Abi's World

Recently, I read an article in Rolling Stone where a writer ranks all of Taylor Swift’s songs. I thought it was pretty cool; a great read and a very well thought out and researched piece. The man who wrote it is a music journalist so he knows his stuff, but I am a music fan, a journalist AND a Taylor Swift super-fan so I thought I’d do a similar piece, rating all T.S’ songs from my point of view. I think that having heard every one of her songs countless times, and knowing lyrics/melodies/facts of every song inside out, I’m quite an expert on the topic.

I first discovered Taylor Swift’s music when I was 14 – a decade ago – and I fell in love with her songs immediately. Back then, no one had really heard of this up and coming country singer. Now she is a household name, known world-wide and one of the biggest musical icons of our time. But the celebrity, the gossip surrounding her, the ‘long list of ex-lovers’, the star, the ‘I love her/I can’t stand her’ debates, can make people forget the artist, the song-writer, the multi-Grammy-award-winning singer. But that is what she should be known for; her amazing story-telling, heart-on-sleeve, soul-bearing songs, because that is who she is: a singer and songwriter.

So here is my version of all of Taylor Swift’s songs (excluding her unreleased ones and covers) ranked.

*Disclaimer: These are all purely my own opinion*

 

119 “So It Goes…”

This is just such an unusual, un-Taylor song. I don’t even think she liked it in the end as it didn’t make the Reputation Tour set list – the only song on the album that didn’t. It was just awkwardly used for the end credits of The Reputation Tour concert movie on Netflix. I just find the whole song a little weird, and without a doubt, this is my least favourite Taylor Swift song.

Favourite line: “And all the pieces fall, right into place”

118 “Santa Baby”

So for those that don’t know, TS has a Christmas album. Released in 2007, it’s quite a nice album with classics and originals combined, and includes a cover of “Santa Baby”. This is a fun festive song, but on a list of Taylor Swift songs, it just isn’t good enough, especially compared to the other songs on her Christmas album.

Favourite line: “I really do believe in you, let’s see if you believe in me”

117 “King of My Heart”

A catchy chorus – I’ll give you that – but overall, it just isn’t my cup of tea. It has some good lyrics, but of all the amazing songs Taylor has written, this falls short. And what really bugs me is that Bethel Music have a song by the same name about God, so TS ‘King of My Heart’ annoys me if I’m honest.

Favourite line: “I’m perfectly fine, I live on my own, I’ve made up my mind: I’m better off being alone”

116 “I Did Something Bad”

A catchy, sassy, head-banging, hair-whipping, shouting-loud kind of song, which is great when you’re in the mood for that. But other than that, the lyrics don’t work for me. She paints herself as a villainess and to be honest, I don’t really get the point of this song. Does she mean it? Is it another “Blank Space” kind of song where she is taking the mick out of what the media portrays her as? Is it a bit of both? (Probably). Whatever it is, I just don’t get it. Plus, she uses a swear word, and it’s Taylor Swift. I don’t like it. Maybe without the bridge, this would rate slightly higher, but until then it stays at the very low-end of the ranking.

Favourite line: “They say I did something bad, then why’s it feel so good?”

115 “Dress”

Another one from the Reputation album. Out of all of her albums, Reputation is my least favourite. It has some great songs and I totally get the new direction, but I really hope the next album returns to the country-pop route. Anyway, this song has grown on me a bit since I first heard it. The halt in music in the last chorus after she sings “everything just stops” is probably the highlight of the song, and the pre-chorus is also good.

Favourite line: “Inescapable, I’m not even gonna try, and if we get burned, at least we were electrified”

114 “Don’t Blame Me”

This is another TS Reputation-era song that took time to grow on me. It’s another song about how love has made her crazy but she doesn’t mind. A contrasting collaboration of moody yet gospely vibes,this song has the tune and the beats but not always the right words.

Favourite line: “Don’t blame me, love made me crazy, if it doesn’t you ain’t doin’ it right”

113 “Both of Us” (ft B.o.B)

This song takes me back. Released in early 2012, this song by B.o.B (who had just had a hit duet with the song “Airplanes”) featured a chorus by TS. A sweet song, but barely Taylor’s anyway (she literally sings two lines repeatedly).

Favourite line: “Someday I will be strong enough to lift not one but both of us”

112 “Look What You Made Me Do”

Ah, the big comeback song. The one that everyone was waiting for. One of her most well-known songs. But compared to the eagerly-awaited singles of her previous albums including “Shake it Off” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, this one definitely does not come close. But it made a mark and shocked everyone, which I guess was the point. The details in the music video make up for what lacks in the song.

Favourite line: “I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time”

111 “Dancing With Our Hands Tied”

Yet another song from “Reputation”. I wasn’t a fan of this one, until I heard Taylor sing it acoustic in the Reputation concert-film, and then I appreciated it a lot more. It sounded like it came from the heart, and with this album, unfortunately, it is easy to forget that these songs are coming from TS’ heart. Her songbook is her diary, which is one of the reasons I admire her. The second verse is the best part of this song lyrically.

Favourite line: “I loved you in spite of deep fears that the world would divide us”

110 “End Game” (ft Future and Ed Sheeran)

Another Ed Sheeran collaboration, but nowhere near as good as their first collab. This is a solid, catchy song, and the three of them make it work, but it isn’t Taylor’s best work – not by a long shot. However, it is a fun song to sing-a-long to. “Big reputation, big reputation…” …anybody?

