:"Slut!"
{{Short description|2023 single by Taylor Swift}}
{{about|the Taylor Swift song|other uses|Slut (disambiguation)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = {{-'}}Slut!{{'-}}
| cover = Taylor Swift - Slut!.png
| alt = A photo of Swift with a blue background; her face is covered by the word "Slut!”
| type = single
| written =
| recorded =
| released = {{start date|2023|10|27}}
| artist = Taylor Swift
| album = 1989 (Taylor's Version)
| genre = Synth-pop
| studio = * Conway Recording (Hollywood)
- Electric Lady (New York)
- Rough Customer (Brooklyn)
- Sharp Sonics (Los Angeles)
| length = 3:00
| label = Republic
| writer = * Taylor Swift
- Jack Antonoff
- Patrik Berger
| producer = * Taylor Swift
- Jack Antonoff
- Patrik Berger
| prev_title = Cruel Summer
| prev_year = 2023
| next_title = Is It Over Now?
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|qrxsceexTBw&pp|{{"'}}Slut!{{'"}}}}|type=single|header=Lyric video}}
}}
"{{-'}}Slut!{{'-}}"{{efn|The quotation marks are part of the title. The song is officially titled "{{-'}}Slut!' (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)".}} is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who wrote and produced it with Jack Antonoff and Patrik Berger. The song was intended for but ultimately left out of Swift's fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Following a 2019 dispute regarding ownership of Swift's masters, the song was produced for Swift's re-recording of 1989, titled 1989 (Taylor's Version) (2023). {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} was released for streaming and download on October 27, 2023, via Republic Records; the same day, Universal Music released the song to Italian radio. An acoustic version was released for limited-time download as part of a deluxe digital release of the album.
{{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} is a 1980s-inspired mid-tempo synth-pop song incorporating soft synthesizers, electronic elements, and gentle vocals. The lyrics are about embracing a romance in spite of public scrutiny. Music critics interpreted the title as a reference to the slut-shaming Swift had experienced; they gave the song positive reviews, with praise focusing on the production and the playful lyrics. Commercially, {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} peaked at number three on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 10 on charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Background
After signing a new contract with Republic Records, the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift began re-recording her first six studio albums in November 2020.{{cite web |last=Melas |first=Chloe |date=November 16, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Speaks Out about Sale of Her Masters |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/entertainment/taylor-swift-masters/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118064935/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/taylor-swift-speaks-out-about-sale-of-her-masters-1.5191925 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |access-date=November 19, 2020 |publisher=CNN}} The decision followed a public 2019 dispute between Swift and the talent manager Scooter Braun, who acquired Big Machine Records, including the masters of Swift's albums which the label had released.{{Cite news |date=August 22, 2019 |title=Taylor Swift Wants to Re-Record Her Old Hits |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49432817 |url-status=live |access-date=August 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822202321/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49432817 |archive-date=August 22, 2019}}{{cite web |last=Finnis |first=Alex |date=November 17, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Masters: The Controversy around Scooter Braun Selling the Rights to Her Old Music Explained |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-masters-scooter-braun-selling-rights-music-rerecording-row-explained-762411 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212170953/https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-masters-scooter-braun-selling-rights-music-rerecording-row-explained-762411 |archive-date=February 12, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2021 |work=i}} By re-recording the albums, Swift had full ownership of the new masters, which enabled her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use and therefore substituted the Big Machine–owned masters.{{Cite news |last=Shah |first=Neil |date=April 9, 2021 |title=Taylor Swift Releases New Fearless Album, Reclaiming Her Back Catalog |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swift-releases-new-fearless-album-reclaiming-her-back-catalog-11617945524 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=September 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008111731/https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swift-releases-new-fearless-album-reclaiming-her-back-catalog-11617945524 |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |issn=}} From July 2021 to July 2023, Swift released three re-recorded albums of her earlier releases: Fearless (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version), and Speak Now (Taylor's Version); each album also featured several unreleased "From the Vault" tracks that she had written but left out of the original albums' track listings.{{Cite magazine |last=Espada |first=Mariah |date=2023-07-06 |title=Taylor Swift Is Halfway Through Her Rerecording Project. It's Paid Off Big Time |url=https://time.com/6292599/taylor-swift-speak-now-rerecord-project/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027074519/https://time.com/6292599/taylor-swift-speak-now-rerecord-project/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-06 |magazine=Time}}
