Taylor Swift has delivered so many good albums over the years, beginning with her self-titled debut in 2006 and continuing right up to the recently released “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”
The official tally is impressive, given that she’s just 33 years old: 10 studio albums; three so-called “Taylor’s Version” reissues of recordings on the Big Machine label that Swift dropped as part of a long-running feud with her music manager Scooter Braun and to gain artistic control over her music; five live albums; five EPs; untold streaming-only collections; and one big box-set.
Her releases been a hit with critics and fans alike; to date she’s sold some 115 million albums, led by the influential smash hit “1989,” which has logged some 14 million in sales on its own.
So, yeah, Swift’s discography offers a lot terrific albums and collections to choose from.
But which deserves to be ranked No. 1?
With Swift headed for Santa Clara to play two sold-out shows at Levi’s Stadium on July 28 and 29 we thought the time was right to ask that difficult question to her die-hard fans. For the sake of simplicity, we limited the debate to the major studio releases and re-releases (“Taylor’s Versions”).
And, wow, did the Bay Area Swifties ever respond, passionately opining about why their choices top the other releases. Nine different albums were selected as Swift’s best from fans representing a wide range in ages, with three getting multiple votes and one getting nominated three times.
Which one? Read on to find out: Here are readers’ picks for the best Taylor Swift album of all time.
A vote for ‘Reputation’ (2017)
In 2016, the world turned against Taylor Swift. In 2017, she responded with her sixth studio album, and my personal favorite Swift album, “Reputation.”
As someone who had been a Swiftie for years and years prior to those fateful 2016 days, I stood by Taylor and remained a diehard fan, even when it was trendy to hate her. One of the reasons why I love “Reputation” so much is because of the way that is was an empowering, unstoppable and bold response to the media, one where I feel like I was there to experience it every step of the way. “Reputation” came out during my first semester of college, where I, like Taylor, felt like I was stepping into a new version of myself.
To me, “Reputation” encapsulates what it looks like to be knocked down, but how to come back up stronger, how to love deeply and find beauty even in your hardest and most tumultuous times, and how no matter how challenging and strenuous the situation may be, your story is not over. “Reputation” is powerful, vulnerable, inspirational, stirring, and overall iconic.
— Anna Messersmith, Campbell
A vote for ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ (2021)
My favorite Taylor Swift album is “Red (Taylor’s Version)” because it is a perfect mixture of beautifully written heartbreak, love and realizations to please all different kinds of people.
In this album, songs like “All Too Well,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and “Better Man” capture the depression that can come after a relationship so well that Taylor even has people who have never experienced a heartbreak (me) sobbing and screaming along to every word.
She also has songs that are not just about romantic love, like “The Lucky One” or “Nothing New,” which are about how hard it may be to seem like the luckiest person but not feeling like it — or feeling like you’re rusted and no longer the shiny new toy that everyone wants. So I will never not listen to “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and feel every emotion that I can tell Taylor put into this album — which is why it is my favorite.
— Lindsay Dixon, Campbell
A vote for “Lover” (2019)
I think “Lover” is the best album by Taylor Swift. “Lover” gives me and everyone listening such a positive view on the world.
When I first listened to this album, I couldn’t stop listening because it was so positive and completely boosted my mood. In my opinion, all of Taylor’s albums are amazing, but this one specifically will always stand out to me because it is so different from all her other albums. While most of her other albums had something to do with getting back at the person who hurt you, to me, “Lover” is about love, peace, healing, and moving on, unbroken.
— Coco LaMarche, San Jose
A vote for ‘Midnights’ (2022)
I believe Taylor Swift is one of the most talented songwriters of this generation. Since her debut album she has provided wonderful and relatable hits that can be enjoyed by a large variety of people. Her newest album, “Midnights,” and the Eras Tour is a testament to her progress as both a music artist and a person.
I loved listening to Taylor’s new albums over the years, hearing her experiment with different genres, but “Midnights” really takes the cake. From the hypnotic “Lavender Haze” to the inspirational “Karma,” the entire album is a masterpiece.
— Shelby Thompson,14, Carmel
A vote for ‘Speak Now’ (2010)
It is difficult to single out one Taylor album and call it her best work, but I would argue that “Speak Now” should carry that label. Even over a decade later, it still stands the test of time and can easily hold its own when compared to her other albums.
“Speak Now” could have faded into obscurity as an album that didn’t quite fit into country and didn’t quite reach pop status, but instead it merged those two genres seamlessly. That’s one of the reasons why this album has and will continue to remain a favorite of mine.
While there is an age gap between Taylor and me, her genius is that I can relate to every single song on “Speak Now.” “Mean” is empowering, “The Story of Us” reminds you of the importance of saying the hard things, “Better than Revenge” will put you in fight mode, “Haunted” will provoke a broken heart to speak its pain, and “Last Kiss” will leave you speechless, heartbroken and hopeful all at once.
— Katie Joy, San Jose
A vote for ‘Reputation’ (2017)
This album changed my world. In 2016, Taylor Swift disappeared from the world for a year. With only one announcement beforehand, she surprise-released a new album. On the surface, the album seems like it’s about Taylor being a “bad girl” or a criminal, but to me, she is mainly singing about how she’s madly in love.
