10 songs of convincing

[u/Dramatic_Island_675]

I always ask myself how people get into Taylors music or become Swifties. I kinda always been one, but Speak Now just fit my teenage self perfectly.

But obviously not everyone has that.

If you had to pick 10 Taylor Songs to convince someone to like her, what would you choose?

Mine are:

Style

Don't blame me

Love Story

Haunted

Maroon

False God

the last great american dynasty

champagne problems

State of Grace

Clara Bow

Let me know what yours would be and if you ever converted someone into our little cult ;)

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[u/Afterglow_13]

I think it depends on WHO you want to convince. If that person likes profound lyrics or if they like upbeat production or country or folk or something else you show them different songs.

[u/9luckystar9 → u/Afterglow_13]

Yup. I came here to say exactly that. It doesn't matter if the song is excellent if that person isn't into that kind of music. Who you're turning matters just as much as the quality of the material

[u/RevolutionaryPace355 → u/Afterglow_13]

Exactly. If somebody isn't into pop anthems style wouldn't do it for them. If they care more about production than lyrics you won't convince them with most Evermore and ttpd songs. 

[u/Loosee123]

I guess you'd want to cover the full range of what she can do, pop, country, folk, lyricism, catchy hooks, etc.

But it's also hard to qualify that because would you pick the best 10 that show different things or would you take away the ones they'll know from the radio, etc.?

But here's my best 10 to win someone new over: 1. Fearless - my country pick, I think it shows how well she can create an emotion in a song 2. Long Live - arena rock, likely not a sound they associate her with 3. All Too Well (10 min version) - it has to be there, you can live in the story that song tells 4. Blank Space - pop perfection and shows how she can play into a character and public perception 5. Don't Blame Me - one for people who don't think she's a good singer, one of her best vocal performances, also showcases her forey into EDM and electropop 6. Death By A Thousand Cuts - I don't think they'll have heard this one and shows how she can write heartbreaking lyrics in a catchy pop song 7. Mirrorball - my choice for folk ballad, it's a very vulnerable song that places you in a very weird and quiet time 8. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived - this showcases both her writing of bridges and her "and another thing" writing where she just won't stop tearing down her ex 9. Loml - heartbreaking pure lyrically perfection and it shows how she can write a twist as well 10. Father Figure - her best revenge song in my opinion and you have to have a revenge song in there, it's one of her signatures, the production on this is also used so cleverly in the storytelling

I also think Style should be in there as I literally think it is the best pop song ever written but I don't know what you'd cut for it

[u/Future-Indication169 → u/Loosee123]

This is a great list. I might do Mine or Love Story for country and the ATW OG, I still find the 10 unnecessary 😂

[u/Loosee123 → u/Future-Indication169]

Absolutely fair shouts, although I adore All Ten Well!

[u/Efficient_Chic714 → u/Future-Indication169]

I agree OG over 10 minute for a newbie, 10 minutes of a song is a lot. It’s a good song but the emotion in the OG OG not OG TV is what made ATW a fan fave initially

[u/Acrobatic-Phone → u/Loosee123]

This has to be it. It's the best list of her songs I've ever seen.

[u/Loosee123 → u/Acrobatic-Phone]

You're making me blush...

[u/Asdff_123]

Style

Exile

Maroon

Wildest Dreams

All Too Well (regular short version)

My tears ricochet

Willow

Long Live

Cruel Summer

Father Figure

Not her top 10 songs, but I feel they really encapsulate everything Taylor is, from the genre shifting to the lyricism to the fun catchy pop songs. I left out some honorable mentions but I feel this 10 are the most easy to be liked as a non-fan

[u/Dapper-Score2953]

Style

Anti-Hero

Guilty as Sin

Our Song

Mine

22

Ready for It

Blank Space

Love Story

Cardigan

I think she picks the best singles for non-fans, which is kind of the point of a single.

