The main story in the Taylor Swift universe this year has been the release of her new album, Folklore. One of the prevailing story lines of 2019, though, was her falling out with former label Big Machine. Through all the nastiness, the situation did give fans something to look forward to: It was revealed that starting in November 2020 (aka now), Swift would be allowed to re-record the albums she released on the label. While she wouldn’t have ownership over her previous master recordings, she would own the new ones, which would be the point of re-recording the songs.
So, over the weekend, Swift fans got excited when the calendar flipped over to November, and ET notes that #TaylorIsFree was trending online. There was much jubilation:
NOVEMBER IS HERE! This is the month I’ve been most looking forward to since like July/August last year and I’m so excited!!! Taylor can re-record
#TaylorIsFree TAYLOR IS FREE pic.twitter.com/Hb6RLyPPto
— 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 Izzie (@ownedbyswift13) November 1, 2020
THE BEST PEOPLE IN LIFE ARE FREE #TaylorIsFree pic.twitter.com/RmAmgR54fd
— 𝑝𝑎𝑢 ❀ TAYLOR IS FREE (@pauu_nutella) November 1, 2020
Finally, it’s November 2020.#TaylorIsFree #TaylorSwift pic.twitter.com/p9u4YUGrZU
— Swift Art by Aytakin /𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑒 (@art_a_kin) November 1, 2020
The whole world was waiting for this moment #TaylorIsFree
pic.twitter.com/BT8GtrfNMn
— Dana (@Dana70657411) November 1, 2020
Swift re-recording her albums isn’t just some sort of lofty, unrealistic hope, as she has previously expressed a desire to do it. In August of 2019, she talked about it with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, saying, “It’s something that I’m very excited about doing, because my contract says that starting November 2020, so next year, I can record albums 1 through 5 all over again. I’m very excited about it. Because I think that artists deserve to own their work. I just feel very passionately about that. […] It’s next year. It’s right around the corner. I’m gonna be busy. I’m really excited.”