The best Taylor Swift song from each album (2024)

Taylor Swifthas churned out countless hits over the years, from her debut lead single "Tim McGraw" to the 10-minute version of her opus "All Too Well." It's no surprise then that she's an unprecedented global sensation, from re-recording her entire discography to embarking on the highest-grossing tour of all time. And she's shown no signs of slowing down, having just released her highly-anticipated 11th LP, The Tortured Poets Department.

As we continue to mine all the Easter eggs on her new record, Entertainment Weekly attempts to answer one of the most contested questions of the last decade: What is Taylor Swift's best song on every studio album? There were heated debates among our staff, of course, but in the end, there could only be 11 winners (for now...). Read on to see our favorites.

01of 11

Taylor Swift — "Our Song"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (1)

Swifties will choose "Teardrops on My Guitar" or "Tim McGraw," but "Our Song" is pure country fun. Swift's (long-gone) Nashville twang is front and center, and the vibe is more reminiscent of the kind of Swift that makes you roll down the windows and sing at the top of your lungs, bystanders be damned. There are Taylor songs you put on when all you need to do is cry, but "Our Song" gets you out of your funk. Now play it again. —Seija Rankin

02of 11

Fearless — "You Belong With Me"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (2)

"Hey Stephen" and "Love Story" are typical fan favorites from this album, but a fan favorite does not always equal best. Swift's sophom*ore effort put her solidly on the world music map and "You Belong With Me" is eerily prescient for these times, what with Swift's narrator's refusal to don short skirts and high heels just to woo her crush. But really, this song deserves the nod because the universe is still trying to pay Swift back for Kanye West storming the stage at the 2009 MTV VMAs when she won Best Female Video for "You Belong With Me." —S.R.

03of 11

Speak Now — "Mean"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (3)

This was the diss track that started it all. Before "Mean," Swift's real-life lyrical inspirations were decidedly emotional but without a clear motive. Yet this jam, which was still toeing the line of the country genre, took hit after hit against her bullies with genius barbs like "I bet you got pushed around/Somebody made you cold" and "I can see you years from now/Talking over a football game with that same big loud opinion/But nobody's listening." After "Mean," it was clear to the world that if you screwed over Taylor Swift, you'd wind up in a song. —S.R.

04of 11

Red — "All Too Well"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (4)

Is this the best Taylor Swift song of all time? Which reigns more supreme: the original version or the 10-minute re-recorded one? Those are discussions for another day, but "All Too Well" is the far-and-away staff favorite from Red (an album that is jam-packed with hits). The chill-inducing musical build, the sense of place it creates, and the gut-wrenching line "You call me up again just to break me like a promise/So casually cruel in the name of being honest" all make this a song for the ages. Go ahead, scream along: You know you want to. —S.R.

05of 11

1989 — "Blank Space"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (5)

Has any lyric ever spoken to you more than "You look like my next mistake"? Swift's official story is that this song is satire, but we prefer to live in a world in which it's all quite literal. (What we'd really love is if Swift actually had a bunch of Starbucks lovers.) "Blank Space" is also one of her most playable jams, dishing out addicting '80s vibes and a chorus that was made for singing along. —S.R.

06of 11

Reputation — "Delicate"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (6)

In the spirit of full disclosure, the race for best song on this album came down to the wire — and "Delicate" won out over "Getaway Car" by a hair. The temptation to choose the latter song is high, owed mainly to the voyeuristic thrill that comes with listening to Swift dish about her relationship with Tom Hiddleston. But in the end, her chilling ode to the beginnings of her romance with Joe Alwyn won out. It's yet another reminder that nothing good starts in a getaway car. —S.R.

07of 11

Lover — "Cruel Summer"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (7)

This album, more than any other album, has the potential to drive a wedge through the EW staff's nearly unbreakable bond. We survived watching Cats together, but we almost didn't make it through picking the best song from Lover. After much debate and a few sidelined moments of wanting more for Judi Dench, we chose "Cruel Summer." Not even the smooth saxophone stylings of "False God" can compete with the chorus — it's, well, breakable heaven. —S.R.

08of 11

Folklore — "Exile"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (8)

There were so many signs (so many signs!) that "Exile" would be the EW staff's top pick from Swift's eighth studio album. After all, the moody duet features the gorgeously contrasting tones of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon with Swift's more delicate vocals as the two portray exes who are parsing what went wrong in their relationship. It's also full of film motifs, which is fitting considering the former lovers' exchange plays like delicious dialogue from a tragic romantic drama. Dare we say it's a masterpiece? —Lauren Huff

09of 11

Evermore — "Ivy"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (9)

Oh, we can't, stop "Ivy" from putting roots in our dreamland. In the spirit of full disclosure, the EW staff was completely divided on which song off Evermore was the best, with most songs getting at least one vote. This dreamy song, which feels like a spiritual successor to Folklore's "Invisible String," just eked out a win. But with its stunning lyrics, catchy hook, and a trademark genius Swiftian bridge, it's a worthy victor. —L.H.

10of 11

Midnights — "Anti-Hero"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (10)

It might be exhausting always rooting for the antihero, but not when it's the best song on Midnights. Since its debut on Oct. 21, we've had "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me" stuck in our heads on repeat. Some of Swift's best work comes from her self-deprecating moods, and this track, with its self-loathing but super catchy lyrics, is no exception. It is at once brutally honest, incredibly relatable, and just an overall aural delight. — L.H.

11of 11

The Tortured Poets Department — "The Black Dog"

The best Taylor Swift song from each album (11)

The highlight of Taylor’s sprawling double album kicks the latter half off on a somber note: Checking your ex’s location as they walk into a bar without you — and likely with someone else. “The Black Dog” is a funeral march for intimate moments laid to rest when a relationship dies, leaving you to dwell on the songs you shared and the questions that still linger. Keeping in line with Tortured Poets’ literary theme, Taylor delivers the final lyrical blow “old habits die screaming” not with a bang, but a whimper. —Allaire Nuss