Favourite line: “I swear I don’t love the drama, it loves me”

109 “Gorgeous”

I was really disappointed with this song when it was first released. The chorus (the most catchy part of the song) felt lyrically lazy for such a masterful writer. But it is a fun, catchy and even funny song at points, and I find myself singing it a lot so I can’t complain about it too much. Plus, having Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ little girl feature in it is a nice touch.

Favourite line: “You should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong”

108 “Half Of My Heart” (ft John Mayer)

Taking a break from Reputation, this is a song which features a certain famous ex of TS. Many people won’t know this song, but it is a cute and very sweet piece which was released before the relationship went sour. This is the only song on the list that wasn’t written by Taylor, so it is a little bit of a cheat add-on.

Favourite line: “Lonely was the song I sang ’til the day you came”

107 “You Are In Love”

Another sweet song that I kind of wish could be higher up, but TS has such a great array of songs, that it just wasn’t possible. This song is one of the bonus songs on the album 1989. It is said to have been written about her friends Jack Antonoff – who co-wrote a number of songs on 1989 and Reputation – and actress Lena Dunham. However, the couple have now split up, so that puts a bit of a downer on this sweet song.

Favourite line: “No proof, one touch but you felt enough”

106 “Beautiful Eyes”

Now it starts getting really tricky. I really like this song. It takes me back to coming home after school, and sitting in my bed after doing my homework and having had a shower, listening to TS and trying to write my own songs. It’s a beautiful song, and her young voice sounds so authentic. This song was released in her EP of the same name in early 2008.

Favourite line: “My heart has never felt this way before”

105 “The Lucky One”

Our first song from the Red album. This song tells the tale of a famous female star who’s at the top but escapes and chooses “the rose garden over Madison Square”. Taylor then arrives as the new startlet but soon realises why her predecessor chose to escape. A great story-telling song (which are my favourite kind) but my least favourite on the album.

Favourite line: “And they tell you that you’re lucky but you’re so confused, ’cause you don’t feel pretty, you just feel used”

104 “This Love”

This track from the 1989 album is a love song about having to leave someone only to find yourself drawn back to them. It encompasses the saying “if it’s meant to be it will be”. A stripped-back beauty on a very pop-synthetic album.

Favourite line: “These hands had to let it go free, but this love came back to me”

103 “Sad Beautiful Tragic”

This song is another one from the Red-era; the album that made people really take notice of TS and her insane talent. This song is a good piece of writing but just a little too slow and naked for my liking.

Favourite line: “And time is taking its sweet time erasing you”

102 “Babe” (ft Sugarland)

A CMA-nominated hit, co-written by and featuring TS, released by country group Sugarland. The song is actually TS’ most recent one, released in mid-2018. A good song (melody and lyrics) with a catchy chorus. A perfect country-pop cheated-on-breakup bop with a music video to match.

Favourite line: “Big mistake, broke the sweetest promise that you never should have made”

101 “Better Than Revenge”

Now this was a song to jump up and down shouting along to. Remember when Joe Jonas broke up with Taylor over the phone? He then started dating actress Camilla Belle, and this song is said to be a result of that. It’s a very teen relationship song, and a song that vents her anger, but parts of it do boarder on mean.

Favourite line: “She took him faster than you could say sabotage”

100 “Last Christmas”

Another cover from the TS Christmas album. A classic that suits her perfectly, and covered well.

Favourite line: “Now I know what a fool I’ve been but if you kiss me now, I know you’ll fool me again”

99 “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”

One of my favourites from the Reputation album. A fun, sing-a-long-worthy hit about Kanye West that addressed all the stories surrounding Taylor at the time. A song attack that I think is well-deserved, and another story-telling song.

Favourite line: “Here’s a toast to my real friends, they didn’t care about the ‘he said, she said'”

98 “Delicate”

The song itself can be described by its name: delicate. A beautiful song about the beginnings of a relationship (this one with Joe Alwyn) where she doesn’t know if it is okay to say that she likes him yet.

Favourite line: “Handsome, you’re a mansion with a view”

97 “White Christmas”

Another one from the Christmas album. Another fine cover really.

Favourite line: “May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white”

96 “Bad Blood”

There are two versions of this song: the album version and the version with Kendrick Lamar with a killer music video. This song is one of my least favourites from the 1989 album, but the lyrics are clever (although I hate the phrase “mad love”) and the star-studded music video featuring all TS’ famous female friends made me want to take up kickboxing. The song is said to be about Taylor’s feud with Katy Perry, to which Katy replied: “Watch out for Regina Georges dressed in Sheep’s clothing” which I thought was a witty response.

Favourite line from the original: “And rub it in so deep, salt in the wound like you’re laughing right at me”
Favourite line from the version ft K.L: “You forgive, you forget, but you never let it go”

95 “Mean”

This is a great song for anyone who has ever faced a mean person in their lives, so pretty much a great song for everyone. It’s about a critic who TS felt personally attacked by as he was just plain mean to her, but it turned into something beyond that; an anti-bullying anthem for anyone who has faced “words like knives” from another person. The music video for this song is also great, and very underrated.

Favourite line: “Someday I’ll be living in a big old city, and all you’re ever gonna be is mean”

94 “Ronan”

This is a charity single released by the artist about a four-year-old boy who passed away because of cancer. The lyrics are based on a blog by the little boy’s mum, and it is a touching, beautifully-written piece. TS credits Ronan’s mum, Maya, as a co-writer on this little-known song. The kind-hearted singer performed this at the Stand Up To Cancer show in 2012, and then once more in 2015 when Maya was at her show.

