Back in 2006, a little-known country singer called Taylor Swift released her debut single ‘Tim McGraw’. Written when she was a highschool freshman, it sees Swift dissect her relationship with a senior who she knew would break up with her when he went off to college. It was the first taste the world got of Swiftâs deeply confessional songwriting, and from that moment, we were hooked.
Now nine albums, a mantelpiece of awards and almost 15 years later, Swift is one of the most famous people on the planet. First emerging as a country-cross over artist, sheâs since embraced glossy pure pop and indie-folk; but whilse her sound may have changed, Swiftâs brilliantly honest lyricism has remained a keystone in her music.
Here we take a look back on Taylor Swiftâs entire career and rank her nine albums in order of greatness.
‘Reputation’ (2017)
Look, âReputationâ served a purpose. It saw Swift push back at a narrative that saw her portrayed as vengeful and bitter, an image that had been thrust upon her by the media and exacerbated by her very public, very long-running beef with Kanye West (first started when he infamously interrupted Taylor Swiftâs acceptance speech at the VMAs, and regularly reignited by the Kardashian-West clan). The imagery for the album was filled with snakes, and lyrics subtly (and at times, not so subtly) addressed their falling out. True, this album successfully acted as a reminder that Swift is a powerhouse musician who shouldnât be messed with. And a follow-up to â1989â would always have big shoes to fill â but âReputationâ lacked the stone-cold smashers Swift has proven time and time again sheâs capable of. There are, of course, a handful of golden tunes (‘Dancing with Our Hands Tied’, ‘Call It What You Want’, ‘Delicate’).
‘Taylor Swift’ (2006)
Almost 15 years ago, before the Grammy awards and international tours, a fresh-faced, 17-year-old Taylor Swift released her self-titled debut album. Written in her freshmen year of high school, it positioned her as a country-cross-over hopeful ready for mainstream success. Filled with rootinâ tootin’ tunes like ‘Tim McGraw’, ‘Our Song’ and ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ (largely considered Swift’s breakout song) that stormed the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it earned a teenage Taylor support slots on tour with Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Faith Hill. It’s a solid album which shows bucket-loads of promise; but itâs not a patch on what was to come later.
‘Fearless’ (2008)
If ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ from Swift’s debut album was her breakthrough song, it was ‘Love Story’, the ballad from its follow-up ‘Fearless’, that cemented her name in the pop history books. On Swift’s second album she still kept things country, but this time the pop edge that defined later releases was more evident. Songs like âLove Storyâ, ‘You Belong with Me’ and âFifteenâ, filled with heart-on-sleeve lyrics and earworm hooks, remain among her best; but between these moments of gold there are arguably a few instances of filler (âYou’re Not Sorryâ, ‘The Way I Loved You’). Thatâs not to say that âFearlessâ isnât a fine album â it won the Grammy for Album of the Year!
‘Lover’ (2019)
How do you follow-up âReputationâ, a revenge album filled with vengeance? With a record thatâs âa love letter to love itselfâ. Swiftâs most recent album ignores the bombastic electro-pop of its predecessor, and instead embraces the sleek stylings of â1989â. Although the first glimpses we heard from it (the musical theatre-style ‘Me!’ and the stomping ‘You Need to Calm Down’) didnât do the record justice, listen to âLoverâ in full and youâll find moments of pure joy. âCruel Summerâ, co-written with St. Vincent, a euphoric three minutes of exhilarating â80s synth-pop, should have been a single. The tongue-in-cheek âI Forgot That You Existedâ is a strutting reminder of Swiftâs skills as a lyricist. And then thereâs the title track, a gorgeous slow-dance, that acts as a reminder to why the world fell in love with Swift in the first place.
‘Speak Now’ (2010)
By album number three Swift was a certified Big Deal. After the runaway success of country-pop second record âFearlessâ, for âSpeak Nowâ elements of pop rock, bluegrass and soft rock were added into the mix. Whilst it has less T-Swiz classics than other releases, across the board itâs one of Swiftâs strongest albums, bursting with catchy morsels. The Grammy-winning ‘Mean’ is amongst Swift’s most underrated songs, ‘Sparks Fly’ is a toe-tapping head-banging anthem and break-up slow-burner âBack to Decemberâ is a karaoke classic. It also boasts some of Swiftâs best ever lyricism â for example its title track, where Swift vividly describes the wedding of an ex-lover: âI sneak in and see your friends / And her snotty little family, all dressed in pastel / And she is yelling at a bridesmaid / Somewhere back inside a room / Wearing a gown shaped like a pastryâ. Top that, Shakespeare.
