Taylor
Swift

Taylor Swift’s parents intentionally gave her an androgynous name to help reduce discrimination in the corporate world, initially wanting her to go into the business industry.

The 13th songs on Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore were made for her grandparents. While Folklore saw Swift referencing her grandfather’s military service on “Epiphany”, Evermore has Swift singing fondly about her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who died when she was 13 on the fittingly titled track, “Marjorie”.

Taylor Swift’s lucky number is 13, a number that frequently appears in her life and holds great significance in her music.

As a child, Swift learned to ride horses and even participated in competitions.

Taylor Swift is a distant cousin of the revered American poet, Emily Dickinson. They are sixth cousins, three times removed.

Taylor Swift (2006) –

In 2006, 16-year-old Taylor Swift debuted her first self-titled album, Taylor Swift. This era is defined by its country roots and sweet “girl-next-door” aesthetic, with tight blonde curls, floral sundresses, and signature cowboy boots to complete the whole look. Written in high school, the album is innocent and youthful, rooted in her lifelong dreams to become a star. Swift quickly became America’s teenage country darling with the success of her debut album, a testament to years of hard work performing in various Nashville bars and venues. Hit songs from this album include “Our Song,” “Should’ve Said No,” “Picture to Burn,” and “Teardrops On My Guitar.”

Fearless (2008) –

The 2008 release of her sophomore album, Fearless, cemented Swift’s legacy as a teenage country-pop icon. This album earned Swift four Grammy awards, including her first Album of the Year Grammy win, which made her the youngest recipient, at the age of 20, of the award at the time. Fearless is the most awarded country album in history. This era is defined by magic and curiosity, a story of the bliss and devastation of youth, marked by sparkly fringe dresses and ball gowns, winged eyeliner, hand hearts, and her lucky number 13, which she wore on her hand in performances. Hit songs from this album include the popular “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story,” as well as “Fearless” and “Fifteen.”

Speak Now (2010) –

Taylor Swift’s 2010 album, Speak Now, is the only album entirely written by the singer without any help from co-writers, further establishing her songwriting prowess. This album focused on the transition between adolescence and adulthood, shifting away from innocence to understanding as she began to experiment more with the pop genre. This era is defined by its magical and theatrical aspects, with an ethereal fairytale aesthetic marked by sparkly dresses, looser curls, and her “Wonderstruck” perfume line, leaning into more glam and grown-up looks while still honoring her country roots. Swift’s “Speak Now World Tour” was heavily inspired by Broadway and leaned into spectacle with multiple costume and set changes and the incorporation of pyrotechnics, dancers, and aerialists. Hit songs from this album include “Mine,” “Back to December,” “Dear John,” “Enchanted,” and “Never Grow Up.”

Red (2012) –

A shift into a more mature and experimental style, the 2012 release of Red marked a big period of change for Swift. In the midst of complex heartbreak, this era leaves behind the fairytale princess aesthetic and dives deep into an edgy sound, blending mainstream pop, rock, EDM, and dubstep in her fourth album. Moving away from country to pop, this era is defined by red lipstick and black fedoras, straight hair and blunt bangs, and a vintage style consisting of high-waisted shorts and ‘50s dresses. Hit songs from this album include “22,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “All Too Well,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and “Red.”

1989 (2014) –

2014’s 1989 album became Taylor Swift’s first full-blown pop album, establishing her as a worldwide mega-pop star. With immense commercial success, 1989 is the most awarded pop album by any artist in history. Moving to New York City, this era is defined by her signature short bob, crop tops, and skater skirts inspired by the golden era of ‘80s pop. This album birthed the iconic “1989 World Tour”, with elaborate stage setups, costume changes, and special effects that elevated her performances. With every fan interaction and personal story shared between songs on stage, Swift built a dedicated fanbase, “Swifties”, that has only grown in numbers with every appearance and musical release. She is also known for bringing out her “squad” of popular friends in concerts and music videos during this time. Hit songs from this album include the popular “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space”, “Bad Blood,” “Wildest Dreams,” and “Style.”

