We all know the stress of the birthday post. Everyone’s going to be commenting on it and you’ll probably get DMs from people you haven’t talked to since high school! The birthday post is a big deal. Now, the actual photo is only a part of it, you’ll probably have tons of them to choose from. It’s the caption that’s going to take hours and you only really have 24! Luckily for you, I’ve compiled the ultimate list of birthday captions, because everyone needs to know how old you are, even if they’ve known you your whole life…
Young and Sweet and only 17
17 feels like the cusp of something. The end of childhood, the beginning of adulthood, and all that’s in between. It’s a time of great change but also a time to remember that you’re young and fun! These captions will give that air of fun: You’ve got the classics with ABBA (“Dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen” – Dancing Queen, ABBA), a new wave with Taylor about not knowing anything (I mean does anyone know anything at 17?) (“I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything” – Betty, Taylor Swift), or if your 17th birthday was out of this world, jump on a Marina and the Diamonds caption! (“Could never tell you what happened the day I turned 17” – Seventeen, Marina and the Diamonds)
18: Legal Adult Status Obtained
Now all of these late teen birthdays are big deals, but 18 is your time to officially be an adult. You can buy lottery tickets, sign your own permission forms, maybe you’re looking at colleges, it’s a big deal, a crazy deal. You can go classic with a little Maroon 5 with a glamour shot (“Beauty queen of only 18” – She Will Be Loved, Maroon Five), remind everyone that yeah, 18 is crazy with Anabour (“Should’ve seen this coming from a mile away, Eighteen, crazy” –18, Anabour), or if 18 feels like the best thing that will ever come, Soco Amaretto has got you covered. (“I’m going to stay eighteen forever” – 18 Forever, Soco Amaretto)
Let’s have a drink baby, you’re 19!
If you’re Canadian, 19 is a BIG deal. It’s time to get out there and have your first legal drink. 19 is an age that needs to be commemorated and there are some songs that can help you do that. If you’re a Lorde stan, she’s got you covered with Perfect Places! (“I’m nineteen and I’m on fire” – Perfect Places, Lorde) For any old photo, Imagine Dragons has a lyric that will remind everyone that it’s your birthday and you’re 19 (“I took a photograph of me when I was only nineteen” – Trouble, Imagine Dragons), and while Kilby Girl by the Backseat Lovers is quite specific, it’s a wicked song and well. Everyone’s going to overhear that you’re 19, so it fits. (“I overheard that she was nineteen, she’s got a fake ID and a nose ring” – Kilby Girl, The Backseat Lovers)
Twenty (20) and Funny
20 is a funny age, a boring age really. You’re right smack between those fun exciting birthdays. Adult at 18, drinking at 19, and then 21 is just an arbitrary big adult age. While 20 might seem a little boring, your caption doesn’t have to be! Although it’s unspecific about being 20, Taylor Swift’s Lover allows for a more artistic look at 20 (“And there’s a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you dear, have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?” – Lover, Taylor Swift). While it’s an older song, Lukas Graham’s 7 years could make for the cutest reading picture caption if you’re a book fan (“Once I was 20 years old, my story got told” – 7 Years, Lukas Graham). Now if 20 is feeling just a little too old remind people that maybe you still want to be a kid with Young Woods (“20 years old but I wish I was 12” – No Time, Young Woods)
21: Legal Drinking Age achieved across the world
Fly anywhere in the world on your 21st birthday and you can buy an alcoholic beverage, how fun! While 21 is a fun birthday and H.E.R. has a lyric to help you express that (“I wouldn’t trade it for the world, I’m 21 now.” – 21, H.E.R.). Sometimes 21 is also scary and confusing. Taylor Swift, in her longform All Too Well, reminds us of her not-so-great 21st birthday (“It’s supposed to be fun turning 21″ – All Too Well (10 minute version) (Taylor’s version), Taylor Swift) so if you’re just a TSwift fan or if your birthday’s not that great, she’s got you covered. Finally, you might be more fun when you’re young, but if you post a hot as hell photo, you’re still kind of fun. (“They only want you when you’re 17, when you’re 21 you’re not fun.” Seventeen, Ladytron)
22 (Taylor’s Version)
We all know the big name when it comes to 22 and that’s none other than Taylor Swift! Not only can you simply use 22 (Taylor’s Version), but the song also has a longer version if you’re looking for a full lyric (“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22” – 22, Taylor Swift). And if party-type captions aren’t your style, then Taylor has got you covered yet again in Nothing New (“How can a person know everything at 18 and nothing at 22” – Nothing New, Taylor Swift). If Taylor’s not your jam, then you can go a little pop punk with Hello Cold World by Paramore, especially if 22 isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (“22 is like the worst idea that I’ve ever has” – Hello Cold World, Paramore)
23 and living the dream
23 is the last year you’re looking at a fun age related lyric caption, it’s like after 23 we’re not fun anymore, so go all out with this one. Yet again Taylor is saving us with one of the best deluxe tracks to exist, Right Where You Left Me, this is the perfect caption for a book lover (“She’s still 23 inside her fantasy” – Right Where You Left Me, Taylor Swift). If you want to go classic, then Blink 182 is always around with the quintessential 23-year-old quote (“Nobody likes you when you’re twenty three” – What’s My Age Again, Blink 182). Finally, Jimmy Eat World has got you covered with a pretty simple one as well. (“Amazing still it seems I’ll be twenty three” – 23, Jimmy Eat World)
The Life of a 20-something
Now even though you’re a little ancient after 23 everyone still deserves some fun so here are some generic 20-something captions you can use from 20 all the way up to 29. A pretty simple one, though it is gendered from SZA. (“That’s me, Ms. 20 Something” – 20-something, SZA ). If your twenties are the scary mix of amazing and not, then Judah and the Lion has got you covered. Just chop up this lyric for any form of caption you want (“Running scared, Running free Full of light We got no money Yeah, that’s us. Twenty-somethings.” – Twenty-Somethings, Judah and the Lion). Last but certainly not least, here’s another caption that talks about how much growing up is not what anyone wants to do. (“Twenty something years old, But still, But still a kid at heart” – Never Grow Up, Point of Promise)