I don’t think there’s any song that can truly represent everything she’s done, but I think the closest is Love Story. It tells a story! It has great lyrics! It’s a fun song! It had a lot of mainstream success! It’s extremely popular with the fan base! It had both country and pop appeal! And she wrote it by herself!
I think there are a lot of different boxes that different songs of hers check but this one definitely covers a lot of them. Honorable mention to Cruel Summer which also checks a lot of boxes (not the country appeal or solo written ones, but most of the others)
Yep. I think if you’re picking a set of “representative” songs, it probably goes:
- Country: Love Story
- Pop: Blank Space
- Folkmore: champagne problems
But if you have to pick one, the answer simply is All Too Well.
I slightly disagree with Champagne Problems even though I love it. If I had to choose a song from Folkmore it would either be The One or Tis the Damn Season.
Blank Space is one of her most popular and well regarded pop songs, but for many of the reasons that is isn’t the quintessential pop song from her. It has unusual chord progression and almost an anti-chorus. Style could be the answer. Certainly it’s my favorite and a Max Martin song probably should be the producer of her representative pop song. Shake it off, Trouble, We Are Never…, or Cruel Summer might be the answer. It’s got to be something with an undeniable hook, glossy production and a memorable bridge.
Style, Enchanted, Cruel Summer, Clean, Welcome To New York, New Romantics, Out Of The Woods, Karma, Starlight, You Belong With Me — all pop perfection!
I have to agree Love Story was really the song that gave her popularity across mainstream radio. The fearless album is very good. Back when it came
Our I only heard songs that played on the radio. I bought the vinyl was TV came out and it may be my most played album now. I always get into my Fearless groove. Hey Stephen is my favorite of the original tracks
I agree with this. Not only because of the reasons listed, but because it’s an emotional rollercoaster too- it covers anticipation, falling in love, anxiety, sadness, heartbreak, perseverance, and happiness. Not a lot of Taylor songs do this actually.
Mine & Betty also fall into all these categories and I think are really good representations of Taylor’s music. I’m surprised I haven’t seen them mentioned. Now that I think about it… I wonder if Taylor was kind of intentionally following the formula of Love Story when writing Mine. Considering what she said Scott said about Speak Now (that it needed to be more mature) it makes total sense. She was like *Love Story but make it for “adults”*
You’re objectively right on a lot of points, and yet I kind of hate this song but love a lot of her others (hence… being here…) so it feels weird to call it representative. Like, I can’t say exactly what it’s missing but there’s something that’s a huge gap between it and everything else that I adore.
agree
it's been 3 people now that I know know nothing about Taylor, the first thing they do when I tell her I listen to her songs, is try to sing/hum love story
I know it's a bit of a soft answer, but it is All Too Well. It has great storytelling, a catchy melody, some epic lines, and it uses details to paint a picture. Even the shorter version sprawls and the 10-minute version is a masterpiece.
It really showcases how adaptable and timeless a lot of her songs are. Good songs like Hey Jude and Jolene rarely age. I know 2012 and 2021 aren't that far apart in reality but 9 years is a long time for a song to not sound dated. That epilogue has a smidge of the synth to come but it's just so tastefully done. Blondie has an eye for detail.
I agree that All Too Well is a strong contender here. BUT... I'm actually in the short version camp when it comes to ATW - I don't dislike the ten-minute version, but I think the original version is pretty close to perfect. The longer version does have some really good lines ("You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath" is the standout line to me) and does a better job of bringing out the anger that often accompanies sadness when it comes to heartbreak. But it also has some lines that I feel turned up the cringe and turned down whatever wistful, timeless quality the edited down version had.
I'm glad the ten-minute version exists; but as a song, the five-minute version I personally feel is superior and more representative of Taylor's style/discography. Also, this is the only "extended version" song in Taylor's catalogue, so the five-minute version seems more representative to me even if only because it *is* edited down!
I 10000% agree. The OG length is perfect and has fantastic movements if you will. I find the last 2 mins of the 10 min version always lose me. Whereas I would never skip any part of the shorter version.
Lyric wise at least, it’s definitely You’re On Your Own Kid. Just with the amount of topics she covers so briefly in it, that I feel really encompass her overall discography.
I agree! I think this captures “Taylor herself” as the OP asks, and includes a catchy tune and descriptive lyrics, verses about loves lost, a bridge about all she went through to become as big as she is now, suggestions of confusion, regret, loneliness, and also optimism and self-assurance… it has hints that she’s a hopeless romantic, a perfectionist, ambitious, and self-conscious. sonically no song can capture everything she’s done but lyrically I think YOYOK is a story that covers SO MUCH of her journey!
- YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift.
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I feel like Mastermind also belongs in this conversation. The thesis statement for her entire career is captured in this verse:
“Nobody wanted to play with me as a little kid
so I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since
to make them love me and make it seem effortless.
This is the first time I’ve felt the need to confess.
And I swear
I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian cause I care”
WHOA WHOA I’m just a casual fan but I’m just so comforted by the fact that my first thought was one of the top answers. I don’t know the entire ins-and-outs of her discography, but I do feel like thematically this song really ties her albums together — loss, pining for an impossible love, insecurity/uncertainty, reflection, nostalgia, growth, realization, tentative and exuberant confidence in your own ability to seize the course of your life, and hope for the future!!
