Did someone say “cultural reset”? Taylor Swift certainly did. 1989 dropped in October 2014 as Swift’s official transition into the pop genre. The critically acclaimed album won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 58th Grammy Awards and currently sits at number 393 on the Rolling Stone’s 2020 revision of its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This was probably the hardest ranking I’ve had to do thus far!
16. Bad Blood With a sound reminiscent of reputation, “Bad Blood” sounds like an outlier in the peppiness of 1989. Yes, the song is as catchy as Swift’s usual tunes, but it seems out of place on the album. However, the music video for “Bad Blood” is iconic, following a group of female superheroes played by Swift’s close celebrity friends. Don’t tell the “Look What You Made Me Do” music video, but this might be my favorite.
15. I Wish You Would “I Wish You Would” is definitely a bop. Speculated to be about her relationship with Harry Styles, Swift sings about missing a past relationship and flirts with the idea of starting it back up again. Compared to the rest of the songs on 1989, this song just isn’t as memorable as the rest.
14. You Are In Love Inspired by Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff’s relationship, “You Are In Love” is delicate and lovely. The music and vocals are simple, but it works.
13. This Love This dreamy and airy tune gives the listener a break from the upbeat, synth-pop sound that most of the songs on 1989 adopt. While the song, at least for me, sometimes blends in with “You Are In Love,” the breathy vocals and vulnerable lyrics ranks this one higher.
12. Welcome To New York The opening song to 1989 welcomes fans to her new distinctly pop sound, while also actually relaying the story of Swift’s move to the big apple. The song is all kinds of fun and makes for a great opener to this new Swift era. Catchy and sweet, “Welcome To New York” is Swift’s very own anthem to the city.
11. Wonderland This EDM-esque tune is one of my personal favorites on the album. It exhibits classic 1989: catchy chorus, pop vocals, and a bit of some tasteful screaming. However, “Wonderland” lacks the same iconic-ness as “Blank Space” and some of the other songs on the album that have a similar vibe.
10. All You Had To Do Was Stay This synth-pop banger is one for the books. I think this song is quite underrated on the album and definitely had the potential to be a single. The song has an uptempo beat and makes you want to get up and dance. What more could you want?
9. How You Get The Girl It’s desperately difficult not to jam out to this song’s chorus. Similar to “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and “Wonderland,” this song is classic 1989. However, these three songs do have the tendency to blend together with their similarities.
8. Style Okay, maybe I am ranking this one a bit low… “Style,” inspired by Swift’s relationship with Harry Styles, is slinky and sexy and will probably be stuck in your head for hours. Clever lyrics, great vocals, and a synth-pop sound, it’s hard not to love this song.
7. New Romantics This is a Swiftie fan favorite. This song is single worthy. Reminiscent of Red’s “22,” this song aims at becoming a generational anthem. It’s all about breaking rules and having fun. This song was definitely done dirty as only being included on the deluxe album.
6. Wildest Dreams Every time I listen to this song, I forget how good it is. With breathy vocals and a synth-pop sound that somehow still remains grounded and vulnerable, this is one of Swift’s best tracks on the album. Pair it with an iconic music video, this song is a classic.
5. I Know Places I love this song for its distinctive edginess. Swift’s vocals are low and intense with a few good high notes. You can’t deny, her final rendition of the chorus just hits different. Plus a killer outro? This song is severely underrated.
4. Clean “Clean” is minimal and lovely compared to the rest of 1989’s upbeat bangers. The instrumentation and Swift’s voice are just beautiful and make for a great closer to the album. Staying on trend with it’s vulnerability and dreamy vocals, this one is my favorite on the album.
3. Shake It Off While not lyrically the most impressive on the album, this is Swift’s most iconic song to date. The lead single of 1989 has become quite the meme in the age of social media, but it’s hard to deny that this song simply slaps. Some may say the bridge is cringey, but I can’t help but sing it with her.
2. Blank Space Arguably one of Swift’s greatest songs of all time, “Blank Space,” and its music video, are simply perfection. It’s catchy, clever, and you can’t help but love “‘Cause, darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.” Everything about this song just screams iconic–every verse, bridge, and chorus–and there is no doubt it isn’t.
1. Out Of The Woods Another song inspired by Styles, “Out Of The Woods” is a triumph. The song is loved by critics and fans alike, becoming one of the most memorable songs on the album. “Out Of The Woods” is simultaneously an uptempo bop and a vulnerable depiction of one of Swift’s relationships. Notably, the song’s music video is metaphorical, symbolic, and just as iconic as “Blank Space’s.” This song’s best part, however, is its bridge, telling the story of a car crash she actually got into with Styles. This song is simply one of Swift’s best.
Swift’s 1989 may be her best album. It showcases her lyrical and musical talent while also creating a good mix of upbeat and peppy songs with Swift’s well-known emotional intensity. It’s hard not to love this album. 1989 made Swift the star she is today, and there’s no question as to why. This album is exemplary. Listen to 1989 ranked in this order here.