1989

1989 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 27, 2014, by Big Machine Records. Inspired by 1980s synth-pop, Swift conceived 1989 to recalibrate her artistry to pop after critics disputed her status as a country musician when she released the cross-genre Red (2012) to country radio. She titled 1989 after her birth year as a symbolic artistic rebirth and enlisted Max Martin, who produced Reds electronic-influenced pop tracks, as co-executive producer. Swift recorded 1989 at studios across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden with an ensemble including Martin, Shellback, Jack Antonoff, Ryan Tedder, Nathan Chapman, and Imogen Heap. The synth-pop production is characterized by pulsing synthesizers, programmed drum machines, and processed backing vocals with electronic elements, a stark contrast to the acoustic arrangements of Swift's past albums. The songs expand on Swift's autobiographical songwriting and explore failed romance from a lighthearted perspective. Swift and Big Machine promoted 1989 extensively through tie-ins and media endorsements but pulled the album from free streaming services, which prompted an industry discourse on the impact of streaming on music sales. To support the album, Swift embarked on the 1989 World Tour, which was the highest-grossing tour of 2015, and released seven singles. Supported by three US number-one singles—"Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Bad Blood", 1989 spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart and was certified nine-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and was certified multi-platinum in many countries. When 1989 was first released, music critics generally complimented what they deemed a catchy production and an emotional engagement in its songwriting. A few felt the synth-pop production eroded Swift's authenticity as a songwriter—a criticism that some journalists retrospectively regarded as rockist. 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards, and it was listed in all-time album rankings by Rolling Stone and Consequence. Critics and academics have considered 1989 an album that transformed Swift's status to a pop icon and promoted poptimism, but they also highlighted the media scrutiny that ensued.