"Out of the Woods"

In a stunning acoustic performance of this song, Swift explained that she wrote it about a relationship where "the number one feeling [she] felt in the whole relationship was anxiety." [5] It's a beautiful and complex story, where the good parts are so good, but you can feel her nervousness in every repeated "Are we out of the woods yet?" This song is pretty great, but then again, what Swift and Jack Antonoff [6] collaboration isn't?

"Ours"

"Ours" is one of the most wholesome songs ever written. How can you listen to "Don't you worry your pretty little mind/People throw rocks at things that shine" and NOT instantly feel better? This song is pure love and happiness, and everyone should listen to it at least once a day, as I do.

"Long Live"

Longtime fans know how special this song is. She dedicated this nostalgia-filled anthem to her fans when she released it in 2010. "Long Live" evokes a full spectrum of emotions in just five minutes. It's emotional and uplifting, and it will forever be a fan favourite. During her Reputation stadium tour, Swift performed the song nearly a decade after its release [7], telling the crowd, "This is a song that, for me, is always gonna be about you [8]."

"Treacherous"

This is one of Swift's most poetic songs. You know when you meet someone who you know is bad for you, but it's just so alluring and you can't say no? That's what this song is. She softly sings, "This slope is treacherous/And I, I, I like it," in a way that feels both romantic and nerve-racking, leaving you wanting more.

"Shake It Off"

"Shake It Off" is, without a doubt, one of the most fun songs released in the last hundred years. It's so catchy, you can't help but sing along. It is the *only* song that can get me to dance in public, and for that alone it deserves all the awards. It just makes you feel good. It is a masterpiece, and you can't convince me otherwise.

"Fifteen"

"Fifteen" is one of those songs that can instantly take you back to a certain time in your life. I'll never forget how excited I was to play this while getting ready for my first day of high school, even if I did go on to ignore all of the advice she gave. (Spoiler alert — she was right about everything!) Though Swift was still a teenager herself when she wrote the song, it was like she became the whole world's big sister, warning us of the pitfalls of being too naive and the importance of holding on to our best friends.

"Style"

This song is such a classic. It never goes out of style, one might say. From the red lips and short skirts to the late-night driving with mystery boys, "Style" covers all the classic Swift bases. This song is so catchy and perfectly crafted, it will be stuck in your head for days (and you won't be mad about it).

"New Year's Day"

"New Year's Day" stands out in Swift's broad collection of love songs. More grown-up and realistic, it's about loving someone through hard times and how even the most unexciting things feel exciting when you're with the right person. It's soft and simple, but lines like "Please don't ever become a stranger/Whose laugh I could recognise anywhere" will stick with you forever.

"Clean"

This song, cowritten and produced by Imogen Heap, feels like a fresh start. A clean slate, if you will. It's about how whenever you go through trying times, whether that's a breakup or something else entirely, there's eventually a moment of release where you feel OK to move on. I've listened to this song on some of my darkest days, and it never fails to make me feel just a little more healed. "Clean" is as relatable as it is beautiful, a gentle reminder that when you feel overwhelmed with emotion, you are strong enough to get through it.

"State of Grace (Acoustic Version)"

Of course, the regular version of this song is equally perfect, but I happen to be partial to "State of Grace" acoustic. This song is so soft and magical, it transports you to a world where you're curled up in a blanket on a chilly Fall day sipping a warm latte and everything is just right.

"Getaway Car"

This song is one of the most creative rebound stories in history. Nowhere else can you find a whirlwind romance, high-speed chases, AND a Charles Dickens allusion seamlessly packed into one song. She sets the scene with black ties and white lies, "In shades of grey and candlelight," and it only gets better from there. "Getaway Car" is sexy, honest, and entertaining as hell.

"Holy Ground"

"Holy Ground" breaks the mold of emotional, nostalgic songs. Instead of looking back at a happy time in your life and lamenting the time that's passed, this song is about appreciating that time for what it was with no regret. Every Fall, I think about the first time I heard this song in my kitchen making cookies with my older sister and her friend. We couldn't get over how much we loved this song, and we still talk about that night. With killer lyrics and upbeat music, "Holy Ground" makes you want to remember all the good things that have ever happened to you and have a three-minute dance party.

