Taylor Swift's Most Popular Albums

“Midnights” is Taylor Swift’s first album since the release of the LPs “folklore” and “evermore” in 2020. Considered to be a collection of contemplative songs, “Midnights” instantly went platinum when it was released in October – and 10 songs from the LP occupied the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 the same week, the first time that ever happened.

“Evermore” was the last album released by Swift before “Midnights.” It explores similar themes as its direct predecessor, “folklore,” released five months earlier (both came out during a particularly bleak period of the pandemic). “Evermore” builds on the previous LP’s themes of pain and love. Swift is more at ease with her moodiness on the album and her narratives are spiced with explicit language. Three singles were released from the album – “Willow,” “No Body, No Crime,” and “Coney Island” – with “Willow” debuting atop the Billboard Hot 100, giving Swift her seventh chart-topper.

“Red” was Taylor Swift’s first pop and electronic-influenced foray beyond country and it was well-received by music critics. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said “Red [was] where [Swift] proved herself not just the supreme pop songwriter of her generation, but one of the all-timers …” She explores various musical styles in collaborations with partners that included Britney Spears and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. The album generated seven singles, four of which reached the Top 10. The single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” topped the Billboard Hot 100.

“Speak Now” came out after Kanye West tried to pre-empt Taylor Swift’s moment of glory at the 2009 VMAs. On the album, she makes references to West and ex-boyfriend Taylor Lautner and writes a “Dear John” letter to singer John Mayer. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.com says that on “Speak Now,” Swift “writes from the perspective of the moment yet has the skill of a songwriter beyond her years, articulating contradictions and confessions with keen detail and strong melody.” Two of the album’s six singles – “Mine” and “Back to December” – reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Taylor Swift wrote the songs for “folklore” during the pandemic, teaming with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff and with Aaron Dessner, from The National, a new partner. The material is reflective of the mood during Covid-19, a bit gloomy and wistful, a departure for the pop princess. The songs reflect the maturity of Swift as a songwriter. There were 17 tracks on the album. Two of its three singles cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Cardigan” and “Exile,” with the former song hitting No. 1.

On “reputation,” Swift puts any suggestion that she is a naive young woman to rest. The song compilation, influenced by R&B, hip-hop, and trap, among other genres, deals with topics such as sex, betrayal, and the aftermath of failed relationships. On this album, Swift is coming from a moodier and darker place. Six singles came out of the album. Among them was “Look What You Made Me Do,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100. The single “End Game” features vocals from American rapper Future and English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.

Taylor Swift’s “Lover” sometimes ventured into bubblegum pop silliness (including a spoken introduction from British actor Idris Elba on “London Boy”) while some songs explored more complex themes such as sexism, addressed in “The Man.” Also collaborating with Swift are the group then called the Dixie Chicks (now just The Chicks) on a song about healing, “Soon You’ll Get Better.” The 18-track album yielded four singles – “Me!,” featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, “You Need to Calm Down,” “Lover,” and “The Man.” All but the latter song charted in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10.

Some music critics considered “Fearless” one of the best pop albums of 2008. It was Taylor Swift’s second album, and though she was pulling away from her country roots, she didn’t abandon the genre that lifted her to stardom entirely. She wrote six of the 13 songs herself, some of which are cautionary tales for younger girls about matters of the heart. A Fearless tour followed the release of the album, which spawned five singles, including three that charted in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10: “Love Story,” “You Belong with Me,” and “Fearless.” Swift re-released the album in 2021 following a dispute involving the ownership of her back catalog.

Taylor Swift’s self-titled debut album was released in October 2006 when she was 16 years old and it made an impact on the country-music audience. She wrote or co-wrote 11 of the LP’s tracks. The album explored teen angst regarding relationships and friendships. Reviewers were impressed by her maturity as reflected in the songs’ lyrics. The album generated five singles, and one of them, “Teardrops on My Guitar,” climbed to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“1989” is an unapologetic pop record, with Taylor Swift announcing that the LP was her first “documented, official” album of that kind. The LP moved away from her country roots and featured a synth-pop sound created by heavy synthesizers and programmed drums. She collaborated with Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic, fun.’s Jack Antonoff, and Imogen Heap, and took a more light-hearted approach to relationships in contrast to her previous albums. The album was named for her birth year and as such symbolized her artistic rebirth. It was certified nine-times platinum in 2017. The LP produced seven singles and three of them – “”Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood” – went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.