Reputation (2017) –

Swift’s 2017 electro-pop album, Reputation, is her darkest and edgiest era to date. Following the peak of her career after the release of 1989, Swift received a lot of negative public scrutiny and bad press following her infamous feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. With tensions dating all the way back to 2009 after West stormed the MTV Video Music Award’s stage when Swift beat out Beyoncé for Best Female Video to interrupt her acceptance speech with the infamous line, “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.”, the relationship between the two artists has always been strained. While the pair seemingly made up for years, the feud became official in 2016 when West released his song, “Famous,” which featured a line making inappropriate comments and visuals about Swift on top of calling her the b-word.

Kardashian claimed there was a phone call between West and Swift in which the pop artist claimed she was okay with the song lyrics, leaking a Snapchat video of the call in July 2016 that painted Swift in a bad light. Publicly, she was named a “snake” for her actions in the feud, causing the singer to disappear from the public eye for a year before making an iconic comeback in November 2017 with the release of Reputation. Leaning into the “snake” persona the world portrayed her as, Swift declared “the old Taylor was dead” and completely shed her “good girl” image. This era is defined by its moody style, featuring darker lipsticks, sequined bodysuits, oversized sweatshirts, thigh-high boots, and heavy snake motifs. Hit songs from this album include “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Getaway Car,” “Don’t Blame Me,” and “…Ready For It?”

Lover (2019) –

A completely different tone than her previous album, Reputation, Taylor Swift’s 2019 Lover album is bright optimism. The rainbow after her Reputation storm, this era is defined by colorful pastels and cheery tones, with a wardrobe full of fringe, sparkles, ’70s-inspired clothes, pastel-colored menswear, butterflies, and an abundance of pink, even going so far as to dye the ends of her hair pink. An effort to redefine her identity as one full of love over that of her struggles and hate, Lover was unfortunately cut short by the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Hit songs from this album include “Paper Rings,” “Me!,” “Lover,” and “Cruel Summer.”

Folklore (2020) –

A shift into alternative pop-folk, Swift’s 2020 Folklore album saw the singer rise again as an indie folk star despite the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic. Leaning into a cottage core and autumn-themed aesthetic, this era is defined by its grey-blue imagescape and simplicity, an emotional story of self-introspection and melancholy. Inspired by indie folk artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, and Sufjan Stevens, the singer-songwriter won her third Album of the Year Grammy for Folklore, making her the first woman in history to accomplish the feat. In a statement for the album, Swift noted that there is a trio of songs she calls the “teenage love triangle”, which fans have speculated is a reference to “Cardigan,” “Betty,” and “August,” which tell a story of heartbreak, betrayal, and yearning when played together. Hit songs from this album also include “Exile,” “Invisible String,” “Seven,” and “Mirrorball.”

Evermore (2020) –

Released five months after Folklore, Evermore is considered by Swifties to be the winter continuation of the summer Folklore era. Both eras feature similar aesthetics and lean into the indie folk genre, with many parallels being drawn between the two. Fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to joke that Taylor Swift made Folklore and Evermore with her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, under a hypothetical breakup scenario in order to create relatable heartbreak songs. Alwyn co-wrote “Betty” and “Exile” for Folklore and “Champagne Problems,” “Coney Island,” and “Evermore” for Evermore under the alias William Bowery, which Swift confirmed in her Disney+ film, “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.” Hit songs from this album also include “Long Story Short,” “Ivy”, “Willow,” and “‘Tis The Damn Season.”

Midnights (2022) –

Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights, is a collection of 13 songs written on 13 different nights throughout her career. Subsequently, this pop album holds elements of all of the various eras until 2022, diving back into her trademarked, deeply personal lyrics that had been absent in her previous two albums. A surprise album, Midnights, became the most-streamed album in a single day on Spotify, making Swift the most-streamed artist in a single day on Spotify. This album is a great transition into her 2023 “Eras Tour,” re-engaging fans by dipping into her past eras and giving Swifties the musical recap of their dreams. This era is defined by bedazzled and muted, but colorful outfits. Hit singles from this album include “Anti-Hero,” “Snow On The Beach,” “Mastermind,” and “Midnight Rain.”