Republic Records released Swift's fourth re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), on October 27, 2023, on the ninth anniversary of her fifth original studio album, 1989 (2014).{{Cite web |last=Clinton |first=Jane |date=2023-10-26 |title=The tracklist and release date and time for Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/when-taylor-swift-1989-come-out-uk-time-release-date-tracklist-2713656 |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=i}}{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Sadie |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Releases 1989 (Taylor's Version): 'It's Been Waiting for You' |url=https://people.com/taylor-swift-releases-1989-taylors-version-8382650 |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=People}} The original album was Swift's first "official pop" album after she had marketed her first four albums to country radio, and it transformed her artistry and image from country to pop.{{Cite magazine |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=2014-10-24 |title=Album Review: Taylor Swift's Pop Curveball Pays Off With 1989 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-1989-album-review-6289405/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104114329/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-1989-album-review-6289405/ |archive-date=November 4, 2022 |access-date=2023-11-05 |magazine=Billboard}}{{cite web |last=Hertweck |first=Nate |date=January 18, 2018 |title=Taylor Swift, 1989: For The Record |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/taylor-swift-1989-record-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028235929/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/taylor-swift-1989-record-1 |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |access-date=August 8, 2020 |publisher=The Recording Academy}} As with her other re-recorded projects, 1989 (Taylor's Version) features five newly recorded "From the Vault" tracks that Swift had written but left out of the original track listing.{{Cite web |last=Vassell |first=Nicole |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Fans Celebrate As Pop Star Releases 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-1989-track-list-b2436950.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030093741/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-1989-track-list-b2436950.html |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |access-date=October 30, 2023 |website=The Independent}} Prior to the release, on September 19, Swift teased the track list by posting a video of an animation on Instagram featuring the characters "T-S-!-U-L" emerging from a blue vault, which fans and journalists interpreted to be a teaser for one of the five vault tracks.{{Cite web |last1=Kubota |first1=Samantha |last2=Eley |first2=Amy |last3=Capadonna |first3=Bryanna |date=September 20, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift has revealed vault track titles on 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/music/taylor-swift-1989-vault-tracks-rcna105865 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920154650/https://www.today.com/popculture/music/taylor-swift-1989-vault-tracks-rcna105865 |archive-date=September 20, 2023 |access-date=September 20, 2023 |work=Today}} Swift released the track list on September 21, confirming {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} to be the 17th track of the album's 21 songs on the standard edition.{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Jason P. |date=September 21, 2023 |title=Decoding Taylor Swift's Teeny-Tiny Handwriting |website=Vulture |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/09/taylor-swift-handwriting-font-1989-track-list.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027041758/https://www.vulture.com/2023/09/taylor-swift-handwriting-font-1989-track-list.html |archive-date=October 27, 2023}}
