In her 17-year career, Taylor Swift has established herself as one of the most influential performers and songwriters on the music scene.
In almost 20 years of her career, Taylor Swift has established herself as one of the most important artists in the music industry worldwide. Her talent as a composer and her ability to turn controversies into art, in addition to her undoubted talent as her own musician, have led her to break countless records and become the recipient of various music awards. In 2010, she was even named “Artist of the Decade” by Billboard.
Throughout almost two decades, Swift has created different works in which she approaches romantic themes from different points of view and different styles. These are 10 of the best Taylor Swift songs.
10. “mirrorball”
“mirrorball” (written in all lowercase) is one of Taylor Swift’s songs on her 2020 album “folklore.” The song is a soft ballad, with hints of acoustic guitar and piano. In her. Swift sings about being a reflection to someone else, a mirror of their soul, and how that can be dangerous and painful for her.
The song has been very well received by Taylor Swift fans and critics, who praise the artist’s ability to tell stories through her music and lyrics.
Best phrase: “I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try.”
9. “Enchanted”
“Enchanted” is one of the most successful songs from Taylor Swift’s third studio album, “Speak Now,” the only song from that album that she is performing at concerts on her “The Eras Tour.”
With a catchy chorus and metaphors, Taylor Swift narrates from a teenager’s point of view, the illusion she feels after a first date with someone, wishing that “This is our first page, and not where the story ends.”
Best phrase: “This is me asking for this to be the first page and not where the story ends. My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again.”
8. “exile” (ft. Bon Iver)
“exile” is another song from the 2020 album “folklore”, written by Taylor Swift during the pandemic and released as a surprise to fans. The song begins with the deep and unmistakable voice of Justin Vernon, from the band Bon Iver.
In it, Justin and Taylor interpret the two parts of a relationship that delves into why they came to an end. The song without a doubt quickly became one of the most acclaimed on the album, and was used in the soundtrack of the Netflix series “You”.
Best phrase: “You were my city, now I am in exile, watching you from the outside.”
7. “Delicate”
“Delicate” is the track 5 on Taylor Swift’s 2017 album “Reputation,” and fans of the singer, also called swifties they know what this means. Typically, Taylor Swift places the song that has the deepest meaning to her at number 5 on each album.
In this case, “Delicate” could be the beginning of her love story with her current partner Joe Alwyn. The song narrates how, at a point where her reputation has “never been worse”, she asks the person she just met to love her for who she is.
“Delicate” is proof that the “Reputation” album isn’t just a dark era of Taylor Swift taking revenge on her enemies, but that it’s about finding herself despite the odds.
Best phrase: “Sometimes when I look into your eyes, I pretend you’re mine all the time.”
6. “The Archer”
In 2019, Taylor Swift returned with her new album titled “Lover”, in which she shows a much more romantic style compared to her previous album. Located in fifth place, (place in which the most significant song for her is positioned) is “The Archer”; A simple synthpop which at the time was compared to the unmistakable style of Lana del Rey. In the song, Taylor Swift compares the figure of “the archer” of her zodiac sign Sagittarius, with the position that all people take in a relationship “Sometimes the archer, sometimes the prey”.
Best phrase: “I wake up in the night, I walk like a ghost. The room is on fire, the smoke is invisible. And all my heroes died alone, help me hold on to you.”
5. “Cruel Summer”
Unlike “Lover” and “You Need To Calm Down” from the 2019 album “Lover,” the same-era song “Cruel Summer” was never released as a single and didn’t receive huge critical acclaim. However, fans consider it one of his best songs, which deserved to have led the popularity charts. Like the 2010 song “Enchanted,” “Cruel Summer” chronicles the beginning of a relationship, this time from a more mature point of view. At the time it was published, it was rumored that it could also have been inspired by Taylor’s current partner, Joe Alwyn.
Best phrase: “There are no rules in the undisturbed paradise”, “I don’t want to keep secrets just to have you, I escaped through the garden door every night just to seal my fate.”
4. “New Romantics”
Like the rest of the album “1989”, the song “New Romantics” is inspired by the style of eighties music. Unlike other songs on the album that were immensely popular (such as “Shake It Off”, “Blank Space”, and “Wildest Dreams”), “New Romantics” did not lead the charts at the time. However, it is currently considered by fans and specialized critics as one of Taylor Swift’s best songs, due to its lyrics.
The song is about emotional independence, the period of personal fulfillment after a breakup.
Best phrase: “Honey, I could build a castle out of all the bricks thrown at me.”
3. “You’re On Your Own, Kid”
“You’re On Your Own, Kid” is the fifth song from the 2022 album “Midnights,” making it, as mentioned above, the most personal song for Taylor.
The ballad is a self-love letter, how after a heartbreak and after several failed attempts to change herself to fit into a social circle, she makes the decision to fend for herself and be independent.
Best phrase: “Everything you lose is a step you take”, “The best people in life are free”.
2. “cardigan”
Taylor Swift’s “cardigan” is one of three songs that make up the “teenage love triangle” from the 2020 album “folklore.” Said triangle consists of three songs that tell the story of James, who is unfaithful to his girlfriend Betty with another young woman. In “cardigan”, Betty tells the story from her point of view, about how their relationship deteriorated over time. He/she uses the metaphor of sweater cardigan to describe how the love of her life left her lying under her bed like an old sweater. As a promotion for the song, Taylor Swift launched the colored cardigan for sale beige that he describes in the song.
Best phrase: “When you’re young people assume you don’t know anything.”
1. “All Too Well”
“All Too Well” is one of Taylor Swift’s most iconic songs, and a favorite of her fans. It was released on her album “Red” in 2012. The song is an emotional and melancholic ballad, with very moving lyrics that tell the story of a relationship that has come to an end. The song is noted for Taylor’s songwriting skills, and her ability to create vivid imagery and strong emotions in the listener’s mind.
It’s a very personal song for Taylor, who has repeatedly called it one of the most painful songs he’s ever written.
When it was released in 2012, it became a fan favorite, so when the re-recording of the album was released in 2021, he released a new 10-minute version of the song. which quickly became the longest-running song to top the Billboard popularity chart.
Best phrase: “Casually cruel in the name of honesty.”
MR
