When Taylor Swift first walked into the limelight, no one knew how much trouble the music industry was in. And we mean that in the best way possible because Taylor Swift is a songwriting behemoth wrapped in an unassuming exterior. Taylor Swift proves that she can conquer any genre with each song she releases. As seen in her extensive discography, including songs she’s written for other artists. Related Reading: Tupac Quotes
So, Just How Talented Is Taylor Swift?
Taylor Swift’s songs strike a chord other songwriters only dream of. And while some artists are lucky if they score a one-hit-wonder, Taylor Swift has multiple chart-topping hits from the beginning of her career. With her self-titled album, Taylor Swift became the first solo female country artist with a writing or co-writing credit on every song from a debut album. Did we mention this happens while she is still in high school? But it didn’t stop there. Thanks to her hit songs, she takes over country music. Then after country came pop, and now she’s experimenting even further with her sound. Plus, she’s always in the studio, which leaves fans eagerly awaiting the next Taylor Swift drop. But her recent studio time is a pivotal moment. While she’s unable to gain control of her studio album master recordings from Big Machine Records, rerecording her old work is proving to be a genius idea. Because we don’t only get old Taylor Swift music, we get previously unreleased Taylor Swift music. So, before she unloads even more music on us, let’s revisit the songs we all know and love, which is easier said than done because Taylor Swift lives to write music, and she’s written a lot of songs.
Taylor Swift Songs Ranked
Today we’re taking a deep dive into the musical genius of Taylor Swift. More specifically, we’re looking at Taylor Swift songs that she has written or co-written. Whether it’s for her collection of work or those she wrote for another artist. Now that she’s back in the studio rerecording her first six albums, there’s no better time to revisit your favorite songs. Or discover your new favorites.
190. Both of Us – with B.o.B
While the combo of pop star meets rap typically works, “Both of Us” sounds like two songs awkwardly spliced together. Best Lyrics: “Someday, I will be strong enough to lift not one but both of us.”
189. Christmas Must Be Something More – The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Nothing wrong with adding some variety to Christmas music. Best Lyrics: “Would you still wanna kiss without mistletoe.”
188. End Game feat. Ed Sheeran and Future – Reputation
Even with so many big names on one track, including Taylor Swift’s longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback, “End Game” feels messy. Best Lyrics: “And I bury hatchets, but I keep maps of where I put ’em.”
187. Innocent – Speak Now
Taylor Swift doesn’t just write songs about ex-boyfriends. This time she has a thing or two to say in response to Kanye West’s infamous scene at the VMAs. Best Lyrics: “It’s okay, life is a tough crowd/Thirty-two and still growin’ up now.”
186. Death By a Thousand Cuts – Lover
It’s always interesting when artists try out new sounds. And Swift’s Lover album is full of experimentation. But not every track hits as hard as others. Best Lyrics: “I get drunk, but it’s not enough/’Cause you’re not my baby.”
185. Beautiful Eyes – Beautiful Eyes
The title track to Taylor Swift’s second extended play falls short of expectations. But, of course, the bar is set pretty high. Best Lyrics: “Just as long as you’re mine/I’ll be your everything tonight.”
184. Superman – Speak Now
According to Taylor Swift, “Superman” is about a boy she likes. And according to her fans, that boy is John Mayer. Best Lyrics: “I’ll be right here on the ground/When you come back down.”
183. I Know Places – 1989
There are redeeming factors to every Taylor Swift song, but some of her tracks are simply better than others. Best Lyrics: “Something happens when everybody finds out/See the vultures circling, dark clouds.”
182. Starlight (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “The whole place/Was dressed to the nines/And we were dancing/Like we’re made of starlight.”
181. Long Live – Speak Now
While high school heartbreak and school dances are important coming of age moments for many, “Long Live” goes overboard. Best Lyrics: “Hold on to spinning around/Confetti falls to the ground/May these memories break our fall.”
180. Girl at Home (Taylor’s Version) – Red
While we agree that cheating is vile behavior, “Girl at Home” leaves more to be desired. Best Lyrics: “And it would be a fine proposition/If I was a stupid girl/But honey, I am no-one’s exception/This I have previously learned.”
179. Out of the Woods – 1989
One of the many Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff collaborations with 80’s synth galore. Best Lyrics: “Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?/Twenty stitches in the hospital room/When you started crying, baby, I did too/But when the sun came up, I was looking at you.”