Favourite line: “You were my best four years”

93 “New Romantics”

One of the bonus tracks on the 1989 album, this song is a fun anthem to dance around your living room to – I should know. It is a carefree love song that she later released as a single with a music video highlighting her 1989 arena tour.

Favourite line: “We’re too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet”

92 “…Ready For It”

Good lyrics, and hugely catchy, but it took a while for me to like it. The lyrics are really smart though, for example comparing this love to the other iconic Taylor’s (Elizabeth Taylor) love life is creative and clever.

Favourite line: “In the middle of the night in my dreams, I know I’m gonna be with you so I take my time”

91 “The Outside”

Taking it right back to TS’ debut album now. I don’t particularly love this song, however it’s in the top 100 because she wrote it when she was just 12. 12!! I mean, come on! The song is about feeling lonely and being on the outside – hence the name – and it is a great song for anyone who has felt this way, so basically everyone.

Favourite line: “I’ve been a lot of lonely places, but I’ve never been on the outside”

90 “Holy Ground”

I don’t like it when people use Godly words out of context, eg. ‘holy’. Okay, now that that’s out of the way; this is a song from the album Red. A faster number, it is a song on reminiscing about a break-up. The dynamic piece is another one that’s good to sing and spin around your living room to; you’ll know what I mean when you hear it.

Favourite line: “And I guess we fell apart in the usual way, and the story’s got dust on every page”

89 “How You Get The Girl”

An upbeat pop song, this bop from 1989 is about a guy winning his girl back. As the titles suggests, it’s pretty much a tutorial of how to get the girl back after a break-up. A good song but not at all one of my favourites.

Favourite line: “I want you for worse or for better, I would wait forever and ever, broke your heart I’ll put it back together”

88 “Christmases When You Were Mine”

Going back to Christmas again with this song from TS’ only Christmas album. This is one of the originals from the album and it is a beautifully-written song about not wanting to celebrate this Christmastime as she and her love have broken up and are spending Christmas apart this year.

Favourite line: “Seasons Greetings, hope you’re well. Well I’m doing alright in case you’re wondering, lately I can never tell”

87 “Innocent”

This song, written about Kanye West after the whole “imma let you finish” award interruption saga, would be in the top 50 if it wasn’t for the fact there are too many amazing songs to choose from. This sweet song has many beautiful lines and it is all about how everyone makes mistakes so to forgive yourself and move on, which I don’t think needed to be said to Kanye as I’m sure he forgives himself quite easily.

Favourite line: “Wasn’t it beautiful when you believed in everything, and everybody believed in you?”

86 “Call It What You Want”

This song is one of my favourites on the Reputation album. The endearing track is just a real love song to Joe Alwyn who she met whilst she was going through a rough time. She tells the world to ‘call it what (they) want to’ because that is what they do about all her relationships and she simply doesn’t care anymore because she knows what she has.

Favourite line: “All my flowers grew back as thorns, windows boarded up after the storm, he built a fire just to keep me warm”

85 “Starlight”

Another poppy, dance-around-your-room feel-good number, this song from the Red album is about the Kennedys (the President Robert Kennedy and his wife Ethel, not Karl and Susan from Neighbours). TS wrote this when she found a photo of Bobby and Ethel dancing, whilst dating their grandson Conner Kennedy. It goes to show, that TS really can create beautiful stories from anything.

Favourite line: “He said ‘look at you worrying so much about things you can’t change. You’ll spend your whole life singing the blues if you keep thinking that way'”

84 “New Year’s Day”

One of the top three songs in the Reputation album in my opinion. It is a song about the party being over and it is now time to get back to reality. She doesn’t know what the new year will hold but she wants her love by her side whatever may come.

Favourite line: “Hold on to the memories they will hold onto you”

83 “Welcome To New York”

The first song on TS’ first pop album, 1989, is a love song to the city of dreams: New York. The singer has moved from Nashville to New York and her songs have moved from country to pop.

Favourite line: “Walking through the crowd the village is aglow, kaleidoscope of loud heartbeats under coats”

82 “Perfectly Good Heart”

Taking it all the way back to album one again with this track. This song is about teenage Taylor’s first heartbreak, and one of her first ever break-up songs, paving the way for many more heartbreak-turned-hits.

Favourite line: “Why would you wanna break a perfectly good heart?”

81 “I Don’t Want To Live Forever” (ft Zayn)

For such a trashy trilogy, the Fifty Shades movies have great soundtracks, one of which includes this song by Taylor Swift and One Direction traitor Zayn Malik. This hit won a couple of MTV awards and placed fifth in the UK charts, and second in the Billboard Hot 100. It is a good song, and it is probably the best song by Zayn in his solo career.

Favourite line: “I’m sitting eyes wide open and I got one thing stuck in my mind: wondering if I dodged a bullet or just lost the love of my life”

80 “Sweeter Than Fiction”
This sweet song was written for the movie One Chance – a film about the first Britain’s Got Talent winner, Paul Potts. Whilst writing this post, I found out that Simon Cowell actually approached TS to write a song for the movie.

