When Will 1989 (Taylor's Version) Be Released?: The Clues, Theories And Everything Else We Know

Taylor Swift loves to plot and plan, and Swifties love to clown around and theorize about everything the artist releases. As a self-proclaimed “Mastermind,” the singer frequently gives us clues about which project of hers is coming next, especially when it comes to her re-releases. So, now that we know she’s down to clown with the ways she hinted at the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), it’s become clear that she’s doing something similar with her other albums, specifically 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

1989 And Taylor Swift's Re-Release Plans

Every time Taylor Swift announces one of her upcoming projects there is always a methodical plan in place that usually involves some sneaky Easter eggs and lots and lots of sly clues. This has been especially true with the plan for the pop star’s next re-release Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). As we look back on how this album was announced, it will likely help us understand how she’s planning to release 1989 (Taylor’s Version). 

Two of the primary reasons we knew the artists’ third album was coming were the Easter eggs in the “Bejeweled” music video and the clues hidden in “Lavender Haze.” Both contained multiple hints at the re-release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and the Swifties broke it down frame-by-frame to get all the information they could.

Swift also laid clues in previous videos and her Eras Tour to hint at Speak Now, and now that we know it’s coming, similar Easter eggs are popping up that could mean 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is coming next. Similar things can be said about how she re-released Fearless and Red, especially given the clues in her music video for "The Man." While there is no confirmed timeline for her re-releases, there are, for sure, clues that allude to it, so let's break them down.

The Clock In The Man Music Video Alludes To The Re-Release Order

A theory that’s an oldie but a goody is the discourse surrounding the clock in “The Man” music video. In the video, man Taylor is seen standing in front of a subway stop and her re-recorded albums are graffitied around her. Like with Midnights, a clock is vital to this theory. As you can see, the albums listed clockwise are:

• Fearless

• Red

• Speak Now

• Reputation

• 1989

So far, Swift’s first three re-records have been released in the order they’re shown on the clock. It stands to reason that the next album might be Reputation and then 1989 (Taylor’s Versions). However, the "Karma" video seems to say something else.

How The Karma Music Video Obviously Teases 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

There are literally so many Easter eggs in the “Karma” video that tease the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), but the one I want to focus on is the coffee cup and her nails.

As you can see in the photo, the clock is about to strike midnight, a little nod to her latest album, and her nails are painted 1989 blue and Reputation black. Her hands are also situated in a way where her thumbs align with the numbers eight and two, so does that mean she’s dropping another album on August 2 or maybe February 8 (which is notably a Thursday, the day any new music tends to drop, at midnight ET, 9 p.m. PT)? Who knows, but I certainly think there’s something going on with these nails that could help us figure out 1989’s release.

Along with the cup, there were a myriad of Easter eggs that referenced Swift’s fifth album including, but not limited to:

• The Roman numerals that say 1989 on the statue of Swift.

• The five birds in the background of the boat scene, match the birds on the shirt Swift wears on the 1989 album cover.

• The blue dress she wears on the cat rug matches the color of 1989.

Do you see what I mean? This video is crammed with references to 1989 (Taylor’s Version), so it must be coming sometime in the near future.

Could The East Rutherford, New Jersey And Chicago Surprise Songs Connect To The Re-Release

Like many hardcore Swifties, I’ve been tracking the surprise songs Taylor Swift plays on the Eras Tour. For the majority of the tour, she’s always switched up the albums she picks the songs from, and will rarely play two from the same record at one show. However, that changed during her last stop in East Rutherford, New Jersey and her first show in Chicago.

In New Jersey, which is near New York City (an important city to 1989), Swift closed out her three nights of shows by playing “Welcome to New York” and “Clean,” which are the first and last tracks on the album, respectively. That alone was suss, but then she opened her shows in Chicago with “I Wish You Would.” Was it a coincidence? Probably. But also, when it comes to this pop star almost nothing is simply a coincidence.

The Girl Gang Being Out And About Is Giving Big 1989 Energy

Let me take you back to 2016: Taylor Swift was posting photos with her girls left and right, they were living it up like it was 1989, and this pop star posted the music video for “Bad Blood,” which featured her stacked girl gang. Also, during the world tour for the album, she brought out famous folks like Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Lena Dunham, Hailee Steinfeld and more as special guests to perform with her. Then the Reputation era began, and the girl gang was disbanded as the singer deleted all her Instagram posts, and wasn’t really seen out in public.

Well, they’re back! Following Swift’s breakup with Joe Alwyn she was seen walking around the streets of New York City with her besties Blake Lively, Gigi Hadid and the Haim sisters, per photos published by Page Six. If this singer doesn’t want to be seen, she won’t, so the fact that these gals were caught on camera feels intentional, and it feels very 1989 (Taylor’s Version). 

What’s The Deal With Niceboy Ed?

While the theories surrounding musician niceboy ed kind of allude to the idea that Swift could “drop everything now,” it also has big 1989 energy. After lowkey promoting the small artist when she announced Midnights, Swifties have been keeping an eye on niceboy ed, and took notice when he came back to social media with a purple/blue post on his IG stories. Then folks noticed that the color seemed like a mix between the shades of blue and purple Swift uses in her Eras Tour, and they realized that the up-in-coming singer used Polaroids on his website, a signature item of 1989.

Much like how the clues added up to the eventual announcement of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), there is also a suspicious amount of evidence that alludes to 1989 (Taylor’s Version) coming out soon. However, only time will tell. With how sly Taylor Swift has been about hinting at the releases of her albums, it seems fitting that all these theories would add up to the fifth album’s re-release, and as we learn more about the upcoming project, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.