178. It’s Nice to Have a Friend – Lover
There’s something unsettling about this Taylor Swift song. Best Lyrics: “Light pink sky up on the roof/Sun sinks down, no curfew/Twenty questions, we tell the truth.”
177. A Perfectly Good Heart – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift hadn’t perfected her artistry with her debut album, but she definitely made waves as a rookie. Best Lyrics: “Why would you wanna make the very first scar/Why would you wanna break a perfectly good heart.”
176. Cold as You – Taylor Swift
While Taylor Swift grows as an album, the topics she writes about stay the same. Best Lyrics: “And now that I’m sitting here thinking it through/I’ve never been anywhere cold as you.”
175. Permanent Marker – Unreleased
At one point, “Permanent Marker” was meant to appear on Fearless, but the track was ultimately cut. Best Lyrics: “X is the shape I drew through your face/In permanent marker, oh, yeah.”
174. Daylight – Lover
Ending the album with “Daylight” was a fitting move for Taylor Swift. Best Lyrics: “I don’t wanna look at anything else now that I saw you.”
173. Lucky You – Unreleased
Before Taylor Swift wrote made a name for herself, she almost gave up on her dream of writing music. But by age 12, she was back in the game. Best Lyrics: “Mama named her Lucky on a starlit night/A rabbit foot in her pocket, she dances in spite/Of the fact that she’s different/And yet she’s the same.”
172. Run feat. Ed Sheeran (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
The first night they met, the two artists wrote this song, and their collaborations only improved with time. Best Lyrics: “And run, like you’d run from the law/Darling, let’s run/Run from it all.”
171. So It Goes… – Reputation
The “old Taylor” is indeed dead. Best Lyrics: “You know I’m not a bad girl, but I/Do bad things with you/So it goes.”
170. Only the Young – Miss Americana
Although Taylor Swift has held an apolitical stance for the bulk of her career, she’s become more outspoken in recent years. And “Only the Young” acts as a call to action for young voters. Best Lyrics: “They aren’t gonna change this/We gotta do it ourselves”
169. Beautiful Ghosts – with Andrew Lloyd Webber
The song is quite pleasant – if you listen to it out of context. However, the 2019 release of Cats remains a memory best forgotten. Best Lyrics: “And the memories were lost long ago/But at least you have beautiful ghosts.”
168. New Romantics – 1989
Taylor Swift and synth-pop is a stellar duo, but “New Romantics” isn’t the best example of that combination. Best Lyrics: “And every day is like a battle/But every night with us is like a dream.”
167. Invisible – Taylor Swift
Unrequited love can seem like the end of the world when you’re fifteen, which is roughly how old Taylor Swift was when she wrote this song. Best Lyrics: “And I just wanna show you/She don’t even know you/She’s never gonna love you like I want to.”
166. I Heart? – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “Wake up and smell the break up/Fix my heart, put on my make-up/Another mess I didn’t plan.”
165. This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things – Reputation
If you slight Taylor Swift, she WILL write a song about you. Best Lyrics: “And therein lies the issue/Friends don’t try to trick you.”
164. False God – Lover
Hard to believe this is the same artist that took country music by storm. Best Lyrics: “Make confessions, and we’re begging for forgiveness/Got the wine for you.”
163. New Year’s Day – Reputation
Everyone needs someone who stays to help clean up after the party. Best Lyrics: “I want your midnights/But I’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year’s Day.”
162. Christmases When You Were Mine – The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Christmas isn’t always the happiest time of year. Best Lyrics: “But for me, it’s just a lonely time/’Cause there were Christmases when you were mine.”
161. Message in a Bottle (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
Is Taylor Swift giving fans a look into her former fling with Harry Styles? Or did she catch feelings for yet another Londoner? Best Lyrics: “‘Cause you could be the one that I love/I could be the one that you dream of.”
160. Begin Again (Taylor’s Version) – Red
What’s so wrong with a rebound romance? Best Lyrics: “But you throw your head back laughin’ like a little kid/I think it’s strange that you think I’m funny ’cause he never did.”
159. Untouchable (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Even though “Untouchable” is a Luna Halo cover, Taylor Swift holds partial writing credits for her version of the song. Best Lyrics: “But you’re untouchable, burnin’ brighter than the sun/Now that you’re close, I feel like coming undone.”
158. The Outside – Taylor Swift
What an upbeat song for such negative emotions. Best Lyrics: “I’ve been a lot of lonely places/I’ve never been on the outside.”
