“She saw Golden was coming back for number 1”: Netizens react as Taylor Swift announces release of a new version of ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ on iTunes

Taylor Swift has released a new acoustic version of her track The Fate of Ophelia titled Alone In My Tower (Acoustic Version), now available on iTunes. The song is part of the expanding Life of a Showgirl project that Swift has been developing since its release earlier this year.

The stripped-down recording offers a new interpretation of one of her recent chart-topping singles, which has remained in stiff competition with Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Social media users reacted to this latest release, claiming that Swift put out this track to stay on top of the charts, with some fans even saying it was because "She saw Golden was coming back for number 1."

Many social media users have also criticized the frequent release of multiple variants, with some even telling the artist to "stop."

Taylor Swift's track in tough competition for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100

Taylor Swift’s latest version of the track has been released just as The Fate of Ophelia continues its strong run on the Billboard Hot 100. According to an update by Billboard on October 28, 2025, the track remains in a tight race for No. 1 against Huntrix's K-pop Demon Hunters song Golden.

Chart host Tetris Kelly called the current rankings “a Taylor Swift-filled chart,” with The Fate of Ophelia still maintaining its dominance. Billboard’s analysts also noted that the track’s success has been boosted by its connection to Swift’s Life of a Showgirl album cycle and the related film.

The music video for The Fate of Ophelia, shown in theaters and released on YouTube earlier this month, helped renew fan interest ahead of the release of the acoustic version. With multiple acoustic editions now available digitally, Taylor Swift appears to be capitalizing on both physical and digital platforms to extend the song’s time on the charts as competition heats up heading into November 2025.

Taylor Swift dropped re-recorded acoustic versions earlier in October 2025

Earlier this month, Taylor Swift announced that she had re-recorded eight acoustic versions of songs from her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, with longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback, as Variety reported on October 4, 2025.

Taylor reportedly described the project as a way to capture the “acoustic surprises” that became fan favorites during her tour. In the social media post announcing the release, she said:

"I went back into the studio with Max and Shellback to record acoustic/unplugged versions of a few of the ‘Showgirl’ songs with brand new vocals and production! Cannot WAIT for you to hear."

The new release, The Fate of Ophelia (Alone In My Tower Acoustic Version), originally appeared as one of two bonus tracks on the limited-edition CD titled lone In My Tower Acoustic Version. That CD also included Eldest Daughter (Now You’re Home Acoustic Version).

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: An exclusive edition vinyl of Taylor Swift's new album, "Life of a Showgirl" is seen at Target on October 02, 2025 in New York City. (Image via Getty)

Other CD variants, including Life Is A Song Acoustic Version and So Glamorous Cabaret Version, were sold through Swift’s webstore for 24 hours or until supplies ran out. Priced at $7.99 each, these limited-edition discs were expected to contribute to Swift’s first-week sales.

At that time, Showgirl had already sold 2.7 million copies on its first day, marking the second-highest weekly sales in SoundScan/Luminate history, just behind Adele’s 25 in 2015.

Edited by Devangee