The Only Taylor Swift Ranking that Actually Matters
As you can see, I am friends with Taylor Swift, and therefore, qualified to rank her albums (Photo by: Sarah Treusch).
Amidst Taylor Swift’s releasing her new album, there have been many album rankings that are inherently incorrect. There is only one right answer, and it is mine.
Folklore is easily Swift’s best album for a number of reasons. In previous albums, Swift grazed the surface of her own true thoughts and feelings; however, on this album, she dives deep and really becomes vulnerable with her audience. She also diverged against her typical voice in a way that she could not even do for Reputation. Instead of having her songs revolve around her breakups– which don’t get me wrong, her breakup songs are gut-wrenching– she let her poetry take the spotlight. She created the grand trinity of songs telling the story of a heart-breaking love triangle from all angles, “Cardigan”, “August” and “Betty”. Her story writing appealed to everyone, even those of whom have never been in a relationship in numerous of other songs on the album including “mirrorball,” “this is me trying,” and more. Based solely on lyrics and the quality of her voice, Folklore is the best Swift album aside from biases.
Red (Taylor’s Version) is so high on the list due to the sheer fact that it has some of the iconic shattering Swift songs such as “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)”–and the 10 minute version of that track, “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and more. Additionally, she included so many bonus tracks that were absolutely fantastic from the vault like “The Very First Night (Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault).” She even had a track with Chris Stapleton on it which makes the album versatile, appealing to fans of her pop music and country. Overall, this album deserves the second spot on the ranking since it has some of the iconic early Swift songs with her developed “new” voice. Jake Gyllenhaal made for some great songs.
Evermore is the much-appreciated sister album of Folklore. It discusses problems with mental health, relationships and more. Three of the songs on the album really push its ranking up: “right where you left me – bonus track,” “champagne problems” and “willow.” This album proves that Swift is truly a songwriter and not the washed-up problem child that society made her out to be in her early years. Swift was able to write devastating heartbreak while sustaining a problem-free long term relationship. It proves that its not the heartbreak that’s fueling Swift’s songs, it’s talent. This is arguably the most descriptive Swift has ever been in her songwriting. The listeners are able to perfectly visualize her songs.
Let me explain myself. I can acknowledge that “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down” are ear-earking songs, for sure. However, every other song on the album makes up for it. On other albums, there are way more “skips,” they just aren’t recognized as much since they weren’t singles. Do I need to name every amazing song on Lover? “I Forgot That You Existed,” “Cruel Summer,” “Lover,” “The Man,” “The Archer,” “I Think He Knows,” “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince,” “Paper Rings,” “Cornelia Street,” “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” “London Boy,” “Soon You’ll Get Better (feat. The Chicks),” “False God,” “Afterglow,” “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” and “Daylight.” Lover was the album where her bridges shined the most. You have to go through 13 tracks on the album before arriving at “You Need to Calm Down.”
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is good for the same reasons that Red (Taylor’s Version) is except Joe Jonas just didn’t deliver the same quality of songs as Gyllenhaal. Swift’s voice, of course, drastically improved since her original recording of Fearless and that is what simply moves this album up on the list. It gives the nostalgia of early Swift with a better sound and some new tracks. “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)” is phenomenal, hello!
1989 is a classic, and it could be higher if it was rerecorded. A lot of the tracks seem a little impersonal, but there are some favorites on there: “Wildest Dreams,” “This Love” and “I Wish You Would.” Harry Styles simply didn’t give the best breakup songs that a man could give. He did mediocre, but we must thank Styles for “Clean.”
The Reputation Era was simply better than the music itself. Reputation didn’t win a Grammy, and there was a reason for that. I do, however, absolutely adore several of the songs on the album. Honestly, I probably could not breathe oxygen properly without “King Of My Heart,” “Dress” and the bridge of “Don’t Blame Me.” The stadium tour for this album was absolutely spectacular, but the album itself simply wasn’t her best, musically and lyrically speaking.
As her newest album, I hoped, dreamed and wished that I would be able to place this album higher than I have. For most of the songs, the lyrics are beautiful and eloquently written, but the bridges of the songs, except for “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” weren’t wow-ing. This wasn’t the alternative rock album the fans expected; nonetheless, it is still a magnificent album because it is Swift. Her voice just doesn’t sound the best that it has ever sounded, that’s all. There was only one truly heart-shattering breakup song on the album, and it didn’t even make the real album. It was on the 3am Edition. Is this one of my favorite albums of hers? No. Is it all I have been listening to since Oct. 21? Yes.
This may or may not be the most controversial ranking I have placed yet. Allow me to explain myself. Speak Now would simply skyrocket up the list once it is rerecorded, but her voice on this album isn’t the best I’ve heard it. I absolutely love “Dear John,” “Enchanted,” “Back to December” and “Haunted,” but I would like them more if they were sung with less of a country twang, I suppose.
I honestly don’t feel like this is an unpopular opinion. Debut Swift is cute. She’s fun. She’s country. Her voice just isn’t quite there yet. A lot of the songs on the album just aren’t musically or lyrically her best either: “Tied Together with a Smile,” “A Perfectly Good Heart,” and more. The rerecording of this album will break the internet and my mind.
Swift is an icon and has magically remained in the music industry for far longer than most which is utterly impressive. She doesn’t necessarily have a “bad” album. They are all musical masterpieces. This ranking is simply based on the albums as a whole.
Hey y’all, I am the Editor-in-chief with my other half, Emma Simmons. This is my last hurrah in Journalism, my fourth and final year. Outside of school,...