157. The Other Side of the Door (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
There’s no use being stubborn about your true feelings. Best Lyrics: “I said leave, but all I really want is you/To stand outside my window throwing pebbles/Screaming, ‘I’m in love with you.’”
156. Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince – Lover
It turns out Taylor Swift didn’t get a fairytale prom experience. Best Lyrics: “Voted most likely to run away/With you.”
155. You Need to Calm Down – Lover
Can there be a new Taylor Swift era without a song calling out the haters? Of course not! Best Lyrics: “You are somebody that I don’t know/But you’re takin’ shots at me like it’s Patrón/And I’m just like, damn, it’s 7 a.m.”
154. Tell Me Why (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Without the intro violin, “Tell Me Why” would be much higher on this list. Best Lyrics: “And I need you like a heartbeat/But you know you got a mean streak.”
153. Stay Beautiful – Taylor Swift
According to Taylor Swift, she wrote this song about a boy she had a crush on. The only thing is, he never knew she thought he was cute. Best Lyrics: “And when you find everything you looked for/I hope your life leads you back to my door.”
152. Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Yet another song Taylor Swift has written for a guy she never dated. She can find inspiration in anything. Best Lyrics: “Hey Stephen, I could give you fifty reasons/Why I should be the one you choose.”
151. Cornelia Street – Lover
As of 2016, Taylor Swift no longer lives on Cornelia Street. Now, the romance and the apartment live on within a song. Best Lyrics: “I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends/I’d never walk Cornelia Street again.”
150. Eyes Open – Hunger Games Soundtrack
Best Lyrics: “Everybody’s waiting for you to break down/Everybody’s watching to see the fallout.”
149. Come in With the Rain (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Sometimes a relationship isn’t worth the energy necessary to save it. Best Lyrics: “Just know I’m right here hoping/That you’ll come in with the rain.”
148. Speak Now – Speak Now
Luckily no weddings were crashed, and no couples were broken up in the making of this song. Best Lyrics: “This is surely not/What you thought it would be/I lose myself in a daydream.”
147. London Boy – Lover
If you haven’t caught on yet, Taylor Swift loves English guys. Best Lyrics: “Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates/So I guess all the rumors are true/You know I love a London boy.”
146. King of My Heart – Reputation
The only thing Taylor Swift does better than writing breakup songs is writing love songs. Best Lyrics: “And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for.”
145. Wonderland – 1989
One deluxe album track that could have easily been on the original release. Best Lyrics: “Didn’t they tell us don’t rush into things?/Didn’t you flash your green eyes at me?”
144. A Place in this World – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift didn’t just find a place in this world, she carved out her own. Best Lyrics: “Oh, I’m just a girl/Trying to find a place in this world.”
143. Jump then Fall (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
While most people struggle to find the right words to describe their feelings, Taylor Swift makes it look easy. Best Lyrics: “The time is gonna come when you’re so mad you could cry/But I’ll hold you through the night until you smile.”
142. Treacherous (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “Two headlights shine through the sleepless night/And I will get you, and get you alone.”
141. Coney Island feat. The National – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “We were like the mall before the Internet/It was the one place to be.”
140. You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home – Hannah Montana: The Movie
Best Lyrics: “You can laugh and cry, but everybody knows/You’ll always find your way back home.”
139. The Best Day (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Imagine being Taylor Swift’s sibling after she released this song. Talk about living in someone’s shadow. Best Lyrics: “Don’t know how long it’s gonna take to feel okay/But I know I had the best day with you today.”
138. Gold Rush – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “My mind turns your life into folklore/I can’t dare to dream about you anymore.”
137. Ours – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “And life makes love look hard/The stakes are high, the waters rough/But this love is ours.”
136. I Think He Knows – Lover
Best Lyrics: “And I ain’t gotta tell him/I think he knows.”
135. Welcome to New York – 1989
Best Lyrics: “Like any true love, it drives you crazy/But you know you wouldn’t change anything.”
134. No Body, No Crime – evermore feat. HAIM
Taylor Swift’s version of “Goodbye Earl” by The Chicks. Best Lyrics: “Good thing my daddy made me get a boating license when I was fifteen/And I’ve cleaned enough houses to know how to cover up a scene.”
133. The Moment I Knew (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “And what do you do when the one who means the most to you/Is the one who didn’t show?”
132. my tears ricochet – folklore
Best Lyrics: “And I can go anywhere I want/Anywhere I want, just not home.”