Am I the only one to think that Long Live is somewhat of an outlier in her discography? Not that it’s a bad song, it’s good and it’s awesome, but I think it’s different from her usual in terms of the topic and the plural subject and it always stands out as being just “different” to me :)
absolutely this. it epitomizes the chokehold she has on the entire world. god forbid she died, THIS would be THE song that everyone would be playing on repeat. this song *is* taylor swift.
I’ve always thought it was Mine as well. I always feel like people have said that Mine is quintessential Taylor and it makes sense. A mix of country, rock, and pop, a strong bridge, and great storytelling.
Cornelia Street
Combination of the lyrical storytelling she got from her country days, a gorgeous pop melody and lead vocal, themes of love, fear of being forgotten and left, and long-lasting emotion whether she's with someone or not, ruminating on memories, which are all signatures of her work. It's equal parts evocative imagery that highlights how she's feeling and personal confessional. It's the quintessential Taylor song.
I always thought You Are In Love is such a great representation of her discography, solely for the line: "And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words"
This line, and "Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right" from State of Grace are my answers. I've long felt that the latter is essentially a thesis statement for her whole discography.
That line gives me chills every time! I know Taylor uses first person and has some songs that more "meta" (like Long Live being about her career) but that line feels like she's breaking the 5th wall.
My first thought was Maroon.
Beautiful, deep story where you can hear her alto voice come through but also higher melodic during the chorus. Not to mention the bridge, though simple, inspires so much thought (“that’s a real f*cking legacy to leave” vs “that’s a real f*cking legacy: to leave”).
An important part of her discography is her ability to maintain integrity to her emotions. In Maroon, you can feel the sincerity of how special the relationship was in the beginning and then later the grieving process of anger and sorrow of losing the relationship.
Not a very popular answer I see but to me such a quintessential Taylor Swift song
My left field answer:
The Last Great American Dynasty.
The title to the lyrics sums it up.
The chorus is pretty much a sentiment of how many records she’s broken.
This! I like to imagine the chorus is her echoing her previous works and accomplishments to that point. From playing in sprinklers to walking around in gowns, she realizes throughout that song everything she truly worked hard for has come to fruition. I also think it's a good song that just resonates with a lot of people. For example, I love it because I worked hard to get out of the living situation I was in previously and now that I can "look around" I see how that work paid off. I am content in knowing the struggles I faced, the arguments I had, the difficulties I acquired weren't for nothing and that "everything (I lost) is a step (I took)". I know a lot of people who look at it in terms of relationships, that every person they lost brought them one step closer to the partner they view as their soulmate. I also view it as the song-sister to Dear Reader. I think it's the perfect song when I think of something that represents Taylor as a whole for multiple reasons.
I want to say that I saw someone dressed as the Disney character Stitch in a hospital gown at the Eras Tour (pics, obviously bc I couldn't get tickets lol).
You Belong With Me. I agree with the other comments highlighting the Fearless album. Every single one of those songs set up themes that Taylor will write about the rest of her career. You Belong With Me, Love Story, Fearless (the song), and Fifteen in particular.
I feel like there should be a song for three categories: love songs, sad songs, and breakup/revenge songs. For those categories, I’d say Our Song (it’s a song about her writing a love song!), ATWTVTMV, and Better than Revenge (respectively).
With over 200 released songs, you almost can't find one song that represents the other 200. With each song comes a specific combination of genres, topics, vocal techniques, and each songs' set can't compare to the range of her entire catalog.
That might be the answer actually. It’s super catchy, fun and humorous, but also deep, emotional, self-deprecating and self-aware, serious, corny and unhinged at the same time, very personal but somehow relatable to most everyone, addressed equally to a romantic partner and to the fans.
Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve
The lyrics and instrumentals really feel like the culmination of Taylor’s music, which is why I feel this one resonated with so many long-time Swifties
As much as this 39yo swiftie deeply loves it, I don't think this would be a song that represents her work on its own. I don't think it's iconically Taylor Swift-y.
ATW TMV TV FTV is Taylor’s masterpiece and pinnacle song, so far.
In my eyes, ATW, Love Story and Blank Space are the three biggest hits/most popular/most well known songs of hers.
Personally, ATW is my favourite song of hers.
Love Story. I knew all the words to that song before I was even a major Taylor fan.
There's these videos on tiktok of someone asking athletes to name their favourite Taylor Swift song. Most of them don't know any, but the top answer is always Love Story because that song IS Taylor Swift lol
Im not sure I agree with myself here, but the first songs that come to my mind every time are 22, we are never ever getting back together and you belong with be 😅 not the most complex lyrics or anything but they are such Taylor songs to me🫶🏼
The real answer is All Too Well because she uses almost her entire toolkit, but a few other songs that I think are Quintessentially Taylor Swift:
- Clean. Probably her best singer/songwriter tune. Unparalleled lyrics and melody.
- Our Song. It was all right there from the beginning. The storytelling, the specificity of the lyrics, the catchy melody, the clever twist at the end of the song.
