My Official Taylor Swift Album Rankings
Ah yes, the dream of running a frequently updated personal blog once belonged to me. However, it’s been 18 months. So to get back into the swing of things, I’m taking the advice: “Write what you know.” And what I know is Taylor Alison Swift.
In honor of her Eras tour, it’s time to break down and rank all of Taylor’s discography. As a fan for the last 16 years, here’s my current official ranking:
evermore
folklore
reputation
Midnights
Red (Taylor’s Version)
Lover
1989
Speak Now
Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Debut
#1. evermore: There is nothing more perfect in the Taylor Swift discography than “evermore.” The most grown-up album she’s released, “evermore” shines with its depressing yet flawless composition of songs.
“evermore” is the older, more mature sister of the Swiftian family: the perfectionist, the overachiever, the anxiety-ridden up at 3 am pacing album. While “folklore” glistens with hope even in the darkest of times, “evermore” is dark and brooding — I cannot get enough.
The bridge on “champagne problems” is a masterpiece. The lyrics of “happiness” cut deep especially when Taylor sings: “There’ll be happiness after you but there was happiness because of you.” “tolerate it” is enough to slice open any beating heart with lines like: “I made you my template, my mural, my sky — now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life.”
My favorite song on “evermore” is “ivy.” Opening with “How’s one to know? I’d meet you where the spirit meets the bones,” this song tells a story of a married woman and a love affair. I can’t get enough of the storytelling (“crescent moon, coast is clear”) and Taylor’s metaphor of ivy itself (“and now I’m covered in you”).
While songs like “cowboy like me” and “coney island (featuring The National)” stand out like shooting stars too, the most poignant track on “evermore” is Taylor’s song for her late grandmother, “marjorie.” Using backing vocals from her opera-trained grandmother and lyrics like “Never be so kind you forget to be clever, never be so clever you forget to be kind” — this song spirals interchangeably through grief and grace. It’s not a bop. It’s not a song Taylor will perform in a stadium. But it is one of Taylor’s best pieces of work, ever.
I could go on and on forever about why I love “evermore,” but I’ll end on the note of “evermore” having the showstopper “right where you left me” as a bonus track. This song is no bonus track, it should have taken the place of something like “dorothea” or “no body, no crime (featuring HAIM).” Another heartbreakingly perfect story to tell, Taylor leaves it all in the lyrics and makes you almost feel that mascara run and the glass shattering on the white cloth as dust collects on pinned-up hair.
“evermore” often falls to the bottom of most Swiftie’s lists, and that’s fine. One day they will find themselves metaphorically shipwrecked and this album will greet them like a lighthouse — a beacon in the dark.
Favorite song: “ivy”
Favorite lyric: “I should have asked you questions, I should have asked you how to be.”
#2. folklore: I’ll never forget the surprise drop of “folklore.” Watching Taylor’s Instagram grid slowly turn into the forest was one of the best ways to start a new era, and even upon the first listen, “folklore” stood out as a clear masterpiece.
While I’ll always love the older Taylor albums, “folklore” and its sister “evermore” offer up the best writing possible and a deep dive into what storytelling through music can do for an artist.
I look at “folklore” in sections, my favorite self-created song chapter is “mirrorball,” “seven,” and “august.” Ethereal and sonically unaligned but perfectly packaged, this chapter stands out with lyrics like: “Please picture me in the weeds before I learned civility” and “I’m a mirrorball, I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight.”
“folklore” is one of the first times darkness, less focused on revenge and more on introspection of darkness and sadness itself, appears on a Taylor Swift album. “this is me trying” guts me nearly every single time as someone with depression and anxiety just with the simplicity of: “I just wanted you to know that this is me trying.” “mad woman” calls out the dark iniquity of what it’s like being a woman, while the last two tracks, “peace” and “hoax” explore what it’s like to feel dark blue, morose, and yet still looking for a glimmer of light and hope.
Is this a perfect album? Yes. Would it be my favorite Taylor album of all time if “evermore” didn’t come along? Yes. Is this the pandemic album we all needed? Absolutely.
Favorite song: “mirrorball”
Favorite lyric: “I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace.”
#3. reputation: “There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation.” That’s all she said and then managed to drop one of her best albums.
