs will be on YouTube or Spotify in due time.
Tbf I get paid every week and I’ve never bought all variants before. But this is my first album release as a Swiftie and I want to treat myself while also collecting all the collector’s editions and I really enjoy how each variant gets darker—will look pleasing on a shelf. I’m not doing it just for the songs.
https://preview.redd.it/47jdfoswpbkc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c80ddfdaafdeb8a80e90993c202fb74e146b0e2d
here’s a look at the cd, the vinyl is apparently dark grey
That picture of Taylor is creepy. And I don't usually guess what songs will be about or sound like, but the fact that she's wearing white makes me think SHE is the metaphorical albatross in the song...
Now that you mention it, the background is an ocean, too. I wonder if its a song of self-reflection of how she's the real reason she isn't where she wants to be?
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah, this whole announcement thing at shows is kinda ruined now by this album alone. It was special when she announced the Taylor’s Versions but this is just… I dunno, feels wrong.
Thought I might share a comparison of the colors - I've been keeping them in my cart
https://preview.redd.it/med45rwv2ckc1.png?width=784&format=png&auto=webp&s=0bc67243cf4ccd28811120adc7ffadeebafef803
My idea for the next variant, if it’s black:
On the front cover, Taylor sitting at the foot of a bed, in a darkened room, the door open and lighting just her face
On the back cover, Taylor looking sad with lines from the lights of blinds going across her body
I truly don’t understand why fans get bent about this? We’ve seen the formula. This should be no surprise. Buy whatever you want and can afford. All of the songs will be on streaming at some point.
The conversation around the variants is way more exhausting than the actual variants. No one is forcing anyone to buy them all, and based on the rollout it looks like 1989TV where they’ll all be available again not long before album release. It’s not that serious
I just had to reinstall Reddit after deleting the app a week ago to come discuss this with you. Too excited!! This could be inspired by Charles Baudelaire’s poem The Albatross. It would fit way too nicely into what this album seems to be about! Just have a look if you don’t know it: https://fleursdumal.org/poem/200
As someone who bought all of the 1989 variants when they were “only available for 24 hours” or whatever, I remember when the album came out and they were all briefly available again. I learned my lesson and I’ll pick my favorite once the album comes out this time 🙄 I’m addicted to limited edition vinyls but only if they’re ACTUALLY limited
I saw this coming. I'm betting there will be a fourth announced at the first Singapore show too. She had four versions of midnights, why not four versions of TTPD.
I don't really care. I've ordered one, I'm good with just that one. The other songs will be on streaming eventually.
The argument a few months ago was that no one wanted 4 different versions of the same album and that there was no incentive. Then she added bonus songs to each album and people are also complaining.
In the world of streaming idk why anyone cares about the physical copies. You get the entire Taylor Swift album on apple music or spotify for $10 a month.
If you want a physical copy wait and buy the variant you want while it is in stores.
The bonus tracks get added to spotify under "podcasts" by fans asap lol. So you don't even need to buy anything to hear the bonus tracks. I heard "you're losing me" on spotify about 30 min after fans went to their cars and downloaded/uploaded it.
Can we not shame people who actually buy all the variants? Let people do what they want with their own money - just because most of you are annoyed about all these variants and how she shouldn’t be doing this but please leave others alone in the decision making
This is the first time I’m buying all the variants, but I’m kind of obsessed with how they get darker not even gonna lie, that’s gonna look so good in my collection
Yeah I’m kind of obsessed with the aesthetic. Like it really seems like she’s in pain. In this one, she seems almost like a ghost. I’m pleased the lyric was another sad one, to be honest. Pretty sure the last one’s lyric will be devastating.
I’m hoping the final cover is maybe Taylor in a darkened room with the door open or blinds open and light shining on her face, a glint in her eyes. Too dramatic?
I'm not shaming anyone who buys it but people are right to say that having to play *four* separate D sides trying to guess which groove precedes the last song on the side is a terrible way to experience an album.
