She does it all, but we knew that. This year marked the 30-year-old singer’s 8th studio album, and her first surprise album. As an avid fan since 2008, I have your back! Here is my personal ranking of all her albums with why it’s there, the best song, and when to listen!
- Lover
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Swift’s 2019 album ended up beating Red for a few reasons. First, it is so much happier. Although it may not be as strong lyrically (and that’s arguable), it has the ability that Red doesn’t: to make someone happy. Another reason is that it’s about her being independent and happy. She is in love but that does not define her. It’s also a really versatile album. There are a few sad songs sprinkled throughout, but they all have a message of coming out of it in the end.
Best Song: One of the saddest songs, “Death by a Thousand Cuts” actually has to be my favorite. It really gets me so excited despite the message not being too happy. I’d say “The Man” (#feminism) and “Me!” are not too far behind.
When to Listen: Most definitely summer. This album is about color and love and I don’t think there’s a better time to celebrate those while also wearing pink.
- Red
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Now, these top two were hard to decide upon, but I put Red second. Red is a lyrical masterpiece that no critic would argue with. The emotion she put into each lyric is unparalleled by anything I’ve ever heard. It’s great to cry to but also great to just sit and appreciate. Even if you’ve never been in a serious relationship, this album has the ability to make a person empathize with a situation they’ve never experienced.
Best Song: It’s a tie on this one. “Starlight” is such an underrated and magical song about just dancing and being young. “All Too Well” has none of the same themes. It’s easily her saddest song, filled with imagery and honesty. It is usually claimed to be her best song.
When to Listen: There is nothing that says “fall” more than listening to Red while stepping on some freshly fallen leaves.
- Speak Now
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An album that truly is magical. It’s stripped down and was written entirely alone when Swift was only 19. This album features a lot of her longest songs, with “Dear John” even reaching nearly 7 minutes. A lot of these are heartbreaking, but others are about lust and the future. If you’re into classic singer-songwriter music, this is the album for you!
Best Song: “Long Live” is a song that Swift wrote for her fans. It holds a special place for this reason. It’s a widely held fan-favorite. She sings of remembering them forever and just asking them to do the same.
When to Listen: When the snow starts melting at the beginning of March. Speak Now is cold but not without hope. It is perfect for a time of new beginnings.
- Reputation
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This album really changed Swift’s image. It is filled with messages of true love and acceptance. It is super pop in style which makes it one of the best ones to dance to. People often told her that her reputation was ruined, so she carefully planned this album out as a way to battle the talk. It ended up being super successful and has both meaningful love songs and sarcastic character pieces.
Best Song: I immediately say “Call It What You Want”. That song is the most peaceful one on the album and is the epitome of “it gets better.”
When to Listen: Listen to this in the winter. The album is all about hiding away and taking time to discover yourself, so it’s great in the dead of winter.
- Fearless
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This is the album where I fell in love with Taylor Swift. It holds such a special place in my heart. We all know the lyrics to “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” by heart. This album is also so meaningful to so many people. Everyone has listened to “Fifteen” and cried, or danced to “Fearless” when they entered a new relationship. This album is young and spirited and really does make one want to go dance in the rain, in their best dress.
Best Song: One of the lesser-known singles, “Change” always knows how to make me feel good. It’s great to listen to after a bad day. However, “You Belong With Me” is a close second for its iconic nature.
When to Listen: The middle of spring. Fearless reminds me of spirit and energy, just like what the spring gives us.
- 1989
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The album that changed her career. She went from a country girl to a superstar of a woman. This is also when she started to reclaim her image, regardless of what people thought of her. Although this album is certainly the most fun to dance to and the most iconic, I place it here just because there are a few more non-stand-out type songs. And yet, “Blank Space” and “Shake it Off” are and will always be some of her most popular songs, and for good reason!
Best Song: This one is definitely hard. At the end of the day I will say “Blank Space” for just being so genius from conception to music video to every live performance. The media said that she was crazy, so she gave them what they wanted.
When to listen: Summer! This album is so much fun and is really pop to the core.
- Folklore
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Taylor Swift’s newest album exceeded everyone’s expectations. She wrote it in less than six months, and almost entirely alone. It is her most explicit album and really showed her maturation not only as an artist but as a person. The album showed off a gentle and alternative side to Swift, especially since her last few albums were classified as pop. However, the album was written as if it was an outside story. Unfortunately, I place it here not because of its musicality, but because what I love most about Swift is the personal notes in each of her songs.
The best song: “Betty”! The narrative is so fun and it is just so catchy and very country.
When to listen: The cold of winter. This album is fierce but gentle.
- Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift’s debut album is whimsical and country to the core. It also was written between the ages of 13 and 16, and you can tell. Although nostalgic and filled with songs to belt along to, they are clearly a part of a different era of all of our lives. This doesn’t stop me from missing Swift’s country accent and cowgirl boots though!
The best song: Although this album is filled with so many songs about innocent crushes and broken hearts, I have to say the best song is “Tim McGraw”. It’s the first song she ever released, and it is relatable no matter who you are. When you miss someone, you want everything to remind them of you.
When to listen: The end of summer/beginning of fall. A little cold, a little warm, a lot exciting.
In the end, we know that all of Taylor Swift’s albums are great for their own reasons. But if you ever need help deciding which one to listen to, maybe this ranking can give you the guidance you need.
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