1 hour ago, Arrows said:

How would you rank her discography based on how much you liked it on first listen?

It's interesting that to me, there's almost no correlation between my first opinion and where it later ends up.

Ranked first impressions of the albums I heard on release day:

1. TTPD

2. Lover

   - Barrier -

3. folklore

4. Showgirl

5. reputation

6. evermore

7. Midnights

Later ranking:

1. folklore

2. evermore

3. TTPD

4. Midnights

   - Barrier -

5. Lover

6. reputation

   - Barrier -

7. Showgirl

For me probably something like this:

First listen

1) 1989 - infectious

2) Speak Now - such a crowd pleaser after fearless

3) Red - loved it, but a few songs took me a second

4) fearless - this was my first introduction to Taylor so took me a little longer

5) Reputation - some songs click immediately and others are clunky.

______

Last

10) TTPD

11) Folklore

12) Lover

Now my ranking is:

1) Red

2) folklore

3) 1989

4) fearless

5) TTPD

______________

10) TLOAS

11) Reputation

12) Lover - I can't work with ME!

is she performing tonight

2 hours ago, Arrows said:

How would you rank her discography based on how much you liked it on first listen?

It's interesting that to me, there's almost no correlation between my first opinion and where it later ends up.

Ranked first impressions of the albums I heard on release day:

1. TTPD

2. Lover

   - Barrier -

3. folklore

4. Showgirl

5. reputation

6. evermore

7. Midnights

Later ranking:

1. folklore

2. evermore

3. TTPD

4. Midnights

   - Barrier -

5. Lover

6. reputation

   - Barrier -

7. Showgirl

1. Reputation / Fearless / Speak Now = instant classic

2. Evermore = future classic

3. TTPD = Overwhelmed but I see the vision

4. Showgirl, 1989= Fun

5. Folklore, Debut = moody but I'm feeling the vibe

6. Midnights = MID

7. Red = Too many fillers

   -barrier-

8. Loser

2 hours ago, Arrows said:

How would you rank her discography based on how much you liked it on first listen?

It's interesting that to me, there's almost no correlation between my first opinion and where it later ends up.

Ranked first impressions of the albums I heard on release day:

1. TTPD

2. Lover

   - Barrier -

3. folklore

4. Showgirl

5. reputation

6. evermore

7. Midnights

Later ranking:

1. folklore

2. evermore

3. TTPD

4. Midnights

   - Barrier -

5. Lover

6. reputation

   - Barrier -

7. Showgirl

As far as I remember:

1. 1989 (it helped a lot introducing me to pop music and pop culture)

2. reputation (I remember gagging about TIWWCHNT and the overall production choices)

3. Midnights (all songs clicked instantly except Sweet Nothing and Mastermind)

4. Speak Now (I really loved how she leaned more into rock sounds)

5. RED (Like the second Taylor album I listened to and it left a great first impression)

6. TTPD (It was exciting seeing her do the wordy writing over a more pop production)

7. folklore (just magical)

8. evermore (some tracks needed to grow on me but when they clicked they CLICKED)

9. TLOAS ( I was bopping )

10. Lover (honestly there were a few strange production choices on songs like Paper Rings or Cornelia Street that threw me off first)

11. The other country albums

Ranking now:

1. evermore

2. 1989

3. Midnights

4. Speak Now

5. folklore

6. TTPD

7. RED

8. reputation

9. Lover

10. TLOAS

11. Fearless

12. Debut

Edited June 23Jun 23 by Nico Robin

Trying to convince myself that Lover is a good album

Baby Taylor & Austin

Ah! First listen rank is a fun idea… I'll omit Debut and Fearless as I only started following Taylor from late into the Fearless era… (I consumed both of those records in a fairly fragmented way so hardly seems fair to compare them…)

As a sidebar - my actual album ranking is completely different to this.

1. 1989 - I was blown away by how good it was… epically given how concerned I was with Shake It Off being the lead. Just hook after hook after hook. Style's chorus basically sent me into space.

2. Reputation - It was such a mixed bag from me loving some tracks… to hating others… but following this era was such a fun experience and getting to listen to the whole thing really felt like a treat. Whilst I don't listen to it much these days I Did Something Bad absolutely destroyed me on first listen.

3. TTPD - I was basically grinning for the entire standard edition… with the exception of Florida I really enjoyed every track… however, The Anthology (at the time) felt like extra homework - I'd see the light eventually but it took months.