131. Your Face – unreleased
Best Lyrics: “I don’t want to lose your face/And I don’t want to wake one day/And not remember what time erased.”
130. Look What You Made Me Do – reputation
When Taylor wrote this song, she was going through a Game of Thrones phase. She’s channeling Arya Stark through and through. Best Lyrics: “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time/Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time.”
129. Don’t You (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “You don’t know how much I feel I love you still/So why don’t you, don’t you?”
128. White Horse (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
One heartbreak is all it takes to rip you from your fairytale fantasies. Best Lyrics: “I’m not a princess, this ain’t a fairytale/I’m not the one you’ll sweep off her feet, lead her up the stairwell.”
127. Enchanted – Speak Now
A hesitant comeback from heartbreak leaves Taylor enchanted by love all over again. Best Lyrics: “This is me praying that/This was the very first page/Not where the storyline ends/My thoughts will echo your name.”
126. State of Grace (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “These are the hands of fate/You’re my Achilles heel.”
125. How You Get the Girl – 1989
Best Lyrics: “Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together/I would wait forever and ever.”
124. Long story short – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “And my waves meet your shore/Ever and evermore.”
123. mirrorball – folklore
Best Lyrics: “I’m still on that trapeze/I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me.”
122. Superstar (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Will the world ever know who Taylor wrote this song about? Best Lyrics: “You smile that beautiful smile and all the girls in the front row/Scream your name.”
121. seven – folklore
Best Lyrics: “And just like a folk song/Our love will be passed on.”
120. Change (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And it’s a sad picture, the final blow hits you/Somebody else gets what you wanted again.”
119. Two is Better Than One – with Boys Like Girls
Best Lyrics: “So maybe it’s true/That I can’t live without you/And maybe two is better than one.”
118. I’d Lie – unreleased
Best Lyrics: “And if you ask me if I love him/I’d lie.”
117. Bye Bye Baby (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And all I have is your sympathy/’Cause you took me home, but you just couldn’t keep me.”
116. Getaway Car – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “I knew it from the first Old Fashioned, we were cursed/We never had a shotgun shot in the dark.”
115. The Man – Lover
Best Lyrics: “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can/Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.”
114. Tied Together With a Smile – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “You’re tied together with a smile/But you’re coming undone.”
113. The Archer – Lover
Best Lyrics: “I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost/The room is on fire, invisible smoke/And all of my heroes die all alone.”
112. Haunted – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “He will try to take away my pain/And he just might make me smile/But the whole time I’m wishing he was you instead.”
111. Cowboy like me – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “And the skeletons in both our closets/Plotted hard to mess this up/And the old men that I’ve swindled/Really did believe I was the one.”
110. I Forgot That You Existed – Lover
Nothing hurts quite like someone forgetting you exist. Best Lyrics: “I forgot that you existed/It isn’t love, it isn’t hate/It’s just indifference.”
109. Best Days of Your Life – written for Kellie Pickler
Best Lyrics: “Cause I’ll be there, in the back of your mind/From the day we met to the very last night.”
108. It’s time to go – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all/Then wondered why I left.”
107. The Last Time feat. Gary Lightbody (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And all the times I let you in/Just for you to go again/Disappear when you come back/Everything is better.”
106. mad woman – folklore
Best Lyrics: “And women like hunting witches too/Doing your dirtiest work for you/It’s obvious that wanting me dead/Has really brought you two together.”
105. The Lucky One (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “It was a few years later, I showed up here/And they still tell the legend of how you disappeared/How you took the money and your dignity and got the hell out.”
104. Sweeter Than Fiction – One Chance Soundtrack
Best Lyrics: “And in this perfect weather/It’s like we don’t remember/The rain we thought would last forever and ever.”
103. You Are In Love – 1989
Even Taylor Swift admits she doesn’t know everything about life, and she’s spent most of her life writing about it. Best Lyrics: “And you understand now/Why they lost their minds and fought the wars/And why I’ve spent my whole life trying to put it into words.”
102. Forever Winter (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
Best Lyrics: “At 3 a.m., pacing/All this time I didn’t know/At 5 a.m., wasted/I’d be in pieces on the floor/Forever winter if you go.”
101. …Ready For It? – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “In the middle of the night, in my dreams/I know I’m gonna be with you, so I take my time/Are you ready for it?”
100. Clean – 1989
Best Lyrics: “Hung my head as I lost the war/And the sky turned black like a perfect storm.”
99. Tolerate It – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “If it’s all in my head, tell me now/Tell me I’ve got it wrong somehow/I know my love should be celebrated/But you tolerate it.”
