Fearless (Taylor Swift album)
Released November 11, 2008
Recorded 2007–2008
Genre
Country country pop
Length 53:41
Label Big Machine
Producer
Scott Borchetta (exec.) Nathan Chapman Taylor Swift
Fearless is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. The album was released on November 11, 2008, by Big Machine Records. As with her first album, Taylor Swift, Swift wrote or co-wrote all thirteen tracks on Fearless. Most of the songs were written as the singer promoted her first album as the opening act for numerous country artists. Due to the unavailability of collaborators on the road, eight songs were written by Swift. Other songs were co-written with Liz Rose, Hillary Lindsey, Colbie Caillat, and John Rich. Swift also made her debut as a record producer, co-producing all songs on the album with Nathan Chapman.
Five singles were released from Fearless. The first single, “Love Story”, sold more than 8.1 million copies worldwide (according to the IFPI). It was a crossover hit that became one of the best-selling singles of all time internationally and was once the best-selling country song of all time. The succeeding single, “White Horse”, also performed well in the US. “You Belong with Me” was an international success, becoming Swift’s second best-selling single and her highest position on the US Billboard Hot 100 at the time. “Fifteen” and “Fearless” followed with both achieving a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Fearless was an international breakthrough and huge commercial success for Swift. It debuted at No. 1 in the United States, and later became the best-selling album of 2009, selling over 3.2 million copies. It gave Swift, 18 at the time, the distinction of being the youngest artist in history to have the year’s best-selling album. It has sold over 7 million copies in the United States. Fearless topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand and achieved multi-platinum status in six countries. In all, Fearless has sold more than 8.68 million copies worldwide as of March 2011. Fearless is also the most awarded album in the history of country music, winning Album of the Year at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards of 2009, the Country Music Association Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards. Winning Album of the Year at age 20, Swift became the youngest artist in the history of the Grammy Awards to win the award. She would later win her second Album of the Year six years later. On December 11, 2017, Fearless became the 121st album to achieve a diamond certification in the United States, signifying 10,000,000 album-equivalent units.
Prior to stardom, Swift received a publishing contract with Sony/ATV Music.[6] Over the course of that period, Swift composed over 250 songs, either alone or collaborating with other songwriters, mostly with Liz Rose or Robert Ellis Orrall, and refused to give them away to already established acts with intentions of someday singing them herself. When later signed to Big Machine Records, Swift compiled her Taylor Swift album of material written during her publishing contract, and expected to do the same for her second album. She said, “I’ve been very selfish about my songs. I had this dream of this project Taylor Swift coming out for so many years now that I just stockpiled. I’m so happy that I did because now we have a second album full of songs and a third album full of songs, and I don’t have to lift a finger.” However, when embarking on her first and second tour as opening act for Rascal Flatts and George Strait, respectively, Swift continued to compose numerous songs. “I’ve written a lot of songs by myself lately, especially since I’ve been alone so much on the road,” she said. “I do love writing on the road – I usually write at the concert venue. I’ll find a quiet place in some room at the venue, like the locker room.
As a result of writing subsequent to touring, Swift self-penned most of the material. “I’ve written like eight songs for the second album by myself. If you’re in Arkansas, who’s there to write with?” During vacation days from touring, Swift collaborated with Rose, musician John Rich, and singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat.
Track listing
All tracks written by Taylor Swift, except where noted. All songs produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift, except where noted.
Fearless – Standard edition
1. “Fearless” (writers: Swift, Liz Rose, Hillary Lindsey) 4:01
2. “Fifteen” 4:54
3. “Love Story” 3:55
4. “Hey Stephen” 4:14
5. “White Horse” (writers: Swift, Rose) 3:54
6. “You Belong with Me” (writers: Swift, Rose) 3:51
7. “Breathe” (featuring Colbie Caillat; writers: Swift, Caillat) 4:23
8. “Tell Me Why” (writers: Swift, Rose) 3:20
9. “You’re Not Sorry” 4:21
10. “The Way I Loved You” (writers: Swift, John Rich) 4:04
11. “Forever & Always” 3:45
12. “The Best Day” 4:05
13. “Change”
Personnel
As listed in the liner notes.
Sammie Allan – backing vocals
Joseph Anthony Baker – photography
Steve Blackmon – mixing assistant
Drew Bollman – mixing assistant
Scott Borchetta – executive producer
Andrew Bowers – finger snapping
Nicholas Brown – finger snapping
Nick Buda – drums
Kenzie Butler – assistant engineer, engineer
Colbie Caillat – finger snapping, guest appearance
Jason Campbell – production coordinator
Chad Carlson – engineer, mixing, sound recording
Joseph Cassell – wardrobe stylist
Todd Cassetty – enhanced recording
Nathan Chapman – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, Hammond organ, mandolin, mixing, percussion instruments, piano, producer, programming, steel guitar, vocal harmony
Carolyn Cooper – finger snapping
Burrus Cox – finger snapping
Eric Darken – percussion instruments, vibraphone
Shawn Daughtry – mixing assistant
Dan Dugmore – steel guitar
Lauren Elcan – finger snapping
Caitlin Evanson – vocal harmony
Kyle Ford – assistant engineer, engineer
Kyle Ginther – assistant engineer, engineer
Kenny Greenberg – electric guitar
Jed Hackett – engineer
Rob Hajacos – fiddle
Tony Harrell – Hammond organ, keyboard, piano
Amos Heller – bass guitar
Claire Indie – cello
John Keefe – drums
Tim Lauer – Hammond organ, keyboard, piano
Matt Legge – assistant engineer, engineer
Tim Marks – bass guitar
Delaney McBride – finger snapping
Emma McBride – finger snapping
Justin McIntosh – graphic design
Grant Mickelson – electric guitar
Ash Newell – photography
Justin Niebank – mixing
Sheryl Nields – photography
Mark Petaccia – assistant engineer, engineer
Lee Ann Ramey – cover art, graphic design
Sandi Spika – hair stylist, make-up artist, wardrobe stylist
Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar, mandolin
Whitney Sutton – copy coordinator
Taylor Swift – booklet design, lead vocals, producer, vocal harmony, songwriter, composer, acoustic guitar
Todd Tidwell – assistant engineer, engineer, mixing assistant
Ilya Toshinsky – banjo
Lorrie Turk – make-up artist
Brady Wardlaw – hair stylist
Hank Williams – mastering
Brian David Willis – engineer
Al Wilson – percussion
Jonathan Yudkin – cello, string arrangements, string instruments
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