Favourite line: “Proved me right, proved me right when you proved them wrong”

79 “I Know Places”

This song is special to me. When 1989 dropped, TS started tweeting fans who had taken a photo of them buying the album. Out of thousands of people, she actually liked my photo on Instagram and then tweeted it with a line from this song! Since then, she has deleted all her social media posts, but I’ll always have the screenshots and the memories…

Favourite line: “They are the hunters, we are the foxes” (the line she tweeted with my photo)

78 “The Last Time” (ft Gary Lightbody)

This song, featuring Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, is a song about allowing someone back into your life for ‘the last time’ again and again, even when you know you shouldn’t. Who hasn’t been there?

Favourite line: “You wear your best apology but I was there to watch you leave”

77 “Girl At Home”

One of the bonus songs on the Red deluxe album, this is about a guy hitting on Taylor when he already had a girlfriend. Nearly every single line of this song is spot on, as is the case for 90 percent of TS’ songs.

Favourite line: “Call a cab, lose my number, you’re about to lose your girl”

76 “I heart question mark”

From her EP entitled Beautiful Eyes, this song was written by Taylor some time between the ages of 14 and 17. It’s hard to believe it was written by someone so young as the lyrics and music are so professional and mature. She’s a musical genius, I tell you. This song takes me back to my 15 year old self first hearing it and writing “I ❤ ?” as my Facebook status – cringe.

Favourite line: “Wake up and smell the break-up, fix my heart put on my makeup; another mess I didn’t plan”

75 “Tied Together With A Smile”

This song is one of the tracks from TS’ eponymous debut album. The song is about a girl she was in high school with who was super-pretty and super-popular. According to Taylor: ‘all the guys wanted to date her and all the girls wanted to be her’ and TS wrote this song the day she found out that this pageant queen was suffering from an eating disorder. When I was in Year 12, we studied “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the character Blanche reminded me of this song – just a little Abi fact there for you.

Favourite line: “I guess it’s true that love was all you wanted ’cause you’re giving it out like it’s extra change, hoping it’ll end up in his pocket, but he leaves you like a penny in the rain”

74 “Speak Now”

This song gives its name to Taylor Swift’s third studio album. The story behind this song: Taylor had a conversation with a friend whose ex was getting married to someone who isolated him from his friends (think Emily from Friends). Taylor then had a dream about one of her own ex-boyfriends getting married to someone else, which prompted her to write this song.

Favourite line: “I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white-veil occasion but you are not the kind of boy who should be marrying the wrong girl”

73 “Safe And Sound” (ft The Civil Wars)

This ballad was created for the first Hunger Games movie, and is one of the two songs Taylor wrote for the trilogy.

Favourite line: “Hold on to this lullaby even when the music’s gone”

72 “Out Of The Woods”

This hit about Harry Styles is about, as TS herself puts it, ‘the fragility and breakable nature of some relationships’. Fun Abi fact: I also have a paper airplane necklace (like that of Styles and Swift) that my friend bought for me for my 21st birthday.

Favourite line: “You took a Polaroid of us and then discovered the rest of the world was black and white but we were in screaming colour”

71 “Treacherous”

This song is about a reckless, almost forbidden love, that she knows she shouldn’t be in but she likes it. A good song with clever lyrics but it is too slow and a little anti-climatic.

Favourite line: “I can’t decide if it’s a choice, getting swept away. I hear the sound of my own voice asking you to stay”

70 “Haunted”

Haunted was a different vibe on the Speak Now album. The intense song filled with orchestral music was written by Swift about realising the person you love doesn’t love you anymore and watching the ‘fragile line’ that is your relationship finally break.  This dramatic song is lyrically well-written with an equally great haunting melody.

Favourite line: “Something keeps me holding onto nothing”

69 “Getaway Car”

I share this opinion with many critics: Getaway Car saved the Reputation album. This is probably the best song on the album, and it is a lyrical masterpiece. It uses figurative language, literary references and popular cultural references to tell the story of leaving behind a lover she was using to escape another relationship. I reckon it was about her brief stint with Tom Hiddleston after her long relationship with Calvin Harris. There are so many great lines so it’s hard to pick a favourite, and the more you listen to it, the more you appreciate the lyrics.

Favourite line: “It was the best of times, the worst of crimes, I struck a match and blew your mind but I didn’t mean it, and you didn’t see it”

68 “A Place In This World”

I actually first heard this sweet song in the movie Ramona & Beezus starring Selena Gomez and a very young Joey King. Considering the song was released 4 years before that, I was a little late to the party – but better late than never! This is another example showing off TS’ incredible talent from a young age, as she wrote this song when she was 13 years old. Amazing!

Favourite line: “I’ll be strong, I’ll be wrong, but life goes on”

67 “Untouchable”

Another song that brings back memories. This is actually a cover song that was added to TS’ Fearless extended edition album. The originally fast rock song, was changed by TS to a soft, slow, emotional ballad. (I know I said I wouldn’t include covers, but this was actually included in her album and changed to make it her own).

Favourite line: “In the middle of the night when I’m in this dream, it’s like a million little stars spelling out your name”

66 “Red”

The title of Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album and the second song on said album. This is another memory-filled song for me. A very well-written song about the intense emotions felt in a relationship and at the end of a relationship. The album as a whole covers the same theme.

Favourite line: “Memorising him was as easy as knowing all the words to your old favourite song”

65 “Invisible”

Such a beautiful, sad piece, this song is about loving someone from afar and yet to them you’re invisible. It is a typical teenage anthem. TS’ makes all her songs so relatable to her audience, but still so personal to her. She writes for every girl in the world, but it’s still like her own secret diary. She has been blessed with such an amazing, unique gift. 

