So who is actually buying all these variants? As one would expect, superfans, which all labels say will be the object of laser-focused attention for growth in the coming years. Emiley, a 31-year-old longtime Swiftie, recently explained the appeal of the artist’s variants to Variety. “Each one typically has its own artwork and fresh photos that make it unique,” she said. “I know her team puts a lot of work into that. And I just think it’s really special to be able to have the entire collection and appreciate it as a whole instead of just having one individual [album].”
As any vinyl junkie can attest, that kind of superfandom can lead to borderline obsession. Belle, 48, initially bought just the initial “Tortured Poets” collector’s edition CD, the first vinyl piece to include a bonus track, and the cassette. “And then [Swift] dropped the next one. And I did the same thing. And then she dropped the third one. And then I was like, ‘Well, I think I’m just gonna order the vinyl and the collector CD and not the cassette.’ And I was like, ‘Why am I trying to save 20 bucks?’ Like, that’s just ridiculous, you know? And then the fourth one, obviously, you have to have all of them. And then she dropped the case to put them in.
“And then,” she continued, “I didn’t order the single when it first released, but then she dropped the ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ acoustic, and my daughter was like, ‘You have to order that one. That’s your favorite song.’ And then I was like, ‘Well, I might as well order the acoustic,’” she says. “I’ve never done this with another thing where I felt like I needed to have all the versions.”
If that seems a bit excessive, or even exploitative, some superfans agree. Stacey, 27, said that some of the criticism is “valid” and that she eventually had to cancel some of her “Tortured Poet” purchases. “When they started releasing digital variants where you had to buy the album three more times just to get three separate voice memos, it was a little bit much, as they were charging $5.99 per digital album. I had to draw a line somewhere.” she says. “I didn’t think it was necessary for me to own 17 versions of the same album, as I’m already at 13.”