98. the last great american dynasty – folklore
In “The Last Great American Dynasty,” Taylor has some fun by retelling the life stories of the previous owners of her Rhode Island home. Which, in turn, makes for good music. Best Lyrics: “Fifty years is a long time/Holiday House sat quietly on that beach/Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits/And then it was bought by me.”
97. Happiness – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “I can’t make it go away by making you a villain/I guess it’s the price I paid for seven years in Heaven.”
96. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “You pull me in, and I’m a little more brave/It’s the first kiss, it’s flawless, really something/It’s fearless.”
95. I Wish You Would – 1989
Best Lyrics: “I wish we could go back/And remember what we were fighting for/Wish you knew that/I miss you too much to be mad anymore.”
94. epiphany – folklore
Best Lyrics: “Only 20 minutes to sleep/But you dream of some epiphany/Just one single glimpse of relief/To make some sense of what you’ve seen.”
93. invisible string – folklore
Best Lyrics: “A string that pulled me/Out of all the wrong arms right into that dive bar.”
92. Closure – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “I know I’m just a wrinkle in your new life/Staying friends would iron it out so nice.”
91. Come Back … Be Here (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “Taxi cabs and busy streets/That never bring you back to me/I can’t help but wish you took me with you.”
90. The Story of Us – Speak Now
As it turns out, Taylor wrote this song about her ex John Mayer. But anyone dating her should know she will unabashedly write a song about them. Best Lyrics: “Now I’m standing alone in a crowded room/And we’re not speaking/And I’m dying to know/Is it killing you like it’s killing me?”
89. Babe (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
Best Lyrics: “I break down every time you call/We’re a wreck, you’re the wrecking ball/We said no one else, how could you do this, babe?”
88. Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
One step in recovering from a breakup is listening to upbeat breakup songs, and Taylor Swift delivers time and time again. Best Lyrics: “It takes everything in me just to get up each day/But it’s wonderful to see that you’re okay.”
87. Don’t Blame Me – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “My name is whatever you decide/And I’m just gonna call you mine.”
86. I’m Only Me When I’m With You – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “And I don’t try to hide my tears/My secrets or my deepest fears/Through it all nobody gets me like you do.”
85. Afterglow – Lover
Best Lyrics: “I lived like an island, punished you with silence/Went off like sirens, just crying/Why’d I have to break what I love so much?”
84. Breathe feat. Colbie Caillat (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “It’s the kind of ending you don’t really wanna see/’Cause it’s tragedy, and it’ll only bring you down/Now I don’t know what to be without you around.”
83. Never Grow Up – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “Remember the footsteps, remember the words said/And all your little brother’s favorite songs/I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone.”
82. the 1 – folklore
Best Lyrics: “We never painted by the numbers, baby/But we were making it count/You know the greatest loves of all time are over now.”
81. Sad Beautiful Tragic (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “In dreams, I meet you in warm conversation/We both wake in lonely beds, different cities.”
80. That’s When feat. Keith Urban (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And that’s when you were waiting at the front gate/That’s when, when I saw your face/You let me in, and baby, that’s when.”
79. Dancing With Our Hands Tied – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “I’d kiss you as the lights went out/Swaying as the room burned down/I’d hold you as the water rushes in/If I could dance with you again.”
78. Gorgeous – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “If you’ve got a girlfriend, I’m jealous of her/But if you’re single that’s honestly worse/’Cause you’re so gorgeous it actually hurts.”
77. This Love – 1989
Best Lyrics: “In silent screams and wildest dreams/I never dreamed of this.”
76. Last Kiss – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “So I’ll watch your life in pictures like I used to watch you sleep/And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe/And I keep up with our old friends just to ask them how you are/Hope it’s nice where you are.”
75. Everything Has Changed feat. Ed Sheeran (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “‘Cause all I know is we said, ‘Hello’/And your eyes look like coming home/All I know is a simple name/Everything has changed.”
74. illicit affairs – folklore
Best Lyrics: “And that’s the thing about illicit affairs/And clandestine meetings and longing stares/It’s born from just one single glance/But it dies, and it dies, and it dies.”
73. This is What You Came For – written with Calvin Harris for Rihanna
When Calvin Harris first released this song, there was a co-writer by the name of Nils Sjöberg attached to the track. Fast forward a couple of months, and as it turns out, Taylor Swift is Nils Sjöberg! Best Lyrics: “We go fast with the game we play/Who knows why it’s gotta be this way/We say nothin’ more than we need/I say, ‘Your place,’ when we leave.”
