This is an opinion from someone who isn't a fan and can give you an idea of how random people see 1989 from the outside. I'm NOT a Taylor fan at all. I think I just admire her pop music, I've been aware of her latest releases like Rep, Lover, Foklore and Evermore but what really made me interested in Taylor Swift for the very first time was 1989. I don't like her coutry music (sorry, I like country but hers was just not for me) but then in 2014 this great, brilliant, magical, incredible album came out and it's up to this date that it has a special place in my heart, in my life and I just fell under a spell with this album so called, 1989.
I love even those songs that are not as great like WTNY, and my least fav was Bad Blood. But I fell in love with the entire album, my favs are I Wish You Would, You Are In Love, How You Get The Girl but my top fav is Out of The Woods.
And I've been checking this reddit fandom to have some news and theories about the re-recordings as I'm so excited now about the 1989 re-release like no one else! I'm DYING to listen to those new 'songs from the vault'. And I've been also reading many opinions about 1989 from the fandom and I feel like you guys have no idea of the incredible thing Taylor did with this album. Her carreer started to rise and it's what it is now because of how successful that album was. 1989 is Taylor's masterpiece and if you search '1989 is the best TS album' you'll find many sites stating 1989 is HER BEST ALBUM EVER. You talk to much about Folklore and Evermore? Ha! those have NOTHING to do with 1989. I remember people went all over 1989 when it came out, even more than Folklore.
Some fans say they like Folklore or Evermore more just because of the story telling but c'mon! you're not buying a book, you're buying music. I agree, Rep kinda made 1989 decrease in popularity in the fandom circle, also the Miss Americana doc only made it worse but remember Taylor was happy while making the album, it's when the tour came out that she started having these health problems so I don't see why reject an album just because of that. Now I hear people saying 'I didn't like this song but it grew up on me' and feels like you're just forcing a song you don't like to actually like it and I don't think that's how it works. You like a song or just don't like it and with 1989 I didn't have to make it grow in me, it just went with the flow and some songs are better than others but I love the entire album and that's not something it happened with her other albums, I liked just a few songs but the rest were just meh for me.
After listening to 1989 I decided to give Red a chance but nope, seems like I don't like country Taylor but then I was kinda disappointed when Rep came out because I was hoping a 1989 sister and suddenly she jumped to this new dark music and I didn't like it excpet for Getaway Car or King Of My Heart. But when Lover came out I really loved it but not as much as 1989 and forget about Folklore and Evermore, I don't like them, sorry. And that's when I understood we are never getting another 1989 project and that's why I'm so excited for the re-recorded edition.
It's sad to see the fandom not appreciating Taylor's best album and the one that crowned her as the music industry but these are my two cents. Remember I'm not a fan and I think I just love Pop Taylor more. Hope my opinion help you guys to know how people see it from the outside.
Have a great day! You're such a wonderful fandom, so faithful.