Taylor Swift's Albums, Ranked

 

On this day, two years ago, Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album, Midnights. After a 3-year hiatus from the genre, Swift's return to pop music was met with critical acclaim and laid the foundations for the pop star's meteoric rise to new levels of fame in the following years. But that is not all, in the subsequent days of October, we will witness more of Swift's other milestones: Red turns 12 on October 22nd, her debut album, Taylor Swift turns 18 on October 24th, Speak Now turns 14 on October 25th, 1989 and 1989 (Taylor's Version) turns 10 and 1 on October 27th, respectively. 

With her Eras Tour expected to come to an end this December, I thought it might be neat to try to revisit Swift's discogrpaghy, spanning 17 years, and across multiple genres, and rank them in order from worst to best. 

Rules & Disclaimers:

- For her first six albums, I will be using "Taylor's Version" and their vault tracks in my ranking, but I will also be discussing the original versions when necessary. At the time of writing, only Swift's self-titled debut album and Reputation have not recieved a "Taylor's Version". 

- Despite being one album, I will be splitting The Tortured Poets Department and The Anthology into two seperate albums.

- All statements are made in my own opinion, and this ranking will solely be based on my own personal opinion. 

12. Lover [2019]

Lover was originally supposed to be named "Daylight",  that's the only fun fact

about this album that I'm willing to share.

After the whole debacle about Taylor Swift's battle over her music ownership, many have speculated that it was truly the end of Taylor Swift's career. However, that all changed during the summer of 2019, when Swift would announce the album on an Instagram Livestream. Already, the album generated some buzz already, as it would become the first album that Swift fully has ownership over. As the title suggests, Lover is about Swift's personal exploration of the concept of love, which to her admission, extended far beyond love in a romantic context. Sure, the album explores romantic love, but also other types of love: platonic love, self-love, love for family, and love for country. That last part was no accident, yes, this album also expressed her socio-political opinions as well, in regards to feminism, LGBT rights, and the disillusionment over the idea of American exceptionalism.

Lover was her most optimistic, compassionate and poppy album in her discography, but that was not able to save her from a declining career at the time. The album is weighed down to last place by it's thematic inconsistency, and most of these songs were filler or her worst songs in her entire discography ("Cornelia Street" and ME!"). Other than that, there are definitely a couple songs worth listening to, such as "Daylight" and "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince", as these two tracks, in my opinion, are the highlights of the album. Ironically, despite me ranking this album so low, I think one of her best songs overall is "Cruel Summer", and arguably, her best bridge. 

Songs of Note:

- Cruel Summer

- Lover

- Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

- Death by a Thousand Cuts

- Daylight

11. Taylor Swift / Debut [2006]

For a concert titled "The Eras Tour", I find it funny that her first album was not included in the setlist.

An album that is...certainly a product of it's time, I'm interested to see how this

album is revisted and remastered.

Her first album, Taylor Swift introduced Taylor Swift as a young country artist whose main schitck is that she's a good storyteller, and that she's a teenager longing for true love. It was clear from the start that this young singer was talented, lyrically and maybe less so on the vocals. The album leaned more toward youthful charm than lyrical complexity. But overall, it wa successful, and it established her place in the country music scene and hinted at her future potential.

I'm sure Taylor Swift holds a lot of sentimental value to the fans to have stuck with her since the beginning, but I am not one of those fans. Compared to her other country albums, and especially her later works, Taylor Swift feels very underdeveloped, with only so few memorable songs such as "Our Song", and "Tim McGraw". I also find her early country accent to be so grating, which I'm glad she was able to tone it down in the next album. Out of all the unrerecorded albums, I am most interested to see how a hypothetical Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) would fare today, and whether or not she would revert back to that same country accent. 

Songs of Note:

- Tim McGraw

- Teardrops on My Guitar

- Our Song

- Mary's Song

- Should've Said No

10. The Tortured Poets Department [2024]

When the muted album cover was released to the public, fans have specualted that the

 aesthetics of this era was dark academia. Imagine our reactions when it was actually an insane asylum. 

This was also her most commercialized album, with 64 different variants as of writing,

which really takes away from the intended artistry.

To everyone's surprise, The Tortured Poets Department, abbreviated as TTPD, was Swift's grand announcement during the 2023 Grammys, instead of the highly anticipated Reputation (Taylor's Version). The album was an embodiment of Swift's mass commericialization, with so many different album variants announced almost every week, with exclusives and the weaponization of FOMO (Even on the day after an ISIS attack was thwarted in one of her concerts, a new variant was announced), it was something that no one expected. The album was hailed as the next evolution in Swift's songwriting, with lyrics about so many topics such as her heartbreak, finding new love, anxiety, fame, and tumultuous romances. 

