Which Taylor Swift songs do you think are the best?
View hidden comment
This post was sourced from submitted reader questions and posted by wikiHow Editorial Staff.
wikiHow forums are moderated for quality. Learn more about our moderation policy here.
Submit Answer
Some of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed Taylor Swift songs are:
View hidden comment
- ”All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”
- ”Death By A Thousand Cuts”
- ”Cruel Summer”
- “August”
- “Getaway Car”
- “You Belong With Me”
- “Cardigan”
- “Wildest Dreams”
- “Enchanted”
- “Right Where You Left Me”
- “Long Live”
- "Champagne Problems"
- “Cornelia Street”
- “Maroon”
The All Too Well (10-minute version) is lyrically one of the best she's done. It has such vulnerable songwriting. It has a very articulate way of getting super detailed and really visual, you can picture all the scenes. And it's so specific, and yet really universally relatable, which is interesting to me.
Clean on 1989 is a top three song for me. It's the closing track on 1989 standard edition, it's track 13. There's a ton of imagery in it. The metaphor essentially is that there's a storm outside, and instead of barricading yourself in and avoiding it, you punch a hole in the roof, you let the water come in, and it washes away whatever it is that's plaguing you and you're clean. That song is really well articulated, and I love it so much.
I love loml on The Tortured Poets Department. It's a ballad, and the way that she uses the phrase “loml” is, at the end of the song, you discover that it's being used as “loss of my life”, not “love of my life” from her perspective. And I feel like that's another one where it's like, it is so specific, but it's somehow still really broadly universally applicable. It’s an example of how somebody who you don't speak to, who you may never speak to again, who is not an active part of your life, could still have an everlasting place in it. And that's probably not the case for everyone, but for me, and for seemingly her, and for a lot of emotional profiles in the fandom, I think that that is the case. And so there's something really powerful about that song to me from that perspective.
Cardigan on Folklore is one that I want to call out because the metaphor of Peter losing Wendy has stuck with me. We all know the story of Peter Pan from the Disney movie, but it's only when she uses them in songs like this that I look into the story a little bit more. And in this example, the metaphor is so strong; Peter was the kid who never could grow up. Wendy loves him, etcetera, but is growing up and has to leave. And what was interesting about that one is, if you listen to the voice memo for Cardigan, her original line was “Peter leaving Wendy”, because I mean, that's a line that makes sense. But she changed it to “Peter losing Wendy” because the loss is actually Peter's in that situation. Knowing things like that has made the album even better to me. And now, with that line, I always think about her changing it and the meaning behind that. I love Cardigan.
View hidden comment
Clean on 1989 is a top three song for me. It's the closing track on 1989 standard edition, it's track 13. There's a ton of imagery in it. The metaphor essentially is that there's a storm outside, and instead of barricading yourself in and avoiding it, you punch a hole in the roof, you let the water come in, and it washes away whatever it is that's plaguing you and you're clean. That song is really well articulated, and I love it so much.
I love loml on The Tortured Poets Department. It's a ballad, and the way that she uses the phrase “loml” is, at the end of the song, you discover that it's being used as “loss of my life”, not “love of my life” from her perspective. And I feel like that's another one where it's like, it is so specific, but it's somehow still really broadly universally applicable. It’s an example of how somebody who you don't speak to, who you may never speak to again, who is not an active part of your life, could still have an everlasting place in it. And that's probably not the case for everyone, but for me, and for seemingly her, and for a lot of emotional profiles in the fandom, I think that that is the case. And so there's something really powerful about that song to me from that perspective.
Cardigan on Folklore is one that I want to call out because the metaphor of Peter losing Wendy has stuck with me. We all know the story of Peter Pan from the Disney movie, but it's only when she uses them in songs like this that I look into the story a little bit more. And in this example, the metaphor is so strong; Peter was the kid who never could grow up. Wendy loves him, etcetera, but is growing up and has to leave. And what was interesting about that one is, if you listen to the voice memo for Cardigan, her original line was “Peter leaving Wendy”, because I mean, that's a line that makes sense. But she changed it to “Peter losing Wendy” because the loss is actually Peter's in that situation. Knowing things like that has made the album even better to me. And now, with that line, I always think about her changing it and the meaning behind that. I love Cardigan.
My favorite album of hers (and really, of all time), is “folklore"; there's so much great storytelling and lyricism on that album. "my tears ricochet" is one that really sticks out to me as a favorite. Additionally, I love “tolerate it” and “champagne problems” from “evermore”. “tolerate it” really sticks out because lyrically, it's so deep and I always leave that song feeling so moved and sad, really. That bridge cuts you like a knife.
View hidden comment
My favorite songs are New Romantics, I Bet You Think About Me, Right Where You Left Me, and Anti-Hero.
I think the best one is New Romantics, not just because it’s my all-time favorite. Why? Because it perfectly describes an entire generation: our psyche, our problems, and how we cope with them, all in a pop hit that has aged like fine wine. Personally, I’ve been deeply impacted by the chorus line: “I could build a castle with all the bricks they threw at me.” In life, you’ll inevitably face criticism, constructive or not; it’s up to you what you do with it. That Taylor decided to use it to grow stronger and build a castle out of it became my life philosophy. I wish more people could apply that to their lives.
All Too Well has been both a fan and critical favorite for years, for very good reasons—it deserves its crown.
I’d also give that crown to My Tears Ricochet, because I never thought a song about losing her masters—something so seemingly “non-universal”—could turn into such a gorgeous piece that translates into something universally felt.