72. Crazier – Hannah Montana: The Movie
Best Lyrics: “Baby, you showed me what livin’ is for/I don’t wanna hide anymore.”
71. Shake It Off – 1989
Best Lyrics: “I go on too many dates/But I can’t make them stay/At least that’s what people say/That’s what people say.”
70. Right Where You Left Me – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “Help, I’m still at the restaurant/Still sitting in a corner I haunt/Cross-legged in the dim light/They say, ‘What a sad sight.’”
69. Call It What You Want – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “My baby’s fit like a daydream/Walking with his head down/I’m the one he’s walking to/So call it what you want.”
68. I Almost Do (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “Oh, we made quite a mess, babe/It’s probably better off this way.”
67. 22 (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “You don’t know about me/But I’ll bet you want to/Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we’re 22.”
66. Bad Blood – 1989
Best Lyrics: “Now we’ve got problems/And I don’t think we can solve ’em/You made a really deep cut/And baby, now we’ve got bad blood, hey!”
65. Forever and Always (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And I stare at the phone, he still hasn’t called/And then you feel so low you can’t feel nothing at all.”
64. Soon You’ll Get Better feat. the Chicks – Lover
Best Lyrics: “And I hate to make this all about me/But who am I supposed to talk to?/What am I supposed to do/If there’s no you?”
63. Mary’s Song (Oh My My My) – Taylor Swift
Based on a large number of her songs, Taylor Swift doesn’t sleep. Best Lyrics: “Take me back to the creek beds we turned up/2 a.m. riding in your truck, and all I need is you next to me.”
62. If This Was a Movie – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “I know that we could work it out somehow/But if this was a movie, you’d be here by now.”
61. I Did Something Bad – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “This is how the world works/You gotta leave before you get left.”
60. All You Had To Do Was Stay – 1989
Best Lyrics: “People like you always want back the love they gave away/And people like me wanna believe you when you say you’ve changed.”
59. Evermore – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “Hey December/Guess I’m feeling unmoored/Can’t remember/What I used to fight for.”
58. Paper Rings – Lover
Best Lyrics: “The moon is high/Like your friends were the night that we first met/Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet.”
57. I Don’t Want To Live Forever – Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack
Ignoring the associated film franchise, the song is solid. Best Lyrics: “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.”
56. All Over Me feat. Maren Morris (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “But no amount of freedom gets you clean/I’ve still got you all over me.”
55. hoax – folklore
Best Lyrics: “You know I left a part of me back in New York/You knew the hero died, so what’s the movie for?”
54. Better Man (Taylor’s Version) – Red
A quintessential country ballad Swift originally wrote for Little Big Town. Best Lyrics: “I know the bravest thing I ever did was run.”
53. Fifteen (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “But in your life, you’ll do things/Greater than dating the boy on the football team/But I didn’t know it at fifteen.”
52. Renegade – with Big Red Machine
Best Lyrics: “Is it really your anxiety/That stops you from giving me everything?/Or do you just not want to?”
51. The Very First Night (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
Best Lyrics: “But don’t forget about the night out in L.A./Danced in the kitchen, chased me down through the hallway.”
50. Cruel Summer – Lover
Best Lyrics: “Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes/And if I bleed, you’ll be the last to know.”
49. Today Was a Fairytale (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “Today was a fairytale/You were the prince/I used to be a damsel in distress.” Related Reading: 104 Relationship Quotes
48. Dear John – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “And you’ll add my name to your long list of traitors who don’t understand/And I’ll look back and regret how I ignored when they said ‘run as fast as you can.’”
47. Nothing New feat. Phoebe Bridgers (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
Best Lyrics: “And my cheeks are growing tired/From turning red and faking smiles/Are we only biding time till I lose your attention?”
46. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “I’m really gonna miss you picking fights/And me falling for it, screaming that I’m right/And you would hide away and find your peace of mind/With some indie record that’s much cooler than mine.”
45. Better Than Revenge – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “And she thinks I’m psycho/’Cause I like to rhyme her name with things.”
44. ’tis the Damn Season – Evermore
Several songs from Taylor Swift’s most recent albums feature multiple song storylines. In “’tis the damn season,” the character Dorothea has a weekend tryst with an old lover. For an artist known for her personal lyrics, Taylor Swift is proving to be skilled at worldbuilding. Best Lyrics: “I’m staying at my parent’s house/And the road not taken looks real good now/And it always leads to you in my hometown.”