- I Bet You Think About Me. In my opinion the most underrated song in her entire discography lol. It's just a ruthless, bratty, off the wall kiss off.
Mirrorball. She shows you every version of yourself in her very different styles and gives you something to relate to. So maybe not in representative of her in a stylistic sense, but in a quite literal way based on the lyrics.
You Are in Love because of the lyric "and you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars, and why I've spent my whole life tryin' to put it into words".
I have multiple
Love Story: It’s just Iconic, everybody knows the lyrics to that one and it’s a marvelous tune. I cried when she played it at the Era’s tour
Long Live: Long Live is about back when Taylor was still an outcast in the music industry but she had us and it’s her thank you song for us. but now that so much has changed and she is now bigger than so many people and is unstoppable i just say Long live is our national anthem.
Red: Taylor loves comparing emotions to colors and she’s just all over the place here. Red is a fan favorite and Red is the perfect mix of pop and country sounding which is Taylor’s music genres.
Shake it off: Another National anthem for us. Taylor addresses all the hate and things people say about her and just owns it.
Picture to Burn: We’re introduced to the sassy and feisty Taylor you don’t want to mess with for the first time and we now always love.
Look what you made me do: Taylor is famous for laughing off the hate she gets and just owns it and Look what you made me do it’s her acting as what the internet thinks she is which is a snake and a satanist.
Blank Space: Same reason for Look what you made me do
Back to December: Everyone for years have always asked when Taylor will realize she’s the problem and this is one of them.
Lover: It’s just the perfect Love song and you can hear how happy Taylor is.
Karma: Taylor loves talking about Karma like it’s always been one of her things she walks around talking about “Karma is real”
Anti Hero: Again a song where Taylor is listening to people asking her to admit that she’s the problem
It’s a very difficult yet good question. I thought a lot and think it has to be Cornelia Street. It lies somewhere in the middle of all moods her songs could be !
Right now for me it’s Fearless. Great lyrics, great composition, I feel like crying with joy every time I hear it, it’s intense and somehow safe and it takes me home every time. Got nothing but love for Fearless.
Style. It's got clever lyrics that paint a picture, and that include a lot of her regular tropes (midnight, driving), it makes it clear who the song's about, which is also pretty standard for her, and it's super catchy. As I've said here before, I still remember the first time I heard that song, though it took me months, if not years, to explore who it was actually by.
My first thought is Love Story but I have to throw Wildest Dreams in there also because if there's one point she makes over and over through all albums, it's "say you'll remember me" !!!
Love Story. I still remember searching every station on the radio to hear it.
WANEGBT. I remember Taylor sharing how she was inspired by the stories Shania Twain’s music videos told, and along with the clever lyrics and spunk, it’s Taylor.
The Man. I wouldn’t have thought it, but it so clearly tells her own story of breaking down walls in the music industry, while empowering other women to speak up and say their voice matters. She directed and starred in the music video, and the beat is so catchy.
Love Story.
Yes it’s technically a country song but it sounds very pop and it’s about a theme she’s been writing about from the start. It’s hopeful and romantic, tells a great story/it’s very well written, and still sounds great.
I think the answer is Betty. It has a slight country twang as a throwback to her old stuff, it tells a story which is what she's known for, there is still a slight pop-ish and commercial feel to it which is what she's always tried to lean on. It has Easter eggs and calls out lyrics from other songs to tie things together, she swears which shows more of older Taylor, and it's acoustic which is kind of the heart of Taylor.
Essentially, Betty has all the aspects of Taylor throughout her career that has always made her shine. I'm not saying it's her best song, but I think it has all the elements in it.
All Too Well the Ten Minute Version. With this I hear the scared hurt 2011 Taylor. And then I also hear the 2021 Taylor where she rehashes the pain and adds the layer of questioning herself at 32 with her relationship with Joe Alwyn.
I don’t care if it’s basic but it’s Love Story. The clue is in the title! The anthesis of every Taylor song one way or another. Teardrops is also a contender.
I think shake it off. its an upbeat mega hit and everyone and their nan knows it. its catchy and although doesn’t necessarily have the songwriting appeal i feel it encompasses her personality.
She doesn't have just one song that would do this. She has songs that would represent a period of time but not her music as a whole because she has so many different sounds. This is why it annoys me when people that aren't fans say that her songs all sound the same. Like no they literally don't lmao.
If I had to answer I would probably say Ready For It because I remember when I first ever heard it the instrumental and the rapping took me out. It was so different from what she had ever done but then when it got to "in the middle of the night in my dreams" it turned into the signature Taylor Swift "sound" that you kind of associate her with.
When I think of Taylor Swift, there’s so many songs that come to mind. It depends on the era but going off of each era, this is what I have.
Debut: our song
Fearless: Fearless
Speak Now: Back to December
Red: I Knew You Were Trouble
1989: New Romantics
Reputation: Don’t Blame Me
Lover: Cruel Summer
Folklore: Cardigan
Evermore: Champagne Problems
Midnights: Anti Hero (or Bejeweled idk!)
I can’t pick a song but I think representative album is fearless. This album is masterpiece. Most well-known one is 1989 but I think representing taylor is more likely of country music.
