Taylor Swift has captured almost every mood in her music throughout her career. Her discography is so varied that there is a little something for everyone in there. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic, vengeful, or passionate, there is a Swift album to help walk you through those emotions.
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1. Taylor Swift if you’re feeling nostalgic
This is probably a given, but if you’re looking to reminisce on your younger self, dust off Swift’s debut album. The album is chock full of musings on love and heartbreak, done in a way only a 16-year-old could muster. It’s raw, cozy, and delightfully naive. It’s the perfect soundtrack for our most self-reflective days.
2. Fearless if you’re feeling bold
Swift was still lacking inhibitions on Fearless. She gives off the impression of a young person running full steam ahead with little to no definitive direction. But, that’s what is great about youth: you don’t have to have it all figured out. Listening to Fearless gives the listener confidence in the face of ambiguity. If you’re looking to embolden yourself, Fearless is your go-to.
3. Speak Now if you’re feeling romantic
The tracklist for Speak Now is a mixed bag. In half of the songs, Swift is loved up and ready to enter into a new relationship. On the other half, she is heartbroken and trying to pick up the pieces. Nevertheless, there is a wide-eyed romanticism to this album—a mysticism, even. The aesthetic of Speak Now lives in a fairytale land full of enchantment. Even the breakup songs have a compelling drama to them. If you’re someone who tends to romanticize every aspect of their life, revisit Speak Now.
4. Red if you’re feeling somber
Swift sees red on Red. Many of the songs are angrily directed at an ex-partner, making this album a good choice if you’re feeling downright furious. However, Swift seems to cycle through the stages of relationship grief on this album. Songs like “I Knew You Were Trouble” or “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” are Swift’s outward emotions. Songs like “I Almost Do” and “All Too Well” are late-night, tearful ruminations. Underneath even the most up-tempo song on this record is a sadness. If you’re feeling somber, try working through it with Red.
5. 1989 if you’re feeling optimistic
1989 is arguably Swift’s shiniest record. While listening to the album, you can visualize her stepping into a new era of her life, with an optimistic outlook. It’s full of new beginnings and fleshed-out emotions. Swift knows what she wants and sets out to get it with this record. You’ll feel impassioned to do the same when taking 1989 for a spin.
6. Reputation if you’re feeling vengeful
Let’s face it, we all let the devil on our shoulders take control from time to time. Anger is a powerful emotion and it’s easy for it to boil over into action. Swift gets her revenge on a public that turned its back on her, an unforgiving rumor mill, and more wrongdoings on Reputation. Mixed in between referential songs about her public drama are odes to a new relationship. In a way, even those tracks are part of her revenge plan. Look how well she is doing even with all the negativity. If you’re looking for something to give you permission to forge your own revenge plot, look no further than this album.
7. Lover if you’re feeling passionate
It would be easy for us to say that Lover is an album for the contented couples out there, but there is a wide variety of emotions on this record. While, yes, Swift is at her most loved-up, she is also frustrated (“The Man,” “You Need To Calm Down”), heartbroken (“Death by a Thousand Cuts”), and self-critical (“The Archer”) among many other emotions. A consistent thread through them all is a deep passion. She loves passionately, she hates passionately, and she hurts passionately. If you too wear your emotions on your sleeve, perhaps Lover is the album for you.
8. folklore if you’re feeling imaginative
Folklore is one of Swift’s most imaginative works. She steps outside of herself for a moment to tell the stories of others—fictitious or otherwise. From teenage love triangles to forsaken wives to infidelity, Swift covers the gamut. While there are semblances of Swift’s own thoughts and emotions in this album, she filters them through the minds and hearts of characters. Folklore is for all the fellow storytellers out there who let their imaginations run wild.
9. evermore if you’re feeling grounded
Evermore and folklore are sister records. While they have the same sonic direction, they live worlds apart in sentiment. While folklore sees Swift live in her head, evermore finds her floating down to earth again. There is a weight to the songs on this record that aren’t present in the previous release. Evermore is a visceral and grounded dissection of formative events. Swift flexes her maturity here.
10. Midnights if you’re feeling pensive
Prior to sharing her latest record, Swift told fans it was inspired by the questions that pop up during a sleepless night. Midnights is the direct result of a wandering mind, chock-full of hard answers and hypotheticals. Laying awake and staring at the ceiling is something all of us have been through from time to time. Let Midnights be proof that sometimes being pensive is a necessary evil and can produce some pretty worthy results.
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