Favourite line: “You can’t see me wanting you the way you want her but you are everything to me”

64 “Breathe” (ft Colbie Caillat)

This number, co-written by and featuring Colbie Caillat, is about having to end a relationship but it’s nobody’s fault. They both sound so similar and so beautiful in the song, it is hard to know where Taylor ends and Colbie begins.

Favourite line: “I can’t breathe without you but I have to”

63 “Silent Night”

Another classic from TS’ Christmas album. She changes the melody of this Christmas carol, which means it takes a few attempts before you can sing along. It’s nice but I think I’ll stick to the original (well not the original because that’s in German, but you know what I mean!).

Favourite line: “Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light”

62 “I’m Only Me When I’m With You”

An upbeat sweet song from Taylor’s first studio album. I love the music video to this song which features Taylor’s friends and family and was mostly shot by Taylor herself. 

Favourite line: “I’m only up when you’re not down, don’t want to fly if you’re still on the ground”

61 “Clean”

From the album 1989, this track was co-written by songwriter Imogen Heap who also sings background vocals on it. I think TS wrote this song about Harry Styles as she first started writing it in London (I hate that she’s always in this city roaming around and I never see her) after she randomly remembered an ex of her’s lives nearby and she hadn’t even thought about him until then. In addition to this, a lot of the songs on 1989 are about Harry too. 

Favourite line: “Ten months older, I won’t give in, now that I am clean I’m never gonna risk it”

60 “Highway Don’t Care” (ft Tim McGraw)

This country bop was released on a Tim McGraw album with a guitar riff by Keith Urban to boot. What I love about this is that Taylor’s very first single back in 2006 was titled Tim McGraw and eight years later, she actually got to do a single with him. Keep dreaming, kids, it’ll happen. 

Favourite line: “Yeah, I bet you’re bending God’s ear talking about me”

59 “Change”

Following on nicely from what I said above about believing in your dreams, this antehm is about not giving up even when it seems like things are against you as you are pursing a dream. 

Favourite line: “These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down”

58 “The Other Side Of The Door”

From the Fearless extended edition album, this track is about the two people in a relationship having had a fight but wanting to work it out. It’s a really lovely, very well-written and underrated song with a chorus resembling a movie scene. The narration is about miscommunication and not saying how you feel, choosing to win the argument instead. Something, I’m sure, we are all guilty of doing.

Favourite line: “So babe if you know everything, tell me why you couldn’t see, when I left I wanted you to chase after me”

57 “Wonderland”

This Alice in Wonderland-reference-filled song is a bonus track on the deluxe version of 1989. It is about a relationship that was doomed from the start, but they tried to live in their own bubble regardless of this.

Favourite line: “We found Wonderland, you and I got lost in it and we pretended it could last forever” 

56 “Stay Beautiful”

Taking it back to high school Taylor Swift, this sweet song was written about a crush she had. She acknowledges that she may lose touch with him and may not be friends with or have a relationship with him when they are older but wants him to remain as beautiful as he is in that moment. Sweet, right?

Favourite line: “I’m taking pictures in my mind so I can save them for a rainy day”

55 “Eyes Open”

Another track TS wrote for the first Hunger Games movie. It is my favourite of the two songs she wrote for the movie, and is a really great song overall.

Favourite line: “But now we’ve stepped into a cruel world where everybody keeps score”

54 “If This Was A Movie”

Similar to her song, ‘The Other Side of the Door’, this song takes inspiration from rom-com scenes, and Taylor is hoping her break-up will end with a movie-style happy ending, but it seems unlikely. 

Favourite line: “But if this was a movie you’d be here by now”

53 “The Moment I Knew”

One of the three tracks on the deluxe edition of Red, this sad song tells the true story of how then-bf Jake Gyllenhall didn’t turn up to TS’ 21st birthday party. It was one of the many let-downs she had faced by him, and it was the moment she knew it was over. 

Favourite line: “What do you do when the one who means the most to you is the one who didn’t show?”

52 “Come Back, Be Here”

Another one from the deluxe edition of the Red album, it’s about distance separating you, and you want the person to, well, come back, be here. It is one of my favourite songs on Red, even if it is one of the bonus tracks. Fun Abi fact: this song taught me the word “nonchalant”. 

Favourite line: “Taxt-cabs and busy streets, they never bring you back to me, and I can’t help but wish you took me with you”

51 “Long Live”

This anthem from is the perfect ending to the Speak Now album. This is a song for her fans, her band, her producers, her manager and all who helped her get to where she is. 

Favourite line: “Long live the walls we crashed through, I had the time of my life with you” 

50 “State Of Grace”

This track is the first on the album Red. It is about the beginning stages of completely falling in love.

Favourite line: “We learn to live with the pain; mosaic broken hearts”

49 “Superman”

This lesser known number is from the deluxe edition of the Speak Now album and is rumoured to be about John Mayer. Whoever it is about, I love it. 

Favourite line: “I’ll be right here on the ground until you come back down”

48 “Blank Space”

Everyone seems to like this song. I have guy friends who have this in their music library. This is a satirical song where TS takes the mick out of herself, and portrays the character the media presents her as. With a number of covers and Grammy nominations, this is probably one of TS’ most well-known numbers.

Favourite line: “Oh my god, look at that face, you look like my next mistake”

47 “Superstar”

From the platinum edition of the Fearless album, this track is about celeb crushes. Who can’t relate? 

Favourite: “I’m invisible but everyone knows who you are” – oh, how things have changed since she first wrote this line.