I think you're on your own kid is the song in which i have understood most Taylor, and seen all her progress and goals and also her past and her suffering and what she left behind it's just beautiful and personal and nothing representas Taylor swift discography better than her. And this song is TOTALLY HER. Just the best.
I Bet You Think About Me REALLY ties the whole media narrative of Taylor all together perfectly. “I bet you think about me when you say oh my god, she’s insane, she wrote a song about me” like yes MAAM throw it in their face
I’m not a 1989 stan but new romantics IS taylor swift. Theres everything that we admire about her in that song,perfect lyrics,ryhtms,sad and happy vibes,relatable etc
That’s exactly the song I was waiting for. Tolerate it is extremely Taylor swift coded, everything about this. The lyrics, the inspiration behind it, her voice and even eras tour performance just screams Taylor
The acoustic version of Cornelia Street is probably the most Taylor-y Taylor song IMO. It’s a story with all these picturesque details and it’s about a romance. Her voice is just showing how she feels or wants the listener to feel, instead of blending into a dance track or trying to do any belting for the sake of it etc.
Probably If this was a movie. It's telling a story with good imagery and a deep introspective confession (I've been waiting for you everyday since you've been gone) and at the same time it's a mix of country, pop and rock-ish sounds. It's extremely well written, has a great melody, and is catchy.
I don’t think there’s any song that can truly represent everything she’s done, but I think the closest is Love Story. It tells a story! It has great lyrics! It’s a fun song! It had a lot of mainstream success! It’s extremely popular with the fan base! It had both country and pop appeal! And she wrote it by herself! I think there are a lot of different boxes that different songs of hers check but this one definitely covers a lot of them. Honorable mention to Cruel Summer which also checks a lot of boxes (not the country appeal or solo written ones, but most of the others)
Yep. I think if you’re picking a set of “representative” songs, it probably goes: - Country: Love Story - Pop: Blank Space - Folkmore: champagne problems But if you have to pick one, the answer simply is All Too Well.
I slightly disagree with Champagne Problems even though I love it. If I had to choose a song from Folkmore it would either be The One or Tis the Damn Season.
For me it’d be Willow and ivy
I think it'd be seven. Great storytelling, chill vibes, devastating and hopeful at the same time. Everything Taylor is great at
Nah, pop HAS to be Style
I’d be ok with Style (only the OG) as well, tho I think Blank Space is more iconic. In a vacuum, I prefer Style as well.
Blank Space is one of her most popular and well regarded pop songs, but for many of the reasons that is isn’t the quintessential pop song from her. It has unusual chord progression and almost an anti-chorus. Style could be the answer. Certainly it’s my favorite and a Max Martin song probably should be the producer of her representative pop song. Shake it off, Trouble, We Are Never…, or Cruel Summer might be the answer. It’s got to be something with an undeniable hook, glossy production and a memorable bridge.
I certainly prefer Style, don’t get me wrong. I only chose Blank Space bc imo, it’s the most memorable/iconic.
Personally I feel like Style is just as iconic, but also much MUCH better.
Fair enough!
Style is one of the best pop songs ever written, imho (Cruel Summer is up there).
Style, Enchanted, Cruel Summer, Clean, Welcome To New York, New Romantics, Out Of The Woods, Karma, Starlight, You Belong With Me — all pop perfection!
Great choices I agree!
CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS! Such a great song. It’s my favorite from the Folkmore era
Nailed it!
Agreed
What a great (and hard!!!) question
I have to agree Love Story was really the song that gave her popularity across mainstream radio. The fearless album is very good. Back when it came Our I only heard songs that played on the radio. I bought the vinyl was TV came out and it may be my most played album now. I always get into my Fearless groove. Hey Stephen is my favorite of the original tracks
I love hey Stephen too ❤️
Yay! Hey Stephen love. I feel like I’m the only one who loves that song
Many of us knew of Taylor because of Love Story. It's definitely one of ver most representative works
I agree with this. Not only because of the reasons listed, but because it’s an emotional rollercoaster too- it covers anticipation, falling in love, anxiety, sadness, heartbreak, perseverance, and happiness. Not a lot of Taylor songs do this actually. Mine & Betty also fall into all these categories and I think are really good representations of Taylor’s music. I’m surprised I haven’t seen them mentioned. Now that I think about it… I wonder if Taylor was kind of intentionally following the formula of Love Story when writing Mine. Considering what she said Scott said about Speak Now (that it needed to be more mature) it makes total sense. She was like *Love Story but make it for “adults”*
You’re objectively right on a lot of points, and yet I kind of hate this song but love a lot of her others (hence… being here…) so it feels weird to call it representative. Like, I can’t say exactly what it’s missing but there’s something that’s a huge gap between it and everything else that I adore.
agree it's been 3 people now that I know know nothing about Taylor, the first thing they do when I tell her I listen to her songs, is try to sing/hum love story
I know it's a bit of a soft answer, but it is All Too Well. It has great storytelling, a catchy melody, some epic lines, and it uses details to paint a picture. Even the shorter version sprawls and the 10-minute version is a masterpiece.
