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Downloaded from
YTS.MX

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[wind blowing softly]

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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

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So how did you find out?

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- I found out when
it was online, like when it hit the news.

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- Nobody in your
inner circle knew.

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Nobody knew.

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And you didn't smell it?

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No.

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I knew he would sell my music.
I knew he would do that.

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I couldn't believe
who he sold it to.

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Because we've had
endless conversations about Scooter Braun,

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and he has 300 million reasons

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to conveniently forget
those conversations.

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Now, could you rerecord?

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Oh, yeah.

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- [Interviewer]
Might you do that?

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Oh, yeah.

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- That's a plan.
- Yeah, absolutely.

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[gentle music]

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- [Narrator] Under
US copyright law,

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a music release is subject
to two separate copyrights,

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the copyright to the song or
musical composition itself

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and the copyright to the
specific recording of that song,

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which is usually
contained on a master.

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[gentle music]

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The master from which copies
are made for use in sales

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and distribution is the
original recording of the song.

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Therefore, the owner of the
master also holds the copyright

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to all means of distribution
for the recording,

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including physical media,
like CDs and final LPs,

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as well as digital distribution
for download or streaming.

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On the other hand, owning the
musical work is referred to

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as the publishing rights,

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which covers the lyrics before
it became a sound recording.

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Its melodies sheet,
music, composition,

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and instrumental arrangements.

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Songwriters generally
own the publishing rights

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and are referred to as the
publishers of the music.

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[reporters speak indistinctly]
[gentle music]

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- [Reporter] Over
your shoulder, Taylor,

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and the back of the dress.

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- [Reporter] Over
your shoulder, love.

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[video rewinding]

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- No one told us it
was country night.

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Y'all wanna hear
some country music?

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[Audience] Yeah.

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- Later on you wanna
hear some Jack Ingram?

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[Audience] Yeah.

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- Right now you wanna
hear some Taylor Swift?

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[audience cheering]

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You're in the right place.

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[country music]

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♪ I was riding shotgun
with my hair undone ♪

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♪ In the front seat of his car

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♪ He's got a one-hand feel
on the steering wheel ♪

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♪ The other on my heart

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♪ I look around,
turn the radio down ♪

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♪ He says, Baby, is
something wrong ♪

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♪ I say, Nothing, I
was just thinking ♪

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♪ How we don't have a song

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♪ And he says

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♪ Our song is the
slamming screen door ♪

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♪ Sneaking out late,
tapping on your window ♪

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♪ When we're on the phone,
and you talk real slow ♪

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- [Narrator] In 2003
at the age of 13,

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Taylor went to Nashville
to try and sign

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with some major labels,
but was rejected.

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♪ And when I got home

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- [Narrator] She tried her
luck again the following year

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and received an
artist development deal with RCA records

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before becoming the
youngest artist, aged 15,

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signed by the Sony
Publishing house,

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but left shortly
afterwards due to concerns

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that development deals
may shelf artists.

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♪ Had gone all wrong
and been trampled on ♪

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- [Narrator] Swift took
part in an industry showcase

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later that year at
Nashville's Bluebird Cafe,

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where she was recognized
by Scott Borchetta,

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a Dreamworks Records
executive, who was considering

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starting his own
independent record company.

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♪ Our song is the
slamming screen door ♪

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- [Narrator] Swift
ultimately agreed

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to a 13-year recording contract
with Big Machine Records,

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the new Nashville-based record
label founded by Borchetta.

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In exchange for a cash
advance, Big Machine

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received ownership of
the masters for Swift's

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first six albums under the
terms of the agreement.

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[wind rustling]

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[gentle music]

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Through his media company,
SB Projects, Scooter Braun,

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an American media
proprietor, talent manager,

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and businessman, is credited
with managing the careers

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of musicians Justin
Bieber, Ariana Grande,

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Demi Lovato, and Kanye West.

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When Braun acquired Big
Machine Label Group,

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they encompassed all aspects
of Big Machine's business,

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including its client
roster, distribution deals,

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publishing rights,
and music masters.

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[gentle music]

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On June 30th, 2019, Swift
made a post and stated

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that she had tried to buy
the masters for years,

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but was not given a chance

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unless she signed another
contract that would require her

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to create six more
albums under the label

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in exchange for the
masters of the first six,

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which she felt was unacceptable.

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[gentle music]

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She emphasized
Braun's contribution

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to making Kanye West's
2016 famous music video,

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where West used a stunt
double to play Taylor,

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which she called a
revenge porn video

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which strips her body naked.

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Swift also alleged that Braun
colluded with two clients

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to bully Swift online, and
persuaded Kim Kardashian,

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who was then married to West,

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to arrange an
illegally-recorded snippet

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of Swift's phone call with West.

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She was alluding to a FaceTime
screenshot of Bieber, West,

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and Braun that was posted
to Bieber's Instagram

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after Kardashian
released the snippet.

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[gentle music]

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Despite being aware
of Braun's involvement

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in harassing Swift, Borchetta
was accused by Taylor

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of betraying her loyalty by
selling the masters to Braun.

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[gentle music]

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On November 14th, 2019,
Swift claimed that Braun

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and Borchetta had
stopped her from singing

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some of her older songs at
the 2019 American Music Awards

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and using some of them in
her upcoming documentary,

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"Miss Americana."

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She said they were
exercising tyrannical control

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over her music, and claimed
Borchetta told her team

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that she would be
allowed to use the music

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only if she agreed to not
rerecord copycat versions

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of her songs.

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Swift commented, "The
message being sent to me

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is very clear.

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Basically, 'Be a good
little girl and shut up,

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or you'll be punished.'"

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[soft dramatic music]

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For an estimated $405 million
Braun sold the masters,

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related videos, and artwork
to Shamrock Holdings

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in October, 2020.

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[soft dramatic music]

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Swift claimed that she
tried to bargain with Braun,

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but that he only gave
her the opportunity

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to get the masters back if
she signed an ironclad NDA

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that only let her talk
favorably of Braun.

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She refused to sign the NDA.

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She also claimed that
Braun mandated Shamrock

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not to notify her about the
sale until it was complete.

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[soft dramatic music]

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After the news came out,

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#WeLoveYouTaylor started
trending worldwide on Twitter,

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with Swifties making
their feelings known.

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Fans wondered if
Taylor was connected

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to the investment fund,

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but she released a statement
clarifying she wasn't part

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of this deal at all, and still
does not own the masters.

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[soft dramatic music]

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Swift wrote her album
"Reputation" as a defense mechanism

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that allowed her to to
cope with the fallout

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in public scrutiny.

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She secluded herself
from press attention

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because she needed to
protect her mental health

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and stop feeling obliged
to explain herself.

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[soft dramatic music]

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On the Reputation Stadium Tour,

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Swift was inspired by the
love she received from fans

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to embrace positivity
and vulnerability.

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Despite her tarnished
reputation in the press,

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she realized her fans see her

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as a flesh-and-blood
human being.

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To this end, she conceived
her seventh studio album

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as a personal vulnerable record

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that would connect
her with her audience

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and showcase her strengths
as a singer-songwriter.

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[gentle music]

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Swift wrote "Lover" as a
reflection of her personal life,

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describing it as
very confessional and autobiographical,

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yet also playful and whimsical.

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She also said the album
was a love letter to love

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in all of its
maddening, passionate, exciting, enchanting,

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horrific, tragic,
wonderful glory.

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♪ Or 20 years

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♪ Can I go where you go

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♪ Can we always be this close

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- [Narrator] The track
list consists of 18 songs,

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more than any of
her other albums,

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depicting many sentiments
stemming from love.

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[gentle music]

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The imagery of "Reputation"
was dark and cold.

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"Lover"'s bright colors
and themes contrasted this.

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However, a common misconception
is that "Reputation"

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lyrically is all about revenge.

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Although some songs
do touch on this,

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the majority of the album
details falling in love with Joe

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amidst all the personal tumult.

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[gentle music]

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"Lover" acts almost
as a sister album,

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further detailing
the relationship and the highs and lows

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of what she had
been going through.

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In the closing track,
"Daylight," Swift contemplates

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that love to her now is golden,
rather than burning red,

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as she once believed, a
reference to the title track

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of her 2012 Studio album, "Red."

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[gentle music]

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The song represents Swift's
mature understanding of love,

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her personal life,
and her public image.

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[gentle music]

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Although mainly positive,

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some critics felt as though
"Lover" was a bit too much

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like an unnecessary course
correction from "Reputation,"

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rather than a
collection of themes

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Swift was really
interested in pursuing.

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The album features
some career highlights,

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"Cruel Summer,"
"Lover," "Cornelia Street," and "Daylight."

