So, I got thinking the other day, trying to actually pin down which Taylor Swift album is my absolute favorite. It sounds simple, right? But man, it’s tougher than you’d think. She’s got so many, and they hit different notes, literally and figuratively.
My first step was just trying to listen through everything again. I figured I’d go in order, starting way back with her debut. Put on the headphones, kicked back, and just let it play. It was fun, definitely a trip down memory lane, hearing those early country tunes.
But then I hit a snag. As I moved through the albums – Fearless, Speak Now, Red – I realized each one was tied to different times in my own life. It wasn’t just about the music anymore, it was about the memories, the feelings from back then. 1989 came on, and suddenly I was remembering a specific summer, you know? It got complicated.
Trying to Get Serious About It
Okay, needed a better plan. I couldn’t just float along on nostalgia. I decided to make a shortlist. Which albums do I actually return to the most? Not just for memories, but for the songs themselves, the lyrics, the whole package.
My list started to take shape. It looked something like this:
- Red (Taylor’s Version): The sheer variety on this one is wild. Happy, sad, angry, confused – it’s all there. And the Vault tracks just added more depth.
- 1989: This was peak pop Taylor for me. So many anthems, so slickly produced. Just makes you want to dance.
- folklore: This one came out of nowhere during a weird time for everyone. Totally different sound, more like storytelling. Really beautiful, quiet vibes.
- Midnights: Her latest (at the time of really thinking this through) felt like a mix of older synth-pop sounds with that introspective songwriting. It grew on me fast.
So, I had my contenders. What next? I basically put these few on heavy rotation for a couple of days. Driving, doing chores, just chilling. I wanted to see which one felt the most… well, me, right now.
The re-recordings, the (Taylor’s Versions), were interesting. They didn’t really change my core feelings about the originals, but hearing them again, slightly more mature, definitely added something. Especially with Red, hearing those extra songs felt like getting the full picture finally.
Making the Call
After all that listening and thinking, I kept coming back to one. It was tough, really tough, because I genuinely love something about all of them. But the one that just clicks with where I am right now, the one whose stories and sounds feel the most resonant day-to-day?
It’s gotta be folklore.
Yeah, maybe a surprise pick for some. It’s not the big pop one, or the country-turned-pop one. But there’s something about the songwriting, the atmosphere, the way it tells stories about other people… it just works for me on a different level these days. It feels like a warm blanket, sometimes a sad one, but always comforting. It’s the one I reach for when I just want to listen.
Of course, ask me again in six months, and maybe it’ll be different! That’s the fun part. But for now, after going through the whole process, folklore is sitting at the top for me. It just feels right.