As for the album itself, I would say TTPD would be most similar to one of Swift's earlier albums, Red. Both are albums with a strong emphasis on breakups, and both are a collection of tracks with varying genres. From the synth-pops of "Fortnite" to the southern-gothic melodies of "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" to the power ballads in "The Alchemy", TTPD offers a very diverse array of tracks, but unlike Red, this assortment seemed poorly done and thus creating so much inconsistency in the album, the same drawback that Lover suffered from. Futhermore, Jack Antonoff's production in this album seemed to stiffle so much of her works in this album, especially with the heavy and stale synth throughout those works. The only redeeming quality I can find in TTPD is the complexity of the lyrics and it's interconnectedness to the rest of her songwriting. For those of us who are sorta knowledgeable on Swift lore, some of these tracks do feel like sequels to her earlier works, such as how "But Daddy I Love Him" is a more adult take on "Love Story", or how "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" is a contrast to "Innocent". There is certainly power in the lyrics, but that is muddled by the repetitiveness of the instrumentals. 

Songs of Note:

- The Tortured Poets Department

- Down Bad

- The Alchemy

- Guilty as Sin?

- Loml

9. 1989 [2014] & 1989 (Taylor's Version) [2023]

Easily her most iconic album, the original 1989 cover is suppoosed to represent a new life in the big city.

For some odd reason, the remasterd album was repurposed into a beach-like album. 

My favorite interpretation of these two covers was that she (and the seagulls) are trapped in the original one,

while smiling and free in the new one. 

There is no dispute that 1989 is THE pop bible, it will probably forever remain Swift's most well-known album. It was a commercial success, marking her full transition from country to pop. Thematically, this was one of her strongest and compelling albums, telling a story of a young singer finally moving to the big ol' city, freedom, fame, and reinventing herself. The bold transition paid off, as this was the album that gave her the celebrity status she has now.

1989 was a groundbreaking and exceptionally stellar album at it's high points, with "Style" and "Out of The Woods" being some of it's clear examples, it's fun, it's infectious, and emotional. At it's worst, it's bland and generic, it's probably the album which gave way to the common critique of her work: unseasoned music. Furthermore, 1989 (Taylor's Version) has a production quality that somehow feels inferior and carelessly put together than the original, the first of her rerecorded albums to suffer this, with the most obvious victim being "Style (Taylor's Version)". 

Songs of Note:

- Style

- Wildest Dreams

- Welcome to New York

- This Love

- New Romantics

- Is It Over Now?

8. Fearless [2008] & Fearless (Taylor's Version) [2021]

Fan have long argued over which album made Taylor Swift famous, with some to many

agreeing that Fearless put her on the map. As for the album covers itself, I really

do not know what to say about it.

As her first rerecorded album, I think it makes sense that Swift would start her rerecording journey with the album that arguably propelled her to stardom. Unlike the full country present in her debut album, Fearless infuses some pop into her tracks. “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” are the two most recognizable tracks from this stage of her career. These two tracks, along with others, paint a picture that is youthful, magical, and of course, fearless. This is the album that won Swift her first accolades, and rightfully so. 

The tracks in fearless are catchy, charming and fun, and it clearly holds a special place among swifties. But other than the three tracks performed at the Eras Tour, nearly half of the album is a miss to me, or background music while I'm driving. There are definitely improvements in Fearless (Taylor's Version), and the vault tracks give the album it's much needed completeness. 

Songs of Note:

- Fearless

- Love Story

- You Belong With Me

- Mr. Perfectly Fine

- The Way I Loved You

7. Red [2012] & Red (Taylor's Version) [2021]

The original Red aesthetic was supposed to be in line with the hipster trends of the early 2010s. Red (Taylor's Version) somehow

embarked for a different rebrand, this time being a fall album. In my opinion, the only tracks that would appropriately fit that

description would be the vault tracks. 

As mentioned in the TTPD section of this article, Red was a blended collection of multiple genres including pop, rock, and country, it was experimental, and it was sonically appropriate as well, matching Swift's uncertainty delving into a world of heartbreak, chaos and loss. This was the album that introduced me to Taylor Swift, and in a way, this was an album that would become synonymous with her and her brand, in my opinion. It's THE Taylor Swift album, and it's probably her own personal favourite as well. These songs are raw and emotional, and they are a foundation for all her future albums. Who could forget her magnum opus, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)".

So why is Red and it's rerecorded album ranked near the middle despite the praise? There are certainly a few misses on the album littered throughout all the big hits, and I personally liked the other albums more. Still, Red and especially Red (Taylor's Version) both hold a significant place in her journey and delivers us some of her most memorable songs.