43. This Is Me Trying – folklore
Best Lyrics: “And it’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound/It’s hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you.”
42. peace – folklore
Best Lyrics: “All these people think love’s for show/But I would die for you in secret/The devil’s in the details, but you got a friend in me/Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?”
41. The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain/It’s 2 a.m., and I’m cursing your name/So in love that I acted insane/And that’s the way I loved you.”
40. Should’ve Said No – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “I should’ve been there/In the back of your mind/I shouldn’t be asking myself why.”
39. Style – 1989
Best Lyrics: “And when we go crashing down we come back every time/’Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style.”
38. Dress – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “Say my name and everything just stops/I don’t want you like a best friend/Only bought this dress so you could take it off.”
37. All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “‘Cause there we are again in the middle of the night/We’re dancing ’round the kitchen in the refrigerator light/Down the stairs, I was there/I remember it all too well.”
36. Back to December – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “It turns out freedom ain’t nothing but missing you/Wishing I’d realized what I had when you were mine/I’d go back to December, turn around and make it alright.”
35. Dorothea – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “But it’s never too late/To come back to my side/The stars in your eyes/Shined brighter in Tupelo.”
34. Holy Ground (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Best Lyrics: “And I guess we fell apart in the usual way/And the story’s got dust on every page/But sometimes I wonder how you think about it now/And I see your face in every crowd.”
33. Stay Stay Stay (Taylor’s Version) – Red
New drinking game idea: drink whenever she says “stay.” But please drink responsibly because she says the word over 30 times in 3.5 minutes – we checked. Best Lyrics: “All those times that you didn’t leave/It’s been occurring to me/I’d like to hang out with you/For my whole life.”
32. Ivy – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “Oh, I can’t/Stop you putting roots in my dreamland/My house of stone, your ivy grows/And now I’m covered in you.”
31. Sparks Fly – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “And lead me up the staircase/won’t you whisper soft and slow/I’m captivated by you like a firework show.”
30. Marjorie – Evermore
Losing a loved one is never easy, but Taylor is able to eloquently describe the experience with her song “Marjorie.” Best Lyrics: “And if I didn’t know better/I’d think you were listening to me now/If I didn’t know better/I’d think you were still around.”
29. Willow – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “Wait for the signal, and I’ll meet you after dark/Show me the places where the others gave you scars.”
28. Christmas Tree Farm – Single
Again, a little variety in holiday music never hurt anyone. The more, the merrier, right? Best Lyrics: “Under the mistletoe/Watching the fire glow/And telling me, ‘I love you’/Just being in your arms/Takes me back to that little farm/Where every wish comes true.”
27. exile feat. Bon Iver – folklore
Best Lyrics: “Now I’m in exile, seeing you out/I think I’ve seen this film before/So, I’m leaving out the side door.”
26. Teardrops On My Guitar – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “He’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar/The only one who has enough of me to break my heart/He’s the song in the car I keep singing don’t know why I do.”
25. The Joker and The Queen – with Ed Sheeran
Best Lyrics: “I was upside down/From the outside in/You came to the table/And you went all in.”
24. Safe & Sound feat. the Civil Wars – The Hunger Games Soundtrack
Whenever Taylor Swift writes for a movie, she goes all out. And her collaboration with Civil Wars is no different. Best Lyrics: “The war outside our door keeps raging on/Hold onto this lullaby even when the music’s gone.”
23. The Lakes – Folklore
Best Lyrics: “I want auroras, and sad prose/I want to watch Wisteria grow right over my bare feet/’Cause I haven’t moved in years/And I want you right here.”
22. Delicate – Reputation
Best Lyrics: “This ain’t for the best/my reputations never been worse, so/you must like me for me.”
21. Picture to Burn – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics: “Cause I hate that old pickup truck you never let me drive/You’re a redneck heartbreak who’s really bad at lying.”
20. Blank Space – 1989
Best Lyrics: “Got a long list of ex-lovers/They’ll tell you I’m insane/’Cause you know I love the players/And you love the game.”
19. Mean – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “Drunk and grumbling on about how I can’t sing/But all you are is mean.”
18. Ronan (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Taylor Swift wrote “Ronan” for a charity event in honor of a boy by the same name who lost his life to cancer. After reading his mother’s blog, Taylor wrote from her perspective. And the result is a tearjerker. Best Lyrics: “We’re gonna fly away from here/You were my best four years.”