Even though “reputation” is ranked number three on this list, it probably stands as my number one Taylor Swift album of all time. From “Delicate” to “I Did Something Bad” to “Don’t Blame Me” — this is a flawless album.
A true love story with a twist and an edge, I have never been able to get enough of the sonic journey Taylor takes her fans on.
Never listened to Taylor Swift before? This is the album I will hand you. Want to get into Taylor Swift? This is the album I will recommend to you. Want to know how I feel about it on a Saturday morning at 9 am at the coffee shop? Just look at my sweatshirt.
“reputation” goes hard, and I’m most thrilled about this re-record.
Favorite song: “Delicate”
Favorite lyric: “I bury hatchets but keep maps of where I put them.”
#4. Midnights: New, but “Midnights” has already made its way into my top five Taylor Swift albums. Sonically I love the way this concept album sounds, but I also am head-over-heels for the additional “3 AM” tracks like the “Dear John” follow-up, “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” and “High Infidelity.”
I love how this album feels like it isn’t perfect and sometimes, it’s even weird. I can’t get enough of “Snow On The Beach” (featuring Lana Del Rey) and Taylor talking about her depression on “Anti-Hero.” But really, I can’t get enough of “You’re On Your Own, Kid” — which may be one of the most heartbreaking songs she’s ever written, which makes sense that she put it as track five (Swifties know how significant track five is to each album).
What I love about this album is that while it’s new, it’s teaching me a lot about myself. My unhealthy eating beliefs. What it’s like to walk away. What it’s like to stay. What it’s like to admit your truth. What it’s like to be a Gaylor. And what it’s like to let a little joy in — even if it’s just at midnight.
This was a necessary Taylor record and I can’t wait to see how it holds up over time.
Favorite song: “Mastermind”
Favorite lyric: “Everything you lose is a step you take.”
#5. Red: There is “Red” and then there is “Red” (Taylor’s Version) — which has one of Swift’s best collections of vault songs thus far. While the vault songs shine, especially “Nothing New” with Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor’s own version of the song she wrote for Little Big Town, “Better Man,” some things don’t change…”State of Grace” as the opener to “Red” is just as powerful as ever.
I love this album because it is quintessential fall. It’s maple lattes. It’s Thanksgiving pies. And it’s also the night before Thanksgiving at the local bar near your parent’s house and the morning after an early December break-up. This album has a little bit of everything for everyone — if only they’re open to finding it.
“Red” (Taylor’s Version) features her magnum opus with the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” (Taylor’s Version). The original five-minute version was my favorite song of hers to date — the extended writing in the full song not only made my autumn but has made my entire year. From lines like “fuck the patriarchy” to “they say all’s well that ends well, but I’m in a new hell” to “a never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you” … Taylor’s storytelling is at her sharpest on an already perfect track.
“Red” is often described as an incohesive album, a kaleidoscope of music and emotions. I love it this way, especially (Taylor’s Version).
Favorite song: “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)
Favorite lyric: “Just between us, did the love affair maim you all too well?”
#6. Lover: “Lover” had to grow on me, and I’m so glad it did. This pop masterpiece has some of my favorite bridges, as well as some of my all-time favorite tracks.
“Cruel Summer” may be one of Taylor’s all-time best songs, and it’s baffling this wasn’t the lead single for the album. But let me tell you — there is no better feeling than listening to that bridge. It’s like riding the scrambler at the carnival. It’s like having a wave pummel you as you try to paddle in. The bridge slaps you in the face and you just want more. If you take away one thing from this blog, make “Cruel Summer” and its bridge it.
In addition to the bridge on “Cruel Summer,” Taylor’s bridge infrastructure also shines on “Cornelia Street” and “Death By A Thousand Cuts.”
Personally, “The Archer” is one of my favorites and hits deeper than most of the songs on the record. In fact, she literally sings: “And all of my heroes die all alone.” Adding this synth track to a bubblegum mix was smart though — “The Archer” made way for projects like “folklore” and “evermore.”
Favorite song: “The Archer”
Favorite lyric: “I’ve got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you.”
#7. 1989: Even I am shocked that “1989” comes in at seven, but as Taylor’s career has progressed — this pivotal album has lost just a little bit of its luster in my Taylor discography.