The Tortured Poets Department (2024) –

Taylor Swift’s 11th and most recent studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, is the mature version of Reputation, leaning back into the “villain” role she is often portrayed as in pop culture. A highlight of “female rage”, this album came after a series of public breakups with Joe Alwyn and The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, diving into her failed relationships and struggles with her identity as a public figure, depression, and self-esteem. Swift even takes a jab at her Swiftie fanbase in “But Daddy I Love Him,” furious with those who meddled in her relationships out of fake concern, almost viewing her fame as a curse. Its black-and-white theme defines this era, leaning into vintage and moody styles. Hit songs on this album also include “Fortnight,” “Florida!!!,” “So Long, London,” and “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Taylor’s Version (2021-2023) –

After losing the rights to her masters, Swift began to undertake a project to re-record and re-release her first six studio albums to regain ownership over her songs. These albums and songs were noted as “Taylor’s Version” to differentiate them from the original tracks. Swift released four of these albums between 2021 and 2023, with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) coming out in April 2021, Red (Taylor’s Version) coming out in November 2021, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) coming out in July 2023, and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) coming out in October 2023. In May 2025, Swift announced her success in buying back her first six albums, released initially under Big Machine Records, from Shamrock Capital, a private equity firm. While Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version) and Reputation (Taylor’s Version) haven’t been confirmed or entirely re-recorded, Swift has hinted that they might still drop one day, despite now owning all of the rights to her entire musical catalogue.

It is important to note that throughout her 11 albums and eras, Taylor Swift maintains one central theme throughout her songwriting – the raw expression of her feelings. Her music is essentially like a diary, a way to express her innermost thoughts and opinions in whatever way she needs to. A large majority of these feelings stem from her past relationships, many being Hollywood heartthrobs, with breakups and heartbreak woven into her storytelling and tied heavily to her musical legacy. Below is a list of every boyfriend Swift has dated and the songs tied to each romance.

Joe Jonas (July 2008 – October 2008):

A former Jonas Brother and current frontman of DNCE, Jonas was Swift’s first public breakup, occurring over a 27-second phone call with the young singer. The country songs “Last Kiss” and “Forever & Always” are believed to be written about their breakup, with “Holy Ground” coming later on as a more positive take on their short-lived romance.

Lucas Till (2009):

Till and Swift dated for a couple of months in 2009 after Till acted as her next-door neighbor in Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video. Till later said he believed they were better off as friends, saying they were both “too nice” for a passionate relationship.

Taylor Lautner (2009):

Known as Taylor and Taylor, the pair met when co-starring in the romantic comedy Valentine’s Day, as high school sweethearts. In Swift’s song, “Back To December,” she sings fondly of Lautner, apologizing for the night she dumped him. The Taylors are currently on friendly terms.

John Mayer (2009-2010):

Taylor Swift and John Mayer first connected in 2009 when they collaborated on Mayer’s single, “Half of My Heart.” They performed together a few times, and rumors of romance sparked following Swift’s split from Lautner. While neither publicly confirmed the relationship, both came out with breakup songs, with Swift releasing “Dear John” and Mayer releasing “Paper Doll.” It’s also thought that “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” a track Swift produced over a decade after the brief fling, is about Mayer. Swift was 19 and Mayer was 32 when they supposedly dated.

Cory Monteith (2010):

Swift and the Glee star Cory Monteith never officially confirmed dating rumors, but they were photographed together on many occasions. When asked about her relationship with Monteith on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Swift simply blushed, a good sign for fans. Following his tragic death in July 2013, Swift took to social media to express her grief.

Jake Gyllenhaal (2010-2011):

One of Taylor Swift’s most public relationships, Gyllenhaal and the young singer had a 10-year age gap, which is rumored to be the reason behind their split. It’s thought that “The Last Time” is written about their romance, while “All Too Well” is a detailed story about her infamous scarf, which was left at Gyllenhaal’s sister’s house and never returned after their breakup. To many Swifties’ joy and confusion, Gyllenhaal has been spotted in the years following their breakup wearing the scarf, which Swift claims he kept as a reminder of her innocence.