4. Midnights - My sheer excitement and obsession with the greatness of the first half of the album (especially Anti-Hero) is why I'll put Midnights here. But I really remember finding the 3am tracks a blur.

5. Speak Now - I remember enjoying and connecting with the vast majority of the album but I was only a casual fan at the time so there wasn't this "excitement" for a day 1 listen. Still enjoyed!

6. Evermore - I remember enjoying the first half of the record (I really loved Gold Rush) but so much of the second half just didn't click with me… but I learned from Folklore - I knew this album was going to grow on me… I just needed time.

7. Red - I know, it seems insane looking back now but so much of Red just didn't land with me when I first heard it… I found it far less catchy than Speak Now and that was my main issue with it at the time. All Too Well literally took like 6 years to click and now it's one of my all time favourites from her.

8. Folklore - One word came to mind for my entire first listening existence… "boring". Whew, how wrong I was… and thank God I learned the error of my ways quickly because Folklore is such a perfect album. I recall liking My Tears Ricochet and August but nothing else really stood out for me… about 3 days later everything changed - total 180 experience.

9. Lover - I'm happy we had Cruel Summer (even though I lowkey thought "this is just Getaway Car with a really good facelift"). Otherwise I remember disliking a lot of the album tracks… I remember wrapping up my first listen and thinking "well that sure wasn't worth the wait". It just felt like the musical equivalent of a shoulder shrug.

10. Showgirl - Me and my boyfriend hated the album so much we cancelled tickets to go see that release party "film" in the cinema… I basically stayed expressionless and depressed from Track 4 onwards.

Edited June 24Jun 24 by Peroxide

my ranking of first reactions:

1. Fearless - first era I remember loving how fresh it was after playing the debut album all the time in my alarm clock/radio/cd player, it was such a fun set of songs for young flames2embers.

2. Red - country pop was right place right time, I remember really loving holy ground, state of grace, treacherous, and the 2/4/6/8 tracks as singles. Begin again was good too.

3. Speak Now - I felt like I was being fed a novel, I loved better than revenge, sparks fly, long live, and story of us the most. I also imagined all of the bridesmaids as people wearing giant cupcakes for whatever reason when she sang "like a pastry".

4. Folklore - Covid pandemic, I was sleeping in the basement while home from college and we had roofers come and replace the roof shingles and they were really loud. I didn't stay up to midnight for the album release because I was trying really hard to get back on a good sleep schedule. I played that album all day, I laid in bed for 3 hours on repeat before I went to get breakfast and sit on the deck, then I played it as I went for a run, then I played it as I sat on the couch all day just mesmerized. I couldn't remember illicit affairs, or epiphany for the first couple of days, and was FLOORED by the 1 and cardigan.

5. Evermore - INSTANT LOVE AFFAIR. I had gotten COVID during my finals for my first semester of grad school, and was quarantining and had finished my last final, and got to spend my final 3 days in isolation listening to her best album. I was obsessed with Dorothea, Willow, and gold rush.

6. Midnights - from the hook of "Meet me at midnight" through question…?, I was obsessed. THEN the 3 am! And I didn't like glitch at first, but loved everything else. Now I like glitch too, sweet nothings is the lowest on the totem pole.

7. 1989 - I had liked shake it off, but I wasn't super sure it was going to hit the same way that red had. First listen my favorite song was I know places 💀. 2 months later that flopped and IKP was the lowest on the ranking. Took a couple of weeks to grow on me.

8. TTPD - I broke this into two albums, made sure to learn the standard first, thought the songs were good, but would have been underwhelmed if that was the album we had gotten. Was in LOVE with the Albatross, imgonnagetyouback, the black dog, the prophecy, I look in peoples windows, and Cassandra when I got to the anthology. Slowly worked my way into loving the standard album, but was an instant lover of the anthology.

9. rep - I was a warrior for LWYMMD, but wasn't super excited about it in an album form. I liked delicate and DWOHT, and when I heard New Year's Day I breathed a sigh of relief. The lyricist was still there. King of my heart hit me on the Tuesday after and I broke into the most ridiculous "dance like no one is watching" dance and decided the album was a worthy addition to the cannon.

10. Lover - I was super into ME! When it came out, I liked it was cheery, then was GLAAD that she wanted to say gay rights with YNTCD, and again was relieved at hearing the archer. Kinda didn't like the album because it felt like a mix of debut, and pop, and something else that felt disjointed. Tricked myself into loving it and exclusively listened to it the whole time I was studying abroad.