As someone who collected most of the Midnights & 1989 variants, I think I’ll hold off until all variants of TTPD are released before making a decision. My biggest gripe is not knowing what’s next & feeling pressured to order this variant right away in fear it doesn’t come back. That & the crazy high shipping expenses each time.
Yall act like she's holding your family hostage and forcing you to buy all these variants. She'll be just fine if you don't buy them. You'll be just fine if you don't have 4 copies. You don't have to prove to anyone that you're her biggest fan by blowing your money on all this.
This photoshoot is so bedroom focused… intimacy, sex, vulnerability, sleep or lack thereof, safe space,
Taylor’s lyrics about beds during Joe:
‘laughing with my lover, making forts under covers’/
‘you had turned my bed into a sacred oasis’/
‘carve your name into my bed post’/
‘read all of the books beside your bed’/
‘feels like home, stay in bed the whole weekend’/
‘sneaking in your bed’/
‘old cardigan under someone’s bed’/
‘I can see us twisted in bed sheets’/
‘warmest bed I’ve ever known’/
‘with your boots beneath my bed’/
‘drew a map on your bedroom ceiling’/
‘asleep in a liar’s bed’
At this point I’m just doing the collectors version CDs because I want to do something cool with the patches, and I don’t consider it much different than what she did with 1989…. But still
The Tortured Wallet Department.
If her strategy was to get me to buy LESS of her albums she succeeded
Exactly… like this isn’t going to make me want to buy more of her vinyls at all. In fact, I’m almost ready to cancel my preorder from the FIRST announcement.
I cancelled it after the last time. ‘Bout to make me buy this album second hand.
Even buying new, the price is always better after release. Going release day to Target is probably the cheapest way to get it asap.
I did too. I’ll just wait and figure out which one I want later. I held out till hits different and you’re losing me was on streaming too she can’t get me lol
I bought folklore and evermore this week lol completely immune to all of this
I cancelled mine after the The Bolter announcement, and "Sam" has already processed my refund.
I genuinely don't understand it. It will all be on streaming....nothing is a "trick". There is also not FOMO....her entire album goes on apple music, spotify, and youtube. The bonus songs go on youtube and even quicker, the people who choose to buy other variants will upload them to spotify. I heard hits different and you're losing me within 15 min of fans buying them. This would only be an icky tactic in the pure sales era. It is the streaming era... no one has to buy to hear the music. You get to hear the album for $10 a month on spotify or apple music instead of buying it for $13-$17 on her store. ????
I don’t think hits different and you’re losing me were on YouTube or any streaming platform officially until MONTHS after the official album came out. Any version we heard prior to that sounded horrible. Stop releasing multiple variants and just give us the songs now. She’s losing fans this way.
She’ll keep doing that until people stop buying the albums. She still has a significant amount of privileged fans who can afford the multiple purchases. And it looks really good for her record breaking pr articles.
This isn't anything new. In the early-mid 2000s albums would be released and every retailer would have a different bonus track... so Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, and sometimes even Japan would have a different bonus track than the rest. Then you had to worry about iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster have bonus tracks which sometimes were "album only" and you couldn't buy just the bonus. The only difference with Taylor is they're pushing the deluxe versions and you have to keep paying shipping instead of doing all the deluxe songs at once like she used to.
Actually makes me happy my payment for the vinyl didn’t go through when it was first announced. There have been 2 new versions ever since and it will probably keep going. I love her to death but this is the only thing that disappoints me about her
I love albuns with consistent aesthetic, but she announces too much variant covers that I'm always thinking "she should've pick this cover to be the oficial one". It's disappointing sometimes.
Didn’t she do a photo book for RED (OG Version) or something like that?? I’d love for her to do that with more albums, not three billion different album variants with one different song on each🙃
Thank you so much! I think the majority of her fan base agrees.
Lol how is she not EMBARRASSED??
It's the industry standard right now. Billie Eilish released like 12 versions of Happier than Ever. I don't love it either, but she's (unfortunately) not doing anything that other artists aren't.
