Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Taylor Swift’s new music video is back online

Monday morning, Yahoo posted Taylor Swift’s second music video off of 1989. The video for “Blank Space” features Swift and male model Sean O’Pry in a lavish mansion where Swift is casually going crazy. The video was up for about a half an hour on Yahoo before it was pulled.

Joseph Kahn, the director of the video, tweeted that Yahoo made a mistake and released the video early.

It’s a beautifully produced video that looks as expensive as it probably was. There are white horses. There are oil paintings. Swift’s cat Olivia Benson even makes a guest appearance. But based on the amount of hype Swift has conjured around every other aspect of this video, an early morning surprise drop seemed totally out of character. Apparently, it was.

On top of that, releasing a music video through Yahoo would be a huge dig at Vevo, the site that hosts most of the major music videos. It would also make Swift ineligible for breaking view records with this video. Maybe she’ll try a different method the second time around.

Update: Taylor Swift uploaded the video to YouTube (not Yahoo) Monday afternoon.

Here are a few screenshots we snapped before the video was pulled:

blank space 1
blank space 2
blank space3
blank space 4
YouTube

More in Culture

Life
What is an aging face supposed to look like?What is an aging face supposed to look like?
Life

When bodies and appearances are malleable, what does that mean for the person underneath?

By Allie Volpe
Video
What would J.R.R. Tolkien think of Palantir?What would J.R.R. Tolkien think of Palantir?
Play
Video

How The Lord of the Rings lore helps explain the mysterious tech company.

By Benjamin Stephen
Climate
The climate crisis is coming for your groceriesThe climate crisis is coming for your groceries
Climate

Extreme heat is already wiping out soy, coffee, berries, and Christmas trees. Farm animals and humans are suffering too.

By Ayurella Horn-Muller
Future Perfect
The surprisingly strong case for feeling great about your coffee habitThe surprisingly strong case for feeling great about your coffee habit
Future Perfect

Your morning coffee is one of modern life’s underrated miracles.

By Bryan Walsh
Good Medicine
Do health influencers actually know what they’re talking about?Do health influencers actually know what they’re talking about?
Good Medicine

Most health influencers don’t have real credentials — but they are more influential than ever.

By Dylan Scott
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North