Taylor Swift has been one of my favorite artists for as long as I can remember. With a sister who is 6 years older than me, that was certainly bound to happen; Red came out when I was only 7 years old, and I can still remember hearing her play “The Lucky One” for the first time. The release of The Life of a Showgirl has made Swift’s discography 12 studio albums long. With almost 14 years of being a “Swiftie” under my belt, I wanted to take on the challenge of matching each album with the month I think it best represents. With hot takes and obvious choices, I hope you enjoy my opinion and interpretation of the Taylor Swift Calendar.
January: Reputation
Reputation serves up cold and sharp themes, almost like the month of January in Pittsburgh. This album walks the path of reinvention and resilience after the chaos of a long, messy year. Reputation opens the door to themes such as shaking off old narratives, setting new boundaries, and stepping into a fresh start. Also, if you look hard enough, Reputation is partially a love album, making it the perfect bridge into how we as a society represent the month of February.
February: the tortured poets department
This album is the perfect balance of painful love and misplaced emotions, matching the monochromatic vibes that tend to come from a snowy February in Pittsburgh. February often feels like a period of enforced introspection, as if the world has been quieted and hushed by the persistent snow and chill in the air. The Tortured Poets Department embraces this solitude with a firm handshake, providing a soundtrack for deep, unflinching reflection, whether you want it or not. If you want an album that will make you reflect on every bad thing that has ever happened to you in February, I would say this album is the album for you.
March: speak now
Speak Now feels like the softness of March as the chill still lingers, but the thaw has started. The world feels restless, eager to bloom but not quite ready yet. Speak Now captures that same energy, being a little dramatic and outspoken. Much like the slow shift from winter to spring, this album moves through harsh regret and moments of clarity toward something new. It carries the same mix of vulnerability and courage that defines early spring, a time of apologies, awakenings, and the first blooms beginning to break through the frost. March is the moment between the frozen and the free, and Speak Now captures that perfectly.
April: lover
April is the month of gentle rain, pastel sunsets, and the return of warmth after a long winter, especially in Pittsburgh. Personally, I fall in love with this city all over again each April, and this album feels the same way. Lover is all about falling in love, and finally moving on from the hurt after months of reflection. There’s something hopeful about this album, like the first day of spring that is warm enough to leave your jacket at home and open your windows. After the frost and heartbreak of winter, Lover reminds us that healing can be soft, colorful and fun.
May: fearless
Fearless feels like taking a long drive with your windows down, wind tangled in your hair, singing your heart out as the sun shines down on your face. This album is just simply fun, with childlike excitement about the world, like the excitement we feel as the weather gets nice. Fearless is about rediscovering joy, hope, and the magic of firsts. It’s the soundtrack as we enter the summer heat, as you feel unstoppable even if you have no idea where you’re headed next.
June: the life of a showgirl
This ‘glitter gel pen’ album is a perfect way to kick off summer with themes of confidence, love and celebration. Just like the summer heat, this album feels very sure of itself, with Swift knowing she is exactly where she is meant to be. This album feels like walking through Downtown, sequin skirts glimmering in the last bits of sunlight, and laughter with those you love. June is the month of being in love and unapologetically you, and The Life of a Showgirl is just that.
July: taylor swift (debut)
For me, growing up on the outskirts of Pittsburgh has always meant country music in July, making Taylor Swift the perfect album to represent this month. There’s something about this album that feels like backyard bonfires, dancing under the stars, and watching the glow of summer sunsets. It has a young feel, with songs full of stories about crushes, first loves, and figuring out who you are as you grow older. July has that same energy with endless days where you feel you can be everything you aspire to be, and it all feels possible. With most students out of the busy city and back in their small towns, this album feels like the weird balance of simplicity and complexity of returning back to your own small town.
August: Folklore
folklore is the perfect soundtrack as we say a painful goodbye to summer, leave our hometowns, and welcome the possibility of change for what is to come. We follow the story of a love triangle between three teenage characters: Betty, James and Augustine. This album, just like the month of August, is all about reflection on what happened in the summer, with themes of guilt, passion, betrayal and love. folklore is a reminder that our youth is not everlasting, and sometimes maturing is thrust upon us when we least expect it.
September: red
Red feels like wearing your favorite fall trench coat as the leaves just start changing color. This album walks the line between a love album and a heartbreak album, just as the September weather cannot decide whether to stay warm or turn cold. At 22 years old, Swift offers up emotional chaos with a messy mix of passion, confusion, love and heartbreak. This album is incredibly raw and human, making it perfect for September with a warmth that is too soon fleeting. Red is about heartbreak maturing you and forcing you to grow up, even if you aren’t ready, which is perfect for the start of a new school year.
October: midnights
This pop album has the perfect soundtrack for late-night thoughts, with a moody and spiteful tone. Like October, this is the kind of album that makes you feel haunted while thinking about everything you’ve ever said, and feeling regret for half of it. Each song feels like a whispered confession with a beautiful level of sharpness and vulnerability, and a perfect blend of defiance and introspection. Midnights is like glitter mascara running down your face as your heartbreak is disguised by sequins, and the quiet courage to finally own your story, good or bad.
November: evermore
It is no secret that just as folklore represents spring and summer, naturally, its sister album, evermore, would represent fall and winter. This album lives in the space between gratitude and melancholy. The stories Swift tells feel like the scent of cold air and worn flannel sleeves, with themes of past memories and comfort in the current stillness of life. evermore could be November in Pittsburgh’s soundtrack with songs that are perfect for quiet drives on long roads, or walks amongst the falling leaves.
December: 1989
I know, this one is a very hot take, with the entire marketing for the album being summer. Perhaps I might be the only one who thinks it, but there’s something undeniably winter-coded about 1989. Beneath all of the synths and city lights themes, the album has a chilling clarity, the way December air feels just before the harsh winter comes. 1989 is the sound of remembering that you can still dance through the chill of winter, giving it the ultimate December energy. This album has become my favorite album to listen to in December, and I hope you give it a try!