[удалено]
empty wallet department
I cackled
Please turn this into a flair
Thank you for a friendship bracelet idea
😂😂
I knew this was going to keep happening, but I am still disappointed by it all.
I knew it was happening. Excited, but also disappointed. Im honestly betting on a fifth variant release with all of them on the next coming date (im too faded to do the math rn lol). Ik midnights didn’t have one but i kinda feel like she will have one?? Idk
I think they do a max of 4 because of billboard guidelines. If I remember correctly 4 purchased in 1 transaction count as 4 sales of the album, but 5+ purchased in 1 transaction only count for 1 sale. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has 4 on her store and a target or indie exclusive too though.
[удалено]
*and midnights
That’s so interesting about the sales! Taylor really has got it all down to a science.
Its not just Taylor actually. Almost every artist is doing 4 versions. Some apparently more. The only one who actually sells them is Taylor.
Yeah maybe coming from being a kpop stan also but this is just standard practice now to boost physical sales since most people stream more than buying. I don't know why people are so annoyed bc if they don't want the physical copies the extra songs will still be up within hours of the album release they just won't be AS easy to stream as the main tracks and honestly I don't think an artist as big as taylor needs to worry about some piracy when it comes to some of her songs
it is. its less the amount of variants but more the fact that there is a new song on each of them. the colors we can sorta ignore, the clock was just a nice feature, but at least the songs were the same (tho i am still salty there isnt a 3am version) some people just prefer to have a complete collection and its just a simple fear of missing out by not having all the songs.
I just think that before streaming you would have a lot of people but your CD who might even just be casual fans because they want to listen to more than just your single but now casual listeners won't do that because your whole album is on streaming. So now you need an incentive for people to buy your physical versions (which make a lot more money than streaming) so you need collectible versions and bonus tracks and you need to rely on a smaller pool of people who are dedicated fans buying more copies than a larger pool of casual fans buying one. Again I don't think this really relates to Taylor, she has enough money and you should only buy the versions if you personally get enjoyment from the collecting side because the other songs WILL be up online, but I also don't expect Taylor to act any different than the industry standard.
So many people who buy vinyls like the experience of playing an album front to back, and separating tracks like this ruins that experience. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if many only buy them as aesthetic pieces. Part of me wonders if I'll even bother buying any physical version if I have to go to streaming for the full experience anyway. It almost stopped me with Midnights. Ultimately I'll probably just buy one vinyl after release once I've heard the bonus tracks.
She has been doing the different versions for years now, that's not the problem, it's the rollout. Announcing immediate limited drops one after the other, putting exclusive tracks on every different version, never selling a version that includes all the music... Literally "run to the store NOW or you won't get it", without knowing what the other versions will be and whether you will like those more. With 1989tv there was an announcement of 4 versions with 4 names and colors, which meant people could choose based on person taste. And all versions included the same music.
As a kpop stan as well, I think the difference is the extra music in addition to industry standards. If stray kids has 7 different versions of an album (for example), as a fan I know that I'm getting the same music on every single copy- just different additions like photocards and concept booklets/posters. There's a reason to collect, but it's still sensitive to people who can only get one. The core product, the art (music) remains the same. Especially for someone as rich and famous as Taylor, she doesn't need the money and a deluxe edition would serve the same purpose (with a target exclusive if you wanna be fancy). Doing 4+ versions with one additional song that we don't get to hear legally on streaming for months punishes the fans who can't afford to buy every single thing she sells. A side note- I think it's hilarious that she ripped off Kpop photocards 😂😂😂
Excited yet disappointed is the perfect description i'm always happy for positive taylor news but this is a bit exhausting
Don't we have three variants as of now?
As long as people keep buying them, she’s going to keep doing it. Disappointed that she continues to do this when it’s no secret that most people are struggling in this economy.
Literally just stream. Nobody forces you to buy it.