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However, fans often feel as
though the album is too long

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and includes some of
Swift's worst work today,

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including the lead single, "ME!"

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Because of "Reputation"'s
poor critical success,

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many believe Swift wanted to
distance herself completely

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and start new with the pop
sounds and bright colors.

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Both albums have now
become fan favorites

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and have received their flowers,

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but at the time it
seemed as though Taylor

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was at a crossroads
with her career.

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Although she was still
doing well commercially,

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she wasn't at the height she
was at a couple years prior,

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during her "1989" era.

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[gentle music]

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The ongoing Kanye feud and
relentless tabloid scrutiny

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had taken a toll on Taylor.

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[gentle music]

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In April, 2020, Taylor
Swift was set to embark

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on Lover Fest, her
sixth concert tour

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in support of the album.

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However, the tour was canceled
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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[dramatic music]

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On July 23rd, 202O,
nine captionless black and white images

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of Taylor standing alone
in the woods were uploaded

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to Swift's Instagram account.

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She posted another message

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00:13:20,592 --> 00:13:22,836
on all of her social
media platforms

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saying that her
eighth studio album

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would be released at midnight.

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Swift stated, "Most of the
things I had planned this summer

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didn't end up happening,

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but there is something I hadn't
planned on that did happen,

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00:13:36,988 --> 00:13:41,199
and that thing is my eighth
studio album, 'Folklore.'"

252
00:13:41,199 --> 00:13:44,824
[wind blowing softly]

253
00:13:44,824 --> 00:13:48,103
The creation of the album
was totally unexpected.

254
00:13:48,103 --> 00:13:50,001
Whilst Taylor was in quarantine,

255
00:13:50,001 --> 00:13:54,143
she watched numerous films,
from "LA Confidential,"

256
00:13:54,143 --> 00:13:57,906
"Jane Eyre," "Rear Window,"
and "Marriage Story."

257
00:13:57,906 --> 00:14:01,150
She also read more books
than she ever had before.

258
00:14:01,150 --> 00:14:03,808
Books that dealt
with times past,

259
00:14:03,808 --> 00:14:06,121
a world that doesn't
exist anymore,

260
00:14:06,121 --> 00:14:09,814
such as "Rebecca" by
Daphne du Maurier.

261
00:14:09,814 --> 00:14:12,196
The fiction encouraged
Swift to write songs

262
00:14:12,196 --> 00:14:14,854
that weren't strictly
autobiographical,

263
00:14:14,854 --> 00:14:18,581
and instead experimented with
alternative points of view.

264
00:14:18,581 --> 00:14:21,412
She allowed her
imagination to run wild

265
00:14:21,412 --> 00:14:24,104
when she was alone during
the period of lockdown,

266
00:14:24,104 --> 00:14:26,624
creating a series of
thoughts and visuals

267
00:14:26,624 --> 00:14:29,075
that later became "Folklore."

268
00:14:29,075 --> 00:14:31,698
[gentle music]

269
00:14:34,597 --> 00:14:38,325
"Folklore" was supposed to
be released in early 2021,

270
00:14:38,325 --> 00:14:41,259
but it ended up
being done earlier

271
00:14:41,259 --> 00:14:45,815
and released without a
second thought in July, 2020.

272
00:14:45,815 --> 00:14:47,817
She approached the
album's creation

273
00:14:47,817 --> 00:14:50,613
without subjecting
herself to any rules,

274
00:14:50,613 --> 00:14:54,134
and explained that she used
to put all these parameters

275
00:14:54,134 --> 00:14:58,449
on herself like, how will
this song sound in a stadium?

276
00:14:58,449 --> 00:15:01,038
How will this song
sound on the radio?

277
00:15:01,038 --> 00:15:04,420
If you take away all the
parameters, what do you make?

278
00:15:04,420 --> 00:15:07,389
And I guess the
answer is "Folklore."

279
00:15:07,389 --> 00:15:10,012
[gentle music]

280
00:15:13,188 --> 00:15:16,812
Swift told Billboard,
"It started with imagery,

281
00:15:16,812 --> 00:15:21,575
visuals that popped into my
mind and peaked my curiosity.

282
00:15:21,575 --> 00:15:23,681
Stars drawn around scars.

283
00:15:24,578 --> 00:15:26,304
A cardigan that still bears

284
00:15:26,304 --> 00:15:29,100
the scent of loss
20 years later.

285
00:15:30,481 --> 00:15:34,381
Battleships sinking into
the ocean, down, down, down.

286
00:15:35,935 --> 00:15:38,903
The tree swing in the
woods of my childhood.

287
00:15:38,903 --> 00:15:43,252
Hushed tones of, 'Let's run
away' and never doing it.

288
00:15:43,252 --> 00:15:45,634
The sun-drenched
month of August,

289
00:15:45,634 --> 00:15:48,568
sipped away like
a bottle of wine.

290
00:15:48,568 --> 00:15:52,572
A mirrored disco ball
hovering above a dance floor.

291
00:15:52,572 --> 00:15:57,611
A whiskey bottle beckoning,
hands held through plastic.

292
00:15:58,750 --> 00:16:00,614
A single thread, that
for better or worse,

293
00:16:00,614 --> 00:16:02,478
ties you to your fate.

294
00:16:02,478 --> 00:16:06,103
[soft dramatic music]

295
00:16:06,103 --> 00:16:08,657
Pretty soon these images
in my head grew faces

296
00:16:08,657 --> 00:16:11,832
or names and became characters.

297
00:16:11,832 --> 00:16:14,766
I found myself not only
writing my own stories,

298
00:16:14,766 --> 00:16:17,907
but also writing about
or from the perspective

299
00:16:17,907 --> 00:16:21,325
of people I've never
met, people I've known,

300
00:16:21,325 --> 00:16:23,189
or those I wish I hadn't."

301
00:16:23,189 --> 00:16:25,639
[soft dramatic music]

302
00:16:25,639 --> 00:16:30,058
For "Folklore, Swift's lyrics
veered towards escapism

303
00:16:30,058 --> 00:16:31,542
and romanticism.

304
00:16:31,542 --> 00:16:35,546
She enlisted two producers
to achieve her desired sound,

305
00:16:35,546 --> 00:16:38,583
her longtime collaborator,
Jack Antonoff,

306
00:16:38,583 --> 00:16:40,723
with whom she'd
previously collaborated

307
00:16:40,723 --> 00:16:44,762
on the albums "1989,"
"Reputation," and "Lover,"

308
00:16:45,625 --> 00:16:47,109
and Aaron Dessner,

309
00:16:47,109 --> 00:16:52,011
guitarist for the American
indie rock band, The National.

310
00:16:52,011 --> 00:16:56,222
Due to COVID-19 concerns,
Swift, Antonoff, and Dessner

311
00:16:56,222 --> 00:16:59,363
quarantined remotely
separate from each other,

312
00:16:59,363 --> 00:17:02,538
creating "Folklore"
by continually exchanging digital files

313
00:17:02,538 --> 00:17:05,403
of instrumentals and vocals.

314
00:17:05,403 --> 00:17:08,510
The album ensued
from a DIY process,

315
00:17:08,510 --> 00:17:13,515
mixed and engineered
by personnel scattered across the US.

316
00:17:13,515 --> 00:17:16,794
"Folklore" was written
and recorded in secrecy.

317
00:17:16,794 --> 00:17:20,315
Swift, her boyfriend,
family, management team,

318
00:17:20,315 --> 00:17:24,284
Antonoff, and Dessner were
aware of the album's creation.

319
00:17:24,284 --> 00:17:26,942
She did not disclose the
news or play the album

320
00:17:26,942 --> 00:17:29,876
to her friends, like she
did with her previous works.

321
00:17:29,876 --> 00:17:33,086
[soft dramatic music]

322
00:17:34,363 --> 00:17:36,538
Near the end of "Folklore"'s
recording process,

323
00:17:36,538 --> 00:17:39,575
Dessner reached out to
his regular collaborators,

324
00:17:39,575 --> 00:17:41,681
including The
National band mates,

325
00:17:41,681 --> 00:17:44,442
to provide
instrumentation remotely.

326
00:17:44,442 --> 00:17:47,652
[soft dramatic music]

327
00:17:50,552 --> 00:17:53,279
"Folklore" asserts
something that has been true

328
00:17:53,279 --> 00:17:55,936
from the very start
of Swift's career.

329
00:17:55,936 --> 00:17:58,698
Her biggest strength
is her storytelling,

330
00:17:58,698 --> 00:18:02,150
but this time her sound
departed from pop maximalism

331
00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:06,292
and synth-driven to an
alternative indie folk sound.