Around the time when 1989 was released, following a series of publicized romances with other celebrities such as Harry Styles, John Mayer, and Jake Gyllenhaal, the media portrayed Swift as a "serial dater".{{Cite news |last=Malloy |first=Antonia |date=November 11, 2014 |title=Taylor Swift new 'Blank Space' video: Singer plays up to serial dating |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-new-blank-space-video-singer-plays-up-to-serial-dating-media-stereotype-9853372.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027041757/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-new-blank-space-video-singer-plays-up-to-serial-dating-media-stereotype-9853372.html |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023 |newspaper=The Independent}}{{cite web |last1=Hindo |first1=Madison |last2=High |first2=Largo |date=February 12, 2015 |title=Taylor Swift Has Reinvented Her Public Image with 1989 |url=https://www.tampabay.com/tb-two/play/taylor-swift-has-reinvented-her-public-image-with-1989/2217325/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831020043/https://www.tampabay.com/tb-two/play/taylor-swift-has-reinvented-her-public-image-with-1989/2217325/ |archive-date=August 31, 2020 |access-date=August 31, 2020 |work=Tampa Bay Times}}{{cite news |last=Chang |first=Bee-Shyuan |date=March 15, 2013 |title=Taylor Swift Gets Some Mud on Her Boots |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/for-taylor-swifts-image-erosion-is-a-danger.html?_r=0 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322110003/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/fashion/for-taylor-swifts-image-erosion-is-a-danger.html |archive-date=March 22, 2013 |access-date=March 22, 2016 |work=The New York Times}} She addressed the subject in various interviews and satirized the media's portrayal of her on the album's second single, "Blank Space".{{cite news |last1=Soteriou |first1=Stephanie |date=September 22, 2023 |title=It Looks Like One Of Taylor Swift's 1989 Vault Tracks Is Going To Be A Direct Response To The Slut-Shaming She Faced In Her 20s And I, For One, Am Seated |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniesoteriou/taylor-swift-slut-shamed-resurfaced-comments-1989 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027041802/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniesoteriou/taylor-swift-slut-shamed-resurfaced-comments-1989 |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 25, 2023 |work=BuzzFeed News |agency=}} As with "Blank Space", {{" '}}Slut!{{' "}} has lyrics discussing the media perception of her as a young woman with numerous romantic attachments. Swift shared via Tumblr that she had to choose between "Blank Space" and {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} for the original 1989 as both tracks addressed similar themes;{{cite web |last=Merolla |first=Jennamichelle |date=October 28, 2023 |title=Here's what Taylor Swift's 1989 vault song 'Slut!' is about |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/music/taylor-swift-1989-slut-song-meaning-rcna122450 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120075806/https://www.today.com/popculture/music/taylor-swift-1989-slut-song-meaning-rcna122450 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023 |website=Today}} she added that for her, the "California" atmosphere of {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} was out of place for the New York-inspired album.{{Cite web |last=Armstrong |first=Megan |date=2023-10-27 |title=Taylor Swift Explained Why 'Slut!' Was Cut From The Original 1989 |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-cut-slut-1989-blank-space/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120085809/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-cut-slut-1989-blank-space/ |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Uproxx}}
Production and lyrics
{{Listen
| type = music
| filename = Taylor Swift - Slut! sample.ogg
| title = {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}}
| description = Incorporating gleaming synthesizers and gentle backing vocals, {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} describes a romantic relationship persisting over public scrutiny.
}}
Swift wrote and produced {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} with Jack Antonoff and Patrik Berger.{{cite AV media notes |title=1989 (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift |year=2023 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=Republic Records |id=}}{{cite magazine |last1=Viswanath |first1=Jake |date=27 October 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Tackles Slut-Shaming Like Never Before On 'Slut!' |url=https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-slut-from-the-vault-lyrics-explained |url-status=live |magazine=Bustle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027042527/https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-slut-from-the-vault-lyrics-explained |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}} Antonoff provided backing vocals and recorded the song with Laura Sisk at Rough Customer Studio and Electric Lady Studios in New York and Sharp Sonics Studios and Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Antonoff and Berger programmed the track, assisted by engineers Jack Manning, Megan Searl, and Jon Sher. Both Antonoff and Berger played synthesizers; the former also played bass and guitar. The track was mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.
