Taylor Swift is a storyteller through and through, and nowhere does one see that more clearly than in her music videos. From the heartbroken teen tales of her “Teardrop” days to the magical folktales she weaves in her Evermore era, here are some of the most memorable videos from her decades-long career.
“Teardrops On My Guitar” (2007)
The video that introduced the world to Taylor Swift, a 16-year-old who had a knack for translating every girl’s main character fantasies into her music and visuals.
“Our Song” (2007)
For her third single, Swift went full American Beauty with this very girl-next-door visual featuring an actual slammin’ screen door.
“Love Story” (2008)
Let it be known Taylor Swift did Bridgerton first!
“You Belong With Me” (2009)
Now a relic of its time, “You Belong With Me” contains the same sweet nostalgia as reading your old, embarrassing journal entries.
“Mean” (2011)
Joey King stars in this campy visual that also finds Taylor Swift slaying the banjo.
“I Knew You Were Trouble” (2012)
In extreme widescreen, Taylor Swift debuted an edgy new look and lived out our fantasy (and angsty) emo timeline.
“Blank Space” (2014)
A peak in Taylor Swift’s video catalog, “Blank Space” proved that the star is at her sharpest and best when she is in on the joke.
“Bad Blood” (2015)
Taylor’s girl squad makes its debut here in this Kendrick Lamar-featuring video that continuously feels like something from an alternate timeline.
“Look What You Made Me Do” (2017)
Released a year after the Kimye scandal, “Look What You Made Me Do” found Taylor fully accepting her role as pop music’s villain. Years later, she did make some points.
“Delicate” (2018)
What Taylor Swift would do if she was invisible: the music video. Years later, I can’t still decide if her dancing is relatable or cringe.
“You Need To Calm Down” (2019)
Stoking controversy upon release, “You Need to Calm Down” was still, undeniably, a Cultural Moment.
“Lover” (2019)
The pop star dreams up a dollhouse fantasy in this romantic visual that feels like an idealist’s version of a Taylor Swift video.
“Cardigan” (2020)
Nearly 15 years later and “Cardigan,” with its lush, fairy-tale vibe, still feels distinctly like something “Teardrops”-era Taylor would’ve made.
“Willow” (2020)
With “Willow,” Swift fully steps into her shoes as an expert storyteller giving us the wholesome escapism we need.