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Welcome to New York

Promotional Single | 1989 (2014) | 1989 (Taylor's Version) [2023]

“Welcome to New York” is the opening track for Taylor’s fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). It introduced the world to a brand new chapter in her life. After experimenting with electro pop elements on her previous album, RED (2012), her country starlet persona was all but gone with the release of 1989. The re-recording of the song, “Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version)”, was released on October 27, 2023.

Background and Release

Inspired by 1980s synth-pop with synthesizers, drum pads, and overlapped vocals, Taylor decided to move away from the signature country styles of her previous releases and incorporate straightforward pop production for 1989. The recording process began in mid-2013 concurrently with the start of Taylor’s “The RED Tour” in support of her fourth studio album, RED (2012).

Taylor recalled that her relocation to New York City in March 2014 served as an inspiration for 1989‘s conception, saying: “I was so intimidated by this city for so long. I thought I would never be able to make it here, because I wasn’t something enough — bold enough, brave enough to take on this huge city in all of its blaring honesty. And then at a certain point I just thought, ‘I’m ready.'” She said that the city’s energy prompted her to embark on “endless potential and possibilities”. To this end, she actively sought to collaborate with new producers, including Ryan Tedder. Tedder was contacted by Taylor via a Voice Memo, and produced two tracks for 1989: “Welcome to New York” and “I Know Places“. “Welcome to New York” was released for digital download via the iTunes Store on October 20, 2014, as one of 1989‘s pre-release promotional singles. Prior to the digital release, Taylor shared a 30-second sample of the song on YouTube.

Lyrical Theme and Production

“Welcome to New York” was written by Taylor and Ryan Tedder, even before Taylor had moved to New York. Tedder programmed the song with a Roland Juno-106 synthesizer and finished the first demo within three hours. He then produced four different versions of the song, but Taylor chose the one closest to the first demo as the final version. The song’s title is a literal way for Taylor to welcome fans to her new sound. Paralleling her own move from Nashville to New York, 1989 as an album reflects her new lifestyle — moving from her country roots to the big city with all its glitz and glamour. Regarding the song’s role as the album opener, she said:

«I wanted to start 1989 with this song because New York has been an important landscape and location for the story of my life in the last couple of years. I dreamt and obsessed over moving to New York, and then I did it. The inspiration that I found in that city is hard to describe and to compare to any other force of inspiration I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s an electric city.»

Taylor Swift

Lyrically, the song also sees Taylor supporting equality for the LGBTQ+ community for the first time:

And you can want who you want
Boys and boys and girls and girls

Live Performances

Taylor performed “Welcome to New York” during the “1989 Secret Sessions“, live streamed by Yahoo! and iHeartRadio on October 27, 2014. The song was also included as the opener for “The 1989 World Tour“, which Taylor embarked on to support 1989 throughout 2015.

She has since performed “Welcome to New York” acoustically multiple times, usually when she is in the New York area. On July 20, 2018, she sang it as the surprise song for her “reputation Stadium Tour” show in East Rutherford. She also performed it at the “Amazon Prime Day Concert 2019” and the “Z100 Jingle Ball 2019” during the Lover Era. Four years later, Taylor sang “Welcome to New York” on May 28, 2023, in East Rutherford, where she chose it as the first “surprise song” as part of “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024). On March 18, 2024, Taylor performed a mashup of “Welcome to New York” with “Clean” and “Say Don’t Go” during her second “Eras Tour” show in Stockholm, to celebrate the tour’s 89th show. In New Orleans on October 27, 2024, Taylor paired it with “Hits Different” (2022).

Critical Reception

“Welcome to New York” was met with mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who found the song lacking substance compared to other popular New York tribute songs. Robert Christgau, in a review published on Cuepoint, felt that most critics had been too harsh so as to not appear to be fans of Taylor. He said, “I think it’s silly to demand sociology from someone who can’t stroll Central Park without bodyguards”, and defended Taylor’s perspectives given her upper middle class background as opposed to the majority of the middle class in New York City. On a more positive note, Daniel D’Addario of TIME stated that the song was a “new kind of equality anthem”. He added that he felt that the song’s lighthearted production and the lyrics “You can want who you want / Boys and boys and girls and girls” effectively promoted sexual equality.

Commercial Performance

“Welcome to New York” was released as a promotional single for the album on October 20, 2014. In the United States, the song peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling one million units in the United States.

As proof of Taylor’s love for her adopted hometown, all proceeds from sales of the single went to New York City Public Schools. The city also showed love back when it made Taylor a tourism ambassador.

Taylor's Version

“Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version)” is included as the opening track on Taylor’s fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version). It was released on October 27, 2023.