In June 2019, Scooter Braun—the music executive and manager of pop stars like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato—purchased Big Machine Label Group. Taylor Swift had teamed with the label on her first six albums, from Taylor Swift (2006) to Reputation (2017), the latter marking her move from sweet, lovesick, country-inflected tunes toward bolder pop music. Braun’s purchase meant he owned Swift’s masters. Swift, who has accused Braun of “bullying,” was not pleased. “For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work,” Swift said. “Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in.” Swift left the label in 2018 and decided to re-record five of those six albums. In April, she released the first of these—her 2008 album, Fearless. Last week, she released the second—her 2012 album, Red. The 2021 version of Red is slower and more brooding than the peppy original. It also includes 10 unreleased songs, features from artist friends like Phoebe Bridgers and Ed Sheeran, and a 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” —J.D.