by Jackie King

Humor Editor

Although 2020 has been the year of the unexpected, Taylor Swift has swooped in to save the year more than once. With the release of her documentary Miss Americana, the surprise release of her new album folklore, confirmation of re-recorded albums, and more, her fan base is happier than ever. Late August to November has brought the anniversaries of some of Taylor’s most iconic albums, so here is a recap of some of the most memorable (and maybe some unknown) aspects of her discography. Sorry in advance to you hardcore Swifties because I will only be talking about her earlier albums; Red and later will not be included. 🙁

The 13th anniversary of her debut self-titled album passed on Oct. 24, and Swift posted a few side by side photos of her early performances compared to the sold out arenas we are all so used to. Her first ever single, Tim McGraw, debuted when she was just 16 years old and went on to win two Country Music Awards, quite a success for a high school sophomore’s first single. Her success did not end there though, as when the full album released, it sold over 2.5 million copies. Even though this was her first real album, it has some definite fan favorites, including Picture to Burn and Teardrops on My Guitar, songs for every relationship mood. 

Swift’s second album, Fearless, had its 12th anniversary on Nov. 12 allowing her fans, and the whole world really, to reminisce about what I’d call her most famous love songs. I mean, when you say Taylor Swift, the majority of people either think of You Belong With Me or Love Story, both songs coming from this album. Love Story, which Swift wrote about a boy her parents did not approve of, sold over 18 million copies worldwide, establishing itself as one of the best-selling singles of all time. This album also has my personal favorite lyrics about the rain, a well-known Swift staple. 

Although Fearless definitely has some personal favorites, nothing she could produce will ever top her album Speak Now, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on Oct. 25. Seriously, there are too many unforgettable songs on this album. It includes piano ballads, rock bangers, and everything in between. Back to December and Sparks Fly could not be more different, but it just WORKS. The versatility it has is immaculate and, in my opinion, cannot be topped lyrically OR jamability wise.  

No matter what your favorite album is or which anniversary you enjoyed the most, we can all look forward to Swift rerecording all of her earlier albums, as her contract with Big Machine Records just ended on Nov. 1! 

(Sources: Wikipedia, Song Facts, Billboard)