332
00:18:06,292 --> 00:18:09,467
[soft dramatic music]

333
00:18:09,467 --> 00:18:12,781
The stories told in
"Folklore" include a ghost

334
00:18:12,781 --> 00:18:15,887
that discovers its
murderer at its funeral,

335
00:18:15,887 --> 00:18:18,821
a young girl with a
traumatized friend,

336
00:18:18,821 --> 00:18:22,342
an elderly widow shunned
by her community,

337
00:18:22,342 --> 00:18:24,931
recovering alcoholics,
and a love triangle

338
00:18:24,931 --> 00:18:28,279
between the fictional
characters, Betty, James,

339
00:18:28,279 --> 00:18:31,972
and an unnamed woman, as
depicted in the tracks

340
00:18:31,972 --> 00:18:34,872
"Cardigan," "Betty,"
and "August,"

341
00:18:34,872 --> 00:18:36,701
with each of the
three songs written

342
00:18:36,701 --> 00:18:39,152
from each of the
character's perspective

343
00:18:39,152 --> 00:18:41,568
at different points
in their lives.

344
00:18:41,568 --> 00:18:44,433
[soft dramatic music]

345
00:18:44,433 --> 00:18:47,781
DIY techniques were used
to produce the album art,

346
00:18:47,781 --> 00:18:51,130
packaging, and lyric
videos for "Folklore."

347
00:18:51,130 --> 00:18:53,891
Due to COVID-19
issues, Swift worked

348
00:18:53,891 --> 00:18:56,204
without a technical
crew on the visuals

349
00:18:56,204 --> 00:18:58,792
with photographer
Beth Garrabrant.

350
00:18:58,792 --> 00:19:02,520
The photo shoot marked a change
from Swift's older shoots,

351
00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,592
where she would have
100 people on set

352
00:19:05,592 --> 00:19:07,629
commanding alongside
other people

353
00:19:07,629 --> 00:19:09,872
in a very committee fashion.

354
00:19:09,872 --> 00:19:13,911
She styled herself, including
hair, makeup, and wardrobe,

355
00:19:13,911 --> 00:19:17,880
and prescribed Garrabrant
a specific moodboard.

356
00:19:19,158 --> 00:19:22,299
The black and white,
gray-scale filter on the photos

357
00:19:22,299 --> 00:19:24,370
gives them their
distinguishing look.

358
00:19:24,370 --> 00:19:27,580
[soft dramatic music]

359
00:19:28,719 --> 00:19:31,618
Swift departs from the
technicolor carnival

360
00:19:31,618 --> 00:19:34,173
of its predecessor, "Lover,"

361
00:19:34,173 --> 00:19:38,349
and adopts a rustic,
nature-focused, cottage-core aesthetic

362
00:19:38,349 --> 00:19:43,251
for "Folklore" that reflects
its lyrical ideas of escapism.

363
00:19:44,666 --> 00:19:48,773
She opens the music video for
"Cardigan" by settling down

364
00:19:48,773 --> 00:19:52,467
at an old piano an a
quaint cabin in the woods.

365
00:19:52,467 --> 00:19:55,124
[soft dramatic music]

366
00:19:55,124 --> 00:19:57,196
♪ But I knew you

367
00:19:57,196 --> 00:19:58,956
♪ Dancing in your Levi's

368
00:19:58,956 --> 00:20:02,304
♪ Drunk under a streetlight, I

369
00:20:02,304 --> 00:20:04,168
♪ I knew you

370
00:20:04,168 --> 00:20:05,963
♪ Hand under my sweatshirt

371
00:20:05,963 --> 00:20:09,449
♪ Baby, kiss it better, I

372
00:20:09,449 --> 00:20:13,522
♪ And when I felt like
I was an old cardigan ♪

373
00:20:13,522 --> 00:20:16,456
♪ Under someone's bed

374
00:20:16,456 --> 00:20:21,496
♪ You put me on and said
I was your favorite ♪

375
00:20:23,532 --> 00:20:25,362
- [Narrator] The album
was instantly hailed

376
00:20:25,362 --> 00:20:29,780
as Swift's magnum opus, met
with widespread critical acclaim

377
00:20:29,780 --> 00:20:32,438
from critics and fans alike.

378
00:20:32,438 --> 00:20:35,579
"Folklore" shows Swift
at her most vulnerable,

379
00:20:35,579 --> 00:20:39,341
the emotional weight and
introspective songwriting

380
00:20:39,341 --> 00:20:43,518
made it her most sophisticated
and subdued body of work.

381
00:20:43,518 --> 00:20:46,659
[soft dramatic music]

382
00:20:48,074 --> 00:20:51,284
She uses the eccentric
debutante, Rebekah Harkness,

383
00:20:51,284 --> 00:20:53,942
who married into the
standard oil dynasty

384
00:20:53,942 --> 00:20:56,807
and once lived in Swift's
Rhode Island house,

385
00:20:56,807 --> 00:21:00,707
in her story in "The Last
Great American Dynasty"

386
00:21:00,707 --> 00:21:03,917
to celebrate women who
have a marvelous time

387
00:21:03,917 --> 00:21:05,712
ruining everything.

388
00:21:05,712 --> 00:21:08,336
[soft dramatic music]

389
00:21:08,336 --> 00:21:11,339
You're able to visualize the
song's events in your head

390
00:21:11,339 --> 00:21:15,584
like a tale because it is rich
with historical information

391
00:21:15,584 --> 00:21:18,207
and Americana imagery,

392
00:21:18,207 --> 00:21:20,106
but it also makes a
powerful statement

393
00:21:20,106 --> 00:21:23,074
about how society
views outspoken women.

394
00:21:23,074 --> 00:21:25,698
[soft dramatic music]

395
00:21:25,698 --> 00:21:29,840
At the conclusion, Swift
skillfully creates a distinction

396
00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:32,118
between Harkness and herself.

397
00:21:32,118 --> 00:21:35,328
[soft dramatic music]

398
00:21:39,677 --> 00:21:41,817
The album has been
contextualized

399
00:21:41,817 --> 00:21:44,441
as the quintessential
lockdown album,

400
00:21:44,441 --> 00:21:46,615
and felt like the
perfect accompaniment

401
00:21:46,615 --> 00:21:50,170
for the weird
loneliness of 2020.

402
00:21:50,170 --> 00:21:53,795
It is hailed as the
first great pandemic art.

403
00:21:53,795 --> 00:21:55,555
"Folklore" and
its songs received

404
00:21:55,555 --> 00:21:59,456
five Grammy-Award nominations
at the 63rd ceremony,

405
00:21:59,456 --> 00:22:01,285
winning the Album of the Year.

406
00:22:01,285 --> 00:22:03,149
Swift became the
first woman in history

407
00:22:03,149 --> 00:22:05,841
to win Album of the Year thrice,

408
00:22:05,841 --> 00:22:07,671
and the fourth artist overall,

409
00:22:07,671 --> 00:22:12,503
tied with Frank Sinatra,
Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon.

410
00:22:12,503 --> 00:22:15,713
[soft dramatic music]

411
00:22:20,718 --> 00:22:25,240
On December 10th, 2020, Swift
once again surprised her fans

412
00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,105
with the announcement of
her ninth studio album

413
00:22:28,105 --> 00:22:31,315
and "Folklore"'s sister
record, "Evermore."

414
00:22:31,315 --> 00:22:33,731
She described "Evermore"
as an offshoot

415
00:22:33,731 --> 00:22:35,561
of the Folklorian woods.

416
00:22:35,561 --> 00:22:37,701
[gentle music]

417
00:22:37,701 --> 00:22:40,911
Swift and Dessner continued
to collaborate virtually.

418
00:22:40,911 --> 00:22:43,603
After the release of
"Folklore," he would give her

419
00:22:43,603 --> 00:22:47,089
instrumental recordings, to
which she would add vocals.

420
00:22:47,089 --> 00:22:49,402
[gentle music]

421
00:22:49,402 --> 00:22:52,198
She stated the rave
reception of "Folklore"

422
00:22:52,198 --> 00:22:56,340
encouraged her to experiment
further with its musical style.

423
00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,550
"Evermore" was dubbed
"a weird avalanche,"

424
00:22:59,550 --> 00:23:02,519
effecting from
"Folklore" by Dessner.

425
00:23:03,934 --> 00:23:07,178
"Evermore"'s creation was
a more experimental process

426
00:23:07,178 --> 00:23:09,042
than its predecessor was,

427
00:23:09,042 --> 00:23:11,666
during which the duo did
not subject themselves

428
00:23:11,666 --> 00:23:13,357
to any limitations.