Songs of Note:

- 22

- Forever Winter

- We Are Never Getting Back Together

- Message in a Bottle

- I Bet You Think About Me

- All Too Well (10 Minute Version)

6. Midnights [2022]

Opinion on Midnights was very divisive, with some calling her return to pop triumphant, while others say it was clearly mid. 

Equally divisive is the album cover, which uses a Swiss style graphics design with a lot of white space. 

But we can all sgree that this album catapualted her into a new level of fame in the 2020s.

In 2022, after it was revealed that Midnights will be a pop album, media and fan speculation were widespread over how Swift might approach her return to pop after her two pandemic albums. It a way, it was still a pandemic album, inspired by the late, sleepless nights we spent during lockdown. A deeply introspective album that blends confessional lyrics with dreamy synths and Swift's voice. Midnights was a hit, with songs ranging from the haunting ruminations in "Maroon" and "Question...?", the grief in "Bigger Than The Whole Sky", and fantasies of assurance vocalized in "Karma" and "Bejeweled".  The album came during the end of the pandemic, a perfect premise for her Eras Tour, and her superstardom. 

"Atmospheric" might be the word I might use to describe Midnights,but it's mix of both maturity and insight is occasionaly marred by Jack Antonoff's repetitive productions. Some of my personal favourites of this track are the ones I felt truly to be the embodiment of the one's thoughts late at night, and these songs include "Lavender Haze", "Maroon", and "Paris". Midnights was not mid, compared to other albums, and I believe this album might be her laying the groundworks for the rest of her career in the 2020s. 

Songs of Note:

- Lavender Haze

- Maroon

- Bejeweled

- Would've, Could've, Should've

- Karma

- Anti-Hero

5. Folklore [2020]

Folklore and it's sister album Evermore created a subset of swifties who seem to really like her cottagecore lyrics and act really

emotional when these songs are played. Furthermore, the biggest mistake one could make is to say

that the writing and lyrics for these two albums are terrible...because that would be a death sentence. 

For many artists, and normal people alike, the pandemic was a period of transformation, and exploring new things. Inspired by the cottagecore aesthetic that emerged in 2020, Taylor Swift released her first indie-folk album, with Aaron Dessner of The National serving as her producer. Truly it was an album that was unlike any other in her discography at this point, where Swift was able to flex her stroytelling and songwriting across every sing track. The acoustic sounds, combined with the vivid narratives are a clear indication of Swift's mastery over her lyricism. Another unique attribute of Folkore and it's sister album, Evermore is how the lyrics are stories that weave across the tracks rather than Swift's usual first-person songs. Examples of this in Folklore include the teenage love triangle in "Cardigan", "August", and "Betty", the tale of her grandfather in the battle of Guadalcanal contrasted with the Pandemic in "Epiphany" and the ghost of a lover haunting her killer in "My Tears Richochet", which serves as a metaphor for her struggle to own her original recordings.

Folkore is a packed album, one that embraces subtlety over spectacle. The songs range from dream-like to cathartic, and is truly a pleasure to listen over and over again. This album, along with the ones ranked higher than this are all perfect, immersive works with not a single bad song. I had to rank Folklore here simply because the next four are better in my own personal opinion. 

Songs of Note:

- The 1

- Cardigan

- August

- The Last Great American Dynasty

- My Tears Ricochet

- Illicit Affairs

4. Reputation [2017]

As of writing, the eventual rerecording of Reputation is the most anticipated rerecording out of all the albums. Personally

I can't wait to see how Reputation (Taylor's Version) would hold, now that she has more leeway to express her thoughts.

2015-2016 was a turbulent time for Taylor Swift, and in the wake of highly publicized controversies, Swift released Reputation, an electropop album with R&B elements and heavy inspirations from Game of Thrones. Like George RR Martin's ASOIAF series, Reputation embodies Swift's take on two central themes commonly found across Martin's female characters: burning vengeance and unwavering love amidst chaos. Her tracks have definitely delivered on both fronts: for ferocity and intensity, you have "Look What You Made Me Do" and "I Did Something Bad", for passion and vulnerability, you have "Delicate" and "Dress". 

This album covers Swift at her most unapologetic, the production is aggressive, heavy, and energetic, something I really like as an EDM fan. This album is another no-skip where listening through all the tracks is a complete must. Sonically and lyrically, Reputation was another sharp pivot in Swift's discography, and It was something I wish I get to hear more of. As of right now, the inevitable Reputation (Taylor's Version) is Swift's most anticipated project yet, and I cannot wait to revisit this era. 

