You can’t deny that Taylor Swift is one of the best songwriters in history. With 10 Grammys, 24 American Music Awards, and even winning the 2017 TIME Person of the Year, Swift is nothing short of incredible. We’ve all been in the backseat of the car screaming “You Belong With Me” at the top of our lungs — don’t deny it. But, Taylor Swift isn’t just a master of breakup songs; she’s tapped into nearly every genre of music, from country, to pop, to alternative. Each album has hits of what you’d scream after a breakup, but also songs that are just good for the soul.
- A Place in this World
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Fitting in is a struggle everyone faces, whether it’s in middle school or even at a new job. Swift tells her story of moving out of Nashville to pursue her career as a singer/songwriter and does so beautifully, emphasizing that life is about the journey, not the destination. Picking on the weaker man never makes you the better man.
- Change
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Ah yes, an optimistic look toward the future. Serving as hope for her generation then and with Swift’s current activism surrounding the world of politics, things definitely will continue to change.
- Long Live
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Swifties are the most dedicated yet insane fans that I know of…and Swift knows that too. This 5:18 masterpiece is a dedication to her fans and how they’ve stuck by her side through thick and thin.
- Mean
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The haters are in fact going to hate, hate, hate, but that won’t stop Swift from winning two Grammys for a song about her critics. The constructive criticism against you should make you want to be a better person and prove them wrong…haters should be your motivators. Am I right, or am I right?
- 22
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If you don’t sing this on your 22nd birthday…wyd? This absolute bop Swift graced us with celebrates being young, wild and free, all while figuring out this crazy point in your life.
- The Lucky One
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Taylor Swift is The Lucky One. As she’s been in the Angel’s City chasin’ fortune and fame for 14 years, Swift realizes that the A-lister life isn’t all that it’s made out to be; sometimes she just wants to be a normal person. This includes chilling on the couch with her cats and watching TikToks, rather than being mobbed by paparazzi every time she ventures out into the world.
- Clean
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Honestly, this is one of my favorite songs ever from Swift. When you’re at your worst point, you get to see the clarity in a lot of things. Sometimes you have to go through the absolute worst to come out on top. She reminds us that you have to accept the past to move on, but just because you’re clean doesn’t mean you don’t miss it. Nothing in your past makes you damaged — it makes you clean.
- Look What You Made Me Do
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Hey, Kanye — how ya doing? When Swift released this as the first single off of Reputation, fans were stunned as this was a Taylor song like no other. It takes a much darker turn away from her previous 1989 pop era. This ode to the drama that Swift was caught up in 2017 is a badass anthem that serves the tea scorching hot. Swift never liked his tilted stage, but that didn’t matter, because she took that anger and made it into an award-winning single.
- The Archer
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The emotionally destroying trend of Swift’s Track 5’s didn’t disappoint when it came to Lover, her seventh studio album. Within this lyrical masterpiece, Swift is at war with herself. She’s been the archer, she’s been the prey in the public eye, leaving Taylor vulnerable and exposed. When you’re an A-lister, you have to reflect on and accept the mistakes you’ve made (I’m sure there’s plenty) and move on — that’s the only thing you can do.
- The Man
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I know what you’re thinking, this one’s about a guy…but no, not in that way. Swift goes off in her AMA Artist of the Year performance by telling us how much different her life would be if she were, well, a man. She’s sick and tired of running as fast as she can, wondering how much quicker she’d get there if she were a man. Frankly, we all are too, Taylor — stick it to the man.
Until I can see Taylor Swift perform live, I’m going to believe she’s a hologram — this woman is too talented and too beautiful of a human being to be real. It makes me sad how some people only credit her for being the “crazy girl that writes about boys,” when she’s so much more than that. She’s a political activist, an insanely talented performer, and one who always does the right thing — with class. Once you find something you’re good at, you stick with it, right? So, I just want to know why Taylor Swift gets bashed on for just…using her talent.