From Pennsylvania farm girl to international music phenomenon. She needs no introduction anymore.
Of course, We all know Taylor Swift! She is one of the biggest pop stars of the current generation.
She’s ruling the music industry since the late-2000s. And she has effectively opened the gates in a new era of music style.
Yet a common question keeps arising – what exactly is Taylor Swift’s music genre?
In this article, We’ll start by discussing her music genre and how it has evolved over time. Next, we’ll discuss the her musical evolution, album by album. Finally, we’ll also answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Swift!
What Is Taylor Swift’s Music Genre?
Taylor Swift began her musical journey with roots in country-pop.
Her early work tied together catchy guitar rhythms and relatable storytelling. Quickly winning over a huge fan base. Songs like “Our Song” from her self-titled first album exemplify this.
Her musical journey then took a turn as her melodies started resonating more with pop. This transformation was apparent in her third album, “Speak Now”. Still, she kept small traces of country in her style.
Swift didn’t limit herself to country and pop, though. After releasing “Red”, she started exploring a variety of sounds.
She touched upon rock, synthpop, and hip-hop. Sometimes, there is even some R&B sprinkled in.
And her songs often reflect her personal experiences and relationships. She has a way of turning her life stories into emotional lyrics that fans everywhere can relate to.
Being no stranger to musical instruments, Swift often plays the guitar or piano in her songs. And she remains at the heart of every song she crafts, as the writer.
Taylor Swift has been an inspiration to numerous artists who came after her. However, her style didn’t appear out of nowhere either. Among many others, Taylor has stated that Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, and Madonna have influenced her music genre.
Country-pop, Pop, Rock
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What Is Taylor Swift’s Musical Evolution Throughout Her Albums?
| Album | Genre | Most Popular Songs |
| Taylor Swift (2006) | Country-Pop, Folk | Our Song, Tim McGraw |
| Fearless (2008) | Country-Pop | Love Story, Mr. Perfectly Fine |
| Speak Now (2010) | Pop-Rock | Mean, Enchanted |
| Red (2012) | Pop, Dance-Pop | Red, I Knew You Were Trouble |
| 1989 (2014) | Pop, Synth-pop | Blank Space, Shake It Off |
| Reputation (2017) | Electropop, R&B | Delicate, Look What You Made Me Do |
| Lover (2019) | Dream-Pop, Synth-pop | Lover, You Need To Calm Down |
| Folklore (2020) | Indie, Alt-rock | cardigan, exile |
| Evermore (2020) | Alt-rock, Folk-pop | willow, champagne problems |
| Midnights (2022) | Synth-pop | Anti-Hero, Lavender Haze |
Taylor Swift (2006)
Released back in 2006, this introduced Taylor Swift as a fresh, young talent in country-pop music.
Infused majorly with country and folk elements, the album also had subtle hints of pop.
Most popular tracks:
- Our Song
- Tim McGraw
Fearless (2008)
“Fearless,” is Swift’s second studio album and hit the shelves in 2008.
It kept the country-pop genre at its core and the album showed her refined songwriting skills.
“Fearless” painted a vivid picture of Swift’s musings on teenage love and life.
Most popular tracks:
- Love Story
- Mr. Perfectly Fine
Speak Now (2010)
“Speak Now,” released in 2010, marked a significant evolution in Swift’s music career.
It is a unique blend of pop-rock, country, and power-pop genres.
And this third album by Swift is nothing short of a lyrical masterpiece.
Most popular tracks:
- Mean
- Enchanted
Red (2012)
“Red” Swift’s fourth studio album released in 2012, signaled a turning point.
While pop stood as the prominent genre, “Red” didn’t abandon its country roots. And it experimented with dance-pop, electronic and pop-rock.
As seen in the popular track, “I Knew You Were Trouble”.
Most popular tracks:
- Red
- I Knew You Were Trouble
1989 (2014)
“1989,” Swift’s fifth studio album in from 2014, marked another era in her musical evolution.
Swift stepped completely into pop while bringing in elements of synth-pop. Also moving away from her country roots.
The album shone with chart-topping hit “Shake It Off”.
Most popular tracks:
- Blank Space
- Shake It Off
Reputation (2017)
In 2017, Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album, “Reputation”, came out.
Here she dived more into the darker tones of electropop, R&B, EDM, and hip-hop.
It showed a new side to Swift through its unique instrumentals and intense lyrics.
Most popular tracks:
- Delicate
- Look What You Made Me Do
Lover (2019)
“Lover,” released in 2019, stands out due to its extensive range of genres.
From dream-pop and synth-pop to pop-rock, and even touches of country, punk, and funk.
Exploring themes of love, the album’s tracks express romantic undertones.
Most popular tracks:
- Lover
- You Need To Calm Down
folklore (2020)
“Folklore,” Swift’s eighth studio album dropped unexpectedly in 2020.
The album embraced elements of indie, alt-rock, chamber pop, and electro-folk.
Hear this new style in the album’s first single, “Cardigan”.
Most popular tracks:
- cardigan
- exile
evermore (2020)
“Evermore,” Swift’s ninth studio album, served as a pleasant surprise for fans in 2020.
Referred to as a “sister record” to “Folklore,” “Evermore” shares a similar musical aesthetic.
Heavy influence of alternative rock, folk-pop, and chamber rock.
Most popular tracks:
- willow
- champagne problems
Midnights (2022)
“Midnights,” Swift’s most recent album in 2022, signals a return to her synth-pop roots.
It merges this genre with lyrics that sing restless nights from different periods in her life.
“Midnights” demonstrates how Swift continues to make hits like no one else
Most popular tracks:
- Anti-Hero
- Lavender Haze
What Are Frequently Asked Questions About Taylor Swift?
What is Taylor Swift’s most popular album?
Taylor Swift’s most popular album is “1989” released in 2014.
The album was a commercial success worldwide and topped the charts in many countries. This included the U.S. Billboard 200.
It includes hit singles like “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood”.
It earned Swift even a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
What is Taylor Swift’s most popular song?
According to streaming data, one of Taylor Swift’s most popular songs is “Blank Space”.
Part of her “1989” album, the song is a massive hit.
Conclusion
We’ve taken a deep dive into Taylor Swift’s music.
It started with her early days in country-pop, progressing to pop, and then branching out into various genres.
Each of her albums reflected her ability to exploit diverse musical styles.
As seen in her latest release “Midnights,” Swift continues to surprise.
We are waiting in anticipation to see what she explores next in her musical saga.