All of Taylor’s albums are amazing in their own way, they bring out different qualities of her sound, and every album is influential. My favorite album is probably Tortured Poets Department, but that’s because I have a bit of a soft spot for it, since it was my first album release where I was very invested. But let’s find the best album for you. 

Taylor Swift (2006)

This was Taylor’s first album, released in 2006, when she was in what fans call “her country era”. Some of the hit songs were:

• “Our Song”
• “Teardrops On My Guitar”
• “Picture To Burn”

My favorite song from this album is definitely “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)”, and it really shows the youth and innocence of the album. I would recommend this album to anybody who is a country fan and has listened to Taylor Swift in the past. If you like catchy rhythms and guitar twang, debut Taylor Swift is for you.

Fearless (2008)

This was Taylor’s second album, and one of my personal favorites. She really gets into relationships, and sings in what I think of as a teenage perspective. Some of the hit songs were:

• “You Belong With Me”
• “Love Story”
• “The Way I Loved You”

My favorite song from this album is so hard to pick, but it’s between “The Best Day” and “The Way I Loved You”. This album makes me feel nostalgic because it seems like everybody heard, “You Belong WIth Me” and “Love Story” when they were growing up. The people who I think would love this album are middle schoolers, since it makes you really look forward to being an older teen, with songs like “Fifteen” and “Fearless”. If you love rom-coms, Fearless is for you.

Speak Now (2010)

This is Taylor’s third album, and sadly the one I feel least connected to. I know that this is the favorite album of some people, and I mean no disrespect. The album has many songs about ending relationships, and that feeling, but also the stories that come after. Some hits from Speak Now are:

• “Enchanted”
• “Speak Now”
• “Mean”

My favorite song from this album is probably “Last Kiss” or “Speak Now”, the first because I saw a really good edit to “Last Kiss”. This album shows comebacks, but also what you would say in heartbreak. Something I think she did really well was include songs with different tempos and messages, making it feel like there is at least one song made for you within the album. If you love the color purple, and a feel-good, there-for-you album, then Speak Now is perfect for you.

Red (2012)

Red is Taylor’s 4th album and right about where you see the middle of her career, these are the classics of the 2010’s. Some of Red’s hit are:

• “22”
• “We Are Never Getting Back Together”
• “All Too Well”

My favorite songs from this album are the title track and “The Lucky One”, because the first of which reminds me of the show of the summer (if you know you know), and the latter just feels like an insight into how she actually feels. This album is something where you can find a lot of meaning in the lyrics if you look for it, so it feels a bit like a scavenger hunt. Some of the songs are emotional deep cuts, so don’t make the assumption that it’s all cheery. I would recommend Red to anyone who wants to reminisce about their youth – if you were a child during the 2010’s. 

1989 (2014)

1989 is the most widely-known album, it may seem basic but I think that it’s the perfect first Taylor Swift album to listen to. This is the album where you ask a random person on the street to name a Taylor Swift song, and they’ll pick one of these:

• “Shake It Off”
• “Style”
• “Blank Space”

My favorite song from this album is difficult to choose, I don’t think it’s quite right to pick one. I overplayed 1989 way too much a few years ago, so I actually haven’t listened to it in a while. However, I played it back last week in honor of this article, and I can say my favorite is “Suburban Legends” because I love the bridge at the end. I would recommend this to anybody who wants to start listening to Taylor. Also, if you love pop, Kendrick Lamar, and the color blue, this album is perfect for you.

reputation (2017)

The most iconic of all her albums, Taylor comes out with her villain songs, she resists being told what to do, and makes the symbol of this album the snake. The biggest hits from this album are:

• “Look What You Made Me Do”
• “Don’t Blame Me”
• “Getaway Car”

My favorite song from this album is “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” or “New Years Day”. This is the second album you should listen to, another one of her widespread albums. The album is full of songs relating to her life at the time she was being ignored and shamed. She took on the role of the villain and asked us to see what the world painted her as. I would recommend Reputation to Kanye West fans, anybody who is struggling with somebody else trying to take over their story, and people who like to be bold.

