Honestly, the Taylor Swift Target reputation era was a fever dream. If you were around in November 2017, you remember the vibe. It wasn't just an album release; it was a hostile takeover of every Target endcap in America. You couldn’t walk past the dollar spot without seeing that black-and-white newsprint face staring you down.
While everyone else was pivoting to streaming, Taylor went the other way. She doubled down on physical media. She didn't just give us a CD; she gave us two 72-page magazines that felt like high-fashion scrapbooks from a person who had spent a year hiding in a basement. It worked. People actually bought them. Like, a lot of people.
The Target Exclusive: More Than Just a Plastic Case
The partnership wasn’t new, but for reputation, it felt different. Target became the "headquarters" for the era. If you wanted the full story—the poems, the paintings, the "real" Taylor—you had to go there.
Most people bought the magazines for the CD tucked inside, but they stayed for the chaotic energy of the content. There were two volumes. Volume 1 had a sort of gritty, street-style aesthetic, while Volume 2 felt a bit more personal and artistic.
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What was actually inside those Taylor Swift Target reputation magazines?
- Handwritten Lyrics: Not just typed-out words, but her actual scrawl on top of watercolor paintings.
- The Poetry: This is where we got "Why She Disappeared." It’s the poem that ended up being the backbone of the stadium tour.
- Personal Photos: 20 photos in each volume that weren't the polished, airbrushed stuff we saw in magazines.
- Behind-the-Scenes: Photos from the "Look What You Made Me Do" video set, showing the mountain of "Old Taylors."
The marketing was genius. By withholding the album from streaming services for the first two weeks, she forced the hand of anyone who wanted to hear "Getaway Car" on launch day. You either bought it on iTunes or you went to Target.
Why the "reputation" Strategy Was a Business Masterclass
Let's talk numbers. Within the first four days, reputation sold over a million copies. That’s insane. Especially in 2017, when the music industry was already mourning the death of the CD. Target confirmed it was their biggest entertainment pre-sale ever. Ever!
She wasn't just selling music; she was selling a "boost." Remember the Ticketmaster Verified Fan program? Buying the album at Target gave you "boosts" to get better seats for the tour. Some people called it a "pay-to-play" scheme, but fans didn't care. They wanted to be in the room when the snakes came out.
The Taylor Swift Target reputation collaboration proved that fans will pay for physical items if the items actually feel special. It wasn't just a hunk of plastic; it was a "window into her life" during a time when she wasn't doing a single interview. Silence is a powerful marketing tool.
The Poetry and the "Old Taylor"
The most famous part of the Target magazines has to be the opening letter. You know the one. "We think we know someone, but the truth is that we only know the version of them they have chosen to show us."
It set the tone for the whole era. It was a defense of her privacy and a middle finger to the media narrative. The magazines also featured her own paintings—mostly flowers and abstract stuff—which added this layer of "I'm just a girl in her room" to an album that sounded like a dark, industrial synth-pop explosion.
Volume 1 vs. Volume 2
If you’re a collector looking for these now on eBay, the prices are all over the place. Sometimes you can snag them for $30, other times they’re $100+.
- Volume 1 (Orange/Grey vibe): Focuses heavily on the "Look What You Made Me Do" era. It’s got the painting of the girl with the crown and a lot of the fashion-forward photography.
- Volume 2 (Blue/Muted vibe): Feels a bit more like the folklore precursor. More nature, more personal shots, more of that "Why She Disappeared" energy.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Target Era
People think she did the Target deal just for the money. Sure, it was a massive contract. But it was also about data and control. By funneling everyone through a specific retail partner, her team could track exactly how the album was moving in real-time.
Also, it’s worth noting that the reputation vinyl didn't come out until over a month later, in December 2017. And it wasn't even a Target exclusive at first—it was a picture disc. Fans actually complained about the sound quality of the picture discs, which is why the "standard" black vinyl (and eventually the orange FYE exclusive) became so coveted.
The Target magazines were the only way to get that specific physical experience on day one. It created a "moment." You’d see people posting photos of themselves in the Target aisles holding both volumes like they’d just won the lottery.
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How to Find "reputation" Exclusives Today
If you missed the boat in 2017, you're basically at the mercy of the resale market. Target doesn't stock the magazines anymore. They do still carry the standard CD and the vinyl, but those glossy 72-page books are long gone from the shelves.
Here is what you should look for if you're hunting for the Taylor Swift Target reputation originals:
- Check for the CD: Many resellers keep the CD and just sell the book. If you want the "complete" experience, make sure the sleeve inside still has the disc.
- The Poster: Each magazine came with a unique poster. Often, these have been ripped out and taped to a wall, so they might be missing or damaged.
- Condition: The covers are prone to scuffing because they have that matte, "soft-touch" finish. Finding a mint condition one is getting harder.
Actionable Insights for Collectors
If you're trying to build a Taylor Swift collection, the reputation era is a heavy hitter. It represents the last time she really leaned into traditional "big box" retail before moving toward the more complex, multi-variant vinyl strategy we saw with Midnights and 1989 (Taylor's Version).
- Verify the DPCI: If you're buying from a local seller, the original Target DPCI for the magazines was 012-05-0868 (Vol 1) and 012-05-0869 (Vol 2).
- Don't overpay for the "Standard" CD: You can still find the basic reputation CD at Target for under $20. Don't let a reseller convince you it's "rare" unless it’s the magazine version.
- Watch for the re-record: We all know reputation (Taylor's Version) is coming eventually. When it does, expect Target to do something even bigger. But remember, the original Big Machine magazines will never be reprinted. They are a time capsule of a specific, messy, glorious moment in pop culture.
The Taylor Swift Target reputation magazines remain the gold standard for how to make an album release feel like an event. She took a retail store and turned it into a museum for her own rebirth.
To complete your reputation collection, look for the original 2017 magazines on secondary markets like Discogs or Depop rather than big retailers, as these are permanently out of print. Always request photos of the spine and the internal CD sleeve to ensure you are getting the full magazine package rather than just the standard retail CD.