429
00:23:13,357 --> 00:23:16,015
[gentle music]

430
00:23:18,431 --> 00:23:21,952
Much like "Folklore,"
on December 10th, 2020,

431
00:23:21,952 --> 00:23:24,920
three days prior to
her 31st birthday,

432
00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,923
Swift posted nine
photos on Instagram,

433
00:23:27,923 --> 00:23:31,133
which together formed an image
depicting the singer's back,

434
00:23:31,133 --> 00:23:34,999
with her hair in a braid,
and facing a forest.

435
00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:39,590
Swift wrote, "You've all
been so caring, supportive,

436
00:23:39,590 --> 00:23:41,730
and thoughtful on my birthdays,

437
00:23:41,730 --> 00:23:44,595
and so this time I thought
I would give you something.

438
00:23:44,595 --> 00:23:46,390
I also know this holiday season

439
00:23:46,390 --> 00:23:48,599
will be a lonely
one for most of us,

440
00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:51,464
and if there are any of you
out there who turn to music

441
00:23:51,464 --> 00:23:54,329
to cope with missing
loved ones the way I do,

442
00:23:54,329 --> 00:23:55,641
this is for you."

443
00:23:55,641 --> 00:23:57,781
[gentle music]

444
00:23:57,781 --> 00:24:00,231
Prior to the "Willow"
music video premiere,

445
00:24:00,231 --> 00:24:04,028
Swift said she likens
"Evermore" to fall and winter,

446
00:24:04,028 --> 00:24:08,654
in contrast to
its predecessor's, spring and summer.

447
00:24:08,654 --> 00:24:11,277
♪ The more that you
say, the less I know ♪

448
00:24:11,277 --> 00:24:14,004
♪ Wherever you stray, I follow

449
00:24:14,004 --> 00:24:16,938
♪ I'm begging for
you to take my hand ♪

450
00:24:16,938 --> 00:24:19,561
♪ Wreck my plans,
that's my man ♪

451
00:24:19,561 --> 00:24:22,426
♪ You know that my train
could take you home ♪

452
00:24:22,426 --> 00:24:25,049
♪ Anywhere else is hollow

453
00:24:25,049 --> 00:24:27,845
♪ I'm begging for
you to take my hand ♪

454
00:24:27,845 --> 00:24:30,572
♪ Wreck my plans,
that's my man ♪

455
00:24:30,572 --> 00:24:33,333
♪ The more that you
say, the less I know ♪

456
00:24:33,333 --> 00:24:36,233
♪ Wherever you stray, I follow

457
00:24:36,233 --> 00:24:40,720
♪ Begging for you to take
my hand, wreck my plans ♪

458
00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:42,066
[gentle music]

459
00:24:42,066 --> 00:24:43,689
- [Narrator] "Evermore"
is a personal album

460
00:24:43,689 --> 00:24:46,830
that has a strong foundation
in character studies,

461
00:24:46,830 --> 00:24:50,834
narrative mythmaking,
and complex first-person storytelling

462
00:24:50,834 --> 00:24:52,870
from third-person views.

463
00:24:54,182 --> 00:24:57,150
It further explores the
fantastical universe that Swift

464
00:24:57,150 --> 00:25:01,430
created with "Folklore," by
using fact and imagination.

465
00:25:01,430 --> 00:25:04,123
[gentle music]

466
00:25:04,123 --> 00:25:07,540
The escapist themes of
both albums are similar,

467
00:25:07,540 --> 00:25:11,475
but "Evermore" is bolder,
unrestrained, frivolous,

468
00:25:11,475 --> 00:25:15,168
and impressionistic, digging
deeply into Swift's concepts

469
00:25:15,168 --> 00:25:18,793
of adult love and grief,
in contrast to "Folklore"'s

470
00:25:18,793 --> 00:25:22,417
more introspective and
sentimental nature.

471
00:25:22,417 --> 00:25:25,040
[gentle music]

472
00:25:26,904 --> 00:25:30,114
It was at this point in Swift's
career that she was regarded

473
00:25:30,114 --> 00:25:33,083
as the songwriter
of her generation.

474
00:25:33,083 --> 00:25:35,706
These two albums were
career-redefining,

475
00:25:35,706 --> 00:25:38,467
and threw emphasis on
Swift's work ethic,

476
00:25:38,467 --> 00:25:41,332
helping critics recognize
her musicianship,

477
00:25:41,332 --> 00:25:43,852
now viewing her as
a dedicated singer

478
00:25:43,852 --> 00:25:47,338
moving away from her pop
star image in the mid 2010s.

479
00:25:47,338 --> 00:25:49,962
[gentle music]

480
00:25:54,276 --> 00:25:56,727
Being a Taylor Swift
fan is hard work,

481
00:25:56,727 --> 00:25:58,591
and she doesn't make it easy.

482
00:25:58,591 --> 00:26:00,697
Ever since the beginning
of her music career,

483
00:26:00,697 --> 00:26:03,147
the singer has constantly
left Easter eggs

484
00:26:03,147 --> 00:26:06,185
within her work to
leave fans guessing.

485
00:26:06,185 --> 00:26:09,153
Whether it be hidden
messages in lyric booklets

486
00:26:09,153 --> 00:26:12,156
or teasing albums
months in advance,

487
00:26:12,156 --> 00:26:17,196
Swift has been the queen of
teasing fans since day one.

488
00:26:18,473 --> 00:26:19,923
"It's sort of a
tradition that we started

489
00:26:19,923 --> 00:26:22,339
a very long time ago,"
Swift said to Jimmy Fallon

490
00:26:22,339 --> 00:26:24,790
about the origins
of her Easter eggs.

491
00:26:24,790 --> 00:26:26,654
"I think the first time
that I started dropping

492
00:26:26,654 --> 00:26:31,417
sort of cryptic clues in my
music was when I was 14 or 15,

493
00:26:31,417 --> 00:26:33,143
putting together
my first album."

494
00:26:33,143 --> 00:26:35,904
[gentle music]

495
00:26:35,904 --> 00:26:37,665
While Swift stopped
this tradition

496
00:26:37,665 --> 00:26:39,632
during the "Reputation" era,

497
00:26:39,632 --> 00:26:42,808
she had a habit of hiding
messages in her old work.

498
00:26:42,808 --> 00:26:45,189
Specifically, she
would hide liner notes

499
00:26:45,189 --> 00:26:48,986
in the lyrics of each of her
songs in her CD booklets.

500
00:26:48,986 --> 00:26:52,956
From "Fearless" to "Red," all
of her lyrics were lowercase

501
00:26:52,956 --> 00:26:54,820
and the message
could be deciphered

502
00:26:54,820 --> 00:26:57,374
through the capitalized letters.

503
00:26:57,374 --> 00:26:59,963
For "1989," she
did the opposite.

504
00:26:59,963 --> 00:27:01,689
[gentle music]

505
00:27:01,689 --> 00:27:04,553
During these eras,
Swift's dating life

506
00:27:04,553 --> 00:27:07,660
was often much more
publicized than it is now.

507
00:27:07,660 --> 00:27:11,699
The singer even used her
music to address her romances,

508
00:27:11,699 --> 00:27:14,978
from hidden messages
to pointed lyrics.

509
00:27:17,256 --> 00:27:19,914
Some of her references
were more obvious,

510
00:27:19,914 --> 00:27:23,193
as the liner message
for "Should've Said No,"

511
00:27:23,193 --> 00:27:25,851
just said the name
Sam repeatedly,

512
00:27:25,851 --> 00:27:29,924
addressing a former boyfriend
who allegedly cheated on her.

513
00:27:29,924 --> 00:27:32,581
Others were more subtle,
like the liner note

514
00:27:32,581 --> 00:27:36,793
for "Last Kiss," being,
"Forever and always,"

515
00:27:36,793 --> 00:27:39,796
a reference to a song
title from her former album

516
00:27:39,796 --> 00:27:42,557
that is said to be
about Joe Jonas.

517
00:27:42,557 --> 00:27:44,317
[gentle music]

518
00:27:44,317 --> 00:27:47,596
As the "Reputation" album
kicked into full gear,

519
00:27:47,596 --> 00:27:49,840
the music video for
her lead single,

520
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:53,085
"Look What You Made Me Do,"
was full of Easter eggs.

521
00:27:53,085 --> 00:27:55,846
Since she wasn't doing
interviews during this era,

522
00:27:55,846 --> 00:27:58,090
Swift said it was her
way of communicating

523
00:27:58,090 --> 00:28:00,817
and staying connected
to her fans.