17. We Were Happy (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And that’s what these tears were for/’Cause we were happy.”
16. august – folklore
Throughout folklore, Taylor Swift weaves a tale of teenage love and heartbreak with “august” telling her own version of events. And the song? Think early 00’s dream pop. Best Lyrics: “Wanting was enough/For me, it was enough/To live for the hope of it all/Cancel plans just in case you’d call.”
15. Mine – Speak Now
Best Lyrics: “I fell in love with a careless man’s careful daughter/She is the best thing that’s ever been mine.”
14. You’re Not Sorry (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And you can tell me that you’re sorry/But I don’t believe you baby/Like I did before.”
13. Champagne Problems – Evermore
Best Lyrics: “Your Midas touch on the Chevy door/November flush and your flannel cure.”
12. Lover – Lover
Best Lyrics: “And you’ll save all your dirtiest jokes for me/And at every table, I’ll save you a seat, lover.”
11. I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor’s Version) – Red
Red was a turning point in Taylor Swift’s career, and it was definitely a good thing. Best Lyrics: “I knew you were trouble when you walked in/So, shame on me now/Flew me to places I’d never been/Now I’m lyin’ on the cold hard ground.”
10. You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Best Lyrics: “And I know your favorite songs/And you tell me ’bout your dreams/Think I know where you belong/Think I know it’s with me.”
9. Wildest Dreams – 1989
Few can describe an ill-fated relationship quite like Taylor Swift. Best Lyrics: “You’ll see me in hindsight/Tangled up with you all night/Burnin’ it down.”
8. Red (Taylor’s Version) – Red
There are rumors that the relationship Taylor Swift wrote about in “Red” is one she had with Jake Gyllenhaal. Regardless, the message is clear – a bright flame burns half as long. Best Lyrics: “Lovin’ him is like drivin’ a new Maserati down a dead-end street/Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly.”
7. I Bet You Think About Me feat. Chris Stapleton (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
If Red (Taylor’s Version) shows us anything about Taylor Swift’s songwriting talents, it’s that some of the best Taylor Swift songs are yet to be released. Best Lyrics: “I bet you couldn’t believe/When you realized I’m harder to forget, than I was to leave.”
6. Tim McGraw – Taylor Swift
When Taylor Swift wrote this song, did she know that it would be a self-fulfilling prophecy? Because people definitely think of her when they think of Tim McGraw. Best Lyrics: “When you think Tim McGraw/I hope you think of me.”
5. Our Song – Taylor Swift
How meta of Taylor Swift to write a love song about how love is a song. And to think, she was barely in high school. Best Lyrics: “When we’re on the phone, and you talk real slow/’Cause it’s late, and your mama don’t know.”
4. cardigan – folklore
Taylor Swift’s “Teenage Love Triangle” starts on a high with “Cardigan.” But the story doesn’t come together in full until you hear all three songs. Best Lyrics: “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan /Under someone’s bed/You put me on and said I was your favorite.”
3. Love Story (Taylor’s Version) – Fearless
Don’t lie, you know you’re a sucker for that key change and the breakdown at the end. By far the best of the Fearless era. Best Lyrics: “Marry me Juliet/You’ll never have to be alone/I love you, and that’s all I really know/I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress/It’s a love story, baby, just say yes.”
2. betty – folklore
Finally, the culmination of Taylor’s impassioned “Teenage Love Triangle.” Although Taylor’s still writing about high school love, she’s grown substantially as an artist, with “betty” being one of the best Taylor Swift songs yet. Best Lyrics: “The worst thing that I ever did/Was what I did to you.”
1. All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault] – Red
If you haven’t experienced Taylor Swift’s 10-minute-long SNL performance of “All Too Well,” then you’re missing out. While the abridged version can hold its own, the Vault’s version is on another level and is undeniably the best song from Taylor Swift. Best Lyrics: “You kept me like a secret/But I kept you like an oath.”
Final Thoughts on the Best Taylor Swift Songs
There you have it, 190 Taylor Swift songs. We listened to them all, and you should too! There can be no denying Ms. Swift’s skills as a singer, songwriter, musician, and performer. She is a rare, almost throwback talent to someone who can do it all, and gladly. With multiple awards to her name, and one can only assume a place in both country and pop music history, the scariest thing is that she is still so young. Her musical career is only just getting started. So, what’s your favorite song written by Taylor Swift? Tell us in the comments!
