As Taylor Swift readies herself to present her culture-defining Eras tour to the Irish capital, the question of whether another concert will ever match in terms of grandeur begins to form. Pre-sold tickets for the Eras event that is to take place at the Aviva Stadium next week are already estimated at around six million in number, generating a staggering $1 billion in revenue.
The Eras tour, with six more months yet to go and expected to earn another hefty $1 billion, has been crowned the highest gross earning musical journey to date. The seismic impacts of the tour were quite literal; the British Geological Survey’s earthquake detectors picked up the foot thudding reverberations from her recent gig in Edinburgh.
Flashback to June 2006, Swift had just dipped her toe in the music industry at the age of 16 with her initial single, Tim McGraw. The track was a tribute to her high school beau’s mutual affection for the country artiste and made it to the 40th spot on the US charts. Who could’ve known at the time that this was the birth of a soon-to-be global pop sensation?
Swift showcased her versatility over the subsequent 18 years, releasing 11 albums varying from country to pop, to folk and rock, while maintaining the typical Taylor Swift charm. Post a rift with her first recording label, she followed this with four re-imagination of her older albums – aptly named Taylor’s Versions. This year, she unveiled what has been arguably dubbed her most audacious album yet, The Tortured Poets Department; a staggering 31 songs long.
How will this recent offering hold up to the rest of her work? Stay tuned as we unravel an ultimate (though not definitively final) categorization of Miss Swift’s discography. Number 11 on the chart: Taylor Swift (2006).
Taylor Swift was still at her suburban Nashville high school when she brought out her debut album, self-titled ‘Taylor Swift’. The 40-minute album was packed with tales of rebuff, love desires, and her admiration for country music icon, Tim McGraw. While her musical inspirations included The Chicks (previously known as the Dixie Chicks) and Stevie Nicks, her first album showcased her strong affiliations with the country-rock genre, with numerous fiddles and banjos in tow. Clearly demonstrating her gift for music, this initial effort holds a particular significance for her fans, known as Swifties, many of whom have followed her ever since she embarked on her musical journey. During her Eras tour, she seldom performed songs from this album, with exceptions including ‘Our Song’, ‘Tim McGraw’ and during the ‘surprise songs’ section of the concert, ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’.
Her album ‘Fearless (Taylor’s version)’ released in 2008/2021 marked a distinct progression for Swift, highlighted by the energetic hits ‘Love Story’ and ‘You Belong With Me’; the latter, a tale of an unnoticed admirer, was nominated for three Grammys in 2010. The album’s turn towards pop caused a mild stir, an objection that Swift brushed off. She asserted the crux of country music was storytelling, be it stories of rural life or high school heartbreaks, both were reflections of her life experiences. Concert goers at the Aviva can anticipate ‘Fearless’, ‘You Belong With Me’, ‘Love Story’ during her performance. Her 2010/2023 album, ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’, is also worth a mention.
While Taylor Swift’s initial two albums garnered significant attention, it was her album Speak Now that truly propelled her into the limelight. This album emerged following the infamous incident of Kanye West interrupting her 2009 VMA Awards speech and kickstarted the era Taylor Swift is widely known for; the time when she would write about her high-profile relationships, with the track ‘Dear John’ believed to centre on musician John Mayer. Swift continued her musical evolution towards her concrete pop identity with this album. The 2023 Taylor’s Version re-recording of Speak Now has a guest feature from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, whose band opened for Swift at the Aviva. Tracks fans can look forward to hearing at the Aviva include ‘Castles Crumbling’ and ‘Enchanted’.
Swift’s 2017 album, Reputation, faced mixed reviews and could be deemed as the first substantial obstacle she had encountered in her career. The popular opinion was that it consisted of a famous celebrity’s woes about their lifestyle, wrapped up in a collection of songs about heartbreak with an overriding somewhat bitter note. “The woman acclaimed for wholesome romantic themes… now shifts her focus towards the darker aspects of love: obsession, envy, desire, the loss of self-restraint,” Pitchfork noted in a review that summed up the general consensus. However, the past seven years have brought a fresh perspective on Reputation, allowing many to see past the bitterness of her feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, and appreciate it for its strikingly catchy tracks, including ‘…Ready for It?’ (devised by coveted songsmiths Max Martin and Shellback) and ‘Getaway Car’ – a collaboration with Jack Antonoff that’s deemed as a precursor to ‘Cruel Summer’ from her 2019 album, Lover. Despite it being one of her most confrontational albums, it deserves its redemption and a prime spot in the Eras set list. Attendees of the Aviva can anticipate hearing tracks like ‘…Ready for It?’, ‘Delicate’, ‘Don’t Blame Me’, and ‘Look What You Made Me Do’.