524
00:28:00,817 --> 00:28:04,061
"Literally the whole video
is just an Easter egg,"

525
00:28:04,061 --> 00:28:06,305
she said to
Entertainment Weekly.

526
00:28:06,305 --> 00:28:08,445
"There are thousands
of Easter eggs.

527
00:28:08,445 --> 00:28:11,103
There are some that people
still haven't found.

528
00:28:11,103 --> 00:28:14,520
It will be decades before
people find them all."

529
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,454
[gentle music]

530
00:28:17,454 --> 00:28:20,595
One of Swift's biggest
Easter eggs came in the form

531
00:28:20,595 --> 00:28:24,254
of an Instagram post
in April of 2020,

532
00:28:24,254 --> 00:28:26,981
when she shared a photo
of herself with a caption,

533
00:28:26,981 --> 00:28:29,397
"Not a lot going
on at the moment."

534
00:28:29,397 --> 00:28:32,089
Given that this was during
the height of the pandemic,

535
00:28:32,089 --> 00:28:35,368
fans did not consider this
an Easter egg at the time.

536
00:28:35,368 --> 00:28:38,337
Of course, once the singer
revealed she was releasing

537
00:28:38,337 --> 00:28:42,203
her eighth studio album,
"Folklore," all became clear.

538
00:28:42,203 --> 00:28:44,826
[gentle music]

539
00:28:48,105 --> 00:28:50,832
As "Folklore"'s release
had fans scrambling

540
00:28:50,832 --> 00:28:53,076
to figure out all
her Easter eggs,

541
00:28:53,076 --> 00:28:56,182
one major one was
William Bowery,

542
00:28:56,182 --> 00:28:58,737
who was credited on
two "Folklore" tracks

543
00:28:58,737 --> 00:29:02,016
and is later credited
on three for "Evermore."

544
00:29:02,016 --> 00:29:05,157
Swifties were quick to figure
out that William Bowery

545
00:29:05,157 --> 00:29:09,092
was a pen name for Swift's
boyfriend Joe Alwyn,

546
00:29:09,092 --> 00:29:11,922
as his great-grandfather's
name was William Alwyn,

547
00:29:11,922 --> 00:29:14,822
and the Bowery Hotel was
where Swift and Alwyn

548
00:29:14,822 --> 00:29:17,100
first hung out in 2016.

549
00:29:17,100 --> 00:29:18,653
[gentle music]

550
00:29:18,653 --> 00:29:20,931
Swift confirms William
Bowery's identity

551
00:29:20,931 --> 00:29:23,554
in her Disney Plus
film, teasing that,

552
00:29:23,554 --> 00:29:26,626
"William Bowery is
Joe, as we know."

553
00:29:26,626 --> 00:29:29,250
[gentle music]

554
00:29:32,667 --> 00:29:35,739
On February 11th,
2021, she announced

555
00:29:35,739 --> 00:29:38,224
on "Good Morning America"
that the rerecording

556
00:29:38,224 --> 00:29:41,158
of "Fearless," to which
she added the subtitle,

557
00:29:41,158 --> 00:29:43,816
"Taylor's Version," was
the first in the series

558
00:29:43,816 --> 00:29:45,818
of her rerecorded albums.

559
00:29:45,818 --> 00:29:48,545
[gentle music]

560
00:29:48,545 --> 00:29:52,825
She released an anagram-filled
video from the vault,

561
00:29:52,825 --> 00:29:55,448
which referred to all
of her unreleased songs

562
00:29:55,448 --> 00:29:56,795
from the album.

563
00:29:56,795 --> 00:29:59,418
"The vault door is
about to be as unhinged

564
00:29:59,418 --> 00:30:02,317
as you think I am after
you watch this video,"

565
00:30:02,317 --> 00:30:04,699
she said on social media.

566
00:30:04,699 --> 00:30:07,564
"Level: Expert.
Happy, decoding."

567
00:30:07,564 --> 00:30:09,704
[gentle music]

568
00:30:09,704 --> 00:30:12,638
Fans managed to decode
the titles of the six new

569
00:30:12,638 --> 00:30:16,090
vault tracks and the name
of one of her collaborators,

570
00:30:16,090 --> 00:30:19,472
Keith Urban, who is
featured on a song.

571
00:30:19,472 --> 00:30:21,578
The vault tracks Swift
wrote when she was

572
00:30:21,578 --> 00:30:25,133
in her teenage years and
intended to include in,

573
00:30:25,133 --> 00:30:29,586
but ultimately left out of the
original "Fearless" release.

574
00:30:29,586 --> 00:30:33,141
Swift said by including
these unreleased tracks,

575
00:30:33,141 --> 00:30:35,557
which she absolutely adored

576
00:30:35,557 --> 00:30:38,388
but were held back
for different reasons,

577
00:30:38,388 --> 00:30:41,667
the rerecorded album
proved that the artist

578
00:30:41,667 --> 00:30:45,153
is the only one who really
knows that body of work.

579
00:30:45,153 --> 00:30:47,707
[gentle music]

580
00:30:49,537 --> 00:30:51,228
The same arrangements and lyrics

581
00:30:51,228 --> 00:30:54,300
are used as they were on
the original recordings,

582
00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:56,544
which prompted numerous
critics to note

583
00:30:56,544 --> 00:30:59,892
that a casual listener might
not know any differences,

584
00:30:59,892 --> 00:31:01,825
but underlined
that the production

585
00:31:01,825 --> 00:31:03,965
includes more
defined instruments,

586
00:31:03,965 --> 00:31:06,899
a crisper mix, and
greater quality.

587
00:31:08,211 --> 00:31:11,041
Journalists described
"Fearless [Taylor's Version]"

588
00:31:11,041 --> 00:31:13,319
as a key event in
raising awareness

589
00:31:13,319 --> 00:31:16,184
for artists' rights
in the music industry.

590
00:31:16,184 --> 00:31:18,738
They considered that
Taylor's Version branding

591
00:31:18,738 --> 00:31:22,225
an effective strategy
in mobilizing Swift fans

592
00:31:22,225 --> 00:31:27,195
to consume the rerecorded
album over the original.

593
00:31:27,195 --> 00:31:31,337
The album debuted at number
one on the Billboard 200 chart,

594
00:31:31,337 --> 00:31:33,719
a return to the number one spot,

595
00:31:33,719 --> 00:31:37,826
13 years after the
original release in 2008.

596
00:31:37,826 --> 00:31:40,450
[gentle music]

597
00:31:42,970 --> 00:31:45,938
[soft upbeat music]

598
00:31:55,914 --> 00:31:57,467
On June 18th, 2021,

599
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,057
Swift revealed that
"Red [Taylor's Version]"

600
00:32:01,057 --> 00:32:04,336
would be released on
November 19th, 2021

601
00:32:04,336 --> 00:32:06,683
and would contain all 30 songs

602
00:32:06,683 --> 00:32:09,962
that were meant to be
on the 2012 version.

603
00:32:09,962 --> 00:32:13,138
She also teased the original
10-minute-long version

604
00:32:13,138 --> 00:32:15,968
of the fan favorite
track, "All Too Well,"

605
00:32:15,968 --> 00:32:18,177
which had been highly
requested by fans,

606
00:32:18,177 --> 00:32:20,076
as part of the track listing.

607
00:32:20,076 --> 00:32:23,079
[soft upbeat music]

608
00:32:23,079 --> 00:32:26,323
On August 5th, Swift
posted a cryptic video

609
00:32:26,323 --> 00:32:29,464
across her social media
teasing a word puzzle

610
00:32:29,464 --> 00:32:31,225
for the fans to solve.

611
00:32:31,225 --> 00:32:34,883
It's spelled out, "Chris
Stapleton," "Phoebe Bridgers,"

612
00:32:34,883 --> 00:32:39,612
"Babe," "Better Man," and "All
Too Well 10 Minute Version."

613
00:32:39,612 --> 00:32:42,684
[soft upbeat music]

614
00:32:45,135 --> 00:32:50,071
Swift revealed a teaser for
"All Too Well: The Short Film."

615
00:32:51,521 --> 00:32:54,662
The Teaser showed a vintage
car driving past a road

616
00:32:54,662 --> 00:32:58,562
bounded by autumnal woods, and
it was written and directed

617
00:32:58,562 --> 00:33:03,291
by Swift, starring herself,
Sadie Sink, and Dylan O'Brien.

618
00:33:04,672 --> 00:33:07,986
This song has always been
hailed as Swift's magnum opus

619
00:33:07,986 --> 00:33:10,057
by critics and fans.