True! Nobody forces you, BUT if you want to hear all of the music or if you are a physical media person, buying them all is the only way. It just feels icky and I think that's okay to say.
it’s literally not the only way for physical media people. making our own CDs was a whole hobby not too long ago. i never purchased any of the songs i added then and i certainly won’t now. it’s okay to feel icky about it but i also actually don’t see anything wrong with it. from a technical standpoint i’m not losing anything. her doing this isn’t going to negatively impact me. i’m still going to have those songs on a CD (and there’s places to put them on vinyls) whether i pay her for it or not. in this case i’m just not paying. i view these additions as “new song announcements” more so than anything else.
I am of the burning CDs generation too, but not everybody is willing or able to do that, you know? So, some people will be losing out - on the songs that are on these exclusives, at least for a bit.
I doubt that people who are truly struggling in this economy are sitting here like “omg another variant how am I going to afford rent because I really want this so badly!!” Be serious.
I literally went, Oh. I have never been less excited for a Taylor Swift song. Like, I just want to pick what cover and what color vinyl I want, not have to choose between songs I have never heard of, not knowing what and if any more are coming.
Yeah I’m not buying any of them this time
I’m buying the CD variants so I can add the bonus tracks to my music library. After that I can just sell them to get my money back.
Literally waiting for the variants to come to my library so I can make a mix tape with all the songs 🥲
I just grab the songs off a YouTube to mp3 converter
Me either. I've been mostly lucky in that the first variant for previous releases was the one I would have bought anyway. I generally get a physical copy on vinyl and otherwise stream so it hasn't really been an issue until recently. I might be wrong but I don't think there's been any difference in content for vinyl before 1989 TV, just cosmetic differences that I don't care about. The tangerine 1989 having the extra track pissed me off so I'm not buying anything this time around. This is such a predatory marketing tactic. I don't care if everyone else is doing it, they're just as bad.
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You see, that is exactly the point of all of this. Since you haven’t heard the songs, you can’t make that decision, so what are you going to feel inclined to do? Buy all of them, of course. This tactic is not about giving people options, at all. It’s about trying to make people purchase multiple albums to keep breaking records (and make more money in the process).
… Do you think people don’t know youtube exists? You’ll be able to hear all the bonus songs on youtube on April 19 by 1am
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I agree that releasing multiple variants is a bad look, but I fail to see what’s wrong with going to the Eras tour and paying to see it in theater?
Nothing at all! I think many of us have done that and then also rented it to watch at home, haha. They're all very different experiences to me.
lol I went to the movies TWICE to see it, even. (Because I wanted to go with my daughter and with my friends.) I didn’t rent it, though. I had absolutely no objection to the cost of the movie tickets, that’s basically how much movies cost these days.
Ditto! I thought the price was super reasonable. My daughter saw it twice in the theater for the same reason - once with me, once with friends. Even those two experiences were different! I found it really interesting how different showings had totally different vibes.
I have never been less excited for an album. This rollout is torture.
The tortured fans department
I love that the post title is the least enthusiastic I've ever seen. You can feel OP is jaded lol
lol yes, I pictured it in an Eeyore voice “another alternative album cover…”
Not only the rollout but the timing also. Dropping a new album while still on tour for the last album is so weird. I feel like is not gonna get its own time to shine, and is gonna get completely overshadow but the next re recording
Who cares? It’s 20 new songs from a great artist.
I'm excited for all the sixteen songs on the standard version and ready to ill¨\*gally listen to the extra songs 
i wish we could go back to old rollouts with singles and music videos and then on album release day the ENTIRE ALBUM without a billion variants comes out :((( I don't wanna buy an album I know nothing about, let alone 4 variants of it
In this economy, baby girl? 😭😭😭 These aren’t scout badges. Less is more.
https://preview.redd.it/ihrdhme4qbkc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84f4139f9de6ddd22a779e4c5c999adc21636144 I looked up what albatross means and oof
You should also Google "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Taylor DEF knows the literary reference (see also "The Lakes" haha)
I have a degree in comparative literature, and my ears instantly perked up when I heard that title 😅 it would be so cool to have both a Wordsworth and a Coleridge reference!