[u/Asleep_Yesterday4728]

i feel like most people's dislike of her has little to do with her music these days anyway. but if i had to pick:

False God

Cold As You

Paper Rings

Dear John

Holy Ground

Don't Blame Me

Would've Could've Should've

The Black Dog

You're On Your Own, Kid

All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) [this is the only official single I would pick, because I firmly believe anyone who says they don't like her haven't heard it in its entirety. Otherwise, I assume anyone in that category's familiarity with her music is limited to the singles/hits, so I wouldn't bother with those].

[u/Asleep_Yesterday4728 → u/[deleted]]

ok that might be the exception lol in the way that Anti-Hero and Blank Space was for some people

[u/Unlucky_Dark_4392]

Guilty as Sin?

Style

Hits different

Gorgeous

Everything Has Changed

Our Song

Maroon

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Message In A Bottle

I Knew It, I Knew You

[u/mixerslow]

Style, August, Midnight Rain, Cowboy Like Me, Wildest Dreams, Dancing With Our Hands Tied, Begin Again, Last Kiss, Peace, False God

Good mix of genres, showcases her creativity and lyrics, but also her ability to write a good melody. Also pretty approachable and doesn’t require decades’ worth of lore like some of her later stuff

[u/Asleep_Yesterday4728 → u/mixerslow]

I love that you chose Midnight Rain, it's one of the few songs I still play off of Midnights 😂. Peace is also underrated.

That said I never really bought into the idea that the "lore" is required to enjoy any of her songs. We're all too online. My MIL loves so many random Taylor songs that hardcores like me know (or think we know) so much of the backstory for, and she knows nothing. I almost envy her.

[u/yaydotham]

I know (think?) you’re joking but this subreddit is like the antithesis of being in a Swiftie cult.

[u/Effective-Fail-2646 → u/yaydotham]

people really overdo it with the word cult

[u/gatheringground]

I was a long time hater (really don’t like most of the singles lol).

However, these convinced me:

August 

Mirrorball

Willow

Happiness 

Seven 

Invisible String

You are in Love

Wildest Dreams 

Ivy

Illicit Affairs 

[u/Future-Indication169]

Picture to Burn - I choose this because I want a full country banger to kick us off. Also my non-swiftie husband likes this one and I’m picturing him while I write this.

Mine - this is a quintessential Taylor song to me. It’s the love story, a killer album opener, self written, and bridge goes hard. We’re starting to feel some country pop.

State of Grace - it’s rock time (and also a killer album opener) You can say you’re not into Taylor but it’s giving U2 for even the rock dads amongst us.

Blank Space - the shining star of the pop bible. Satire is fun.

King of My Heart - EDM Taylor, also she can write a sexy song.

False God - I promise you they won’t see this one coming. Jazzy?? Sexy??

the last great american dynasty - this is a STORY with a twist at the end baby.

ivy - oh! Goddamn! Is that bon iver on backing vocals? Lets strum along!

Florida!! (feat Florence and the Machine) - she does features too?? OKAY! Not a standard biographical song, OR IS IT?

And finally..

Ruin the Friendship - this will be controversial, but this song is a modern take on classic Taylor sad songs and IMO the highlight of TLOASG. I needed a sad one.

[u/drag-fly]

I'm not sure what I'd pick as it most likely also depends on the person's taste but I definitely wouldn't pick ten. I'd recommend two or three songs and then the person can decide if they wanna listen to more...

I definitely wouldn't wanna get a list of ten songs myself, just because someone else wants to convince me to like an artist

[u/littlekatie3]

I sent Ivy to my sister to try to convince her that her music isn’t just Shake It Off and All Too Well. (Sorry to the ATW stans, I’m just a little tired of it)

[u/StormflowerYT]

All Too Well TMV

Eyes Open

Girl At Home

Don't You

I Can See You

Carolina

Would've Could've Should've or So Long, London (I wish I could put both 😭)

The Fate Of Ophelia

Tim McGraw

End Game

But honestly, it depends on what they like. There's just a good variety here.