I am 13-years old, so I haven’t felt that yet, but Taylor describes it for me. I love how there are songs for every mood, some for when you feel hyped up and others for if you feel like crying. I wasn’t able to get tickets for Santa Clara but my Mom and I were lucky enough to get tickets for the Eras Tour in Vegas.
The best part about this entire album is that I can belt it out in my room. “Reputation” is energetic, empowering, passionate, and embracing.
— Sophia Siebert, Oakland
A vote for ‘Speak Now’ (2010)
“Speak now” is my favorite album because I really like every single song on the album, which makes it so fun to listen to! The teenage angst is so relatable and I remember watching “The Story of Us” music video with my friends in middle school and being obsessed with it.
My next favorite albums are “Folklore” and “Evermore” because these albums reintroduced me to her music after I had drifted from being a Taylor Swift fan. I’m super excited to see her at the Eras Tour!
— Noor Singh, Los Gatos
A vote for ‘1989’ (2014)
From the opening track “Welcome to New York,” you could feel that this was something new and exciting from Taylor Swift. The album runs through what you could almost call greatest hits, but this was all new. There’s the love ballad “Wildest Dreams” and the almost-tongue-in-cheek “Blank Space”
The hits continue with the one of Taylor’s greatest dance tracks — “Shake It Off.” The legend of her storytelling continues throughout the entire album as do the rumors of what each song means, and which “boy” the song is about. Ten out of 10 and you can dance to it
— Meagan Trevizo, San Leandro
A vote for ‘Red’ (2012)
When I asked my 13-year-old about her favorite Taylor Swift album, she gave me a funny look and said, “I don’t even know.” I suppose it’s akin to asking a parent to choose their favorite child. Depending on the mood, different albums can easily become the favorite. For me, with my untrained ear, music is about memories.
My daughter is an only child so – fortunately for me — choosing my favorite child is easy. Thus, the easy choice for favorite Taylor Swift album is 2012’s “Red.” Released a few months before my daughter’s third birthday, she proudly belted out lyrics to “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” a near-daily basis.
While she didn’t know all the words, she understood the gist. She boiled it down to “You go talk to your friends … talk to my friends … and we are never ever getting back together” and would repeat this over and over, day after day. Seeing the video of her singing always brings a smile to my face, a fond reminder of her early years.
— Sarah Gianocaro, San Jose
A vote for ‘Evermore’ (2020)
To me, Taylor’s strongest album to date is “Evermore.” The sister album to “Folklore” showcases her songwriting at its finest with tracks like “‘Tis the Damn Season,” “Willow” and “Tolerate It” — which I consider to be the best song she’s ever written. While her lyrics have always been poignant, “Tolerate It” paints a moving picture of a young woman finding her own strength in a one-sided relationship. It’s relatable regardless of gender or age.
But Taylor’s writing isn’t the only “A+” aspect of Evermore. The production is top notch. The powerhouse production combo of Swift, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, and Jack Antonoff make all the right choices on this album. The way it flows takes the listener on a journey, a staple feature of all classic albums.
Looking forward to many repeat listens!
— Miguel Rodriguez, Sunnyvale
A vote for ‘Folklore’ (2020)
I remember when I listened to” Folklore” for the first time. I was in shock. I had loved Taylor for a long time and hearing her sing about topics that I could relate too made me proud because she has come so far.
“Folklore” shows teenage heartbreak, being hard on yourself, and problems that maybe you can only see in yourself. Her songs on this album are great reflections into her mind. This album is proof that no one is perfect and it’s OK to mess up — you just have to try again.
— Katie Rice, San Jose
A vote for ‘Speak Now’ (2010)
There’s a good variety of sad songs, to more lovey songs, to more angry songs. A lot of the songs on this album will hit your heart, especially with all the amazing bridges.
A few of my favorite Taylor Swift songs are “Mine,” “Haunted,” “Speak Now,” “Sparks Fly,” “Back to December” and “Better Than Revenge” — all from the “Speak Now” album. I also like this album because you can still hear a little bit of country in her voice.
— Alena Lotterer, 17, Palo Alto
A vote for ‘Midnights’ (2022)
Taylor Swift has provided the soundtrack for more than half of my life — and hers. “Fifteen” coincided with my freshman year and “22” came out one month before I turned the same age. Upon the release of “Midnights,” I anticipated it would align with whatever emotions, thoughts, and dreams my 30-something self had.
The self-awareness of “Anti-Hero” gave me the push I needed to take control of my life and shovel my way out of a deep depression. “You’re on Your Own, Kid” served as the nostalgic score for walks through the eucalyptus-scented streets after moving back to the side of town I grew up in. “Sweet Nothing,” “The Great War” and “You’re Losing Me” provided more insights into my seven-year relationship than most therapy sessions.
“Midnights” demonstrates how her art continues to mature, offering the exact type of music I needed at that specific moment in my life to get through it all.
— Tatyahna Cameron, Pacifica
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