With Taylor Swift's Eras Tour underway and fans streaming her recently-released album, "Midnights," Swifties find a renewed sense of adoration for her talent on stage and off. However, with the tour's three-hour set list for each concert and Swift's 229-song discography, it can be hard to figure out which of her songs are the best.
To help make your decision easier on which songs to add to your playlist, here are her best songs from each of her 10 studio albums.
From her first studio album at 16 years old, “Our Song” is a classic, upbeat country song. It’s about falling in love for the first time and finding a song that represents that relationship. This is a great song to laugh and sing with all the car windows down.
"Fearless (Taylor's Version)" — “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)”
When you think of the "Fearless" album, “Love Story” or “You Belong with Me” may be the first songs to pop into your head. While these songs are certainly bangers from our childhood, “The Way I Loved You” stands on top because it has one of the best bridges on "Fearless".
The song depicts how easy it is to fall in love with the bad boy or stay in a relationship where fighting is an everyday occurrence. Also, the ache that comes from being with someone else while loving another, makes this song relatable even as an adult. Paired with great instrumentals, this song has versatility that makes it perfect for living it up with your friends or crying because it’s a little too real.
“Enchanted” is about meeting a guy and instantly falling in love with him without knowing if your love is reciprocated. It’s perfect for all the hopeless romantics who believe in love at first sight. Swift also shows some great range, as this is her first pop-centered album. This is the song for dragging out your old prom dress from high school, standing in the rain or just having a good cry. "Enchanted" will also be the only "Speak Now" song that Swift performs on tour.
"Red (Taylor's Version)" — “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
Swift’s re-release of "Red" took the world by storm by giving fans the beauty of the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” This song, rumored to be about her breakup with Jake Gyllenhaal, shows a deeper side of the love in their relationship.
Swift also released a short film for the song, starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, which recently won a Grammy. This song is the ultimate breakup anthem and a heartfelt story about dating an older guy. “All Too Well” is for anyone who has had a relationship that seemed perfect on the outside but was harmful on the inside.
For the people who prefer the friends-to-lovers trope, this song is for you. Swift wrote "You Are In Love" about two of her friends, who began as best friends and eventually fell in love. Swift is already well-known for her remarkable bridges, and the one in this song has a magical feeling to it that makes your heart soar. This song is the perfect score for a movie montage of friends falling in love or just listening to when you want to feel pure happiness.
If there’s one word to describe this song, it’s "sexy." It’s all about stolen glances between lovers and going all in when it comes to the person you like. This song is perfect for slow dancing in the kitchen or to put on if you need some courage before going out. The "reputation" album is about going against people's expectations and not caring what others think, and “Dress” embodies this idea. The song is unlike anything else in her discography because of its focus on wanting sex, and its boldness is why, out of all the amazing songs on "reputation," this one is the best.
"Lover" — “Death By A Thousand Cuts”
While this song has an upbeat feel to it, and the musicality is unmatched, this is probably the saddest song on this list. "Death by a thousand cuts" was a form of torturous execution, where people would be killed by being cut thousands of times.
In this song, Swift is comparing a breakup to dying an excruciating death. The second verse starts with “My heart, my hips, my body, my love / Trying to find a part of me that you didn’t touch." She’s saying her relationship and breakup were never okay, but she let it happen, giving another side to relationships that audiences can relate to. It’s a great song to scream out of anger or sadness to.
"folklore" — “exile” (Feat. Bon Iver)
This song is a story about ex-lovers witnessing each other move on. Although choosing the best song from this album was one of the hardest choices, as all of "folklore" is a masterpiece, this duet is what puts it over the top. Iver brings a country sound, which is paired beautifully with the indie feel of the song. This is a song you belt out in the car as you drive down the freeway and try not to think of your ex.
Ironically put after “exile,” this song is about finding closure after a breakup. The opening of this song and the piano throughout is what truly elevates it above the others. The beat of “closure” makes you want to tap your feet, but the sincerity of its lyrics makes you stop and listen. This is a great song to remind yourself not to text that certain someone and to make time for yourself.
From Swift’s most recent album, "Midnights," “Mastermind” is definitely the best song. Rumored to be about Swift's current boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, and Swift's own "mastermind" plan behind their falling in love, this song is a bop. From the somewhat heartbreaking lyrics to the steady softness of the instrumentals, this song is great for dancing around and singing, even if you, like me, aren't able to experience it live.