Ranking Taylor Swift Album Covers

1: folklore: It may just be because I am obsessed with the aesthetic of this album as a whole, but something about this cover feels incredibly calming and serene in a way no other cover captures. Unusual in not showing Taylor’s face, the large backdrop evokes curiosity regarding what is to come, and the lack of production on the image feels appropriate and refreshing.

2: 1989 (Taylor’s Version): Something about this cover feels both serene and adventurous in a way nothing else, even the original 1989 cover, manages to do. It feels appropriate for a carefree beach walk on a windy, unseasonably chilly morning— and I deeply enjoy that.

3: Red (Taylor’s Version): I think it is Taylor’s guarded and yet unfocused expression that ties this cover together in a wholly unique way. While initial focus is drawn to Taylor’s face, the “subtler” details present in the cover still manage to be obvious enough not to be missed, and the cover just screams autumn.

4: Lover: Despite Lover not being Taylor’s strongest album, the cover fits it perfectly while managing to be adorable all the same. It screams wedding bells and walks through city gardens with your significant other. The heart over Taylor’s eye is also iconic.

5: evermore: This cover, despite its simplicity, manages to capture exactly what evermore is— simple, moody, and yet complex. Maybe it is the subtle head lowering suggestive of Taylor’s pensiveness or the barren, unmistakably November-esque backdrop, but evermore’s cover just feels appropriate.

6: 1989 (Original Version): This cover is exactly what 1989 needs to be: simple, sepia, and ‘80s-esque. I must confess that I do not have much to say about this one aside from the fact that it is perfect for what it needs to do.

7: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version): Personally, I have always found this album cover to be very pretty… but beyond that, I cannot say that it does much for me. It is lovely, but a bit underwhelming for the complex and extensive offerings that Speak Now boasts.

8: Midnights: I have nothing bad to say about this cover, but I do not have strong positive feelings about it either. It is appropriate and fitting for the album, and pleasing to the eye. I find that the name being on the album is also refreshing. But other than that, it just does not do very much for me.

9: reputation: I honestly feel bad ranking this so low. It is great for the aesthetic of the album and did exactly what it needed to do, but it is just not pleasing to look at. I love reputation; I love the aesthetic overall. But the cover could be much better. I am excited to see what “Taylor’s Version” will bring to this one.

10: Red (Original Version): This cover walked so Red (Taylor’s Version) could run. It’s good, but it just isn’t her best cover.

11: Fearless (Taylor’s Version): This is another one I’m pretty neutral about. It fits the album, it’s pretty, but it just doesn’t stand out.

12: Debut: There is no mistaking the time period this cover came from. It is unmistakably straight out of 2006, from the colors, to the font, to the butterfly and vine overlay. It is charming, but it has not aged well. I cannot fault it too much, though; it’s a product of its time. 

13: Speak Now (Original Version): It’s charming, it’s enchanting, but it just does not do it for me. I wish it did, but I just cannot get into this cover.

14: Fearless (Original Version): I want to like this. I really do. There is just too much going on in it: too many fonts, too many shades of yellow, and it just doesn’t work. I love this album, but this cover looks a bit like something I would have edited in middle school. I’m so sorry, I really don’t like it.

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