A polarizing pop star, a red carpet tabloid staple and the face of an entire generation of girls who want to be just like her, taylor swift has been in the public eye since she was 16. Whether you love her or hate her, there’s no denying that Taylor’s music has made a significant impact on modern culture. From her raw 2006 debut as a teen country ingenue to her more imperial pop of the twenties to her ambivalent ruminations of her thirties, Swift has been able to ride a wave of change that has defined her generation.
The girl who started it all grew up in Pennsylvania and got her start as a local country darling by writing songs for her family’s horse show. When she was 14, she caught the attention of Nashville industry veterans at an industry showcase and signed to Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records. It was around this time that she began to develop her image as a white girl with good manners, a purity ideal and a penchant for romantic moments both large and small.
Despite the fact that she is now a Grammy award-winning megastar who has racked up multiple movie roles, Taylor’s roots remain firmly planted in the world of country music. She’s also managed to carve out a niche for herself as a songwriter who’s capable of crafting a range of genre-bending musical styles.
From the uplifting dance-pop of 1989 to the more contemplative ballads of Reputation, Swift’s catalog has something for every kind of mood and emotion. While her breakout hits might be the most famous, her deep cuts are equally resonant. We’ve rounded up the best of her 237 tunes, from the raw country romances of her teens to the ambivalent ruminations of her teens to the impeccable pop of her twenties and beyond.
Taylor’s early work is a testament to her ability to tap into the universal feelings of young people everywhere. This ballad about her freshman year of high school demonstrates her ability to write with both grace and poignancy, and her talent for capturing an emotional moment with just the right words.
A catchy ditty about the joys of a new relationship, this track is the perfect blend of Taylor’s youthful innocence and her burgeoning maturity as a writer. It’s a little over-the-top, but there’s no denying its infectiousness. This is the song that many believe introduced the world to the Taylor we know and love today.