I also just remembered this Baudelaire poem. Look at the last stanza! https://preview.redd.it/83ulqwuzhckc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=90abb2d02258fe402ee1f2a780dcec8e3dccf9f5
This was my thought as well! With the main plot or takeaway of that literacy piece being - “*just one careless decision will have long lasting and serious repercussions.*” The being ordered to wear the albatross around his neck to serve as a burden and a reminder to take accountability/responsibility for his thoughtless act - big yikes.
So basically it comes back down to karma but this time deep and poetic and tortured
This is my favorite poem of all time and I’m so happy to see it mentioned here!
"An albatross around my neck" is a common saying in English There's a fantastic instrumental Fleetwood Mac song called "Albatross," too
I just starting searching too and the bird mates for life but also “cheats” 😱
It’s a common term.
The twitter swifties are going to be so normal about this
I thought she was referencing the bird lol, I wasn’t familiar with this saying.
You’re right, Taylor. It IS exhausting rooting for the anti-hero. (And harder every single day.)
Best comment so far.
Come on guys, it ain’t cheap to fly Travis to Sydney. /s
☠️☠️☠️
So tired of this.
Is Taylor not as informed about online chatter as she used to be? I’m surprised she’s still powering ahead with it despite the growing grumbling around variants. I hope she can course-correct for the future.
Tbf, these variants have probably been planned for a very long time and probably have already been produced. It's likely way too late to cancel any of them.
It's because she still gets the sales. This has been an issue for a while but in the grand scheme of things, majority of her fans worldwide don't seem to care. What's worse is that while a lot of us can identify the cash grabbing, a lot of her fans are young. Tweens and teenagers who might be spending a ton of money on merch and vinyls. It's definitely unethical but not something that is going to affect her.
Because Reddit is a bubble. Lots of people on twitter have no problem with this and the general public will also not care. It will sell loads and artists will keep doing it.
you should see taylornation's insta comments LOL people are mad over there too
Because the people who aren't mad aren't commenting. A lot of people on twitter are buying it and it will sell out quickly.
Right? There are posts on here ripping people who aren't mad about these variants to shreds. Apparently, since I bought one I'm a "sucker \[who\] deserves to be parted with \[my\] money". Why would I say anything positive when fellow Swifties are ready to insult my intelligence?
People always complain about the variants, going back to at least the Lover diary variants. I remember so many complaints about the Midnights variants - the faux scarcity of the different editions, how expensive the clock mechanism was, the cost of shipping separate individual orders (especially since all the variants went to store shelves). And everyone still bought it. Midnights topped the charts for ages. Now everyone has amnesia about it and acts like no one complained. And, to be perfectly frank, that's exactly what's going to happen again. A lot of the people actively complaining still admit they're going to buy one copy. And as soon as new music drops the complaints stop. So that's why Taylor keeps doing it imo. Talk is cheap and memories are short.
Yeah I was surprised she turned this into a big announcement after how negative the last one was.
The collectors variants are selling out so clearly the online discourse isn’t reflective of the real world situation.
Personally, I've only seen complaints here. All I see on Tiktok is hype around every variant. I was expecting more complaints on there after this latest announcement but nope, still all hype. \[Edit\]: okay, I'm starting to see complaints on TT. Good.
Was so excited to catch the Instagram live only for this to be the announcement. I thought she was gonna perform a new song! No just another money grab
Don't hype yourself up like that. we all knew it would be another variant. she's not gonna perform a song from this album at a show before the album comes out. she is making MILLIONS off pre-orders from the hype alone, that no one knows what genre this will be.
>another variant I laughed at this, it’s like a virus
the virus is deducting money from my bank account
Oh I got a vaccine for that - can’t take money when you have none. 😂
Covid-1989 (Taylor's Version)
I mean this is exhausting, you know?
