“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 growing Life of a Showgirl project that Swift has continued to expand since its release earlier this year. The stripped-down recording offers a new take on one of her recent chart-topping singles, which has remained in heavy competition with Golden from KPop Demon Hunters for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.Social media users have reacted to this latest drop saying that Swift released this track to stay on top of the charts, with some even fans saying it was because "She saw Golden was coming back for number 1."WhitWhot Woody (They/Them) @DorkyB00LINKLook I’m a swiftie and love the song and album but this is hilarious. She saw Golden was coming back for number 1 so she dropped a single variant 😂𝕯𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖊𝖓 @6inchlenaLINKthe same week golden is predicted to go back to #1… could she make it more obvious 😭decathect³⁰ 🍷 @IDrinkWhineLINKLike clockwork. She saw Golden aiming to return at #1 and released a version from the vault of gazillion versions and variants.Many social media users have also called out the repeated release of several variants, with some even telling the artist to "stop."Sergio Alejandro @VanegasAlejo_LINKSomebody stop her, please! She needs to be stopped 😵‍💫tonio @InvasionOfTonioLINKgirl we’re tired omg😭😭😭ldn monster @LdnGagaMonsterLINKSo predictable! She’ll use any type of fraud to stay on topTaylor Swift's track in tough competition for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100Taylor Swift’s latest version of the track has been released just as The Fate of Ophelia continues its strong performance on the Billboard Hot 100. According to the update by Billboard on October 28, 2025, the track remains locked in a tight competition for No. 1 against Huntrix's KPop Demon Hunters track Golden. Chart host Tetris Kelly described the current rankings as “a Taylor Swift-filled chart,” with The Fate of Ophelia still maintaining its dominance. Billboard’s analysts also noted that the success of the track has been buoyed by its connection to Swift’s Life of a Showgirl album cycle and the accompanying film. The music video for The Fate of Ophelia, featured in movie theaters and released on YouTube earlier this month, contributed to the renewed fan interest ahead of the acoustic version’s release. With multiple acoustic editions now available digitally, Taylor Swift appears to be capitalizing on both physical and digital platforms to extend the song’s chart lifespan as competition intensifies heading into November 2025.Taylor Swift dropped re-recorded acoustic versions earlier in October 2025Earlier 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 reported by Variety, 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 drop, 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, sold through Swift’s webstore for 24 hours or while supplies lasted. Priced at $7.99 each, the limited-edition discs were expected to count toward Swift’s first-week sales. At the time, Showgirl had already sold 2.7 million copies on its first day, marking the second-highest weekly sales tally in SoundScan/Luminate history, just behind Adele’s 25 in 2015.