620
00:33:10,057 --> 00:33:12,300
The song details the
story of her breakup

621
00:33:12,300 --> 00:33:14,475
with actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

622
00:33:14,475 --> 00:33:17,202
[soft dramatic music]

623
00:33:17,202 --> 00:33:21,171
Before "All Too Well" was cut
down to a 10-minute version

624
00:33:21,171 --> 00:33:25,106
and then more to a final five
minute and 28 second version,

625
00:33:25,106 --> 00:33:27,315
American songwriter, Liz Rose,

626
00:33:27,315 --> 00:33:29,179
with whom Swift wrote the song,

627
00:33:29,179 --> 00:33:32,734
believed it was probably
a 20-minute song.

628
00:33:34,184 --> 00:33:37,705
Memories are the building
blocks of "All Too Well."

629
00:33:37,705 --> 00:33:40,708
The song relies on specifics
of the rise and fall

630
00:33:40,708 --> 00:33:43,918
of a romantic relationship
drawn from memory.

631
00:33:43,918 --> 00:33:45,885
[soft dramatic music]

632
00:33:45,885 --> 00:33:49,096
Apart from mentioning
more expository details,

633
00:33:49,096 --> 00:33:51,581
"All Too Well [10
Minute Version]"

634
00:33:51,581 --> 00:33:56,172
provides greater context
than the five-minute version.

635
00:33:56,172 --> 00:33:58,829
Swift mentions the age
difference between her

636
00:33:58,829 --> 00:34:00,797
and the subject several times,

637
00:34:00,797 --> 00:34:03,558
and states how the subject
used it as an excuse

638
00:34:03,558 --> 00:34:05,422
to terminate their relationship,

639
00:34:05,422 --> 00:34:08,287
but continued to date
women of her age.

640
00:34:08,287 --> 00:34:11,083
She recollects the
buildup and intensity

641
00:34:11,083 --> 00:34:15,122
of falling in love and
acknowledges her naivety.

642
00:34:15,122 --> 00:34:18,159
The track was met with
universal critical acclaim,

643
00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:21,128
often hailed as the
standout track on "Red"

644
00:34:21,128 --> 00:34:23,820
and a career
highlight for Swift.

645
00:34:23,820 --> 00:34:25,580
Publications have
said the release

646
00:34:25,580 --> 00:34:27,617
of "Red [Taylor's Version],"

647
00:34:27,617 --> 00:34:30,068
"All Too Well [10
Minute Version],"

648
00:34:30,068 --> 00:34:31,828
the accompanying short film,

649
00:34:31,828 --> 00:34:33,933
and Swift's rerecording venture,

650
00:34:33,933 --> 00:34:36,591
collectively is one of
the biggest newsmakers

651
00:34:36,591 --> 00:34:38,973
in pop culture
moments of all time.

652
00:34:38,973 --> 00:34:43,426
♪ Keep my old scarf from
that very first week ♪

653
00:34:43,426 --> 00:34:47,982
♪ 'Cause it reminds
you of innocence and it smells like me ♪

654
00:34:47,982 --> 00:34:50,467
♪ You can't get rid of it

655
00:34:50,467 --> 00:34:55,507
♪ 'Cause you remember
it all too well, yeah ♪

656
00:34:58,441 --> 00:35:03,411
♪ 'Cause there we are
again when I loved you so ♪

657
00:35:04,930 --> 00:35:07,829
♪ Back before you lost the one
real thing you've ever known ♪

658
00:35:07,829 --> 00:35:10,177
♪ It was rare, I was there

659
00:35:10,177 --> 00:35:13,973
♪ I remember it all too well

660
00:35:17,149 --> 00:35:18,702
[soft dramatic music]

661
00:35:18,702 --> 00:35:22,292
- At the 2022 MTV
Video Music Awards,

662
00:35:22,292 --> 00:35:25,571
Swift received five
nominations for the short film,

663
00:35:25,571 --> 00:35:27,401
winning three of them.

664
00:35:27,401 --> 00:35:30,128
In her acceptance speech for
the Video of the Year award,

665
00:35:30,128 --> 00:35:33,407
she announced a brand
new studio album

666
00:35:33,407 --> 00:35:37,307
scheduled for release
on October 21st, 2022.

667
00:35:37,307 --> 00:35:40,724
Soon after, the phrase,
"Meet me at midnight"

668
00:35:40,724 --> 00:35:43,382
and a clock that was
ticking down to midnight

669
00:35:43,382 --> 00:35:46,247
were added to Swift's
official website.

670
00:35:46,247 --> 00:35:49,561
Some of Swift's tracks on
Spotify had their song canvases

671
00:35:49,561 --> 00:35:51,873
changed to a picture of a clock.

672
00:35:51,873 --> 00:35:55,118
[soft dramatic music]

673
00:35:58,225 --> 00:36:01,607
At midnight, Swift posted
across her social media accounts

674
00:36:01,607 --> 00:36:05,266
that her 10th studio album
would be titled "Midnights."

675
00:36:05,266 --> 00:36:07,786
She described the
album as the stories

676
00:36:07,786 --> 00:36:11,859
of 13 sleepless nights
scattered throughout her life.

677
00:36:11,859 --> 00:36:14,137
[soft dramatic music]

678
00:36:14,137 --> 00:36:17,313
Swift's official website
crashed due to heavy traffic

679
00:36:17,313 --> 00:36:18,969
following the posts.

680
00:36:18,969 --> 00:36:21,938
According to Swift, the
subject matter of "Midnights"

681
00:36:21,938 --> 00:36:25,907
was inspired by five
major topics, self-hatred,

682
00:36:25,907 --> 00:36:29,428
revenge fantasies, wondering
what might have been,

683
00:36:29,428 --> 00:36:32,397
falling in love,
and falling apart.

684
00:36:32,397 --> 00:36:35,607
[soft dramatic music]

685
00:36:37,436 --> 00:36:40,474
When Swift's and Antonoff's
partners, Joe Alwyn,

686
00:36:40,474 --> 00:36:43,822
and American actress Margaret
Qualley, respectively,

687
00:36:43,822 --> 00:36:47,860
were filming in Panama for the
2022 romantic thriller movie,

688
00:36:47,860 --> 00:36:49,414
"Stars at Noon,"

689
00:36:49,414 --> 00:36:52,348
they decided to team up
to co-produce "Midnights."

690
00:36:52,348 --> 00:36:54,281
[soft upbeat music]

691
00:36:54,281 --> 00:36:57,111
Since "1989," Jack Antonoff

692
00:36:57,111 --> 00:36:59,562
has worked with
Swift repeatedly.

693
00:36:59,562 --> 00:37:02,496
Swift and Antonoff
collaborated in New York City.

694
00:37:02,496 --> 00:37:04,152
While their co-stars shot,

695
00:37:04,152 --> 00:37:08,743
the duo wrote 11 of the
album's 13 songs together.

696
00:37:08,743 --> 00:37:10,193
Of the remaining two,

697
00:37:10,193 --> 00:37:13,127
Swift wrote the track
"Vigilante Shit" alone

698
00:37:13,127 --> 00:37:15,440
and "Sweet Nothing" with Alwyn,

699
00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:18,546
who is credited with his
pseudonym, William Bowery.

700
00:37:18,546 --> 00:37:21,653
[soft upbeat music]

701
00:37:21,653 --> 00:37:24,172
In contrast to "Folklore"
and "Evermore"'s

702
00:37:24,172 --> 00:37:26,658
indie and alternative
folk sound,

703
00:37:26,658 --> 00:37:30,351
Swift set out to make an
experimental pop album,

704
00:37:30,351 --> 00:37:34,079
extending her alternative
approach to synth pop sounds.

705
00:37:34,079 --> 00:37:36,944
"Midnight"'s, distinctive
sound has been described

706
00:37:36,944 --> 00:37:41,811
as maximalist minimalism, which
incorporates soft melodies,

707
00:37:41,811 --> 00:37:45,124
emphasized beats, and
vintage synthesizers.

708
00:37:45,124 --> 00:37:47,161
[soft upbeat music]

709
00:37:47,161 --> 00:37:50,820
After experimenting
with fictional plot lines and characters

710
00:37:50,820 --> 00:37:52,994
in "Folklore" and "Evermore,"

711
00:37:52,994 --> 00:37:55,100
Swift makes a return to lyricism

712
00:37:55,100 --> 00:37:59,967
that is primarily
autobiographical with this album.

713
00:37:59,967 --> 00:38:02,487
The New Yorker said
"'Midnights' is a collage

714
00:38:02,487 --> 00:38:05,800
of various emotions
during the spontaneous,

715
00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,941
restless headspace
of nighttime thought,

716
00:38:08,941 --> 00:38:12,704
with a distinctive
confessional, but cryptic tone.