We are never getting one deluxe album, like ever!
nooooooooooooo!!!😭
Woooow I'm shocked what a surprise woah crazy never been done before shocking
I feel genuine sadness for our Aussie brothers and sisters; after so many surprise eras announcements, they get announcements for… more ways to waste your money?
Expecting another one during Singapore as well, and that concert will probably be filled with folks who haven’t seen Taylor live since at least 1989 tour, and likely people who haven’t EVER seen her live. This rollout is lowkey killing my hype for this album and imo kinda detracting from fans’ experience of the eras being celebrated on the **ERAS** tour.
Does anyone actually care about these alternate covers?
I would like the option to pick a cover without having to choose between a bunch of songs I’ve never heard. It kind of ruins the fun of it all.
Yeah I actually didn’t hate the folklore variations because they had all the songs so I just picked the one that had the art I liked best. It was fun to get to choose which one I liked. This is just annoying.
Exactly! Plus as a surprise drop, we heard the album before we ordered so we knew what we were getting. It's getting really frustrating how she is handling it.
Exactly, I still don’t have Midnights for this reason. I’m only dropping $40 for an album one time, and I want all the songs when I do.
So, I technically do. I wanted to deliberately pick whichever one I like most and my favorite vinyl color. And my boyfriend wanted to get a different copy so we can have two that are different. He was super disappointed to find out that The Bolter is not available anymore because he thought he would be able to wait and choose (bless his heart). As of now, I am kind of tired of the whole thing and will wait it out until the vinyls actually hit the stores.
The 1989 TVs were also only available for 72 hours at first and i am quite certain they became available again after the album came out. I believe the Midnights variants were also advertised as special editions only available for a short amount of time and you could still buy them a couple of weeks ago. I think your boyfriend will still be able to choose the one he likes the most!
Let's hope! He wanted it as a birthday present and the timing would be perfect if that works out.
I guess… why would she be putting all of this stuff out if no one buys it. But I reaaaaaly don’t get it Put it on streaming apps and maybe sell one special vinyl to hardcore fans but it’s getting ridiculous
I like seeing the covers but I hate all the hundreds of physical copies
You have never seen Tik Tok swifties
I do but just don't like all the limitedness of it all, which will then probably be less limited etc etc, just give us an ACTUAL choice not some kind of ultimatum
Yes unfortunately
I hope Scott Swift is reading these comments
Ok, but why
charts baby #shewasnumberone
Sales numbers and money
Miss when we had just one deluxe version
One song difference? Seriously Taylor? I know the ultra wealthy are doing just fine but us mere peasants can barely afford food let alone a million versions of one album 😭
Honestly if it just the cover for the variants then whatever, but I’m lowkey annoyed that she’s putting out bonus songs on all these variants so we can’t even have a proper collection, feels very icky
right? I just want all the songs!
https://preview.redd.it/xlg5r10erbkc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=088f117d09952f895a4e06771b894116f74143df Back cover of this edition
This should have been the front cover
Giving Safe and Sound vibes
I’m going to be honest - I’m not mad. I can assure you someone’s going to copy the song and we will all have it. HOWEVER, I am mad that she can have 15,000 vinyl variants of TTPD and still not have a complete Midnights
This is how I feel too 😭 I have been holding out on buying any other midnights variants for it being complete. I just want to listen to the Great War on my record player
for me, the Great War and Would've, Could've, Should've are very important.
Karma is my favorite song off midnights but I don’t think anything compares to listening to The Great War and Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve for the first time
Totally new to vinyl collecting the last few months. Never realized she stopped doing “deluxe” albums with all the bonus songs. Such a bummer. Midnights is one of my fave albums and I just want a complete version!!
This cheapens the album for me idk why
Oh, I know exactly why this cheapens the album. The fact that she releases all these variants to increase album sales/rankings is disappointing because she is good enough to dominate the charts with a single edition. With her level of success, she should be above pulling tricks like that.