{{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} is a synth-pop song that runs for exactly three minutes.{{cite web |title='Slut!' (Taylor's Version) [From The Vault] – Single |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/slut-taylors-version-from-the-vault-single/1713751974 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027040853/https://music.apple.com/us/album/slut-taylors-version-from-the-vault-single/1713751974 |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023 |publisher=Apple Music}} It has a mid-tempo production{{Cite news |last=Zoladz |first=Lindsay |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's {{'-}}'Slut!'{{-'}} and the Evolution of a Pop Star Feminist |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/arts/music/taylor-swift-1989-from-the-vault-slut.html |url-access=limited |access-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031042257/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/27/arts/music/taylor-swift-1989-from-the-vault-slut.html |url-status=live }} that incorporates 1980s-influenced synthesizers, electronic elements, and gentle backing vocals; the Clash critic Alex Berry added that the production features a variety of "modern" instruments.{{Cite magazine |last=Geraghty |first=Hollie |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor's Version) Review: Her Best Album Will Never Go Out of Style |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-lyrics-tracklist-3522001 |url-status=live |magazine=NME |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027055855/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-lyrics-tracklist-3522001 |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}}{{Cite magazine |last=Berry |first=Alex |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor's Version) {{!}} Reviews |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version/ |url-status=live |magazine=Clash |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027110155/https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}} Some critics commented that despite the impression of an uptempo song brought by the exclamation mark in its title, {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} turned out to be a gentle and tender track.{{efn|Attributed to Harper's Bazaar Australia{{'s}} Dani Maher,{{cite web|url=https://harpersbazaar.com.au/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review/|title=1989 (Taylor's Version) revisits a time Taylor Swift hit a revolutionary turning point|first=Dani|last=Maher|date=October 27, 2023|website=Harper's Bazaar Australia|access-date=November 20, 2023|archive-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027101638/https://harpersbazaar.com.au/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review/|url-status=live}} Rolling Stone{{'s}} Brittany Spanos, and The Washington Post{{'s}} Emily Yahr{{cite news |last1=Yahr |first1=Emily |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's new song '{{ '}}Slut!{{' }}' is about more than just the lyrics |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2023/10/27/taylor-swift-taylors-version-1989-vault/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030073048/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2023/10/27/taylor-swift-taylors-version-1989-vault/ |archive-date=October 30, 2023}}}} It has a slow pace; Insider{{'s}} Callie Ahlgrim and Rolling Stone{{'s}} Brittany Spanos described the song as a "slow dance",{{Cite web |last=Ahlgrim |first=Callie |date=October 27, 2023 |title=All 5 vault tracks on Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version), ranked |url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-vault-track-ranking-2023-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030073001/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-vault-track-ranking-2023-10 |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |access-date=October 29, 2023 |website=Insider}}{{Cite magazine |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |date=October 27, 2023 |title=The Sadness of 'Slut'—And More of Our Takeaways from Taylor Swift's New Vault Tracks |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-1989-vault-tracks-revelations-1234864433/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029213056/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-1989-vault-tracks-revelations-1234864433/ |archive-date=October 29, 2023 |access-date=October 29, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} while Ed Power from the i characterized it as a "slo-mo power ballad".{{Cite news |last=Power |first=Ed |date=November 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) Is Still Thrilling – No Wonder It Went Supernova |newspaper=i |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-2713958 |access-date=November 1, 2023 |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027122214/https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-2713958 |url-status=live }} Alyssa Bailey of Elle called it "dreamy pop".{{cite magazine |last1=Bailey |first1=Alyssa |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 'Slut!' Lyrics Are Her Response to Relentless Slut-Shaming |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a45660557/taylor-swift-slut-lyrics-meaning-harry-styles/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029092103/https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a45660557/taylor-swift-slut-lyrics-meaning-harry-styles/ |archive-date=October 29, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023 |magazine=Elle}} Chris Willman from Variety and Bobby Olivier from NJ.com said {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} was reminiscent of Swift's 2022 album Midnights; the latter cited the "sultry, late-night haze" evoked a "dark and dreamy" atmosphere and said the synth soundscape resembled the Midnights track "Maroon".