"Call It What You Want"

If this song is any indication, Swift is truly doing better than she ever was [9]. "Call It What You Want" embodies a kind of contentment that can only come from hitting rock bottom and coming back stronger, with someone there to love you through it all. If you are ever feeling down and want a big hug from someone you love, just listen to this song, because it has the same effect.

"Enchanted"

"Enchanted" is that fuzzy feeling you get when you meet someone new and immediately get a huge crush on them, but in song form. Its slow buildup feels like when you're holding back a big smile trying to play it cool, and then you finally get home and can let it all out and tell your friends everything.

"New Romantics"

Another contender for Most Fun Song of the Century, "New Romantics" sounds like happiness and feels like freedom. The essence of the whole song is captured in the line "We are too busy dancing/To get knocked off our feet." This song is the epitome of feeling young, unbothered, and ready to take on the world.

"Dear John"

Oh boy, this one's a doozy. Nearly seven minutes long, "Dear John" is full of some of the most emotional lyrics Swift has ever written. The way she spits out lines like "You are an expert at sorry/And keeping lines blurry/Never impressed by me acing your tests" with such fervour makes you feel like you should apologise to her for something even if you've never met her. It's a sad story with an explosive ending guaranteed to give you chills every time you hear it.

"Delicate"

"Delicate" is one of the most romantic songs on Swift's last album, Reputation. It's about how in the midst of all of the highly publicized drama in her life [10], she was able to find someone who saw through that and loves her for who she is. She showed that, like everybody else, she gets nervous and has a hard time playing it cool around her crush. The song manages to be repetitive without ever becoming annoying, and her soft vocals sound like she's whispering a secret straight from her diary.

"Blank Space"

Ever a fan of dramatic one-liners, Swift did not hold back in this song. Mocking the image that many people have of her, Swift's character in "Blank Space" is dangerously charming and downright psychotic. Truly a nightmare dressed like a daydream! Her catchy lines paired with an '80s-style synth-pop sound make this song unforgettable. The day 1989 came out, I told my mom I couldn't go to school because I was sick (I wasn't), and I sat in my room playing "Blank Space" on repeat all day. "Blank Space" is fun and funny, definitely deserving of a spot in the top three.

"All Too Well"

I can't remember the last time my friends and I took a road trip without scream-singing this song at some point, and yes, perhaps I have spent too much time looking for evidence of The Scarf's current whereabouts [11]. This longtime fan favourite is an emotional roller coaster. "All Too Well" chronicles a doomed relationship from the late-night kitchen dances in the beginning to the casually cruel phone calls in the end. Swift beautifully illustrates what it's like to feel like you lost part of yourself in someone else: "Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it/I'd like to be my old self again, but I'm still trying to find it." It's a mix of sadness, anger, and confusion that leaves you feeling exhausted but also wanting to put it on repeat because it's so damn good.

"Last Kiss"

"All Too Well" stans, hear me out: "Last Kiss" deserves an argument for the No. 1 spot. This whole song is raw, poignant, and beautiful — all six minutes and seven seconds of it. From every heartbreaking lyric to the way her breath shakes between words, Swift makes your heart ache right along with hers. (Please seek help if it doesn't.) Even the simplest lines, like "You told me you loved me/so why did you go away?," feel haunting, and her attention to detail makes it all the more tragic. (Fans have dubbed July 9 "Last Kiss Day" [12] and even stay up to post screenshots at 1:58 a.m. to celebrate.) "Last Kiss" is an impeccably written story about losing someone you love and the overwhelming sadness and powerlessness that follow.

This may be a controversial take, but someone had to say it! As I eloquently explained to my sister during the difficult making of this list: "I think I came to the conclusion that, yes, the bridge of 'All Too Well' is one of the greatest things ever written, but 'Last Kiss' has more lines that make me feel like that. 'Last Kiss' constantly makes me feel like I'm getting punched in the heart, whereas most of 'All Too Well' is the buildup to the one part that punches my heart. You know?"

So, there you have it. "Last Kiss" is absolutely perfect and reigns supreme as Swift's best song of all time.