Entertainment

Ryan Adams' '1989' Is So Different Than T. Swift's

by Kaitlin Reilly

I remember anxiously refreshing my iTunes in anticipation of Taylor Swift's 1989 album hitting the streaming service. This year, I'm having a bit of a deja vu moment, because on Monday, singer-songwriter Ryan Adams dropped an entire album of 1989 covers. From "Blank Space" to "I Know Places," this guy turned Swift's first all-pop album into something completely different. Any hardcore Swift fan needs to find a place for Adams' version of his friend's album on their iPod, ASAP — it's like experiencing the original all over again from a totally new angle. Heck, even Swift herself was counting down the days to this album release — that's how big of a deal this cover album should be to Swifties.

If there's one complaint that most people have with cover albums, it's that they often sound too similar to the original version — a sub-par karaoke version of an already awesome thing. That's not the case at all with Adams' 1989: instead of simply singing Swift's pop tunes, Adams has infused his own style into each and every song. The bones of the song are there, but the composition is different — sometimes so different that you may not even initially recognize the Swift tune Adams is covering. Every track is a completely new experience, even if you listened to the original 1989 for months on end.

So what tracks sound completely different on Adams' album? Here are the seven songs you need to check out ASAP:

1. "Wildest Dreams"

If you can't stop re-watching Swift's latest 1989 music video, take a short break to listen to this track. (Yes, Adams does sing about standing in a nice dress.)

2. "This Love"

This song isn't currently a single, so pretty much only album owners have heard this track. Adams does a gorgeous job with this haunting ballad. Bonus? You'll be able to understand Adams' version of "This Love" better than Swift's, and they're pretty damn beautiful.

3. "Out Of The Woods"

There's absolutely zero frills to this cover of Swift's second 1989 single, which features a simple guitar medley and Adams' unique vocals. In fact, Adams' "Out Of The Woods" is barely recognizable as a Swift cover — this song might as well be an Adams' original.

4. "How You Get The Girl"

There's something very cool about hearing this track sung from a guy's perspective (it takes on an entirely different meaning) and it's no surprise that Adams nails this song.

5. "Blank Space"

Adams breathes brand new life into this fun pop track and gives the song a quiet, earnest quality.

6. "Welcome To New York"

Oddly, this song reminds me way more of Bryan Adams than the Adams who is actually singing it. The '80s-esque cover is totally on point with the 1989 theme.

7. "Style"

Interestingly, this is the one track on this list that is actually far more high energy than the original. It's also the most different overall: even some of the lyrics have been changed to fit the fact that it's Adams singing to a woman. It has a fuller sound overall, and is definitely one to put on your running playlist.

You can listen to the rest of Adams songs on his Vevo page, or download the entire 1989 cover album on iTunes.