{{Cite web |last=Olivier |first=Bobby |date=2023-10-27 |title=Ranking the 5 vault tracks on Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2023/10/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-album-review-ranking-all-5-vault-tracks.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105054343/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2023/10/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-album-review-ranking-all-5-vault-tracks.html |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=NJ.com}} The Line of Best Fit critic Kelsey Barnes thought that {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} was musically reminiscent of the "Lana Del Rey-tinged" "Wildest Dreams".{{cite magazine |last=Barnes |first=Kelsey |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift: 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/taylor-swift-1898-taylors-version-reignites-sleek-pop-passion |url-status=live |magazine=The Line of Best Fit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027055859/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/taylor-swift-1898-taylors-version-reignites-sleek-pop-passion |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}}
The lyrics of {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} are about an intense romance despite the criticism one may receive for it.{{efn|As discussed by The Washington Post{{'s}} Emily Yahr, Elle{{'s}} Alyssa Bailey, and Rolling Stone{{'s}} Angie Martoccio}} In the liner notes of 1989 (Taylor's Version), Swift expresses that she was a target of slut-shaming and it took a toll on her.{{Cite magazine |date=2023-10-25 |title=The Best Taylor Swift Vault Songs, Ranked |url=https://time.com/6327597/taylor-swift-best-vault-songs/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |magazine=Time |archive-date=November 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231105054343/https://time.com/6327597/taylor-swift-best-vault-songs/ |url-status=live }} As a response, she wrote {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} to address the criticism surrounding her dating life.{{cite news |last1=Glynn |first1=Paul |last2=Savage |first2=Mark |date=27 October 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 1989: What's new on Taylor's Version and why has she re-recorded it? |agency=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67237220 |url-status=live |access-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027120736/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67237220 |archive-date=October 27, 2023}} In the second verse, Swift takes the opportunity to subtly respond to those who criticize her for her relationships ("Everyone wants him, that was my crime").{{cite magazine |last1=Viswanath |first1=Jake |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Tackles Slut-Shaming Like Never Before On 'Slut!' |url=https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-slut-from-the-vault-lyrics-explained |url-status=live |magazine=Bustle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027042527/https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-slut-from-the-vault-lyrics-explained |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}} She is aware of the misogynistic disapproval that she might face ("I'll pay the price, you won't").{{Cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |date=2023-10-28 |title='Slut!' (2023) |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/slut-2023-1234863406/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117071452/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/taylor-swift-songs-ranked-rob-sheffield-201800/slut-2023-1234863406/ |url-status=live }} The lyric "Love thorns all over this rose, I'll pay the price, you won't" drew comparisons to the lyrics "Screaming, crying, perfect storms, I can make all the tables turn, Rose garden filled with thorns" in "Blank Space", highlighting the contrasting standards held to the romantic lives of men and women.{{efn|As discussed by Elle{{'s}} Alyssa Bailey, Entertainment Weekly{{'s}} Lauren Huff, and Time{{'s}} Moises Mendes II{{Cite magazine |last=Mendes |first=Moises II |date=October 27, 2023 |title=The Meaning Behind Taylor Swift's 1989 Vault Track 'Slut!' |url=https://time.com/6329228/taylor-swift-1989-slut-song/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |magazine=Time}}}} Yahr of The Washington Post said the lyrics in {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} conveyed Swift's frustration. Willman from Variety interpreted the lyrics "But if I'm all dressed up, They might as well be looking at us, If they call me a 'slut!', You know it might be worth it for once" as Swift expressing less concern about how her dating life might impact her public image.{{cite magazine |last1=Willman |first1=Chris |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) Vault Tracks Bridge the Gap Between 2014 and the Midnights Era: Album Review |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/album-reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-album-review-1235769881/ |url-status=live |magazine=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029140550/https://variety.com/2023/music/album-reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-album-review-1235769881/ |archive-date=October 29, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023}} Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times thought the lyric "If I'm gonna be drunk, might as well be drunk in love" was a reference to Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love" (2013).