‘Red’ (2012)
On âRedâ, Swift began her transition from country crossover artist to creating glossy, mainstream pop. The brilliantly snarky ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ (Swift’s first ever Billboard 100 number one) and fizzing ’22’ are stone-cold smashers. ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’, with its swift-step breakdown, saw her signature sound infused with trendy dance production (and letâs be honest, it slaps). Meanwhile, âThe Last Timeâ (featuring Snow Patrolâs Gary Lightbody) showed a more mature sound with its grandiose alt-rock guitars and soaring melodies. But itâs âAll Too Wellâ thatâs the finest moment on âRedâ, and possible the greatest song Swift has ever written. Painting the picture of an unravelling relationship, it gradually crescendos, climaxing in the gut-punch couplet of âAnd you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honestâ. âRedâ paints a picture of a Swift evolving, fusing her earlier sound with sleek production and killer hooks, and eight years on it remains a hugely enjoyable listen.
‘Folklore’ (2020)
Swiftâs surprise eighth album arrived with very little fanfare. Casting aside the usual lengthy album campaigns or meticulously planned drip-feeding of singles, T-Swiz uncharacteristically announced ‘Folklore’ the day before it was released. Itâs not just the shock drop that felt different, though, as musically it saw Swift dive head-first into a new sonic palette of wistful indie-folk.
Teaming up with The National’s Aaron Dessner (who worked on 11 of the 16 songs) and long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff, itâs a stunning collection of modern folk songs. The brooding production glitches and glitters, embracing the indietronica thatâs permeated the last few The National records. Thereâs a Bon Iver collaboration, too: melancholy duet âExileâ, a slow-burning number which eventually erupts into chattering layered vocals and euphoric strings at the climax. Yet itâs the lyricism that makes âFolkloreâ such an astonishing album, with Swift writing both from her own point of view, as well as exploring other peopleâs. The spectacular âThe Last Great American Dynastyâ describes the life of American artist Rebekah Harkness (whose Rhode Island house Swift bought in 2013) with vivid descriptive lyrics. And thereâs what Swift has called The Teenage Love Triangle, a trio of songs (âBettyâ, âCardiganâ and âAugustâ) that explore a knotty romance from three peopleâs perspectives.
Itâs a dazzling, surprising album, brimming with career-best moments, and heralded a brave new direction for the pop star.
Evermore (2020)
Not content with just giving us one surprise album in the year of our lord 2020 with the ultimate lockdown album âFolkloreâ, Swift returned to her cabin in the woods and a mere five months later released âEvermoreâ. She’s described it as a sister record to the aforementioned âFolkloreâ; where that record allowed Swift to completely reinvent her sound, coupling her trademark hooks and vibrant storytelling with indie-folk instrumentals, âEvermoreâ exudes a new sense of confidence. There’s a free-wheeling, carefree attitude to the collection.
Haim collaboration âNo Body, No Crimeâ is a full-blown country revenge song, while âLong Story Shortâ and âGold Rushâ fuse Swiftâs new sound with some â1984â-era gloss. ‘Marjorie’ is a tear-jerking tribute to her late grandmother and Justin Vernon-duet ‘Evermore’ is a euphoric beacon of hope that feels especially poignant at the end of 2020. On this record, Swiftâs took her new sound and ran with it â with thrilling results.
‘1989’ (2014)
â1989â is a masterclass in how to make a timeless pop record. Here Taylor sacked off her country roots and embraced full-blown pop. Working with a who’s who of trendy producers and writers (Jack Antonoff, Max Martin, Ali Payami alongside indie darling Imogen Heap), she crafted a collection of glossy belters, that flit from fluffy dance-pop (âShake It Offâ) and sophisticated electronic-tinged bops (‘Blank Space’, ‘Style’), to glorious indietronica (‘Out of the Woods’, âCleanâ). Stuffed with â80s influence, it also saw a step up in Swiftâs song writing, with her sharp, pithy lyrics feeling refined and sleek, hook-laden melodies dominating the entire record. It won a mantelpiece of awards â including the Grammy for Album of the Year â but perhaps even more impressive is the fact it’s already left a massive impact, a mere six years after it was released.
Its nostalgic sound has paved the way for other artists to make pure pop albums without feeling the need to embrace whatever genre’s popular at the time (just look at Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ or Lorde’s ‘Melodrama’). The songs are as fresh as they were when first released in 2014 with the choruses still getting embedded in your head. In short: â1989â is Taylor Swiftâs masterpiece.
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