Page 3 | AIBU to think releasing 28 album variations is exploiting your fans?

defrazzled · 2025-10-09T21:04:12+00:00

I looked and couldn't find a thread on this, I wondered what mums of Taylor Swift fans thought. It seems really exploitative to me. DH has thousands of vinyl records but 28 versions of one album? All slightly different so you "gotta catch them all". [[https://archive.ph/Oj0vC https://archive.ph/Oj0vC]] [[https://consequence.net/2025/10/taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl-album-variants/ https://consequence.net/2025/10/taylor-swift-the-life-of-a-showgirl-album-variants/]]

angelikacpickles · 12/10/2025 15:10

sadrose · 12/10/2025 14:44

She did specifically block those two artists and there’s a difference between variant’s and versions.
Billie had variants, it was all the same album and album cover with a different coloured vinyl so you’re not going to buy the same album just to get a different coloured vinyl but what Taylor did to block her was release the same album with a different song added or different cover or a voice note added encouraging fans to buy more than one copy, she also held back 100,000 signed albums to ship when Billie released her album so they’d count towards her numbers that week.
Not sure if she did similar to Charli but probably.

Show quote history

On what basis are you stating as a fact that she blocked those artists though? Did she say that, or is just speculation?

tabulahrasa · 12/10/2025 15:44

sadrose · 12/10/2025 14:44

She did specifically block those two artists and there’s a difference between variant’s and versions.
Billie had variants, it was all the same album and album cover with a different coloured vinyl so you’re not going to buy the same album just to get a different coloured vinyl but what Taylor did to block her was release the same album with a different song added or different cover or a voice note added encouraging fans to buy more than one copy, she also held back 100,000 signed albums to ship when Billie released her album so they’d count towards her numbers that week.
Not sure if she did similar to Charli but probably.

Show quote history

People do indeed buy the same album in different vinyl colours - that’s exactly the market they’re all going for

As if they all just offer fans a choice of colours for no reason 😂

sadrose · 13/10/2025 16:46

angelikacpickles · 12/10/2025 15:10

On what basis are you stating as a fact that she blocked those artists though? Did she say that, or is just speculation?

Show quote history

It’s pretty obvious when she’s holding back large amounts of albums to ship on certain dates or else just release everything at the same time like she is now because she wants to beat Adele’s record

tabulahrasa · 13/10/2025 18:37

sadrose · 13/10/2025 16:46

It’s pretty obvious when she’s holding back large amounts of albums to ship on certain dates or else just release everything at the same time like she is now because she wants to beat Adele’s record

Show quote history

If it’s that obvious then can you explain it?

Because trying to be at number one or beat a sales record doesn’t in any way show she’s blocking other artists rather than just wanting them for their own sake.

Sal820 · 13/10/2025 18:57

Awww I remember the days when Taylor Swift actually had a memorable song. Now she drops 30 in one go and they're all shite. She seems to now be obsessed with writing a song about every single disagreement she ever has, it's very bizarre. No one needs more than one copy of this album (if that).

tabulahrasa · 13/10/2025 19:48

Sal820 · 13/10/2025 18:57

Awww I remember the days when Taylor Swift actually had a memorable song. Now she drops 30 in one go and they're all shite. She seems to now be obsessed with writing a song about every single disagreement she ever has, it's very bizarre. No one needs more than one copy of this album (if that).

No-one needs any copies because streaming exists - but people buy them… and big artists releasing multiple editions of stuff on vinyl is what keeps independent record shops open 🤷‍♀️

Not really sure what your opinion on her music has to do with her supposedly blocking other female artists tbh.

*edited cause autocorrect somehow changed music to lyruc