Critical reception
The song received generally positive reviews upon release. Angie Martoccio of Rolling Stone called the song a "stunner" and described it as "a hazy, shimmering ode to being unabashedly in love, even if you're shamed and sexualized for it".{{Cite web |last=Martoccio |first=Angie |date=October 27, 2023 |title=1989 (Taylor's Version) Is Our Deepest Look Yet Into the Record That Made Everyone a Swiftie |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-2-1234804286/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027055853/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-2-1234804286/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 27, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} In a review by The Line of Best Fit's Kelsey Barnes, the track was the "most surprising" of the Vault tracks as it strayed away from the {{"'}}Blank Space' satirical tongue-in-cheek" anticipated by fans. Barnes added that Swift shouting "slut", which reverberates across the song, was "empowering". Similarly, Dani Maher of Harper's Bazaar Australia said the song's gentle and tender sound was a surprise as she expected a similar "sardonic smirk" approach of "Blank Space".{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=Dani |date=2023-10-27 |title=1989 (Taylor's Version) Revisits the Time Taylor Swift Truly Stepped Into Her Own |url=https://harpersbazaar.com.au/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027101638/https://harpersbazaar.com.au/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=Harper's Bazaar Australia}} The PopMatters critic Jefferey Davis picked {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} as the most memorable vault tracks from the album.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Jefferey |date=2023-10-31 |title=Taylor Swift Tops Herself Again with 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=PopMatters |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120085756/https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version |url-status=live }} Olivier ranked it second out of the five vault tracks and described it as "ultimately triumphant".
Writing for The Guardian, Rachel Aroesti called the song "a shimmering tale of inappropriate sexual adventure".{{Cite news |last=Aroesti |first=Rachel |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift: 1989 (Taylor's Version) Review – Subtle Bonus Tracks Add New Depths to a Classic |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/27/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-republic |url-status=live |access-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027132923/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/27/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-review-republic |archive-date=October 27, 2023}} While reviewing the album as a whole, American Songwriter{{'s}} Alex Hopper called the song "deliciously hedonistic and playful".{{Cite magazine |last=Hopper |first=Alex |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Review: Taylor Swift Brings Back the Glittery Optimism of 1989 |url=https://americansongwriter.com/review-taylor-swift-brings-back-the-glittery-optimism-of-1989/ |url-status=live |magazine=American Songwriter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028054558/https://americansongwriter.com/review-taylor-swift-brings-back-the-glittery-optimism-of-1989/ |archive-date=October 28, 2023 |access-date=October 29, 2023}} Meanwhile, Adam White in The Independent described the song as "nicely gentle and airy".{{Cite news |last=White |first=Adam |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Re-Records Her Pop Classic 1989 to Diminishing Returns – Review |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-review-rerecording-b2436457.html |url-status=live |access-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027161540/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-review-rerecording-b2436457.html |archive-date=October 27, 2023}} Lauren Huff of Entertainment Weekly viewed the track as Swift's proclamation that "if people are going to judge and mock you anyway, you might as well just keep on living and take the plunge".{{cite news |last1=Huff |first1=Lauren |date=27 October 2023 |title=How Taylor Swift fills in her own 'Blank Space' on the new 1989 song 'Slut!' |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher= |url=https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-slut-new-song-blank-space-references/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110130223/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-slut-new-song-blank-space-references/ |url-status=live }} In less enthusiastic reviews, Shaad D'Souza of Pitchfork and Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times deemed {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} the weakest vault track; the former said it was "ambling and aimless" compared to other tracks,{{cite web |last=D'Souza |first=Shaad |date=October 30, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift: 1989 (Taylor's Version) Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030073002/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version/ |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |access-date=October 30, 2023 |website=Pitchfork}} and the latter wrote: "Strong concept, so-so execution."{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Mikael |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version): The five new songs, ranked |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-10-26/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-new-songs-ranked |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028052909/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-10-26/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-new-songs-ranked |archive-date=October 28, 2023}} Lindsay Zoladz from The New York Times thought that the song was "half-baked" because, despite an insightful and self-aware premise about slut-shaming, the lyrics "[center] the salvation of romance, as if the affection of a decent man [...] can rescue a woman from the systemic scrutiny of sexism".
