In confirming plans to release “Welcome to New York” as an instant gratification track from new album “1989,” Taylor Swift stressed that the song would be available globally.
A welcome response to complaints that her previous release “Out of the Woods” was not immediately available in all markets, the decision also came with an unintended consequence: a release that would preempt the song’s US debut.
Insofar as the clock has already struck midnight in international markets, audio for “Welcome to New York” is already available in some nations. Since users on social media networks like Tumblr and Twitter will upload and share audio the second it releases in any capacity, the opening “1989” track is already accessible–albeit in unauthorized form–to listeners in the US (and all other countries).
Synth-heavy and simplistically anthemic, the song departs from Swift’s established sound and songwriting style in a far more significant fashion than previous releases “Shake it Off” and “Out of the Woods.” Headline Planet’s review, which will address the positive and negative elements of the new track, will go to print late Monday evening.