Adam Young (2011):

A member of Owl City, Adam Young, never officially dated Swift, and their relationship only existed in a couple of emails and one face-to-face meeting. Swift was so excited to meet Young that she wrote “Enchanted” about him, a song he later released a cover version of on Valentine’s Day.

Chord Overstreet (2011):

Swift and the Glee star reportedly only went on one date, and their relationship never progressed. No confirmed songs have been written about Overstreet.

Eddie Redmayne (2011-2012):

It is rumored that Taylor Swift dated the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star while auditioning for the role of Eponine in Les Misérables. They were frequently seen together in New York while auditions were taking place. There are no confirmed songs written about Redmayne.

Zac Efron (2012):

While both Efron and Swift have denied the relationship rumors, going so far as to write a song rejecting the claims in a parody version of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, fans still like to imagine a world where the pair dated after co-starring on The Lorax.

Conor Kennedy (2012):

Taylor Swift briefly dated Robert F. Kennedy’s grandson in the summer of 2012, receiving public criticism for the age gap in their relationship, with Swift being 22 and Kennedy being 18. Swift even bought a home near the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. However, their romance quickly soured when the Kennedy family accused the singer of crashing the wedding of Conor’s cousin Kyle in August 2012. It’s thought that “Begin Again” was written about Kennedy.

Harry Styles (2012-2013):

Despite only dating for a month, Styles is one of Swift’s most divisive relationships to date. In their short fling, the couple wore matching necklaces, took multiple strolls through Central Park, kissed in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, and even got into a snowmobile accident together. Swift has written multiple songs about the One Direction star, most notably “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Style,” and “Out Of The Woods,” her 1989 album filled with many subtle references to their romance.

Calvin Harris (2015-2016):

The most well-documented of Taylor Swift’s relationships, the singer shared a fairly long romance with Harris, attending multiple red carpets as a couple and frequently posting on social media together. While it’s unclear how their relationship ended, multiple reports claim it was Harris who wanted to end the relationship. There is debate surrounding her hit song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and which romance it references (either Harris or Gyllenhaal). However, songs like “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” and “I Forgot You Existed” seem more likely to be about Harris.

Tom Hiddleston (2016):

A love story that shocked the globe, Swift briefly dated the Marvel star after meeting in New York, traveling to places like Rhode Island, England, Italy, and Australia as a couple. Unfortunately, a few months after Hiddleston was seen wearing an “I Heart Taylor Swift” shirt, the pair ended their romance. There are no confirmed songs written about Hiddleston.

Joe Alwyn (2017-2023):

In Taylor Swift’s longest relationship to date, the couple did their best to keep their relationship out of the public eye. First photographed in Nashville in 2017, enjoying coffee on a balcony together, Swift dated the actor for six years before reports emerged in April 2023 of their breakup. Alwyn is present in many of Swift’s songs, even beyond his collaboration on her pandemic albums, Folklore and Evermore, under the name “William Bowery”. Some fans believe “…Ready For It?” is about Alwyn (although others believe it could be about Harry Styles), as well as “Gorgeous” and “Dress.” The couple even faced engagement and wedding rumors in 2019 after Swift’s Lover album alluded to marriage, leaving the rumors neither confirmed nor denied. Following their 2023 split, sources reported that the relationship had simply run its course and ended amicably, although Swift’s breakup track, “You’re Losing Me,” implied Alwyn didn’t want to marry her.

Matty Healy (2023):

Following her six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn, Swift quickly moved on with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy in May 2023. It was reported that the pair possibly dated very briefly in 2014 and reunited after her Alwyn split. Still, the couple didn’t last long after a series of controversies involving Healy, including problematic comments he had made about Swift in the past. By June 2023, it seemed the couple was over, and it appeared to be messy. Swift’s 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department, is considered to be about her breakups with Alwyn and Healy, although it is hard to know for certain who each song is about since both relationships ended in 2023.