46 “All You Had To Do Was Stay”

This electro-pop-style song is about someone leaving her again but for no real reason, and now he’s back but it’s too late because all he had to do was stay in the first place. Lyrically, this is a great piece.

Favourite line: “People like you always want back the love they gave away, people like me want to believe you when you say you’ve changed”

45 “Hey Stephen”

A very cute, innocent song from the Fearless album. It’s about one half of the country duo, Love and Theft, who Taylor had a crush on at the time. He released a song a couple of years later about TS, which he apparently penned in 2008 – the same time as ‘Hey Stephen’. How cute? 

Favourite line: “All those other girls, well they’re beautiful, but would they write a song for you?”

44 “The Way I Loved You”

A great song about missing someone you were with, and now you’re dating someone else who is seemingly perfect but doesn’t compare to the other guy and what you used to feel. 

Favourite line: “He can’t see the smile I’m faking and my heart’s not breaking ’cause I’m not feeling anything at all”

43 “I Knew You Were Trouble”

Another one of TS’ most famous songs, this one is about knowing someone is trouble, and knowing their bad reputation, yet going for it anyway only to have them let you down as you knew they would. She seems to point out that she has no one but herself to blame. 

Favourite line: “Flew me to places I’ve never been, now I’m lying on the cold hard ground”

42 “Style”

I love this song as it has so many smart references to Harry Styles that I noticed that I’m not even sure critics picked up on. It was like analysing a text in GCSE English. Obviously, to begin, the title of the song is literally his last name. He is like the James Dean of the celeb-dating world and often wears white t-shirts. And the one that I haven’t seen anyone pick up on is the fact that the bridge is literally the name of One Direction’s second album repeated over and over again, an album which was released around the same time TS and HS were together – bam! Also, TS mentions the fact he picks her up at midnight, and 1D seem to have their own share of midnight memories…hmm?

Favourite line: “When we go crashing down we come back every time, ’cause we never go out of style”

41 “You’re Not Sorry”

This ballad is about a guy who turned out to be the opposite of who Swift thought he was. He seems to know how to say ‘sorry’ but never mean it, and she knew he wouldn’t change. It was written by teen Taylor and featured in her Fearless album. 

Favourite line: “You used to shine so bright but I watched all of it fade”

40 “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Probably the most famous song by Taylor Swift, this catchy break-up song won a number of awards. It was also in the UK Top Ten for a number of weeks, in addition to placing high in the charts in numerous countries. As well as this, the pop hit was the fastest -selling single in digital history…like ever. And finally, the entire music video was shot in one take. That’s just a few cool facts about this cool song. 

Favourite line: “I used to think that we were forever ever and I used to say ‘never say never'”

39 “Wildest Dreams”

I really like this song, from the music to the lyrics, and even the music video featuring Scott Eastwood. The song is about not having her usual idealistic views in a relationship but thinking about it ending and wanting him to remember her well when their relationship ends. 

Favourite line: “He’s so tall and handsome as hell, he’s so bad but he does it so well” 

38 “Last Kiss”

This sad song on TS’ Speak Now album is about Joe Jonas. It follows her anger stage which was showcased in her songs, ‘Forever and Always’ and ‘Better Than Revenge’, and now moves on to the sad stage of the breakup. The song has a 27-second intro, which more likely than not, reflects the famous 27 second breakup call they shared. This is probably one of TS’ saddest songs.

Favourite line: “You can plan for a change in the weather and time, but I never planned on you changing your mind”

37 “Our Song”

Taylor wrote this award-winning song when she was around 15 for her ninth grade talent show. Everyone at her school loved it so she proposed to include it on her upcoming debut album. Her management weren’t too keen but they included it anyway which was a great decision. This is a PROPER country song, and country music at its finest.

Favourite line: “I’ve heard every album, listened to the radio, waiting for something to come along that was as good as our song”

36 “22”

Nearly everyone turning 22 references this song. It is a catchy bop for the decades with a fun video to match. 

Favourite line: “We’re happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time”

35 “Crazier”

This great country song is from the equally great country-esque movie Hannah Montana: The Movie. Oh the memories, oh the innocence.

Favourite line: “I watched from a distance as you made life your own, every sky was your own kind of blue”

34 “Shake It Off”

Arguably Taylor Swift’s most famous hit, this upbeat pop song is all about shaking the haters off. She again takes what critics say about her and uses it in her favour in this award-winning anthem.

Favourite line: “It’s like I’ve got this music in my mind, saying: ‘it’s gonna be alright’

33 “Ours”

This sweet song comes with an equally sweet music video. It’s another song that not many people have heard but should, and can be found on the Speak Now deluxe album.

Favourite line: “So don’t you worry your pretty little mind, people throw rocks at things that shine and life makes love look hard”

32 “Jump Then Fall”

This sweet number, released in the Fearless platinum album,  featured in the movie: Valentine’s Day, in which Swift starred. She also met Taylor Lautner in this movie who she went on to have a long relationship with, which led to many songwriting successes. 

Favourite line: “I like the way you sound in the morning, we’re on the phone and without a warning, I realise your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard”

31 “Cold As You”

Featured in TS’ debut album, this track is cleverly written, referring to never being anywhere as cold as the person who broke her heart. Swift once said that this was her favourite song on the album. Whilst it isn’t my absolute favourite on the album, it is one of the best-written and it’s hard to pick a favourite line but if I had to choose…

Favourite line: “Now that I’m sitting here thinking it through, I’ve never been anywhere cold as you”

30 “Begin Again”

A different vibe for the Red album, this lovely song describes going on a date with someone new after a previous relationship broke down in a bad way. This Grammy-nominated song about falling in love again also has a music video which was filmed in Paris and features some stunning outfits worn by Taylor.