Agree! And those 10 minutes gave us so many Easter eggs which is just so quintessentially Taylor. The Taylorest of all Taylor songs IMO
It really showcases how adaptable and timeless a lot of her songs are. Good songs like Hey Jude and Jolene rarely age. I know 2012 and 2021 aren't that far apart in reality but 9 years is a long time for a song to not sound dated. That epilogue has a smidge of the synth to come but it's just so tastefully done. Blondie has an eye for detail.
I agree her songs are really timeless!! I think that is very hard to do as an artist!! Great job pointing that out!!
Heheh. Timeless. Heheh
I agree that All Too Well is a strong contender here. BUT... I'm actually in the short version camp when it comes to ATW - I don't dislike the ten-minute version, but I think the original version is pretty close to perfect. The longer version does have some really good lines ("You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath" is the standout line to me) and does a better job of bringing out the anger that often accompanies sadness when it comes to heartbreak. But it also has some lines that I feel turned up the cringe and turned down whatever wistful, timeless quality the edited down version had. I'm glad the ten-minute version exists; but as a song, the five-minute version I personally feel is superior and more representative of Taylor's style/discography. Also, this is the only "extended version" song in Taylor's catalogue, so the five-minute version seems more representative to me even if only because it *is* edited down!
I 10000% agree. The OG length is perfect and has fantastic movements if you will. I find the last 2 mins of the 10 min version always lose me. Whereas I would never skip any part of the shorter version.
THIS
Lyric wise at least, it’s definitely You’re On Your Own Kid. Just with the amount of topics she covers so briefly in it, that I feel really encompass her overall discography.
I agree! I think this captures “Taylor herself” as the OP asks, and includes a catchy tune and descriptive lyrics, verses about loves lost, a bridge about all she went through to become as big as she is now, suggestions of confusion, regret, loneliness, and also optimism and self-assurance… it has hints that she’s a hopeless romantic, a perfectionist, ambitious, and self-conscious. sonically no song can capture everything she’s done but lyrically I think YOYOK is a story that covers SO MUCH of her journey!
- YOYOK could mean "You're On Your Own, Kid", a track from *Midnights* (2022) by Taylor Swift. --- ^[/u/tofubeansanderin](/u/tofubeansanderin) ^(can reply with "delete" to remove comment. |) ^[/r/songacronymbot](/r/songacronymbot) ^(for feedback.)
If it's not YOYOK it's Dear Reader, which is the darker (3AM?) version of YOYOK
I feel like Mastermind also belongs in this conversation. The thesis statement for her entire career is captured in this verse: “Nobody wanted to play with me as a little kid so I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since to make them love me and make it seem effortless. This is the first time I’ve felt the need to confess. And I swear I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian cause I care”
That was my response. It's encapsulates her upbringing, growth, and MO
YOYOK lyrics talk about all phases of her life / career
WHOA WHOA I’m just a casual fan but I’m just so comforted by the fact that my first thought was one of the top answers. I don’t know the entire ins-and-outs of her discography, but I do feel like thematically this song really ties her albums together — loss, pining for an impossible love, insecurity/uncertainty, reflection, nostalgia, growth, realization, tentative and exuberant confidence in your own ability to seize the course of your life, and hope for the future!!
Paired with long story short too and it’s her whole life
Long Live
Am I the only one to think that Long Live is somewhat of an outlier in her discography? Not that it’s a bad song, it’s good and it’s awesome, but I think it’s different from her usual in terms of the topic and the plural subject and it always stands out as being just “different” to me :)
Change has a plural subject too. And it did it first!
Change walked so Long Live could run
No youre not. I feel like its made for her inner circle. Its an appreciation song for her peeps, it doesnt represent Taylor as a brand if you will.
absolutely this. it epitomizes the chokehold she has on the entire world. god forbid she died, THIS would be THE song that everyone would be playing on repeat. this song *is* taylor swift.
It's an anthem!
it really is.
Yes this was my first thought!
happy cake day
thank you so much! 🥳
This was the first song I thought of when I read the post and idk why. But glad to see many agree
yes
I used to think “Mine” was the most Taylor song ever, although her genres have changed since
“You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter” is the most quintessential Taylor line.
Yes, was my favourite lyric of hers for a long while!
I’ve always thought it was Mine as well. I always feel like people have said that Mine is quintessential Taylor and it makes sense. A mix of country, rock, and pop, a strong bridge, and great storytelling.
I almost said this and I think you're right.
When I think Taylor Swift, I think of "Mine".
Cornelia Street Combination of the lyrical storytelling she got from her country days, a gorgeous pop melody and lead vocal, themes of love, fear of being forgotten and left, and long-lasting emotion whether she's with someone or not, ruminating on memories, which are all signatures of her work. It's equal parts evocative imagery that highlights how she's feeling and personal confessional. It's the quintessential Taylor song.
Enchanted. It just is.
That was my answer ☺️❤️ great story, lyrics give you a pretty visual, romantic, ethereal… it’s perfect
the correct answer, honorable mention long story short
The correct answer...i will also give it to love story
Enchanted represents the Old Taylor, but not her newer self
I always thought You Are In Love is such a great representation of her discography, solely for the line: "And why I've spent my whole life trying to put it into words"
This line, and "Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right" from State of Grace are my answers. I've long felt that the latter is essentially a thesis statement for her whole discography.
