It’s impossible to deny Taylor Swift’s impact on music. With hundreds of songs and dozens of hits, she’s a master singer-songwriter (and was officially named Billboard’s Woman of the Decade in 2019).
But a music career isn’t only about music — it’s about the visual execution too. And though the age-old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” is generally true, an album cover can play a big role in making it memorable. For Swift, a handful of her biggest albums feature some of the most memorable art. When 1989 was released in 2014, for example, everyone from Swifties to casual listeners attempted their re-creations of the iconic half-face Polaroid cover. And that album went on to win album of the year at the Grammys.
At the same time, not all hit covers are hit albums, and vice versa. So Billboard decided to rank each of the pop star’s covers since her debut in 2006.
Now, let’s be clear: This list is only taking album artwork into account. If you’re looking for how the albums stand against each other musically and lyrically, you could vote in our “best Taylor Swift album” poll instead. We’re simply looking at covers: filters, styling, framing and how the creative represents the album as a whole. And, yes, this list is completely subjective, so it’s OK to disagree. No hard feelings.
Including both her re-recorded Taylor’s Versions and original recordings (but not deluxe or limited editions), as well as that oft-forgotten 2007 Christmas record, see how we rank each of Swift’s album covers, from worst to best, below.
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16. ‘Taylor Swift’ (2006)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Swift had a real opportunity to introduce herself as the youthful and charismatic singer-songwriter she was for the cover of her self-titled debut album. But with an oversaturated background and dramatic makeup that ages the 16-year-old into her twenties, we’re fine to leave this one in 2006.
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15. ‘Fearless’ (2008)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Don’t get us wrong, Fearless’ cover had potential. We can see this concept as a Dolly Parton or Shania Twain comeback album, but for Swift’s sophomore breakthrough, the art feels too mature and retouched.
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14. ‘The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection’ (2007)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The cover of a young Taylor’s Christmas album is nothing special, but it’s not the worst thing we’ve seen. The gemstones on her face are a nice touch to capture her youth, but that guitar hug is a little corny.
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13. ‘Evermore’ (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo We can appreciate the continuation of Folklore’s rustic theme for Swift’s second album of 2020. With her back towards the camera — this time facing the woods instead of in it — the Evermore cover just isn’t as memorable as its sister.
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12. ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ (2023)
We definitely see the vision for the re-record of Swift’s Grammy-winning 2015 album. It’s a different take on the iconic 1989 Polaroid picture, where she dons the same signature bright red lip from the original cover but this time, atop a big toothy smile. Her hair flows in the wind alongside a colony of seagulls (which move from her sweatshirt to the sky for Taylor’s Version). This is her first re-recording with the album title on the cover, and we think it would’ve been stronger without.
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11. ‘Lover’ (2019)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Pictured amid cotton-candy clouds, Swift is almost godlike as she looks at the world below on the cover of Lover. From the now-iconic sparkly heart around her eye to the blue dip dye job on her hair, she channels the carefree vibe that many of the album’s songs convey. The aesthetic is a pastel lover’s dream (and the era has a trio of vibrant music videos to match), but it feels a bit more trendy than timeless.
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10. ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ (2021)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Swifties can agree that Red is a fall album, and Swift’s Taylor’s Version cover absolutely screams fall. Sitting reflective in an old-school convertible feels a lot like the album’s signature song, “All Too Well.” The warm filter and bold red lip are definitely callbacks to the original album’s cover, but we wish the comparisons were a bit more clear.
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9. ‘Speak Now’ (2010)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo On the cover of Speak Now, Swift twirls front and center in an elegant purple dress that defined that era. The focus is strictly on Swift and we wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, she did write the entire album by herself at just 19.
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8. ‘Midnights’ (2022)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Putting the tracklist on the cover was a bold move for Midnights. But everything from flickering lighter flame to the glittery eyeshadow to the intentional blurriness make the perfect visuals for the album Swift describes as “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.”
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7. ‘Red’ (2012)
Image Credit: Sarah Barlow / Lowfield The cover of Red may be simple, but a decade later, it remains one of Swift’s most memorable. Not only did it mark the beginning of her signature red lip, but its warm tones helped cement it an album that’s worth revisiting every fall for years to come.
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6. ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ (2024)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Her most mature cover yet. The art for The Tortured Poets Department is simple yet impactful, featuring a black & white photo of Swift laying in bed, clutching her body while the photo’s framing just cuts off her eyes. Her pose seems to say a lot about what the album will be: a vulnerable look at the feelings that engulf her.
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5. ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ (2021)
Image Credit: Beth Garrabrant Swift took an OK cover and made it great for her version of Fearless, the first album she re-recorded to take full control of her music. Unlike Red (Taylor’s Version), the homages to the original art are clear. In contrast to the 2008 version, she looks forward instead of back — perhaps hinting at the many re-records to come.
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4. ‘Folklore’ (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Her most indie album to date, Folklore didn’t need the elaborate visuals many of her former albums had. Standing reflective in a moody forest, Swift’s goal was simple: to invite us into the dreamworld we all longed to be in at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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3. ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ (2023)
Image Credit: Beth Garrabrant Taylor is no longer 19 and “too young to be messed with” on the cover of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Like Fearless (Taylor’s Version), the cover gets a fresh update for the re-recorded edition that celebrates the original. She still dons a flowy purple dress and sports the iconic blonde beach waves of her Nashville days — but instead of turning backwards, the pop star is looking ahead, trading her bright white backdrop for a sophisticated grey.
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2. ‘1989’ (2014)
Image Credit: Sarah Barlow / Lowfield Simply put, the 1989 cover is iconic. Even half-headless, we can still make out the pop star thanks to that signature red lip. Also, did this era kickstart the 2010s Polaroid revival? Probably!
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1. ‘Reputation’ (2017)
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The cover of Reputation works exactly as intended. After being the subject of much media scrutiny (and not to mention the hordes of snake emojis that flooded her Instagram comments), Swift is taking hold of her narrative. In repeatedly writing out her name in her own headlines, she completes her transformation from America’s sweetheart to… whatever the hell she wants to be.