Favourite line: “I’ve been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does is break or burn or bend, but on a Wednesday in a cafe, I watched it begin again”

29 “White Horse”

From the album Fearless, this emotional ballad references fairytales and happy endings, which perfectly brings out teenage Taylor’s sweet views on love. I really loved this song as a teenager as I had the same viewpoint. The music video brings out Taylor’s acting skills before we knew she could act. 

Favourite line: “I’m not your princess, this ain’t our fairytale, I’m gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well”

28 “Come In With The Rain”

Again we see the genius song-writing of teen Taylor. I’m a huge fan of this sweet yet sad song which is about being done trying to get the guy, but waiting until he comes to her.

Favourite line: “Talk to the wind, talk to the sky, talk to the Man with the reason why, and let me know what you find”

27 “Story Of Us”

A fun dance-around-the-room number, this track is from the Speak Now album and is accompanied by a fun music video filmed in a school. It was written about the time Swift bumped into an ex (some assume this is John Mayer) at the CMT award show where the two tried to avoid each other. Cue awkward moments. It was the last song she wrote for her album, and has some really great lyrics.

Favourite line: “I used to know my place was the spot next to you, now I’m searching the room for an empty seat ’cause lately I don’t even know what page you’re on”

26 “I Wish You Would”

An upbeat electo-pop song from 1989, this one is about wishing an ex would come back to her, and one of the many TS songs that take place at 2am. 

Favourite line: “You’re thinking that I hate you know ’cause you still don’t know what I never said”

25 “Christmas Must Be Something More”

Yes, you guessed it, this is another track from her Christmas album. I love this song, and I think it should be played every Christmas by everyone as it celebrates the real meaning of Christmas: ‘the birthday boy who saved our lives’.

Favourite line: “You’d see that today holds something special, something holy not superficial so here’s to the birthday boy who saved our lives”

24 “Enchanted”

One of my favourite songs on the Speak Now album (this album has some really great songs). This song is about Owl City frontman Adam Young who Swift met after many months of email communication (ah the good old days pre-social media). She wanted him to know how much she loved meeting him.

Favourite line: “This is me praying that this was the very first page not where the storyline ends, my thoughts will echo your name until I see you again”

23 “Best Day” 

A song Swift penned for her mum. It is one of the sweetest songs she has written and mentions both her parents and her brother, as well as memories from her childhood and early teen years.

Favourite line: “I know you were on my side even when I was wrong”

22 “Everything Has Changed” (ft Ed Sheeran)

Taylor and Ed met, became friends, played on a trampoline, wrote this hit song, created a cute music video for it and became best friends for life. The end.

Favourite line: “All I know is a simple name and everything has changed”

21 “Picture To Burn” 

This song written by Taylor when she was around 14-15 about a guy she was dating who left her for a former friend of her’s. This is the kind of song you get when you’re a jerk to a songwriter. 

Favourite line: “So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time, in case you haven’t heard you’re just another picture to burn”

20 “Fifteen”

This sweet, nostalgic coming-of-age song is about starting high school (they start high school at 15 in America FYI). It tells the story of Taylor and her high school best friend Abigail and their tales of first love and loss.

Favourite line: “Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday but I realised some bigger dreams of mine”

19 “Never Grow Up”

This beautiful track from the Speak Now album was written by Taylor when she was 18 and has references to her brother in it. But it is not known who – if anyone – she wrote this song about, although she dedicated it to her godson (Jamie King’s son) a few years later.

Favourite line: “No one’s ever burned you, nothing’s ever left you scarred, and even though you want to, just try to never grow up”

18 “Forever and Always”

The anger-based song for Joe Jonas after their infamous breakup. As far as break-up diss songs go, it’s a pretty good one.

Favourite line: “Once upon a time, I believe it was a Tuesday when you caught my eye and we caught onto something”

17 “I Almost Do”

This emotional song is about missing someone and almost calling them but knowing better than that. TS ended up writing this fantastic song instead of calling him. She made the right choice.

Favourite line: “I bet it never ever occurred to you that I can’t say hello to you and risk another goodbye”

16 “Stay Stay Stay”

An upbeat number from the Red album in which Taylor imagines what her perfect relationship would be like.

Favourite line: “You took the time to memorise me: my fears, my hopes, my dreams, I just like hanging out with you all the time”

15 “Mine”

Another result of Taylor’s imagination, this sweet song about an ideal relationship was on the singer’s Speak Now album and has an equally sweet music video.

Favourite line: “I was a flight risk with a fear of falling, wondering why we bother will love if it never lasts”

14 “Dear John”

A song which unapologetically addresses the recipient in the title, as a lot of Taylor’s songs do. This beautifully-written song conveys feelings of frustration and anger about her relationship with John Mayer. I think every line of this song is a good one so it is difficult to pick just one favourite, but if I had to it’d be…

Favourite line: “Long were the nights when my days once revolved around you” 

13 “Back To December”

This ballad is about Taylor Lautner and her first apology song in which she admits to doing the heartbreaking. 

