Prolific singer-songwriter Ryan Adams is best known for his emotionally raw, country-tinged original ballads. But he’s also got a knack for covering other artists’ compositions—his haunting version of “Wonderwall” led Oasis’ Noel Gallagher to say, “I think Ryan Adams is the only person who ever got that song right.” And a more recent cover of Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69” in front of a Nashville audience brought down the house.
Now, Adams is covering a singer with a country past of her own: Taylor Swift. Today Adams announced on Twitter and Instagram that he’s recording a cover of her hit 2014 album 1989. The 28-second clip of “Welcome to New York” that Adams shared sounds like a big improvement over the original: With heavy guitar backing and Springsteenian vocal harmonies, Adams makes 1989’s weakest track sound like a bona-fide rock anthem.
No word yet on when or how Adams’ tribute album will be released, but this is great news for Adams fans everywhere—including Swift, who seems a little bit excited:
