Taylor Swift: The throwback songs that made her famous
Nearly a decade-and-a-half into her career, Taylor Swift has chronicled heartache, youth, and growing up over nine albums, 150+ songs, and three documentaries. She’s one of the most successful artists of all time, starting strong with a debut album that became the Billboard 200’s longest-charting album of the 2000s. From country to pop indie folk, Swift has garnered legions of fans, shattered Guinness World Records, and won 10 Grammys. She’s nominated for five more with Folklore, including “Album of the Year” and “Song of the Year.” With Folklore and its lead single, “Cardigan,” Swift debuted on top of the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 at the same time—the first artist to ever do so.A mere six months later, she dropped another surprise album, Evermore, which she calls a “sister album” to Folklore.
With the release of her ninth studio album,Stacker decided to throw it back to some of the first songs that made America (and eventually the world) fall in love with the singer-songwriter. From country to pop to indie folk, Swift roots her songs in her personal experiences, making for a dependable output even as she’s moved across genres. Remembering the hit songs that first brought Swift into the limelight demonstrates what a remarkably consistent songwriter she is.
From happy days to heartbreak, see which songs made Swift into the top artist she is today.
“Clean” (2014)
The album 1989 was Taylor Swift’s first break into pure pop, which grabbed the attention of people beyond country fans for the first time. “Clean,” is her collaboration with British singer Imogen Heap.
Wildest Dreams” (2014)
This track off 1989is a dreamy love song that featured a larger than life music video filmed in Botswana and South Africa. Scott Eastwood stars as her 20s-era lover.
“Out of the Woods” (2014)
“Out of the Woods” is rumored to be about her former boyfriend and ex-One Directioner Harry Styles, who had their ups and downs and apparently once suffered a snowmobile crash.
“Style” (2014)
Another song about Harry Styles, “Style” is about the kind of happy, optimistic, magnetic energy you can feel with another person when you start your relationship
“Bad Blood” (2014)
“Bad Blood” is rumored to be about Swift’s beef with Katy Perry. The song’s music video shows Swift with a gang of girlfriends, all dressed up as superheroes ready to fight a villain (played by Selena Gomez).
“Blank Space” (2014)
This song is maybe one of Swift’s most famous off of 1989 and shows off her ability to laugh at herself. “Blank Space” is almost a parody about the different rumors and stories crafted about Swift by the media.
“Shake It Off” (2014)
Tied for first place as the most famous song off of 1989, “Shake It Off” is the super fun dance lead single about being yourself and “shaking off” the bad energy that can come from other people who try to get you down.
“The Lucky One” (2012)
The next few songs are from Swift’s album Red, which all were about the ups and downs of relationships and heartbreak she felt when she was in her early twenties. Swift told Us Weekly this song was about how a lot of people think people who become famous are lucky, but it’s “the girl who runs away from the fame who is really the lucky one in the end.”
“Safe and Sound feat. The Civil Wars” (2012)
Taylor Swift added more fame to her belt when she was tapped to make a song for the Hunger Games series. She recorded the song with the popular folk duo The Civil Wars, who have since broken up.
“Teardrops on My Guitar” (2006)
This first hit is the ultimate T-Swift throwback, about Swift being secretly in love with her best friend, who would tell her about his girlfriend every day. Swift told fans during a performance that she still thought about him when she became famous: “It’s crazy how having a top five hit with a song won’t get you over somebody.”