Release and commercial performance
On the day of the album's release, {{" '}}Slut!{{' "}} was released as a single with a distinct cover art on Apple Music{{cite magazine |last1=Olson |first1=Samantha |date=25 October 2023 |title=Now Presenting: Every Detail About 1989 (Taylor's Version) |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a44786527/1989-taylors-version-news-release-date-easter-eggs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027043309/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a44786527/1989-taylors-version-news-release-date-easter-eggs/ |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |access-date=October 25, 2023 |magazine=Cosmopolitan}} and was sent to Italian radio by Universal Music. On November 9, an acoustic version of the song was released as a bonus track of a deluxe edition of the album, titled 1989 (Taylor's Version) [Deluxe +], exclusively on Swift's website; this release lasted for only one day.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Aaron |date=2023-11-09 |title=How To Get Taylor Swift's 'Slut' (Acoustic Version) (Taylor's Version) |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-slut-acoustic-version-1989-taylors-version/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110152719/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-slut-acoustic-version-1989-taylors-version/ |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Uproxx}}{{cite magazine |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |date=November 12, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) Spends Second Week Atop Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-second-week-number-one-billboard-200-chart-1235469859/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113023324/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-second-week-number-one-billboard-200-chart-1235469859/ |archive-date=November 13, 2023 |access-date=November 16, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}} Swift performed {{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} live for the first time during the acoustic segment of a Buenos Aires concert on November 12, 2023, as part of her sixth headlining concert tour, the Eras Tour.{{cite magazine |last1=Iasimone |first1=Ashley |date=12 November 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Performs 'Slut!' Live for the First Time at Buenos Aires Show |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-slut-live-buenos-aires-1235470006/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114185807/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-slut-live-buenos-aires-1235470006/ |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |access-date=16 November 2023 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=}}
{{"'}}Slut!{{'"}} peaked in the top ten on charts of Canada (3), Australia (4), New Zealand (5), the United Kingdom (5), Ireland (6), and Singapore (10). In the United States, it debuted and peaked number three on the Billboard Hot 100 with 27 million streams, behind fellow album tracks "Is It Over Now?" and "Now That We Don't Talk".{{cite magazine |last1=Gary |first1=Trust |date=6 November 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's 'Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |publisher= |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-is-it-over-now-number-1-hot-100-debut-1235464462/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106195809/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-is-it-over-now-number-1-hot-100-debut-1235464462/ |archive-date=November 6, 2023}} On the Billboard Global 200, the song reached number three, with 55 million streams. Swift achieved the most top-ten entries for a female artist on that chart.{{cite magazine |last1=Gary |first1=Trust |date=6 November 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Makes History With Top 6 Songs, All From 1989 (Taylor's Version), on Billboard Global 200 Chart |magazine=Billboard |publisher= |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-top-six-songs-global-200-1989-taylors-version-1235464643/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114151040/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-top-six-songs-global-200-1989-taylors-version-1235464643/ |archive-date=November 14, 2023}}
Credits and personnel
{{div col}}
- Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriting, production
- Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production, background vocals, record engineering, programming, synthesizer
- Patrik Berger – songwriting, production, bass, guitar, programming, synthesizer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Bryce Bordone – mix engineering
- Laura Sisk – record engineering
- Randy Merrill – master engineering
- Ryan Smith – master engineering
{{div col end}}
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "{{-'}}Slut!{{'-}}"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Gold|number=1|type=single|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=February 14, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Taylor Swift|title="Slut" (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2023|certyear=2024|access-date=July 24, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Slut! (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)|type=single|award=Gold|access-date=December 19, 2024|source=radioscope|relyear=2023|certyear=2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=2024|certyear=2024|title=Slut|artist=Taylor Swift|type=single|award=Silver|id=20540-1598-1|access-date=18 November 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}
Release history
Notes
{{notelist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Taylor Swift songs}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slut!}}
Category:Articles with quotation marks in the title
Category:Republic Records singles
Category:Songs written by Taylor Swift
Category:Songs written by Jack Antonoff
Category:Song recordings produced by Taylor Swift
Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff
Category:Songs written by Patrik Berger (record producer)