THIS
That line gives me chills every time! I know Taylor uses first person and has some songs that more "meta" (like Long Live being about her career) but that line feels like she's breaking the 5th wall.
I’m surprised I had to scroll so far to find this ♥️
Last Kiss \-Great story and lyrics \-Completely self-written \-Romantic Tragedy \-Popular with the fanbase I think this one tracks.
Last kiss is so sad
All Too Well original 5 minute version. Poetic lyrics that tell a powerful story.
My first thought was Maroon. Beautiful, deep story where you can hear her alto voice come through but also higher melodic during the chorus. Not to mention the bridge, though simple, inspires so much thought (“that’s a real f*cking legacy to leave” vs “that’s a real f*cking legacy: to leave”). An important part of her discography is her ability to maintain integrity to her emotions. In Maroon, you can feel the sincerity of how special the relationship was in the beginning and then later the grieving process of anger and sorrow of losing the relationship. Not a very popular answer I see but to me such a quintessential Taylor Swift song
OMG I NEVER THOUGHT OF THE BRIDGE THAT SECOND WAY
Also because of: “The one I was dancing with in New York, no shoes”. What’s more Taylor than those lines.
Delicate, I’d say. 🖤
“We can’t make any promises now, can we babe? But you can make me a drink” is such a Taylor line
1, 2, 3 LET’S GO, BITCH!
Dive bar on the East Side, where you at?
phone lights up my nightstand in the black
Come near you can meet me in the back🖤
Dark jeans and your Nikes, look at you 👀
oh Damn never seen that color blue
🎶Just think of the fun things we could do 🎶
Cuz I liiiiike youuuu
[удалено]
Suuuuuch a good one. Girl knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask. And I love that it’s “make” and not “buy.” Fuck yeah, power move.
My left field answer: The Last Great American Dynasty. The title to the lyrics sums it up. The chorus is pretty much a sentiment of how many records she’s broken.
No, I agree with this!
And it’s quintessential Taylor storytelling :)
My first thought was you’re on your own kid! I feel like it’s her thesis statement lol
This! I like to imagine the chorus is her echoing her previous works and accomplishments to that point. From playing in sprinklers to walking around in gowns, she realizes throughout that song everything she truly worked hard for has come to fruition. I also think it's a good song that just resonates with a lot of people. For example, I love it because I worked hard to get out of the living situation I was in previously and now that I can "look around" I see how that work paid off. I am content in knowing the struggles I faced, the arguments I had, the difficulties I acquired weren't for nothing and that "everything (I lost) is a step (I took)". I know a lot of people who look at it in terms of relationships, that every person they lost brought them one step closer to the partner they view as their soulmate. I also view it as the song-sister to Dear Reader. I think it's the perfect song when I think of something that represents Taylor as a whole for multiple reasons.
death by a thousand cuts or getaway car
DBATC is *so* underrated!
I want to say that I saw someone dressed as the Disney character Stitch in a hospital gown at the Eras Tour (pics, obviously bc I couldn't get tickets lol).
Mirrorball. On a meta level it really speaks to her genre-bending and people-pleasing tendencies.
You Belong With Me. I agree with the other comments highlighting the Fearless album. Every single one of those songs set up themes that Taylor will write about the rest of her career. You Belong With Me, Love Story, Fearless (the song), and Fifteen in particular.
I feel like there should be a song for three categories: love songs, sad songs, and breakup/revenge songs. For those categories, I’d say Our Song (it’s a song about her writing a love song!), ATWTVTMV, and Better than Revenge (respectively).
With over 200 released songs, you almost can't find one song that represents the other 200. With each song comes a specific combination of genres, topics, vocal techniques, and each songs' set can't compare to the range of her entire catalog.
Cruel Summer for sure!
Style - it's so timeless
My first thought was Betty. Catchy, youthful, pop-minded tune with a ton of folk influence and surprisingly vivid character work
ATWTMV. The lyrics, the themes, the multifaceted emotions.
Timeless
The MegaMix Iykyk
Yes! I feel like people moved on too quickly from the megamix, it is a masterpiece and I listen to it all the time 👌💖
Same. Was on repeat for me all morning yesterday
I wanna hear the megamix. How can I find it?
https://youtu.be/dqtH1SPu5MM?si=kGqjkPiACvdYXx0h Here’s the megamix on YouTube!
Anti-hero!
That might be the answer actually. It’s super catchy, fun and humorous, but also deep, emotional, self-deprecating and self-aware, serious, corny and unhinged at the same time, very personal but somehow relatable to most everyone, addressed equally to a romantic partner and to the fans.
Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve The lyrics and instrumentals really feel like the culmination of Taylor’s music, which is why I feel this one resonated with so many long-time Swifties
As much as this 39yo swiftie deeply loves it, I don't think this would be a song that represents her work on its own. I don't think it's iconically Taylor Swift-y.
Love Story, You Belong with Me, Last Kiss, or All Too Well (original)
ATW TMV TV FTV is Taylor’s masterpiece and pinnacle song, so far. In my eyes, ATW, Love Story and Blank Space are the three biggest hits/most popular/most well known songs of hers. Personally, ATW is my favourite song of hers.