Songs of Note:

- ...Ready For It?

- Look What You Made Me Do

- End Game

- So It Goes...

- Call It What You Want

- King of My Heart

3. The Anthology [2024]

There's a certain sadness present throughout all her tracks in The Anthology, and it's a unique attribute only present in this part

of her discography, and I think this cover is an accurate reflection of that. 

The Second-half of The Tortured Poets Department was heavily hinted throughout much of promotional cycle of the album, and yet, it was a pleasant surprise to everyone when The Anthology was dropped just two hours after the first half. While technically part of TTPD, I chose to rank The Anthology as a seperate album becuase of the different themes and production quality that warrants it's seperation. Unlike the heavily Antonoff-produced first half, this half takes us back to the Dessner production that was present in Folklore and Evermore, with heavy accoustics intertwined with compelling lyrics (other than the commonly misunderstood yet equally weird line about wanting to be in the 1830s, excluding the racism). 

There's a sense of undescribable melancholy that is eerily present throughout all 15 tracks, it's nuanced, and it's something I quite like. Another neat aspect that I like is the organic and (hopefully intentional) unpolished parts of the production, which further sets these tracks from the rest of her discogrpahy, you can hear hints of it in tracks such as "The Prophecy", "I Hate It Here", and "The Manuscript".  I personally do not understand why The Anthology is tethered alongside TTPD, there is a stark contrast between the two, with the former doing a better job at exploring the themes that the latter did. 

Songs of Note:

- The Albatross

- I Look in People's Windows

- The Prophecy

- So High School

- The Bolter

- Peter

2. Evermore [2020]

Supposedly Swift's least favourite album, it's a recurring joke that she purposefully

ignores this album. Though to be fair, Evermore is sandwiched between two really popular

albums, and it's one of her least commercially successful albums. 

A sequel and a sister album to Folklore, Evermore takes the storytelling and experimentation even further, and it shows us Swift's true mastery over these two aspects. Similar to how Folklore is reminiscent of the spring and summer seasons, Evermore evokes the emotions and atmosphere of the fall and winter seasons. The tracks in this album are more mature than it's sister album, with songs such as "Champagne Problems", "No Body No Crime" and "Coney Island". Dispite the sadness, there's also songs of emotional triumph and conclusions, with songs such as "Long Story Short", "Closure", and it's title track, "Evermore". An album thematically richer and deeper than Folklore, Evermore truly does feel like venturing further into a forest.

Despite Evermore underperforming in the charts, Evermore has given me a wide assortment of tracks that hits all the emotional spots for me. Evermore presents itself not as a sequel to Folkore, but rather an evolution that makes this album more compelling, deep, and raw. At first, the lyrics and the instrumentals of this album may be hard to understand, but it truly rewards the listener each time listening over and over again. I wish Swift would give us more indie-folk albums in the vein of her pandemic albums, but I fear that this aspect of her talent won't be visited in the near future, despite seeing parts of it return in The Anthology. 

Songs of Note:

- Tis the Damn Season

- Willow

- Champagne Problems

- Ivy

- Coney Island

- Long Story Short

1. Speak Now [2010] & Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [2023]

Out of all the rerecorded album covers and it's original counterparts, The cover art of Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

was the clearest example of the thematic differences between the original and the rerecording, while also

maintaining the same identity. 

Inspired by her transition into adulthood, Speak Now is the only album written entirely by Swift herself, without any co-writers. It is her most personal album to date, and according to her 2010 interview, each track of Speak Now is letter to someone in her life, with heavy uses of second-person language ("You", "Us", "We") throughout all of them. What I like most about this album is how truthful and unversal these experiences felt to it's listeners, with songs such as "Long Live", "Enchanted", and "Back to December" becoming long-lasting classics. 

In terms of it's emotional depth, Speak Now remains unparalleled in contrast to it's other albums, and I think it represents her at her absolute best. The weight of these songs are unmatched, and describes an experience that can be universally felt by all who listen to them. It’s an album I return to again and again, finding new meaning in the lyrics as I get older and as the years go by. Speak Now (Taylor's Version) elevates the orginal tracks to a whole new level, where it sounds like a more-mature Swift reminiscing about these events compared to the younger Swift in the original, singing as if she is currently experiencing them. This combination of raw emotion and masterful songwriting is why it holds the top spot in my ranking. We may not get an album like this again, but the true strength of Speak Now and Speak Now (Taylor's Version) is how they remain timeless throughout the years. 

Songs of Note:

- Mine

- Back to December

- Enchanted

- Last Kiss

- Ours

- When Emma Falls in Love