11. TLOAS - I was extremely underwhelmed when I first listened to the album. I think I liked ET the best, was lukewarm on TFOO, liked the teacup line in Opalite, and thought the rest were annoying. Now I'm a Honey and Wood stan.

The Rodrigologist having his Camila racist posts moment right now.... I knew that Singaporean demon was evil deep down

We're finally free from him y'all

It's so sad how our fave retired in 2024 and was never seen again.

14 hours ago, Arrows said:

How would you rank her discography based on how much you liked it on first listen?

It's interesting that to me, there's almost no correlation between my first opinion and where it later ends up.

Ranked first impressions of the albums I heard on release day:

1. TTPD

2. Lover

   - Barrier -

3. folklore

4. Showgirl

5. reputation

6. evermore

7. Midnights

Later ranking:

1. folklore

2. evermore

3. TTPD

4. Midnights

   - Barrier -

5. Lover

6. reputation

   - Barrier -

7. Showgirl

Based on first listen:

1. TTPD - The absolute most immediate. From first listen, for months I exclusively had it on repeat and listened to it most days ever day after. I bought The Albatross physical variant, then after listening to the bonus tracks, I bought The Bolter variant (since it was by far my favorite) and finally once The Anthology was released, got that too.

2. folklore - Nothing quite captures the feeling of listening to folklore for the first time with how absolutely hot it was outside combined with the lockdown and isolation. I remember listening to it for the first time in my car, driving to a very remote farm-like area in the state and just absorbing it.

3. evermore - I remember liking it the most out of any album released up until then on my first listen, but I'm placing it below folklore because of the feeling folklore came with that wasn't present with evermore. It was my favorite record immediately.

4. Red - I walked to buy this record in the stores the moment the store opened.

5. reputation - I remember it leaking before a big drive to visit some friends and I had it on repeat the entire drive to and from and most of my alone time.

6. 1989 - This album came out when I visited New York for the first time, so it became somewhat of a soundtrack when I would take the train to visit a friend there or explore on my own, or with my partner at the time.

7. Speak Now - This was my first record release as a fan. I remember really liking a portion of it, but the rest of it I can't remember.

8. Midnights - I can't remember my exact opinions on the album on my first listen, but something tells me I enjoyed it more than I enjoyed the ones below it on this ranking. I unfortunately was not active on any forums on its release cycle to be able to pull up a post to remember.

9. The Life of a Showgirl - On first listen, I was kinda hooked on Opalite and I thought the first 4 tracks overall were great, but unlike Lover I did make an effort to try listening to the other tracks more to very wavering opinions that were inconsistent from one listen to another.

10. Fearless - I remember I didn't like most of it on my initial listen. I think I liked the first 4 tracks and Tell Me Why and was it.

11. Lover - I really did not like this album at all. I found it a huge downgrade following rep. I remember listening to it once and immediately going back to reputation.

12. Taylor Swift - This is at the bottom because I honestly can't remember my initial impression on the album. I remember I listened to it after Speak Now was released, though.

Now:

1. TTPD - Will always be first. I don't think she will ever top it in my personal ranking.

2. evermore - Was my favorite until TTPD came out.

3. Midnights - My go to straight forward Taylor pop album.

4. Speak Now - Accolades upon accolades. I have nothing bad to say about it.

5. reputation - Midnights kind of replaced it as my go to pop album.

6. Red - The pop singles (except for We Are Never Ever) bring it down the most for me. I do not like them.

7. 1989 - Nostalgia for the time it was released places it as high as it does. Without it, I'd probably rank it at the bottom of her at least straight forward pop albums.

8. folklore - I would just rather listen to evermore.

9. Lover - This only recently moved up in my latest re-ranking of her discography where I rated

10. The Life of a Showgirl - Still have very flippant opinions on this album, but if I shut my brain off and don't look at it with the lens I tend to when I listen to music, I do find it enjoyable and fun.

11. Fearless - Was above Lover in my previous ranking of her discography, but I dunno, just not really an album I have much of a desire to go to apart from a few songs.

12. Taylor Swift - Until she releases Taylor's Version, I won't revisit this. I just can't stand listening to her old vocals after getting so used to her matured voice.