Lover (2019)

Like the soft pastel color scheme of this album, Taylor lets herself put her heart on her sleeve and sings songs that make you think of the people you love. The hits from this album are:

• “Cruel Summer”
• “Cornelia Street”
• “The Archer”

My favorite song from this album is “Soon You’ll Get Better” or “Daylight”, the first of which being the most vulnerable song on the entire album, it makes you want to hug her and tell her it’ll all be okay. I recommend this album to anybody who thinks they’re too dramatic, who wants to be a little sensitive, or wants a fire summer playlist.

Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020)

Folklore and Evermore are going to be grouped together in this article because of the similarities between the two, them being called sister albums. Both were released during 2020, which matters, because it was a time of isolation. Another interesting detail of the sister albums is that all the songs feature all-lowercase titles, which is a heavy contrast to her normal song naming system. Both feature Bon Iver, and have their slow songs. The albums sound similar, but Evermore has more of a mystical vibe to it, and Folklore is questioning, everything is connected and ‘what is childhood?’ vibe. The hits of these albums are:

• “cardigan” (Folklore)
• “my tears ricochet” (Folklore)
• “invisible string” (Folklore)

• “champagne problems” (Evermore)
• “willow” (Evermore)
• “‘tis the damn season” (Evermore)

My favorite songs from the albums are “seven” from Folklore and “cowboy like me” from Evermore. I think these albums are a big change of pace from her pop hits, which just shows how she grew as a person throughout her life. The songs aren’t surface level, and also amazing study albums. I would recommend these albums to people who love artists like Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers and Noah Kahan. 

Midnights (2020)

Midnights is a very fitting name for this album, I like to think of it as questions and thoughts somebody has that keep them up in the middle of the night, or the places you’ll be, like in “Bejeweled”. At the same time, Taylor is starting to release pop hits again, and a few days later announced the Eras Tour. The Eras Tour became one of the biggest tours of all time, lasting almost 2 years. Some of the hits of this era are:

• “You’re On Your Own Kid”
• “Lavender Haze”
• “Anti-Hero”

My favorite song of Midnights is “You’re On Your Own Kid”, which is arguably one of her greatest songs ever, and very relatable for teens. The music on Midnights is hard to explain, but if you compare it to her other albums, it’s a mix of Reputation, Red, and 1989, but it’s distinctly itself. If you are a Gracie Abrams fan, or love Olivia Rodrigo, this is the perfect album for you.

Tortured Poets Department (2024)

This is Taylor’s eleventh album, and her longest, with 31 songs. This is my favorite album, but it was also my first real album release, where I got the chance to witness all the easter eggs. Sadly, it wasn’t a fan favorite, (at least to the people that I’ve asked) but that doesn’t make it any less Taylor. The hits from The Tortured Poets Department are:

• “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”
• “Fortnight”
• “But Daddy I Love Him”

I feel obligated to rank my top 5, since it’s my favorite album, so here we go:

• “So Long, London”
• “The Bolter”
• “I Hate It Here”
• “Peter”
• “The Prophecy”

If I pictured this album as a person, it would be a mom. These songs are the stories she tells her kids about her life. The whole album feels like a collection of tales, with each song sounding somewhat similar in verse, but distinct because of the feelings they provoke. These are songs you’ll want to belt out once you know the words, or without the words. I recommend this album to people who want to have a wider vocabulary, and enjoy artists like Conan Gray.

The Life Of A Showgirl (2025)

Last but not least is Taylor’s latest album. The news of the album was overshadowed a little bit by the fact that Taylor Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce. This album was created with some of her old producers, which makes the vibe of the album feel like her, however it was only 12 songs. Some of the hits of this album are:

• “The Fate Of Ophelia”
• “CANCELLED”
• “Opalite”

This album is having its growing pains, but I have a feeling that by next year people will enjoy it more. The Life Of A Showgirl has many pop-culture references, and many double meanings, for example the line “New Heights of Manhood” in the song “Wood”, where New Heights is the name of Travis Kelce’s podcast. The album also features Sabrina Carpenter, and many of the songs I think would be enjoyed by Sabrina’s fans. And for Taylor’s sake, I hope everybody gives it a chance.

Anyways, I hope this short guide helped you choose some new music to listen to!