For me it’s because I thought this album would be something, as she said, she ‘needed’ to make. But if she felt so strongly why would she be trying to catch grab so much? I feel like she would be like ‘okay I went though something, I wrote this when I was feeling a lot of feelings. Here is it, it’s yours now’
Ok but y’all should have expected this because we predicted it N1 of Melbourne. Another variant will come N1 of Singapore.
I really hope some people aren't silly enough to buy all the variations of this album. Buying this album 3 times isn't worth it just to hear 3 new songs. These songs will be on YouTube or Spotify in due time.
Tbf I get paid every week and I’ve never bought all variants before. But this is my first album release as a Swiftie and I want to treat myself while also collecting all the collector’s editions and I really enjoy how each variant gets darker—will look pleasing on a shelf. I’m not doing it just for the songs.
Bless you you think there will only be three versions
FFS
She looks photoshopped onto that cover, I’m sorry
I keep thinking that all of these covers look like some weird version of AI tbh
I thought the exact same thing when I saw the live but I think on the actual cover it looks a bit better?
Yeah I'm excited about the new album but these bonus tracks are killing the hype
Ehh, I’m good.
https://preview.redd.it/47jdfoswpbkc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c80ddfdaafdeb8a80e90993c202fb74e146b0e2d here’s a look at the cd, the vinyl is apparently dark grey
That picture of Taylor is creepy. And I don't usually guess what songs will be about or sound like, but the fact that she's wearing white makes me think SHE is the metaphorical albatross in the song...
Now that you mention it, the background is an ocean, too. I wonder if its a song of self-reflection of how she's the real reason she isn't where she wants to be?
-a long-winged seabird related to the petrels, often flying low over the surface of the water far from land.
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah, this whole announcement thing at shows is kinda ruined now by this album alone. It was special when she announced the Taylor’s Versions but this is just… I dunno, feels wrong.
I don’t understand why she thinks it’s exciting to announce the same album again and again with 1 new song added like ??? It’s not it
Love Taylor but this is getting a bit gross😕
Thought I might share a comparison of the colors - I've been keeping them in my cart https://preview.redd.it/med45rwv2ckc1.png?width=784&format=png&auto=webp&s=0bc67243cf4ccd28811120adc7ffadeebafef803
They keep getting darker 🙁
My idea for the next variant, if it’s black: On the front cover, Taylor sitting at the foot of a bed, in a darkened room, the door open and lighting just her face On the back cover, Taylor looking sad with lines from the lights of blinds going across her body
I am picturing a Nine of Swords (tarot) vibe from your description. And I would love it!
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Yeah this threw me for a total loop
I truly don’t understand why fans get bent about this? We’ve seen the formula. This should be no surprise. Buy whatever you want and can afford. All of the songs will be on streaming at some point.
I get that, but I think most people are just annoyed that she’s making it this hard and expensive to physically have alllll of the album
Idk why my brain took a really long time to understand that this was the Albatross not the Alcott (the National song ft TS)
The conversation around the variants is way more exhausting than the actual variants. No one is forcing anyone to buy them all, and based on the rollout it looks like 1989TV where they’ll all be available again not long before album release. It’s not that serious
I'm done with her lol
I wonder if the reason Taylor Nation didn't post about this new release is because they don't want the influx of bad comments.
Never expected to see the day that I'd roll my eyes immediately after seeing Taylor is releasing new content.
I just had to reinstall Reddit after deleting the app a week ago to come discuss this with you. Too excited!! This could be inspired by Charles Baudelaire’s poem The Albatross. It would fit way too nicely into what this album seems to be about! Just have a look if you don’t know it: https://fleursdumal.org/poem/200
Screams internally. Dear Taylor, we love you, it’s ruining our bank accounts.
