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Nothing New (song)

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This article is about the Taylor Swift song. For other songs with the same name, see Nothing New (disambiguation).

"Nothing New"
Song by Taylor Swift featuring Phoebe Bridgers
from the album Red (Taylor's Version)
WrittenMarch 2012
ReleasedNovember 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
Studio
Genre
Length4:18
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"Nothing New" on YouTube

"Nothing New"[a] is a song by the American singer-songwriters Taylor Swift featuring Phoebe Bridgers. Swift wrote the song in March 2012 and produced it with Aaron Dessner for her second re-recorded studio album, Red (Taylor's Version), which was released in 2021 through Republic Records. The track is a guitar-led folk and alternative rock tune about anxieties over romance and growing up.

Critics interpreted "Nothing New" as Swift's message about the music industry's treatment of female musicians. They lauded the song's emotional sentiments, Swift's songwriting, and Bridgers's performance. After Red (Taylor's Version) was released, the track peaked at number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the top 40 on national charts in Australia, Canada, and Ireland. "Nothing New" was included on the set list of Swift's the Eras Tour at concerts opened by Bridgers, who performed the song with her.

Background

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"Nothing New" features Phoebe Bridgers (pictured in 2017).

After signing a new contract with Republic Records, the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.[2] The decision followed a public 2019 dispute between Swift and the talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums which the label had released.[3][4] By re-recording the albums, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use and therefore substituted the Big Machine–owned masters.[5] On April 9, 2021, Swift released the first re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor's Version), a re-recording of her second studio album Fearless (2008); the album also featured several unreleased "From the Vault" tracks that she had written but left out of the original albums' track listings.[6]

For Swift's next re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) (2021), she re-recorded all of the 30 songs she had intended for her fourth studio album Red (2012).[7] The original album incorporated country and new styles of pop and rock, as a result of her experimenting with other styles; this prompted a debate over her status as a country artist at the time.[8][9] Like the previous re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) features nine "From the Vault" tracks among the 30 songs.[10] One such track was "Nothing New", which she wrote on an Appalachian dulcimer in March 2012 when she was 22 years old.[11] Swift later approached Aaron Dessner to produce it with her and Phoebe Bridgers to feature vocals on the track for Red (Taylor's Version).[12][13][1]

Music and lyrics

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I've been thinking a lot about getting older and relevancy and how all my heroes have ended up alone.

— Swift describing what led her to write "Nothing New", 2012[11]

"Nothing New" is an alternative rock[14] and folk ballad.[15][16] Its duration lasts for 4 minutes and 18 seconds.[1] The song features a melancholic production[16] driven by guitar[17] and incorporates understated cello,[18] light strings,[19] keyboard, piano, synthesizers, and violin.[1] It was recorded at Long Pond Studios in Hudson Valley. Swift's vocals were recorded at Kitty Committee Studios in Belfast and Bridgers's vocals were recorded at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. The song was mixed at Long Pond and mastered at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.[1]

The lyrics are about anxiety over romance and growing up.[17][20][16] In the chorus, Swift sings, "How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?" reflecting on her growing up, and "Will you still want me when I'm nothing new?"[19] In the views of Olivia Horn from Pitchfork, "Nothing New" is not only about romantic anxieties, but also about "the music business' famously fickle relationship to young women".[16] Laura Snapes from The Guardian agreed with this idea, citing the lyric "People love an ingenue" as Swift's internalized pressure to stay in the public eye.[21] In a journal entry dated March 2, 2012, Swift wrote that the song is about "being scared of aging and things changing and losing what you have".[b]

Release and reception

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"Nothing New" was released as the 23rd track on Red (Taylor's Version) via Republic on November 12, 2021.[22] The song peaked the top 40 on national charts in Australia (31),[23] Canada (22),[24] and Ireland (25).[25] In the United States, "Nothing New" debuted both on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs, with peaks of number 43 and number 11 respectively.[26][27] On other non-national charts, it reached number 33 on the Billboard Global 200 and number 11 on the United Kingdom's Audio Streaming Chart.[28][29] After the album's release, Swift embarked on the Eras Tour in March 2023, where she would perform various songs across her discography and would feature different opening acts at each concert, and Bridgers was one of them.[30][31] At concerts opened by her, "Nothing New" was added on the tour's set list, in which both Swift and Bridgers performed the track.[32][33]