717
00:38:12,704 --> 00:38:16,777
The key topics include
feminism, insecurity, anxiety,

718
00:38:16,777 --> 00:38:18,675
and self-criticism."

719
00:38:18,675 --> 00:38:21,575
[soft upbeat music]

720
00:38:21,575 --> 00:38:25,613
The lead single "Anti-Hero"
examines her mental insecurities

721
00:38:25,613 --> 00:38:29,479
in depth, detailing the
things she hates about herself

722
00:38:29,479 --> 00:38:33,311
and her struggle with not
feeling like a person.

723
00:38:33,311 --> 00:38:36,797
Themes addressed include
ghosting acquaintances,

724
00:38:36,797 --> 00:38:39,938
camouflaging
narcissism as altruism,

725
00:38:39,938 --> 00:38:42,768
fears of relationships
being transactional,

726
00:38:42,768 --> 00:38:45,771
and Swift's inability to
co-mingle with people,

727
00:38:45,771 --> 00:38:48,326
normally due to her
celebrity status.

728
00:38:48,326 --> 00:38:49,948
[soft upbeat music]

729
00:38:49,948 --> 00:38:51,950
Upon the release of "Midnights,"

730
00:38:51,950 --> 00:38:55,678
"Anti-Hero" earned
over 17.4 million plays

731
00:38:55,678 --> 00:38:58,715
in its first 24 hours
on Spotify globally,

732
00:38:58,715 --> 00:39:00,890
becoming the biggest
opening day for a song

733
00:39:00,890 --> 00:39:02,892
in the platform's history.

734
00:39:02,892 --> 00:39:05,135
♪ 'Cause you got
tired of my scheming ♪

735
00:39:05,135 --> 00:39:07,034
♪ For the last time

736
00:39:07,034 --> 00:39:11,694
♪ It's me, hi, I'm
the problem, it's me ♪

737
00:39:11,694 --> 00:39:16,733
♪ At tea time,
everybody agrees ♪

738
00:39:18,183 --> 00:39:21,324
♪ I'll stare directly at the
sun but never in the mirror ♪

739
00:39:21,324 --> 00:39:26,294
♪ It must be exhausting always
rooting for the anti-hero ♪

740
00:39:26,294 --> 00:39:28,952
[upbeat music]

741
00:39:31,161 --> 00:39:33,785
- "Midnights" is Swift's
most commercially successful

742
00:39:33,785 --> 00:39:35,303
album to date.

743
00:39:35,303 --> 00:39:39,031
It broke a string of sales,
streaming, digital, vinyl,

744
00:39:39,031 --> 00:39:42,656
and official chart
records globally.

745
00:39:42,656 --> 00:39:45,693
Billboard declared
it a blockbuster.

746
00:39:46,694 --> 00:39:49,076
According to
Universal Music Group,

747
00:39:49,076 --> 00:39:53,080
"Midnights" moved 3 million
global album equivalent units

748
00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:57,084
in its first week, and over
6 million in two months.

749
00:39:57,084 --> 00:39:59,673
It broke all-time
records on Spotify,

750
00:39:59,673 --> 00:40:02,779
such as those for the most
streamed album in a single day,

751
00:40:02,779 --> 00:40:06,680
with 186 million streams
in its opening day,

752
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:10,960
surpassing the previous
record of 155 million streams

753
00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,203
by Drake's "Certified
Lover Boy."

754
00:40:13,203 --> 00:40:14,826
[soft upbeat music]

755
00:40:14,826 --> 00:40:18,243
She scored the most historic
week in the 64-year history

756
00:40:18,243 --> 00:40:21,108
of the Billboard
Hot 100 Songs chart,

757
00:40:21,108 --> 00:40:23,869
as she was the first artist
to claim the survey's

758
00:40:23,869 --> 00:40:26,562
entire top 10 in a single frame.

759
00:40:29,737 --> 00:40:33,741
Various publications dubbed
Swift as the Paramount pop star

760
00:40:33,741 --> 00:40:36,813
of the 21st century,
wielding a commercial

761
00:40:36,813 --> 00:40:38,436
and cultural dominance

762
00:40:38,436 --> 00:40:40,852
surpassing those of
her contemporaries.

763
00:40:40,852 --> 00:40:42,785
[soft upbeat music]

764
00:40:42,785 --> 00:40:45,443
Swift had now
become unstoppable.

765
00:40:45,443 --> 00:40:48,584
Her career has lasted longer
than that of The Beatles,

766
00:40:48,584 --> 00:40:52,484
and even broke the band's once
deemed unbeatable records.

767
00:40:52,484 --> 00:40:54,244
[soft upbeat music]

768
00:40:54,244 --> 00:40:57,834
Critics lauded her ability
to remain culturally-relevant

769
00:40:57,834 --> 00:41:01,355
and successful 18 years
into her music career,

770
00:41:01,355 --> 00:41:05,083
writing that the Rolling
Stones, Bob Dylan, David Bowie,

771
00:41:05,083 --> 00:41:08,914
and Bruce Springsteen were
past their prime at that age.

772
00:41:08,914 --> 00:41:11,123
[soft upbeat music]

773
00:41:11,123 --> 00:41:13,781
During her promotion of
"Midnights" on talk shows

774
00:41:13,781 --> 00:41:16,819
such as "The Tonight Show
Starring Jimmy Fallon"

775
00:41:16,819 --> 00:41:20,374
and the "Graham Norton
Show" in October, 2022.

776
00:41:20,374 --> 00:41:22,825
Swift hinted at
an upcoming tour.

777
00:41:22,825 --> 00:41:25,483
[soft upbeat music]

778
00:41:25,483 --> 00:41:28,693
On November 1st, she announced
on "Good Morning America"

779
00:41:28,693 --> 00:41:30,626
and through her
social media accounts

780
00:41:30,626 --> 00:41:34,353
her sixth concert tour, The
Eras Tour, describing it

781
00:41:34,353 --> 00:41:38,116
as a journey through the
musical eras of her career.

782
00:41:38,116 --> 00:41:40,532
[soft upbeat music]

783
00:41:40,532 --> 00:41:43,501
The initial US states
were so popular

784
00:41:43,501 --> 00:41:46,296
that several politicians
and government officials

785
00:41:46,296 --> 00:41:49,783
demanded the tour be brought
to their country or city.

786
00:41:49,783 --> 00:41:52,406
[soft upbeat music]

787
00:41:52,406 --> 00:41:54,684
Everyone knew getting
tickets for Taylor Swift's

788
00:41:54,684 --> 00:41:57,549
The Eras Tour was going
to be a challenge,

789
00:41:57,549 --> 00:42:00,794
but no one, especially
not Ticketmaster,

790
00:42:00,794 --> 00:42:04,142
the platform responsible for
distributing said tickets,

791
00:42:04,142 --> 00:42:07,559
seemed remotely aware of
just how messy the process

792
00:42:07,559 --> 00:42:09,009
would turn out to be.

793
00:42:09,009 --> 00:42:10,493
[soft dramatic music]

794
00:42:10,493 --> 00:42:14,186
The Verified Fan program from
Ticketmaster enables users

795
00:42:14,186 --> 00:42:19,053
to sign up in advance and have
access to presale tickets.

796
00:42:19,053 --> 00:42:22,332
The highest registration
in the site's history,

797
00:42:22,332 --> 00:42:26,474
over 3.5 million individuals
registered for the program

798
00:42:26,474 --> 00:42:28,615
in advance of Swift's tour,

799
00:42:28,615 --> 00:42:33,171
and roughly 1.5 million were
allowed access to the presale.

800
00:42:33,171 --> 00:42:35,069
[soft dramatic music]

801
00:42:35,069 --> 00:42:37,071
However, according
to Ticketmaster,

802
00:42:37,071 --> 00:42:40,592
when the presale began
on November 15th, 2022,

803
00:42:40,592 --> 00:42:44,562
bots and fans without invite
codes crowded the site,

804
00:42:44,562 --> 00:42:46,840
causing it to crash repeatedly

805
00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:51,154
and aggravating fans
to the point of rage.

806
00:42:51,154 --> 00:42:53,709
Fans complained of
hours-long wait times

807
00:42:53,709 --> 00:42:55,814
that resulted in
technical glitches

808
00:42:55,814 --> 00:42:59,887
as well as presale phases that
were rescheduled or canceled.

809
00:42:59,887 --> 00:43:02,959
[soft dramatic music]

810
00:43:05,065 --> 00:43:08,827
On November 17th, 2022,
Ticketmaster announced

811
00:43:08,827 --> 00:43:11,968
that the general sale
wouldn't open at all.