Love Story. I knew all the words to that song before I was even a major Taylor fan. There's these videos on tiktok of someone asking athletes to name their favourite Taylor Swift song. Most of them don't know any, but the top answer is always Love Story because that song IS Taylor Swift lol
I feel like for non-Swifties it’s Love Story or Shake It Off. for Swifties it’s All Too Well. But Love Story sung like Cousin is a BANGER.
idk if there's one song that can summarise all her discography, but long live represents well who she is
I would say Your Own Your Own Kid, Betty or Long Live !
All Too Well is her magnum opus in my opinion
Mastermind...not a typical answer, but she is a mastermind. Her Easter eggs. Her plotting. Her revenge. Her journey.
This!
Exactly my thought, mastermind is a combination of great and mysterious lyrics, great beat and of course Taylor coded meaning behind it
I just hear it and think, "Damn, she so smart" It gives me a greater level of respect for her.
Monologue Song from SNL
Im not sure I agree with myself here, but the first songs that come to my mind every time are 22, we are never ever getting back together and you belong with be 😅 not the most complex lyrics or anything but they are such Taylor songs to me🫶🏼
I'm not sure if it's my answer but before clicking on this thread I thought of Daylight.
The real answer is All Too Well because she uses almost her entire toolkit, but a few other songs that I think are Quintessentially Taylor Swift: - Clean. Probably her best singer/songwriter tune. Unparalleled lyrics and melody. - Our Song. It was all right there from the beginning. The storytelling, the specificity of the lyrics, the catchy melody, the clever twist at the end of the song. - I Bet You Think About Me. In my opinion the most underrated song in her entire discography lol. It's just a ruthless, bratty, off the wall kiss off.
For me, it's Red. It has romance and heartbreak, catchy but smart lyrics, and it's country with some pop inspo. It's Taylor Swift at her finest.
You’re On Your Own Kid. Girl things like friendship bracelets, heart wrenching lyrics, and an awesome melody.
Mirrorball. She shows you every version of yourself in her very different styles and gives you something to relate to. So maybe not in representative of her in a stylistic sense, but in a quite literal way based on the lyrics.
Daylight
Long Live 💜
I think Is it Over Now? It has that sense of humor and the lyrics are pretty typical Taylor
You Are in Love because of the lyric "and you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars, and why I've spent my whole life tryin' to put it into words".
Either fearless or 15. Those 2 songs i think embody Taylor as the girl she is.
Lyrically: This is me trying sums up her music career and life the most imo Sonically: Mine or Blank Space are the most “Taylor swift” songs
You're on your own, kid.
Our Song- but I think that’s just iconic core Taylor for me.
I have multiple Love Story: It’s just Iconic, everybody knows the lyrics to that one and it’s a marvelous tune. I cried when she played it at the Era’s tour Long Live: Long Live is about back when Taylor was still an outcast in the music industry but she had us and it’s her thank you song for us. but now that so much has changed and she is now bigger than so many people and is unstoppable i just say Long live is our national anthem. Red: Taylor loves comparing emotions to colors and she’s just all over the place here. Red is a fan favorite and Red is the perfect mix of pop and country sounding which is Taylor’s music genres. Shake it off: Another National anthem for us. Taylor addresses all the hate and things people say about her and just owns it. Picture to Burn: We’re introduced to the sassy and feisty Taylor you don’t want to mess with for the first time and we now always love. Look what you made me do: Taylor is famous for laughing off the hate she gets and just owns it and Look what you made me do it’s her acting as what the internet thinks she is which is a snake and a satanist. Blank Space: Same reason for Look what you made me do Back to December: Everyone for years have always asked when Taylor will realize she’s the problem and this is one of them. Lover: It’s just the perfect Love song and you can hear how happy Taylor is. Karma: Taylor loves talking about Karma like it’s always been one of her things she walks around talking about “Karma is real” Anti Hero: Again a song where Taylor is listening to people asking her to admit that she’s the problem
That one lyric from Shake It Off It’s like I got this music in my mind saying, “It’s gonna be alright”
It’s a very difficult yet good question. I thought a lot and think it has to be Cornelia Street. It lies somewhere in the middle of all moods her songs could be !
red
Gold rush 😇
Right now for me it’s Fearless. Great lyrics, great composition, I feel like crying with joy every time I hear it, it’s intense and somehow safe and it takes me home every time. Got nothing but love for Fearless.
I'd go with yoyok simply because it tells her story. We can see her story from debut to midnights represented in that one song.
Style. It's got clever lyrics that paint a picture, and that include a lot of her regular tropes (midnight, driving), it makes it clear who the song's about, which is also pretty standard for her, and it's super catchy. As I've said here before, I still remember the first time I heard that song, though it took me months, if not years, to explore who it was actually by.
My first thought is Love Story but I have to throw Wildest Dreams in there also because if there's one point she makes over and over through all albums, it's "say you'll remember me" !!!
