By Meredith Rein
Sequoya High School
Since her 2023 kickoff of The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has been more relevant than ever before. Whether one is a fan or an excessively close-minded individual, it just doesn’t seem like they can shut up about the Grammy-winning powerhouse that is Taylor Swift. Those who do criticize Swift’s success usually denounce her songwriting ability. This is simply projection. Swift is the most meaningful, talented and intentional songwriter that the music industry has ever seen. Her unique ability is not unseen when considering the reaction of both the hardcore “Swifties” and those who attempt to tear her down.
In every single song that is in her discography, as well as the ones she has collaborated on, Swift “pours her heart out to a stranger,” elevating the standard of innovative, inclusive, and articulate songwriting.
Of the 12 albums that construct Swift’s discography, listeners are able to hear the transformational and experimental choices Swift has made throughout her career, which spans over 20 years. Some notable songs that mark her shift of lyricism over the course of each “era” are “Picture to Burn” from her first album released in 2006, and “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” from her second most recent album released in early 2024. The lyric “I really, really hate that stupid old pickup truck you never let me drive,” while still technically relatable to a specific audience, does not show Swift’s capability of using the English language. However, the series of lyrics “could it be enough to just float in your orbit? can we watch our phantoms like watching wild horses? cooler in theory, but not if you force it to be” provide a wide variety of context for her listeners to relate to whatever situation they believe fits. Not even considering the incredibly eloquent manner in which the lyrics above were written, there is no possible way that someone can say that those lyrics, derived from incredibly different songs, sound anything alike or have the ability to predict that the entireties of each song sound similar to each other.
As a dedicated Taylor Swift fan, I have experienced the emotional traction that her lyrics carry. Though maybe a little para-social, no matter what emotion I am feeling, I can scroll through 274 songs, knowing I can find one that will be able to bring me comfort and clarity. While I will likely never turn the lessons I have learned from Taylor Swift’s lyricism into lyrics of my own, Swift has greatly impacted the music industry, inspiring many contemporary artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams, and Maisie Peters, as well as rising Gen-Z stars Conan Gray and Olivia Rodrigo. The recently rising artists above, three of which performed as opening acts on The Eras Tour, have attributed much of their inspiration in their respective careers to their experiences much like the one I described.
As I grow up, I realize the positive impression that simply listening to Taylor Swift’s music has made on me. When I write, I find myself working in vocabulary words that I have gathered from different songs. I see the similar impact on my peers who believe in the magic of Taylor Swift, as they exuberate joy and intelligence. I see the opposite in those who undermine her influence, as they introduce negative aura into any room.
In my favorite song of all time, “Fresh Out The Slammer,” which resides on Swift’s 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift sings “fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to.” My first call will always be to Taylor Swift, and I know I am not alone in that belief.
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