In reviews of Red (Taylor's Version), critics generally praised "Nothing New" for its emotional sentiments, Swift's songwriting, and Bridgers's performance. They picked it as an album highlight[c] and one of the best "From the Vault" tracks.[d] The New York Times' Lindsay Zoladz, Billboard's Jason Lipshutz, Variety's Chris Willman complimented Bridgers's vocals and the thoughtful lyrics.[34][18][36] Carrie Battan of The New Yorker compared "Nothing New" to the "folksy poeticism" of Swift's 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore.[37] Angie Martoccio of Rolling Stone lauded the collaboration: "Swift's adult voice combines with Bridgers' honey-soaked, hushed vocals, melding together in an autumn rush that brushes against your cheek".[20] Some critics praised Swift's double entendre message about the music industry[e]—The A.V. Club editor Saloni Gajjar opined that its "extremely relatable even if you’re not a globally recognized musician."[38] For the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood highlighted its double entendre lyrics and nostalgic sentiments during the age of internet culture.[35]

Critics have ranked "Nothing New" highly among Swift's bonus/vault tracks. Willman and Josh Kurp from Uproxx both ranked it sixth among over 25 vault tracks that Swift released; they praised Bridgers's appearance and the emotionally resonant lyrics.[39][40] Time writers ranked it first in their list; the critic Rachel Sonis wrote: "It's interesting, if a little sad, that Swift was plagued with this thought at only 22 when she wrote this song, knowing where she is now."[41]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from Red (Taylor's Version) album liner notes[1]

  • Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Phoebe Bridgers – lead vocals
  • Aaron Dessner – producer, recording engineer, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, guitar, keyboard, piano, synthesizers
  • Tony Berg – vocal producer
  • Bella Blasko – recording engineer
  • Bryce Dessner – orchestrator
  • Clarice Jensen – cello, cello recording
  • Jonathan Low – recording engineer, mixing engineer
  • Randy Merrill – mastering engineer
  • Christopher Rowe – vocal recording
  • Will Maclellan – vocal recording
  • Kyle Resnick – violin recording
  • Yuki Numata Resnick – violin

Charts

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Chart performance for "Nothing New"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[23] 31
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[24] 22
Global 200 (Billboard)[28] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[25] 25
Portugal (AFP)[42] 158
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[29] 44
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 43
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[27] 11