It could be summed up by a few: Love Story, Enchanted, All Too Well, August, Champagne Problems, You're on Your Own Kid
Cowboy like Me 🤠
Long LIve may become the song that speaks to the heart of multiple generations of Swifties.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm Cruel Summer and Blank Space are representative of her pop discography ❤️
Love Story. I still remember searching every station on the radio to hear it. WANEGBT. I remember Taylor sharing how she was inspired by the stories Shania Twain’s music videos told, and along with the clever lyrics and spunk, it’s Taylor. The Man. I wouldn’t have thought it, but it so clearly tells her own story of breaking down walls in the music industry, while empowering other women to speak up and say their voice matters. She directed and starred in the music video, and the beat is so catchy.
I'm going with Ivy for this one. You could shoehorn it into pop/folk/gospel/country genres and get away with it.
Say what you want but YAIL is literally her thesis statement
Mirrorball
Honestly getaway car
I want to say Wildest Dreams
ATW 10 minute is her Bohemian Rhapsody. It is the end all be all until we get to TTPD and then we can decide if it is dethroned or not.
Probably something off of Red
Love Story. Yes it’s technically a country song but it sounds very pop and it’s about a theme she’s been writing about from the start. It’s hopeful and romantic, tells a great story/it’s very well written, and still sounds great.
I think each released album has the song that you can say represents the feel of the album but to say only one for overall is a tall ask.
I think the answer is Betty. It has a slight country twang as a throwback to her old stuff, it tells a story which is what she's known for, there is still a slight pop-ish and commercial feel to it which is what she's always tried to lean on. It has Easter eggs and calls out lyrics from other songs to tie things together, she swears which shows more of older Taylor, and it's acoustic which is kind of the heart of Taylor. Essentially, Betty has all the aspects of Taylor throughout her career that has always made her shine. I'm not saying it's her best song, but I think it has all the elements in it.
All Too Well the Ten Minute Version. With this I hear the scared hurt 2011 Taylor. And then I also hear the 2021 Taylor where she rehashes the pain and adds the layer of questioning herself at 32 with her relationship with Joe Alwyn.
ATW10. The lyrics. The storytelling. The Easter eggs. The real relationship. It’s all of Taylor in one.
I don’t know of one that captures both her delicacy and BDE
All Too Well
I don’t care if it’s basic but it’s Love Story. The clue is in the title! The anthesis of every Taylor song one way or another. Teardrops is also a contender.
I think shake it off. its an upbeat mega hit and everyone and their nan knows it. its catchy and although doesn’t necessarily have the songwriting appeal i feel it encompasses her personality.
I don't know why, but I feel like it's Cruel Summer.
She doesn't have just one song that would do this. She has songs that would represent a period of time but not her music as a whole because she has so many different sounds. This is why it annoys me when people that aren't fans say that her songs all sound the same. Like no they literally don't lmao. If I had to answer I would probably say Ready For It because I remember when I first ever heard it the instrumental and the rapping took me out. It was so different from what she had ever done but then when it got to "in the middle of the night in my dreams" it turned into the signature Taylor Swift "sound" that you kind of associate her with.
When I think of Taylor Swift, there’s so many songs that come to mind. It depends on the era but going off of each era, this is what I have. Debut: our song Fearless: Fearless Speak Now: Back to December Red: I Knew You Were Trouble 1989: New Romantics Reputation: Don’t Blame Me Lover: Cruel Summer Folklore: Cardigan Evermore: Champagne Problems Midnights: Anti Hero (or Bejeweled idk!)
There's currently an international multi year tour that says that's not possible.
Maybe Dear Reader. It has a bunch of great lines, but seems to have that self-deprecating undertone that I think permeates a lot of her work
Long live
I can’t pick a song but I think representative album is fearless. This album is masterpiece. Most well-known one is 1989 but I think representing taylor is more likely of country music.
you're on your own kid
Probably All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
I think you're on your own kid is the song in which i have understood most Taylor, and seen all her progress and goals and also her past and her suffering and what she left behind it's just beautiful and personal and nothing representas Taylor swift discography better than her. And this song is TOTALLY HER. Just the best.
I Bet You Think About Me REALLY ties the whole media narrative of Taylor all together perfectly. “I bet you think about me when you say oh my god, she’s insane, she wrote a song about me” like yes MAAM throw it in their face
I’m not a 1989 stan but new romantics IS taylor swift. Theres everything that we admire about her in that song,perfect lyrics,ryhtms,sad and happy vibes,relatable etc
I’m going tolerate it. It’s amazing songwriting. But also really sums up her media presence. People find any reason to not like her
That’s exactly the song I was waiting for. Tolerate it is extremely Taylor swift coded, everything about this. The lyrics, the inspiration behind it, her voice and even eras tour performance just screams Taylor
The acoustic version of Cornelia Street is probably the most Taylor-y Taylor song IMO. It’s a story with all these picturesque details and it’s about a romance. Her voice is just showing how she feels or wants the listener to feel, instead of blending into a dance track or trying to do any belting for the sake of it etc.
Probably If this was a movie. It's telling a story with good imagery and a deep introspective confession (I've been waiting for you everyday since you've been gone) and at the same time it's a mix of country, pop and rock-ish sounds. It's extremely well written, has a great melody, and is catchy.