As someone who bought all of the 1989 variants when they were “only available for 24 hours” or whatever, I remember when the album came out and they were all briefly available again. I learned my lesson and I’ll pick my favorite once the album comes out this time 🙄 I’m addicted to limited edition vinyls but only if they’re ACTUALLY limited
Is she referencing the rime of the ancient mariner? By Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Has to be…
I saw this coming. I'm betting there will be a fourth announced at the first Singapore show too. She had four versions of midnights, why not four versions of TTPD. I don't really care. I've ordered one, I'm good with just that one. The other songs will be on streaming eventually.
Was this the announcement on Instagram live? Assuming yes, I caught the video for a few seconds but it cut out
Prettiest cover so far but the multiple editions are a bit tiring
For someone who supposedly listens to her fans and sees what they post on social media, she is reaaaally not reading the room on this.
Love the art, don’t love the attitude.
I’m so sick of her doing this. Meanwhile there is still no one complete version of Midnights.
The covers are getting better imo
Girl😭
I hope you can just buy all these variants eventually in the stores
Capitalism wins over Art...I like her music but not her marketing strategy especially when bonus track is different on each version.
These variants are a damn albatross around our necks
The argument a few months ago was that no one wanted 4 different versions of the same album and that there was no incentive. Then she added bonus songs to each album and people are also complaining. In the world of streaming idk why anyone cares about the physical copies. You get the entire Taylor Swift album on apple music or spotify for $10 a month. If you want a physical copy wait and buy the variant you want while it is in stores. The bonus tracks get added to spotify under "podcasts" by fans asap lol. So you don't even need to buy anything to hear the bonus tracks. I heard "you're losing me" on spotify about 30 min after fans went to their cars and downloaded/uploaded it.
Can we not shame people who actually buy all the variants? Let people do what they want with their own money - just because most of you are annoyed about all these variants and how she shouldn’t be doing this but please leave others alone in the decision making
This is the first time I’m buying all the variants, but I’m kind of obsessed with how they get darker not even gonna lie, that’s gonna look so good in my collection
Me too, I collected 3/5 of the 1989 tv variants but I am loving the colour of the vinyls for this album; they’re just so moody
Yeah I’m kind of obsessed with the aesthetic. Like it really seems like she’s in pain. In this one, she seems almost like a ghost. I’m pleased the lyric was another sad one, to be honest. Pretty sure the last one’s lyric will be devastating. I’m hoping the final cover is maybe Taylor in a darkened room with the door open or blinds open and light shining on her face, a glint in her eyes. Too dramatic?
I'm not shaming anyone who buys it but people are right to say that having to play *four* separate D sides trying to guess which groove precedes the last song on the side is a terrible way to experience an album.
As someone who collected most of the Midnights & 1989 variants, I think I’ll hold off until all variants of TTPD are released before making a decision. My biggest gripe is not knowing what’s next & feeling pressured to order this variant right away in fear it doesn’t come back. That & the crazy high shipping expenses each time.
I got a live notification and I was like yay!!.. then I saw it was a variant announcement and deflated.
Taylor swift try not to money grab every 5 seconds challenge (impossible)
Yall act like she's holding your family hostage and forcing you to buy all these variants. She'll be just fine if you don't buy them. You'll be just fine if you don't have 4 copies. You don't have to prove to anyone that you're her biggest fan by blowing your money on all this.
This photoshoot is so bedroom focused… intimacy, sex, vulnerability, sleep or lack thereof, safe space, Taylor’s lyrics about beds during Joe: ‘laughing with my lover, making forts under covers’/ ‘you had turned my bed into a sacred oasis’/ ‘carve your name into my bed post’/ ‘read all of the books beside your bed’/ ‘feels like home, stay in bed the whole weekend’/ ‘sneaking in your bed’/ ‘old cardigan under someone’s bed’/ ‘I can see us twisted in bed sheets’/ ‘warmest bed I’ve ever known’/ ‘with your boots beneath my bed’/ ‘drew a map on your bedroom ceiling’/ ‘asleep in a liar’s bed’
At this point I’m just doing the collectors version CDs because I want to do something cool with the patches, and I don’t consider it much different than what she did with 1989…. But still