Favourite line: “It turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you, wishing I’d realised what I had when you were mine”

12 “Today Was A Fairytale”

This song was written for the Valentine’s Day soundtrack and placed second place in the US charts at one point. Another fairytale-themed number by the country princess. 

Favourite line: “Can you feel this magic in the air? It must have been the way you kissed me”

11 “You Belong With Me”

Just missing out on the top ten, this pop-country piece is probably most famous for it’s cute music video. This song was written as a result of a joke Taylor made to her friend. Her friend answered the phone to his girlfriend who was mad at him, so Taylor said “you’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset…” and from that, this hit  was born. Yes, I know, crazy talent.

Favourite line: “You’ve got a smile that could light up this whole town, I haven’t seen it in a while since she brought you down”

10 “Tell Me Why”

This is such a good country bop and sits underrated in the Fearless album. TS went to her Fearless album co-writer Liz Earles and vented about a boy she liked, when Liz asked her what she would say to the boy, TS came up with the chorus of the song, and together they created this masterpiece.

Favourite line: “I take a step back, let you go, I told you I’m not bulletproof now you know”

9 “Love Story”

Arguably the track that made TS famous, this song was a diary entry made by the teenage songwriter after her parents said they didn’t like her boyfriend. She didn’t understand it at the time, but turns out they were right, as parents often are.

Favourite line: “It’s a love story, baby just say ‘yes'”

8 “All Too Well”

‘The finest song in Swift’s entire catologue’. ‘No other song does such a stellar job’. ‘One of the greatest songs of the century’. These are some of the critical comments to this heartbreaking hit. A fan-favourite, this song about Jake Gyllenhaal was the first song TS wrote for the Red album, but she didn’t expect it to be the biggest one. The beautiful ballad looks back on one of Taylor’s most serious relationships which she truly thought would last. It started of as a ten-minute song as she had so much to say, but it was filtered down. I surprised myself when I placed this 9th as it is so well-written and I do like it a lot, however, I have songs of Taylor’s that I love more than this one.

Favourite line: “You call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest”

7 “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)”

Another sweet tune written through observation rather than experience. It was inspired by an old couple who lived next door to Taylor. They told Taylor about how the two of them had met when they were kids and she was touched by their story. I loved this song from the moment I heard it; such a beautiful country number.

Favourite line: “I’ll be eighty-seven you’ll be eighty-nine, I’ll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky, oh my my my” 

6 “Tim McGraw”

Taylor’s first single about wanting her love to think of her whenever he hears Tim McGraw following their breakup. A great first song for a teenage country singer.

Favourite line: “September saw a month of tears and thanking God that you weren’t here to see me like that”

5 “Sparks Fly”

We have reached the top five with ‘Sparks Fly’. I love this love song. It was written by 16 year old Taylor about crushing on someone the way 16 year old girls do.

Favourite line: “My mind forgets to remind me you’re a bad idea”

4 “Should’ve Said No”

This song is what you get when you cheat on Taylor Swift. It is said TS wrote this song in 5 minutes when she was 16, and it is so well-written, you really can’t get your head around the talent.

Favourite line: “You should’ve said ‘no’ and baby, you might still have me”

3 “Teardrops On My Guitar”

A sweet sad song, and the first I heard by Taylor. I saw the music video on TV when I was around 14 (something 14 year olds now would never understand) This song made me fall in love with the country singer’s music. 

Favourite line: “She better hold him tight, give him all her love, look in those beautiful eyes and know she’s lucky ’cause he’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar”

2 “Two Is Better Than One” (ft Boys Like Girls)

One of my favourite songs ever. I can’t remember how I stumbled upon this song, but I loved it immediately. I only listen to it once in a while, so as to not overplay it and get bored of it – even though I’m sure that’s not possible. You’ll find this song on Boys Like Girls’ second album, Love Drunk. 

Favourite line: “I remember what you wore on the first day, you came into my life and I thought ‘hey, you know this could be something'”

1 “Fearless”

And the coveted number one spot goes to Fearless. I just love this beautiful song. As soon as I hear the opening notes of this song, I smile and fall in love all over again. This song is the name given to her award-winning second album which features many of my favourite songs. The track is about the fearlessness of falling in love, because falling in love can be scary, but doing it anyway is fearless. TS didn’t write this about anyone – she didn’t like anyone nor was she dating anyone – she simply wrote this song about love and going on that perfect first date that she hadn’t had yet. It is such a sweet innocent ballad, you can’t help but love it. 

Favourite line: “‘Cause I don’t know how it gets better than this, you take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless”

 

And there you have it, the complete list of Taylor Swift songs ranked by me.

But due to the fact that covers by Taylor, as well as songs she wrote for other artists, and unreleased tracks had to be left out, I picked the top three songs of each of these categories and listed them below.

Top three songs covered by TS:

3 “Riptide” by Vance Joy

2 “Ain’t nothin’ ’bout you” by Brooks and Dunn

1 “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire

Top three songs written by TS for other artists: 

3 “This Is What You Came For” performed by Rihanna and Calvin Harris

2 “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” performed by Miley Cyrus

1 “Better Man” performed by Little Big Town

Unreleased songs of TS (there are so many great ones and it’s super difficult to pick just three):

3 “Permanent Marker”

2 “Nevermind”

1 “I’d lie”

I hope you enjoyed reading this (I really do ’cause it took me AGES to write). Swifties, let me know what your favourite song is  in the comments below, and everyone else, I hope I’ve helped you appreciate TS just a little and you’ll listen to some of these songs.

With love, Abi X