Taylor Swift is nominated for six awards at the Grammy Awards, this year on March 14. Those include Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop Solo Performance, Pop Duo Performance, Pop Vocal Album and Best Song Written for Visual Media. With two more albums and another dominant year under her belt, it’s worthwhile to take a thoughtful look at her entire career and attempt to rank every album.
1. “Speak Now” (2010)
The songwriting on “Speak Now” features Swift at her best, and it’s the only album she’s written entirely on her own. The songs represent so many facets of Swift’s writing abilities — she tells tales of heartbreak, true love, ageing, revenge and bullies. After the fairy tale scene is set with “Mine,” we go through hardships on songs such as “Dear John'' and “Mean,” and we end with the anthem “Long Live.” The whimsical sounds combined with her lyrical illusions create an escape from daily life, but the best part is that many of the lyrics are grounded in relatable feelings.
2. “1989” (2014)
I’ll never be able to adequately describe what it felt like when “1989” came out. The sleek sounds made Swift seem ethereal, and the songs themselves weren’t just perfect pop music — the era was filled with glittery outfits, Swift’s squad of famous friends and dramatic music videos. The songwriting is great, but doesn't feel quite as intricate as “Speak Now.”
3. “Folklore” (2020)
Part of the intrigue for “Folklore” is that many of these songs don’t seem to be related to Swift’s life. Not that there's anything wrong with that — it’s just refreshing to see something new. She feels like a novelist on this album, not an autobiographer. This is especially represented with the love triangle in “cardigan,” “august” and “betty.” While I adore how stripped-back and intimate so many of these songs, some of them do blend together a bit.
4. “Evermore” (2020)
“Evermore” deserves to be next to its sister “Folklore.” Though it’s not as thorough all the way through – some songs feel a little stale, like “cowboy like me” and “coney island” – it’s still great.
5. “Lover” (2019)
“Lover” feels like the most at-peace Swift has ever been. If this had been her last album – thank god it wasn’t – it would be the perfect end to her career. Songs like “I Forgot That You Existed” and “Lover” radiate emotional maturity and calmness with where she is in her life. She also makes strong political statements for the first time in her musical career with “The Man” and “You Need to Calm Down,” and gives us some of her best pop songs in “Cruel Summer” and “Paper Rings.” There are a couple songs that drag, though, such as “False God” and “Afterglow.”
6. “Red” (2012)
“Red” embodies the comfort of autumn. Swift creates a feeling of coziness with country-rock songs like “Treacherous” and “Holy Ground,” but also introduces us to her pop side with songs like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “22.” Though I love that “Red” represents her unwillingness to completely let go of her country roots, it can make for a slightly inconsistent listen with the genre-hopping. But, most importantly, she gave us the rock power-ballad “All Too Well,” arguably her best song.
7. “Fearless” (2008)
It breaks my heart to put “Fearless” this low. Swift’s sophomore album has some real standouts – “Fearless,” “Love Story,” “White Horse,” “You Belong With Me” and “Change” in particular – but some moments in the album feel a little too traditional-country.
8. “Reputation” (2017)
I’m not about to hate on “Reputation” – it’s good. An album like this was maybe a coping mechanism to deal with unnecessary bad press, and some fantastic songs came from it, like “Getaway Car,” “Delicate” and “New Year’s Day.” Even though her anger is valid, some songs fall flat, sounding too generic for someone with the musical skill of Swift.
9. “Taylor Swift” (2006)
It says a lot about Swift that the album that comes in last on this list is so loved. Her debut record has some all-time hits like “Our Song” and “Tim McGraw,” which helped establish her as a strong songwriter. The only real “fault” is that some of the songs are a little cheesy and forgettable for someone who isn’t a Swiftie.