And finally, You’re on Your Own, Kid. It touched Swifties so deeply that it sparked its own tradition—so magical it even led to Taylor's engagement.
View hidden comment
I think the best one is New Romantics, not just because it’s my all-time favorite. Why? Because it perfectly describes an entire generation: our psyche, our problems, and how we cope with them, all in a pop hit that has aged like fine wine. Personally, I’ve been deeply impacted by the chorus line: “I could build a castle with all the bricks they threw at me.” In life, you’ll inevitably face criticism, constructive or not; it’s up to you what you do with it. That Taylor decided to use it to grow stronger and build a castle out of it became my life philosophy. I wish more people could apply that to their lives.
All Too Well has been both a fan and critical favorite for years, for very good reasons—it deserves its crown.
I’d also give that crown to My Tears Ricochet, because I never thought a song about losing her masters—something so seemingly “non-universal”—could turn into such a gorgeous piece that translates into something universally felt.
And finally, You’re on Your Own, Kid. It touched Swifties so deeply that it sparked its own tradition—so magical it even led to Taylor's engagement.
If you're asking about what's the best Taylor Swift song ever, I think it has to be All Too Well 10-Minute Version. There's just so much there – not just lore, but lyricism, and "you kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath" is such a hard-hitting lyric, underappreciated.
I think You're On Your Own, Kid is maybe the one that I appreciate the most, at least right now. Midnights is my favorite album anyway. I felt like that was the one that spoke to my soul in a way that no other Taylor Swift albums have. And You're On Your Own, Kid, just being this song of like, “hey, no one's gonna have your back except for you, but you're gonna be okay. You're gonna be able to do it, and everyone else is on their own, too.” It just became this mantra for me, like, I can do this. I can do whatever I set my mind to, and it also made me feel connected to not just Taylor but the fan base as a whole. Knowing that we all feel like this, we all feel alone, even though there are so many of us.
And then Opalite is my favorite song from Taylor’s newest album, The Life of a Showgirl. It's just happy. Opal is Travis Kelce's birthstone. And Taylor had said in an interview that she thought the idea of a man-made opal to represent Travis Kelce, like they sort of forged this path forward for themselves. They made a commitment to each other and made it work. And now their future is this really bright, beautiful future filled with all kinds of color and ideas and love and happiness.
View hidden comment
I think You're On Your Own, Kid is maybe the one that I appreciate the most, at least right now. Midnights is my favorite album anyway. I felt like that was the one that spoke to my soul in a way that no other Taylor Swift albums have. And You're On Your Own, Kid, just being this song of like, “hey, no one's gonna have your back except for you, but you're gonna be okay. You're gonna be able to do it, and everyone else is on their own, too.” It just became this mantra for me, like, I can do this. I can do whatever I set my mind to, and it also made me feel connected to not just Taylor but the fan base as a whole. Knowing that we all feel like this, we all feel alone, even though there are so many of us.
And then Opalite is my favorite song from Taylor’s newest album, The Life of a Showgirl. It's just happy. Opal is Travis Kelce's birthstone. And Taylor had said in an interview that she thought the idea of a man-made opal to represent Travis Kelce, like they sort of forged this path forward for themselves. They made a commitment to each other and made it work. And now their future is this really bright, beautiful future filled with all kinds of color and ideas and love and happiness.
I like
Blank Space
Lavender Haze
Our Song
Back to December
Karma
Cruel Summer and many more
View hidden comment
Blank Space
Lavender Haze
Our Song
Back to December
Karma
Cruel Summer and many more
I love all too well, like how can I memorize a ten minute song but not remember what I studied ten minutes ago?
View hidden comment
I like "Lavender Haze", "Blank Space", "Style", and also "You Need to Calm Down". Btw do y'all think Sabrina Carpenter is better or Taylor Swift?
View hidden comment
I think
All to well
Back to December
Long Live
Style
Shake it off
Crule summer
Tear drops on my guitar
Blank space
Lover
View hidden comment
All to well
Back to December
Long Live
Style
Shake it off
Crule summer
Tear drops on my guitar
Blank space
Lover
I DEFINITELY think the ten minute version of "All Too Well",the way she clocks him is a 10/10.
View hidden comment
I have a new favorite every week! I'm OBSESSED with seven right now.
"Your braids like a pattern, love you to the moon and to Saturn!"
View hidden comment
"Your braids like a pattern, love you to the moon and to Saturn!"
"Passed down like folk songs our(?) love lasts so long" I LOVE seven, I'm really into the entire folklore album right now, especially illicit affairs, mirrorball, and epiphany.
View hidden comment
I love all her music but i think I like ttpd the best right now especially black dog and so high school
View hidden comment
I love the reputation album and the red album but my fave right now is you need to calm down from the lover album
View hidden comment
Death by a thousand Cuts
Speak Now(the song)
Jump then Fall
Forever and Always
Fearless
Don't Blame Me
End Game
I Did Something Bad
The ENTIRE Folklore album
Nothing New
Champagne Problems
Tolerate it
Sweet Nothings
The Great War
But Daddy I Love Him
The Prophecy
I Hate It Here
Teardrops on my Guitar
Our Song
View hidden comment
Speak Now(the song)
Jump then Fall
Forever and Always
Fearless
Don't Blame Me
End Game
I Did Something Bad
The ENTIRE Folklore album
Nothing New
Champagne Problems
Tolerate it
Sweet Nothings
The Great War
But Daddy I Love Him
The Prophecy
I Hate It Here
Teardrops on my Guitar
Our Song
What’s on your mind? Ask anything.
Get advice and feedback from experts and wikiHow readers just like you.
Ask a Question
