Maps of Music
Red (2012)
Where the lyrics of Red take you, and where it was really made.
Swift promoted Red as a country album, but critics argued over whether her genre identity still fit country at all.
View on the mapKey places
Recorded at Blackbird Studio, Nashville (2012)
Recording site Blackbird Studio — Blackbird Studio in Nashville is listed among the recording locations for Red. It is one of the studios tied to the album's sessions. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded in New York City (2012)
Recording site Record Plant Studios — Ballroom West is listed among the recording locations for Red. The point marks New York City at city-center level, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles (2012)
Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles is listed among the recording locations for Red, alongside The Village. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded at The Village, Los Angeles (2012)
Recording site Village Recorders — The Village in Los Angeles is listed among the recording locations for Red, alongside Conway Recording Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded in Minneapolis (2012)
Recording site Flyte Tyme Records — Instrument Landing is listed among the recording locations for Red. The point marks Minneapolis at city-center level, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded in North Hollywood (2012)
Recording site Schnee Studio — Marlay is listed among the recording locations for Red. The point marks North Hollywood at city-center level, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded in Stockholm (2012)
Recording site Master Plan — MXM Studios is listed among the recording locations for Red. The point marks Stockholm at city-center level, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Recorded in Santa Monica (2012)
Recording site Ruby Red — Ruby Red is listed among the recording locations for Red. The point marks Santa Monica at city-center level, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- Red: fourth studio album by Taylor Swift
- Released 22 October 2012 through Big Machine Records
- Framed by Swift as a breakup album about the aftermath of a failed relationship
- Mixes pop, rock, folk, and country with acoustic instruments and electronic synths and drum machines
- Standard and deluxe editions released on the same day
Background
- Speak Now (2010) was Swift's third studio album, produced with Nathan Chapman
- Swift felt her creativity was diminished by repeating the same songwriting process
- She sought to work with other producers and move outside her comfort zone of writing songs alone
- Production sessions took place between stops of the Speak Now World Tour in 2011 and 2012
- Swift reworked the new album while touring
- Swift considered the album a statement of her thirst for learning
Recording
- Swift wrote and produced early tracks with Nathan Chapman in Nashville, Tennessee
- The title track was a critical point in the album's formation
- Scott Borchetta, Big Machine's president, suggested a pop-oriented sound
- Swift asked Borchetta to bring in Max Martin, then travelled to Los Angeles to work with Martin and Shellback
- Other producers included Dann Huff, Jeff Bhasker, Butch Walker, Dan Wilson, and Jacknife Lee
- Over 30 songs were written before recording began; 16 made the standard edition
Cover
- Cover shows Swift looking downward with her face partly shadowed by a brimmed hat
- Several journalists linked the artwork to Joni Mitchell's 1971 album Blue
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Tracklist
Disc 1
| 1 | The Moment I Knew | 4:46 |
| 2 | Come Back… Be Here | 3:43 |
| 3 | Girl at Home | 3:40 |
| 4 | Treacherous (original demo recording) | 4:00 |
| 5 | Red (original demo recording) | 3:46 |
| 6 | State of Grace (acoustic version) | 5:23 |
Disc 2
| 1 | State of Grace | 4:55 |
| 2 | Red | 3:41 |
| 3 | Treacherous | 4:01 |
| 4 | I Knew You Were Trouble. | 3:38 |
| 5 | All Too Well | 5:28 |
| 6 | 22 | 3:50 |
| 7 | I Almost Do | 4:03 |
| 8 | We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together | 3:12 |
| 9 | Stay Stay Stay | 3:25 |
| 10 | The Last Time | 4:58 |
| 11 | Holy Ground | 3:22 |
| 12 | Sad Beautiful Tragic | 4:44 |
| 13 | The Lucky One | 4:00 |
| 14 | Everything Has Changed | 4:04 |
| 15 | Starlight | 3:38 |
| 16 | Begin Again | 3:58 |
Sources: musicbrainz.org
Artist
Early life
- Born December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania.
- Named after singer-songwriter James Taylor.
- Moved to Nashville area at 14 to pursue a country music career.
- Signed with Big Machine Records in 2005.
Career
- Debut album Taylor Swift (2006) peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200.
- Fearless (2008) spent eleven weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and was the best-selling album of 2009 in the US.
- Shifted from country to pop with 1989 (2014), which spent eleven weeks at number one.
- Released Folklore and Evermore (2020), indie folk albums that debuted at number one.
- Re-recorded her first six albums after a dispute over her master recordings.
- The Eras Tour (2023–2024) became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
- Holds 14 Grammy Awards, including a record four Album of the Year wins.
- Named Time Person of the Year in 2023.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Initial reviews mostly praised Swift's songwriting for mature perspectives and sharp details
- Pop-leaning production divided critics, who called it either bold or inconsistent
- Metacritic weighted average: 77 out of 100, based on 23 mainstream reviews
- Nominated for Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards
Reappraisal
- Critics later regarded it as a career-defining album for Swift
- Rolling Stone placed it at number 99 on the 2023 revision of its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list
Records
- Topped charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom
- Spent seven weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200
- Certified eight-times platinum by the RIAA
- 5.2 million copies sold worldwide by the end of 2012
- Won Favorite Country Album at the American Music Awards and Top Billboard 200 Album at the Billboard Music Awards in 2013
- Certified triple platinum by the BPI in January 2025 for UK sales
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Swift named the album after the color she associated with her tumultuous and extreme emotions.
- Scott Borchetta overheard the production of the title track and suggested a pop-oriented sound, which became a turning point in the album's formation.
- Swift called Red her 'only true breakup album', saying its mixed musical styles were a metaphor for how messy a real breakup is.
- The commercial success of its pop singles led Swift to work again with Max Martin and Shellback on her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
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