If you have been following my writing over the past four years, you know that I have done album reviews (reputation, Lover) and album rankings, but taking on Taylor’s 117 song discography is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. So here it goes, every Taylor Swift song ranked (from her 7 studio albums), from my least favorite to my favorite and the reasons to match. Some of the factors taken into consideration were overall sound, lyrical complexity, placement on albums, amount of times skipped, musical composition, and tone. Since this list is clearly extensive, I’ve taken the time to split it up into multiple different articles linked below so you are not scrolling forever.
60.) “All You Had To Do Was Stay”—1989
The sad sequel to “Stay, Stay, Stay,” at least in my mind, falls here at number 60. I think that this song is great for 1989, but mediocre in terms of Taylor’s whole discography. I do, however, love the tie-in to RED here, even if it is just in my own mind, so it gets a few brownie points.
Favorite Line: “People like you always want back the love they pushed aside // But people like me are gone forever when you say goodbye”
59.) “Cold As You”—Taylor Swift
This song is the perfect one to listen to if you’ve left a relationship where you have felt unloved or unwanted. As painful as it is, it is also beautiful. My favorite line says it all: “there is no use in defending words that you will never say.” Why be with someone if you are never going to love them? If you feel this way, I can promise you, there is someone else out there who will love and appreciate you for who you are, and you should really spend your time looking for them rather than settling for someone who doesn’t want to let you in.
Favorite Line: “Just walk away, no use defending words that you will never say // And now that I’m sitting here thinking it through // I’ve never been anywhere cold as you”
58.) “Superstar”—Fearless
“Superstar” is highly underrated, and I think that is in large part why I have it here at number 58. This is the feeling that we have all felt pining after a celebrity. You can’t say you haven’t felt this way, whether it is a singer, actor, or what have you. It is a fantasy we all want to live, and Taylor’s ability to pen that deserves some recognition (even if she is technically in the position to actually see/meet another celebrity again, even at this point in her career).
Favorite Line: “Misty morning comes again and I can’t // Help but wish I could see your face // And I knew from the first note played // I’d be breaking all my rules to see you // You smile that beautiful smile and // All the girls in the front row scream your name
57.) “Speak Now”—Speak Now
“Speak Now” is genuinely a funny song. I don’t condone crashing a wedding and breaking it up, however, the way that this song is presented is actually pretty pure. Do not recommend doing this, but definitely recommend listening to the song. Not one of Speak Now’s best, but the message that you shouldn’t leave things unsaid is an important one.
Favorite Line: “There’s the silence, there’s my last chance. // I stand up with shaky hands, all eyes on me. // Horrified looks from everyone in the room // But I’m only looking at you.”
56.) “I Wish You Would”—1989
This song captures a feeling we have all had at one point of another. We all wish there were things we could take back or change, and this song communicated those feelings effectively. It deserves a moderate ranking, since it is better than a lot of Taylor’s other songs, however, not as good as some of her others.
Favorite Line: “I wish you would come back, // Wish I never hung up the phone like I did. // And I wish you knew that I’ll never forget you as long as I live.”
55.) “You Need to Calm Down”—Lover
This song is a bop, and anyone who doesn’t think so clearly has not listened to it. I’m so proud of Taylor for writing this song and taking a stance to support her friends, since her silence on the topic has made people weary of her views in the past. In this case, and in the other cases where she has spoken out/gotten political, I am proud to support her and her music, since she is standing up for things that are important to me, and the friends that I hold so dear. Why are you mad? When you can support GLADD!
Favorite Line: “And we see you over there on the internet // Comparing all the girls who are killing it // But we figured you out // We all know now we all got crowns // You need to calm down”
54.) “Soon You’ll Get Better”—Lover
This song is so hard to listen to, which is why it is so far down on this list. Notably, this song takes one of the most painful topics—Taylor’s mom’s battle with cancer—and turns it into something that is beautiful. While I know that this song is painful for Tayor to sing (and painful for most people to listen to) it deserves the credit for being one of Taylor’s best songs—I just wish I could listen to it more without being so sad. This is such a beautiful tribute to her mom and the relationship that they have.
Favorite Line: “But who am I supposed to talk to? // What am I supposed to do // If there’s no you?”
53.) “Wonderland”—1989
I think this song takes its place on 1989 with pride, and for good reason. The sound of this fits perfectly with the original tracks on the album, and I think that the concept of it is really interesting. The metaphor really transports you to wonderland and allows you to get lost there while you listen. I think that this song deserves some credit for creativity, and the pacing of it is fantastic. While not the best song of Taylor’s definitely deserving of a moderate ranking.
Favorite Line: “So we went on our way // Too in love to think straight // All alone or so it seemed. // But there were strangers watching // And whispers turned to talking // And talking turned to screams.”
52.) “Red”—RED
When I first heard this song, I absolutely fell in love with it. Maybe it is a result of over listening, but it has lost a little bit of its fire over the years as Swift has released more music that fuels my emotions. During this time in my life, this song was exactly what I needed to hear, and like Taylor, I used to think that love would be burning red too. This song is a particularly great one to play in the middle of summer with the windows down though. It really hits differently when you yell the lyrics over the wind at top volume.
Favorite Line: “Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes // Tell myself it’s time now, gotta let go // But moving on from him is impossible // When I still see it all in my head // In burning red”
51.) “Last Kiss”—Speak Now
I know that this is a really unpopular opinion, and lyrically this song is beautiful, however, this song is one for a specific headspace that I just don’t often find myself in. As much as I love this song, the fact that I find it difficult to listen to causes me to rank it much lower than most people would give this song typically.
Favorite Line: “I still remember the look on your face // Lit through the darkness at 1:58 // The words that you whispered // For just us to know // You told me you loved me // So why did you go away?”
Tune in again soon for the next article in this series: Songs 50-41!