812
00:43:11,968 --> 00:43:15,454
"Due to extraordinarily high
demands on ticketing systems

813
00:43:15,454 --> 00:43:18,181
and insufficient
remaining ticket inventory

814
00:43:18,181 --> 00:43:21,426
to meet that demand,
tomorrow's public on sale

815
00:43:21,426 --> 00:43:25,119
for Taylor Swift: The Eras
Tour has been canceled,"

816
00:43:25,119 --> 00:43:26,776
the company tweeted.

817
00:43:26,776 --> 00:43:30,159
[soft dramatic music]

818
00:43:30,159 --> 00:43:33,334
Soon after tickets became
available on Ticketmaster,

819
00:43:33,334 --> 00:43:36,061
they went on sale all
over resale sites,

820
00:43:36,061 --> 00:43:38,926
selling from $200
to over $22,000.

821
00:43:40,514 --> 00:43:42,999
Even some of the few
who did initially get

822
00:43:42,999 --> 00:43:46,347
to purchase tickets may have
paid more than they expected

823
00:43:46,347 --> 00:43:49,972
because of a dynamic
pricing model.

824
00:43:49,972 --> 00:43:54,390
On November 18th, 2022, Swift
took to Instagram stories

825
00:43:54,390 --> 00:43:56,426
to address the controversy,

826
00:43:56,426 --> 00:43:59,567
writing a long statement
that read, in part,

827
00:43:59,567 --> 00:44:02,053
"There are a multitude
of reasons why people had

828
00:44:02,053 --> 00:44:04,572
such a hard time
trying to get tickets,

829
00:44:04,572 --> 00:44:06,920
and I'm trying to figure
out how this situation

830
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:09,198
can be improved moving forward."

831
00:44:09,198 --> 00:44:12,408
[soft dramatic music]

832
00:44:14,790 --> 00:44:18,966
On December 12th, 2022,
Ticketmaster began notifying

833
00:44:18,966 --> 00:44:23,522
select fans, identified as
fans who received a boost

834
00:44:23,522 --> 00:44:25,904
during the Verified Fan presale

835
00:44:25,904 --> 00:44:27,699
but did not purchase tickets,

836
00:44:27,699 --> 00:44:30,322
of a second
ticket-buying opportunity

837
00:44:30,322 --> 00:44:33,429
to purchase a maximum
of two tickets per user

838
00:44:33,429 --> 00:44:34,948
through Ticketstoday.

839
00:44:34,948 --> 00:44:37,053
Ticketmaster sold
the first US leg's

840
00:44:37,053 --> 00:44:40,608
remaining 170,000
tickets over four weeks.

841
00:44:42,956 --> 00:44:47,098
However, amid all the drama,
the tour received rave reviews

842
00:44:47,098 --> 00:44:49,583
from music and
entertainment critics

843
00:44:49,583 --> 00:44:52,344
who praised both the
high-end spectacle

844
00:44:52,344 --> 00:44:54,657
and polished
artistry of the tour.

845
00:44:54,657 --> 00:44:57,453
[upbeat music]

846
00:44:57,453 --> 00:44:58,834
♪ Are you ready for it

847
00:44:58,834 --> 00:45:00,801
♪ I'm drunk in the
back of the car ♪

848
00:45:00,801 --> 00:45:04,287
♪ And I cried like a baby
coming home from the bar ♪

849
00:45:04,287 --> 00:45:06,773
♪ Said, I'm fine,
but it wasn't true ♪

850
00:45:06,773 --> 00:45:11,363
♪ I love you, ain't that the
worst thing you ever heard ♪

851
00:45:11,363 --> 00:45:12,917
- People would come up
to me and they'd be like,

852
00:45:12,917 --> 00:45:16,541
"You're gonna just do a show
with all the albums in it?"

853
00:45:16,541 --> 00:45:19,647
And I was like, "Yeah, it's
gonna be called The Eras Tour."

854
00:45:19,647 --> 00:45:23,203
[soft dramatic music]

855
00:45:23,203 --> 00:45:26,206
- [Narrator] The versatility
of the show's, music, visuals,

856
00:45:26,206 --> 00:45:29,105
and performance art was
often a point of praise

857
00:45:29,105 --> 00:45:30,520
in its reviews.

858
00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:33,385
Going through every era
of her musical career

859
00:45:33,385 --> 00:45:35,111
creates a spectacle.

860
00:45:36,319 --> 00:45:38,943
As Swift had released
four new studio albums

861
00:45:38,943 --> 00:45:41,842
since her Reputation
Tour in 2018,

862
00:45:41,842 --> 00:45:43,982
she thought this would
be a good way for fans

863
00:45:43,982 --> 00:45:46,329
to be able to hear all
the different songs.

864
00:45:46,329 --> 00:45:48,469
[soft dramatic music]

865
00:45:48,469 --> 00:45:52,784
The Eras Tour broke ticket
sales records worldwide.

866
00:45:52,784 --> 00:45:55,614
On the first day of
the US presale alone,

867
00:45:55,614 --> 00:45:59,446
the tour sold over
2.4 million tickets,

868
00:45:59,446 --> 00:46:02,483
the most sold by an
artist in a single day.

869
00:46:02,483 --> 00:46:04,623
And on August 31st, 2023,

870
00:46:05,763 --> 00:46:07,557
Swift announced
the concert film,

871
00:46:07,557 --> 00:46:11,907
"Taylor Swift: The Eras
Tour," directed by Sam Wrench.

872
00:46:11,907 --> 00:46:14,047
[soft dramatic music]

873
00:46:14,047 --> 00:46:16,221
The Eras Tour had
a tremendous effect

874
00:46:16,221 --> 00:46:20,570
on the entertainment world,
the music business, and more.

875
00:46:20,570 --> 00:46:22,745
It was said to be one
of the most significant

876
00:46:22,745 --> 00:46:25,575
21st century cultural phenomena,

877
00:46:25,575 --> 00:46:30,615
attracting attention comparable
to Beatlemania in the 1960s.

878
00:46:31,961 --> 00:46:33,929
The tour improved the local
economies of its stops

879
00:46:33,929 --> 00:46:37,070
by boosting small
businesses and tourism,

880
00:46:37,070 --> 00:46:40,590
drew sizable crowds of
fans outside stadiums,

881
00:46:40,590 --> 00:46:43,455
dominated news cycles
and social media,

882
00:46:43,455 --> 00:46:46,562
prompted government and
organization tributes,

883
00:46:46,562 --> 00:46:51,187
and accelerated the public's
consumption of her discography.

884
00:46:51,187 --> 00:46:53,707
Critics often
described The Eras Tour

885
00:46:53,707 --> 00:46:57,366
as a monocultural event
demonstrating Swift's impact

886
00:46:57,366 --> 00:46:58,919
on popular culture.

887
00:46:58,919 --> 00:47:02,060
[soft dramatic music]

888
00:47:05,477 --> 00:47:09,378
Swift is regarded as a
trailblazer of the 21st century

889
00:47:09,378 --> 00:47:12,760
for her diverse music
ability, songwriting skill,

890
00:47:12,760 --> 00:47:14,693
and business acumen,

891
00:47:14,693 --> 00:47:17,938
all of which have served as
an inspiration to musicians,

892
00:47:17,938 --> 00:47:21,321
entrepreneurs, and businessmen
all over the world.

893
00:47:21,321 --> 00:47:23,392
[soft dramatic music]

894
00:47:23,392 --> 00:47:27,154
She started out with country
music, migrated into pop,

895
00:47:27,154 --> 00:47:29,432
and experimented with
alternative rock,

896
00:47:29,432 --> 00:47:31,918
indie rock, and
electronic sounds,

897
00:47:31,918 --> 00:47:35,680
erasing the lines
between musical genres.

898
00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,959
Her unique mix of chart
success, critical praise,

899
00:47:38,959 --> 00:47:42,860
and fervent fan devotion has
been characterized by critics

900
00:47:42,860 --> 00:47:45,586
as a cultural quintessence,
allowing her to have

901
00:47:45,586 --> 00:47:49,245
an enormous effect on the
music industry and beyond.

902
00:47:49,245 --> 00:47:52,455
[soft dramatic music]

903
00:47:58,323 --> 00:48:01,257
There really is no
stopping Taylor Swift.

904
00:48:01,257 --> 00:48:04,295
Her career has had
its highs and lows,

905
00:48:04,295 --> 00:48:08,092
but she's now untouchable
and unstoppable.

906
00:48:08,092 --> 00:48:11,302
[soft dramatic music]

907
00:48:27,870 --> 00:48:30,908
[soft upbeat music]