Certifications

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Certifications for "Nothing New"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] Gold 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[45] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^ Subtitled "(Taylor's Version) (from the Vault)"[1]
  2. ^ The journal entry was published in the deluxe edition booklet of Swift's 2019 album Lover.[11]
  3. ^ Attributed to Pitchfork's Olivia Horn,[16] Spin's Bobby Olivier,[19] and The Guardian's Laura Snapes[21]
  4. ^ Attributed to The New York Times' Lindsay Zoladz[34] and the Los Angeles Times' Mikael Wood[35]
  5. ^ Attributed to Pitchfork's Olivia Horn,[16] Spin's Bobby Olivier,[19] and The Guardian's Laura Snapes[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Red (Taylor's Version) (digital media liner notes). Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift / Republic Records. 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Melas, Chloe (November 16, 2020). "Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters". CNN. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Taylor Swift Wants to Re-Record Her Old Hits". BBC News. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  4. ^ Finnis, Alex (November 17, 2020). "Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained". i. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  5. ^ Shah, Neil (April 9, 2021). "Taylor Swift Releases New Fearless Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  6. ^ Espada, Mariah (July 6, 2023). "Taylor Swift Is Halfway Through Her Rerecording Project. It's Paid Off Big Time". Time. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (June 18, 2021). "Taylor Swift Announces 'Red' As Next Re-Recorded Album, Shares Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. ^ Eells, Josh (September 8, 2014). "Cover Story: The Reinvention of Taylor Swift". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  9. ^ McNutt 2020, p. 77–78.
  10. ^ Al-Heeti, Abhar (November 11, 2021). "Red (Taylor's Version): Release date, tracklist, why Taylor Swift is rerecording her albums". CNET. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Swift, Taylor (August 23, 2019). Lover Deluxe (Media notes) (2nd ed.).
  12. ^ Skinner, Tom (November 13, 2021). "Taylor Swift recalls texting Phoebe Bridgers to ask her to collaborate". NME. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  13. ^ Feeney, Nolan (November 10, 2021). "Phoebe Bridgers 'Got Teary' Recording Her Part on Taylor Swift's Red (Taylor's Version)". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Red (Taylor's Version) (+ A Message from Taylor)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2022. She wrestles with change on 'Nothing New,' an alt-rock duet with Phoebe Bridgers
  15. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (November 15, 2021). "Taylor Swift's Red Rerelease Proves What Fans Always Knew". Slate. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Horn, Olivia (November 15, 2021). "Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor's Version) Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Okon, Wongo (November 12, 2021). "Taylor Swift And Phoebe Bridgers Team Up For The Emotional 'Nothing New'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (November 12, 2021). "Every 'From The Vault' Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's Red (Taylor's Version): Critic's Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d "Taylor Swift Remakes Heartbreak Odyssey with Red (Taylor's Version)". Spin. November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Martoccio, Angie (November 12, 2021). "Congratulations, Indie Fans: We Finally Manifested a Taylor Swift/Phoebe Bridgers Duet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  21. ^ a b c Snapes, Laura (November 12, 2021). "Taylor Swift: Red (Taylor's Version) review – getting back together with a classic". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  22. ^ Swift, Taylor (November 12, 2021). "Red (Taylor's Version) [+ A Message From Taylor]". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Taylor Swift feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Nothing New". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  26. ^ Zellner, Xander (November 22, 2021). "Taylor Swift Charts 26 Songs From Red (Taylor's Version) on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  27. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  30. ^ "Taylor Swift's Eras tour is a career-defining spectacle full of surprises – review". The Independent. March 20, 2023. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  31. ^ Willman, Chris (November 1, 2022). "Taylor Swift Announces 2023 'Eras Tour' of U.S. Stadiums". Variety. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  32. ^ Armstrong, Megan (May 6, 2023). "Taylor Swift And Phoebe Bridgers Performed 'Nothing New' In Nashville". UPROXX. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  33. ^ Kickham, Dylan (May 7, 2023). "Taylor's Eras Tour Set List Gets An Extra Song When Phoebe Bridgers Is The Opener". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  34. ^ a b Zoladz, Lindsay (November 12, 2021). "Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers's Red Duet, and 14 More New Song". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  35. ^ a b Wood, Mikael (December 17, 2021). "How Taylor Swift reclaimed 2012 to win 2021". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  36. ^ Willman, Chris (November 11, 2021). "On Red (Taylor's Version), Taylor Swift's Vault Tracks Are All Too Swell: Album Review". Variety. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  37. ^ Battan, Carrie (November 17, 2021). "Taylor Swift's Quest for Justice". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  38. ^ Gajjar, Saloni (November 15, 2021). "Album Review: Red (Taylor's Version) Is An Epic Time Machine". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  39. ^ Willman, Chris (August 9, 2023). "Taylor Swift's 25 Best Bonus Tracks, Ranked". Variety. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  40. ^ Kurp, Josh (October 27, 2023). "Every Taylor Swift 'From The Vault' (Taylor's Version) Song, Ranked". Uproxx. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  41. ^ Cooney, Samantha; Gutterman, Annabel; Mendes II, Moises; Sonis, Rachel (October 25, 2023). "The Best Taylor Swift Vault Songs, Ranked". Time. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  42. ^ "Taylor Swift feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Nothing New". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  43. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  44. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  45. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Taylor Swift feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Nothing New" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  46. ^ "British single certifications – Taylor Swift – Nothing New (Taylor's Version)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 20, 2024.

Journal

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