Edited June 24Jun 24 by Cole

imgonnagetyouback is the best song of all time if you really think about it

It's time we gatekeep her from new and returning "fans". Like where were you when we were fending off her 5th cancellation?

14 hours ago, dobrevv said:

is she performing tonight

She performed Love Story

6 minutes ago, Calvin said:

She performed Love Story

Wait, did we know this was happening beforehand? Where is she?

11 minutes ago, Flames2Embers said:

Wait, did we know this was happening beforehand? Where is she?

Tight end University, Nashville. Her performance was very much expected. She looks & sounds so great

Edited June 24Jun 24 by Calvin

53 minutes ago, mael said:

It's time we gatekeep her from new and returning "fans". Like where were you when we were fending off her 5th cancellation?

We should start purging Eldest Daughter haters first, only true Swifties remain

6 hours ago, Sasori. said:

The Bolter is the best song of all time if you really think about it

Totally agree with you!!!

6 hours ago, mael said:

It's time we gatekeep her from new and returning "fans". Like where were you when we were fending off her 5th cancellation?

PLZ tell this to Ticketmaster !!!

My toxic trait is I hope the current hate train continues because I want to be able to get tickets to her next tour without fighting so many people especially the casual stans

But knowing how fickle and OBSESSED these haters are, the demand is prob still there

First listen personal ranking:

1. Red

2. 1989

3. Folklore

4. Evermore

5. Midnights

6. The tortured poets department (sorry i didn't like the album by the first listen but now is on my top 3)

7. Reputation

8. Lover

9. The life of a showgirli

   I was too young to remember other albums (like i was only 8 when red came out and it was my first time i listened to a new album😭)

   Ranking now:

   1. Red

   2. Evermore

   3. The tortued poets department

   4. Folklore

   5. 1989

   6. Midnights

   7. Speak Now

   8. Reputation

   9. Fearless

   10. Lover

   11. Debut

   12. The life of a showgirl

The thought of being days away from the wedding of the century.

I'm not gonna do a ranking, but initial thoughts, well yes.

From Red onwards cause that's when I became a stan.

Red: listened to the leak whilst I was riding my Ripstick around the shed at 14 . I remember ATW and TLT GAGGING me…

1989: I remember thinking it was amazing, especially New Romantics

Rep: was obsessed

Lover: underwhelmed

Folklore: loved

Evermore: overwhelmed, scattered. I think cause it was so close to Folklore

Midnights: Underwhelmed tbh

TTPD: overwhelmed and beyond gagged. Best weekend ever

Showgirl: listened to it on a drive, returned home thinking it was her best pop album until the disastrous comments online made me rethink my taste I still love ha!!!

rankings based on first listen:

1 - Red: I mean… I just fell in love with her now and then and it was how I became a stan. It will always have a special place in my heart.

2 - Midnights: It was just glorious listening to that raw chicken after being so hyped for so long. The 3am tracks just added to the experience on release day. Unforgettable era for me.

3 - 1989: I knew it would be a pop bible from first listen alone and it went and solidified her as one of the biggest artists in the world. The era with the best music videos too.

4 - folklore: When I finished my first listen of this album, I couldn’t even fathom half of what I just had heard. I was too overwhelmed because I was listening to it at 5am after a 10h shift

5 - TTPD: I remember asking for a day off for the release of this album. I listened to the raw chicken this time as well, but getting a second album to listen to on the release day made it worth. Just a glorious album. The whiplash of realizing it was mostly about Ratty and not Joe was one for the books.

6 - reputation: I listened to this one on the train on the way to Lisbon and I was too hyped and had to remain seated all the way. I got to my friend’s house and we were listening to it all night.

7 - evermore: I think my judgement was too clouded when I listened to it for the first time, I even remember finding it boring straight away. When I fathomed the album, it became my second favorite of her entire career.

8 - Lover: This was a rollercoaster ride The way I kept on switching from loving it to hating it in between songs. It was a classic for my 2019 Barcelona trip though. Me and my friends were spamming it. It would’ve been the first era I saw Taylor live too which give it a slight edge over Showgirl.

9 - TLOAS: I didn’t think the album was bad straight away but I remember finishing it knowing for sure it was the weakest of her career so far.

Ranking based on first listen (don't judge me):

1. 1989

2. Speak Now

3. Reputation

4. Evermore

5. Midnights

6. Folklore

7. Lover

8. Red

9. TLOAS

10. TTPD