Swift’s 2020 album, Evermore, solidifies her position in the list.
Swift’s peak-lockdown second “indie” album was recorded alongside Aaron Dessner from The National. It carries an air of softness, with highlights such as the alluring ‘Gold Rush’, the smouldering ‘Marjorie’ (a tribute to her grandmother Marjorie Finlay, an opera singer), and ‘Willow’, a beautiful representation of Swift’s ‘cottage-core’ phase, reminiscent of Lady Galadriel from Lothlórien. Tracks anticipated for her performance at the Aviva include ‘Willow’, ‘Champagne Problems’, and ‘Marjorie’.
Swift’s 2012 album, ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’, marked her transition from country to mainstream pop, working with renowned producers like Max Martin, Shellback, and Dublin-born Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee. This album dramatically announced her arrival as a pop star, through iconic tracks such as ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ and the poignant ‘All Too Well’ – speculated to be about Jake Gyllenhaal – regarded as one of her best pieces with its raw, autobiographical lyrics and engaging melody. The 10-minute ‘Taylor’s Version’ recording is generally seen as the definitive version. Tracks expected at the Aviva: ’22’, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’, ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’, ‘All Too Well’.
Fans are still acclimatising to Swift’s 11th album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, clocking in at an incredible 31 tracks in its double-disc edition. It’s split into two contrasting halves, the first being minimalist pop produced by Jack Antonoff, the latter an indie medley featuring Aaron Dessner of The National. It raises questions around whether there can be an excess of a significant thing. While this debate may depend on individual opinion and attention span, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ at its finest is a masterpiece of maturity and sorrow, and serves as a blazing farewell to Swift’s ex, Matty Healy from The 1975. The Aviva can look forward to tracks like ‘But Daddy I Love Him/So High School’, ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’, ‘Down Bad’, ‘Fortnight’, ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’, and ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’.
Original Text: /”4: Midnight’s (2022)
The dreamlike reality of 3am, portrayed in the slow tempo of this masterpiece, made it one of the most significant hits of Swift’s journey. The restrained production by Jack Antonoff allows Swift’s raw lyrics on self-doubt and love disillusionment to thrive.
Anticipate the following tracks at the Aviva: Anti-Hero, Bejewelled, Karma, Lavender Haze, Mastermind, Midnight Rain, Vigilante Shit.
3: Lover (2019)
Rebounds are essential when your previous album, such as Swift’s 2017 Reputation, doesn’t meet expectations. Swift did precisely this, with the intricate ‘Lover’. It includes the eventual hit ‘Cruel Summer’, as well as the thunderous feminist anthem ‘The Man’ and the grand ‘Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince’ – the emotive ballad that kickstarts her ‘Eras’ tour performances.
Songs to watch out for at the Aviva: Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince, Cruel Summer, The Man, You Need to Calm Down, Lover.
2: Folklore (2020)
Swift’s significance as a major artist wasn’t validated by global independent music enthusiasts. Yet, she managed to win them over with her hauntingly downbeat album, Folklore, which kept us company during the unbearable lockdown period.
Tracks to look forward to at the Aviva: August, Betty, Cardigan, Illicit Affairs, My Tears Ricochet.
1: 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (2014/2023)
This was when it all fell into place: Swift’s own take on Joshua Tree, Born in the USA, Hounds of Love, and Black Album. A harmonious blend of commercial pop and introspective rock, with a dash of controversy: Bad Blood, allegedly about Katy Perry, introduced us to an unexpected celebrity feud. The extended ‘Taylor’s Version’, which includes impeccable bonus songs like ‘Now That We Don’t Talk’, surpasses the original. Swift is at her best here, delivering hits with ease.”/
At the Aviva, anticipate hearing tunes such as Bad Blood, Blank Space, Shake It Off, Style, and Wildest Dreams.