You probably don’t need me to tell you that Taylor Swift is in her Eras era. She’s all about looking at her career in chapters based on studio albums. If you haven’t already memorized the order from a T-shirt or just life experience, allow me to guide you through it. For the new, casual, or curious Swiftie, here is every Taylor Swift album in chronological order. (If you want every Taylor Swift album ranked, click that link and get to arguing calmly debating.)
To keep it simple, I’m not including stuff like live albums, deluxe editions, Target exclusives, and/or all of the streaming-only compilations we’ve been getting, especially in recent years. I am including the re-recorded albums Swift has been making to reclaim her music from her previous label, because the order and history of those is interesting. Why didn’t she rerecord them in chronological order? Is there some kind of secret mathematical sequence she’s following? I’m sure someone has thought of it. But if you really want to learn the difference between The Forever Is the Sweetest Con Chapter and The Ladies Lunching Chapter, get thee to Spotify! Or, you know, your music streaming destination of choice. Without further ado, let’s go back to the beginning.
Taylor Swift (2006)
Singles: “Tim McGraw,” “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “Our Song,” “Picture to Burn” “Should’ve Said No”
Has it been re-recorded? No!
Country vibes abounded in Taylor Swift’s first studio album, also known as “Self-titled.” Swift recorded and released this album she was only 16 years old. She promoted it on freakin’ Myspace! Sometimes I miss 2006.
Fearless (2008)
Singles: “Love Story,” “White Horse,” “You Belong With Me,” “Fifteen,” “Fearless”
Has it been re-recorded? Yes!
She’s still got plenty of twang, but Swift’s second album had more pop crossover. It was her first number-one album, and her first “Album of the Year” Grammy win. If you hadn’t heard of Taylor Swift in 2006, Fearless changed that.
Speak Now (2010)
Singles: “Mine,” “Back to December,” “Mean,” “The Story of Us,” “Sparks Fly,” “Ours”
Has it been re-recorded? Yes!
What can I say about Speak Now? Swift wrote it on tour. The songwriting is more complex and romantic. And then there’s “Mean,” which is delectably petty and an absolute bop.
Red (2012)
Singles: “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Begin Again,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “22,” “Red,” “Everything Has Changed,” “The Last Time”
Has it been re-recorded? Yes!
Has everybody got eyes on their scarves? Let’s go! Even though this is the most mainstream album yet. Whose decision was it to submit the album for country music awards? Not mine! Both Speak Now and Red are coming-of-age albums in their own ways, but this one channels some real rage.
1989 (2014)
Singles: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “Style,” “Bad Blood,” “Wildest Dreams,” “Out of the Woods,” “New Romantics”
Has it been re-recorded? No!
Does anyone remember when Ryan Adams recorded his version of this album, and every hipster guy in your life went out of his way to tell you how much he liked that version and that he, like, thought these were actually really well-written songs? No shit, dude! It’s telling that it took a male voice for you to realize that, don’t you think?
Reputation (2017)
Singles: “Look What You Made Me Do,” “…Ready For It?,” “End Game,” “New Year’s Day,” “Delicate,” “Getaway Car”
Has it been re-recorded? No!
AKA the album that has multiple songs inspired by Game of Thrones. While hidden messages and Easter Eggs have been a thing with Taylor Swift albums since at least Fearless, this was where I, as a more casual fan, first started to notice the culture of decoding Swift’s lyrics. Remember when she deleted everything on her Instagram and started over? This was a time.
Lover (2019)
Singles: “Me!,” “You Need To Calm Down,” “Lover,” “The Man,” “Cruel Summer”
Has it been re-recorded? Doesn’t need to be!
Did you forget that this album existed? I kid, I kid. This is Swift’s first album after splitting with Big Machine Records and Braun, which means she owns the master recordings. Lover is not my favorite recent album. I think the deluge of new and new-but-also-old music she released post-2019 is far more interesting. And yet I can’t get “Cruel Summer” out of my head. Huh.
folklore (2020)
Singles: “Cardigan,” “Exile,” “Betty”
Has it been re-recorded? Doesn’t need to be!
Swift’s two surprise albums are easily some of the best pieces of art to come out of the 2020 lockdown. They’re moody, and more folk (obviously) than country or pop. This album in particular has a emphasis on storytelling. Unlike some other songs, famously and infamously, these aren’t about famous exes. They’re about fictional and/or historical characters. (Taylor, pull a Sara Bareilles and write a musical a la Waitress … I’m serious.)
evermore (2020)
Singles: “Willow,” “No Body No Crime,” “Coney Island”
Has it been re-recorded? Doesn’t need to be!
The previous surprise album’s sister is all about endings, break-ups, and was a bit chillier than folklore. Makes sense. Folklore felt autumnal, but it dropped in July. evermore is a bonafide winter holiday release.
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (2021)
Singles: “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)”
AKA the album that brought us “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”. After Swift reinvented her sound, she reinvented … herself! This is the first album she re-recorded. It comes complete with vault tracks and new collaborations with Colbie Caillat (who was on the original album), Keith Urban, and Marren Morris.
Red (Taylor’s Version) (2021)
Singles: “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version)”, “Message in a Bottle (Taylor’s Version)”
Easily the most famous for gifting us with all ten minutes of “All Too Well,” the music video that was a full short film, and the also delightful music video for “I Bet You Think About Me.” The knives scarves were out. This album has even more featured artists: Phoebe Bridgers and Chris Stapleton, as well as Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody, who were both on the original album.
Midnights (2022)
Singles: “Anti-Hero,” “Lavender Haze,” “Karma”
Has it been re-recorded? Doesn’t need to be!
We love a concept album. In the middle of the rerecordings, Swift teased and teased and teased this anxious little record that knows what it’s like to be up all night … but not necessarily in a fun, party way. Various editions of the album do include new songs, in particular the “3 AM edition,” which is practically its own EP.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (2023)
Singles: “If This Was a Movie (Taylor’s Version)”
The most recent re-recording dropped right in the middle of The Eras Tour, Swift’s massively successful nostalgic concert experiment. This time, the collabs included Hayley Williams and Fall Out Boy, NBD. What’s next? More new songs? 1989 (Taylor’s Version)? Can’t wait to find out. Officially, that is. I’m sure the clues are out there.
(featured image: Tom Cooper/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
