After almost two decades, Taylor Swift has left her mark on the music industry as an impressive singer-songwriter who is able to touch people’s hearts all over the globe. Her extensive discography spans nine albums, five EPs, two album re-recordings and over 200 songs all of which Swift has had a personal hand in creating.
The diversity of her music transcends multiple genres and topics but her clever and expressive lyrics make her stand out from other artists today. From the age of eight years old, I’ve been an avid fan of Swift and the unique atmosphere she is able to cultivate through her songs. Today, we’ll be going over the top 10 Taylor Swift songs, in my humble opinion.
- “You Belong With Me” – “Fearless” (2008)
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As one of Taylor Swift’s most popular and classic songs, “You Belong With Me” takes you back to a simpler time of innocuous and pining love. It’s the best song to scream-sing in your room when you’re feeling particularly passionate or in the mood to pretend your love life is more interesting than it really is.
- “Stay Stay Stay” – “Red” (2012)
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If sunshine was personified into a song, “Stay Stay Stay” would be it. Swift sings with a light, playful tone about a relationship that has its ups and downs but is still overall wholesome and loving. The highlight of the song is the ending which features a genuine laugh from Taylor as she giggles, “that’s so fun!”
- “Long Live” – “Speak Now” (2010)
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“Long Live” is a song dedicated to Taylor’s fans. It’s empowering and makes me incredibly nostalgic for the past. I can almost picture a young Taylor singing this with her signature curly hair of the 2010s, unsure of how long her success would last, belting out “tell them how to crowds went wild. Tell ‘em how I hoped the shine.”
- “Haunted” – “Fearless” (2008)
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The strong orchestra sets the tone for this dark song about a complicated, fragile bond. There’s a feeling of desperation as she sings, “come on, come on, don’t leave me like this.” The aftermath is that Swift is left haunted by the ghost of her last relationship. The instrumental is gorgeous as it accompanies Swift’s emotional singing.
- “Wonderland” – “1989” (2014)
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Based on the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland, “Wonderland” from the 1989 album begins with angelic piano accompaniment and crescendos into a tense narrative about the vast world around them and the couple that gets lost in its strangeness and beauty.
- “State of Grace” – “Red” (2012)
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“State of Grace” captures the feeling of being a young adult, wanting to navigate the vast world while searching for something you’re not quite sure of yet. It follows a passionate relationship that leaves a lasting impression and takes Swift by storm, making it the perfect song to look back at a relationship or jam out through your headphones with its upbeat guitar and beautiful lyrics.
- “New Romantics” – 1989 (2012)
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“New Romantics” is the perfect song for getting ready or going out. It embodies the feeling of being confident, unapologetic and most importantly free with your friends. Swift sings that despite the monotony and issues of life, letting loose and enjoying your youth proves that “the best people in life are free.”
- “All Too Well (10-minute version)” – “Red (Taylor’s Version)” (2021)
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There’s a reason why “All Too Well” from Red was a hidden fan favorite since its release in 2012. The emotion is evident in Swift’s voice throughout the song from nostalgia, affection and anger as the lyrics tell the story of a couple falling together, then apart. The song looks back on the relationship as Swift remembers the good and bad parts “all too well.” It builds tension leading up to the bridge where she sings, “and you call me up again just to break me like a promise. So casually cruel in the name of being honest. I’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying here, ‘cause I remember it all, all, all too well.”
A ten-minute version of “All Too Well” is something that fans knew existed after Taylor Swift had hinted about it during the initial release of Red, but it was never something most thought would ever be released to the public. After the re-recording of her fourth studio album Red (Taylor’s Version) in 2021, the ten-minute version was released as a single in November 2021 with the addition of a self-directed short film that told the story of the song.
- “The Moment I Knew” – “Red” (2012)
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If you like songs that tell stories, then “The Moment I Knew” is for you. Swift takes you through an emotional journey as her lover forgets to show up for her twenty-first birthday party. As her guests celebrate happily around her she is left feeling abandoned and masking her hurt. The lyrics feel more like a narrative, taking you through Swift’s surroundings and emotions as she slowly realizes her situation. It’s beautifully written and composed with the accompaniment of the strings and piano as she sings with desperation and passion.
- “Never Grow Up” – “Speak Now” (2010)
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“Never Grow Up” is a simple song that gains more meaning as you grow older. In her own words, Taylor describes it as “a song about the fact that I don’t quite know how I feel about growing up.” The lyric “I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone” is especially raw and hard-hitting and one of the reasons why it is one of the best Taylor Swift songs.