Another album that the re-record has yet to drop, “1989” is filled with hits but shines best in some of its lesser-known moments like “Out of the Woods” and “Clean.” Something about the bridge on “Out of the Woods” has had a grip on me since 2014 and the entirety of “Clean” feels like a baptism each and every time.
Huge hits like “Blank Space,” “Style,” and “Shake It Off” all deserve their star power, but to me some of the other songs like “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and “How You Get The Girl” don’t pass muster.
“Wildest Dreams” (Taylor’s Version) absolutely lives up to its hype, as does “This Love” (Taylor’s Version), but will the rest of “1989” (Taylor’s Version)? I don’t know — so drop it already, Taylor. We’re ready for it.
Favorite song: “Out of the Woods”
Favorite lyric: “The monsters turned out to be just trees.”
#8. Speak Now: There is a magic to Speak Now. Maybe it’s because Taylor wrote the entire album herself, maybe it’s track flow, or maybe it’s the scorcher “Dear John” — whatever it actually is, this sleepy but magical album is one of the most important in Taylor’s canon.
“Sparks Fly” carries magic all on its own, but when combining Taylor’s country accent and the lyrics — the song is as captivating “like a fireworks show.” You hear Taylor’s newly found voice in this song and in songs like “The Story of Us” and Swift’s chart-topping banjo thumper, “Mean.”
None of this matters though when “Dear John” sits as track five with some of Taylor’s sharpest writing. From “Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with?” to “Don’t you think nineteen is too young to be played by your dark twisted games when I loved you so?…. I should have known” — Taylor puts it all out on the table. While it’s not as relatable as “All Too Well,” this track might be one of Taylor’s all-time best-written songs, period.
While I could talk about “Dear John” (and who it’s allegedly about all day), I can’t ignore the shiniest, most magical track on “Speak Now” — “Enchanted.” Essentially sounding like a fairytale itself, this beautiful song tells the story of a life-altering meet cute. It’s impossible to not absolutely fall for the chorus’ entry: “This night is sparkling, don’t you let it go.” Impossible to not absolutely fall for that perfect line.
We don’t have “Speak Now” (Taylor’s Version) yet, and while I can’t wait to hear all these songs, I am mostly looking forward to hearing Taylor’s ode to her fans, “Long Live.” I imagine she will sing this at the eras tour and I imagine there will not be a dry eye in the stadium when she sings: “How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.”
Favorite song: “Enchanted”
Favorite lyric: “I’m shining like fireworks over your sad, empty town.”
#9. Fearless (Taylor’s Version): I was in college when “Fearless” first came out and I specifically remember driving through the winding Virginia mountains listening to the title track on repeat. This album reminds me of girlhood, innocence, springtime, the way the sunshine sneaks through a tree, and unsafe and confusing relationships. But boy does this album have some serious bangers on it.
“Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” and “You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version)” are two of the most obvious Swiftian bops, but songs even ballads like “You’re Not Sorry (Taylor’s Version”) and “White Horse (Taylor’s Version)” are powerhouses.
To me, the rest of “Fearless” kinda rolls into each other in a way that has me ranking this Album of the Year winner as number nine. While it’s probably casually cruel (in the name of being honest) to rank this so low with the bridge of “The Other Side of The Door” (Taylor’s Version) on it, I just can’t get past songs like “Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version)” or “Forever & Always” (Taylor’s Version).
However, even after all this time from the original and the re-recording of this record, there is still no better Swiftian line than: “I’d dance in a storm in my best dress — fearless.”
Favorite song: “You Belong With Me”
Favorite lyric: “I don’t know why but with you I’d dance in a storm in my best dress — fearless.”
#10. Debut: Taylor’s debut is only at the bottom of the rankings because it’s her debut. This record shines with bops like “Picture to Burn,” “Shoud’ve Said No,” and “Our Song” and it checks every country song checklist with songs like “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “Tim McGraw,” and “Stay Beautiful.”
I have very little connection to this album. Mostly because I can’t get past the country accent that has long since dissipated. Did Taylor really have to go the country route? I have this debate a lot. Regardless if she had to go down the country-to-pop route, I can’t wait to see if Taylor’s Version of her debut comes with a country accent and what the vault songs hold from a 14-year-old songwriter.
Favorite song: “Should’ve Said No”
Favorite lyric: “Maybe I’m just a girl on a mission.”