Taylor Swift's Most Underrated Songs: Ranked By Data Analytics

    After some number crunching, which song took the crown?

    Andrew Firriolo
    by Andrew Firriolo

    BuzzFeed Staff

    I'm Andrew, a senior data analyst for BuzzFeed, and a Swiftie! (You might remember me from last year, when I ranked the most similar and most different Taylor's Versions.) Over the years, I've noticed the power that Taylor's catalog holds — every song she's released has dedicated superfans.

    We know "All Too Well," "Blank Space," and "Cruel Summer" are fan favorites, but which songs are the most underrated? After searching through numerous Reddit threads and opinion pieces, I became curious about answering the question using data analytics.

    This analysis focuses on songs from the deluxe editions of Taylor's 10 studio albums (no vault tracks, voice memos, piano/acoustic/remixes, or stand-alone singles were included). 

    Disclaimer: I removed "Soon You'll Get Better" from the analysis, as I felt a song so personal to Taylor couldn't be considered under- or overrated. 

    Now let's get to the data part!

    Taylor looking confused with math equations overlaid on her
    BBC One

    The methodology (feel free to skip if you don't like math!):

    I defined "underrated" as a combination of streaming performance and critical acclaim (ideally, a song with lower streaming performance and high critical acclaim). To rank the songs, I wrote a formula with three parts:

    1) For every song, I found the percent difference between its lifetime Spotify streams and the median streams of its album. For albums with a Taylor's Version (Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989), I combined streams from the original song and its Taylor's Version. This measures how the song is streamed relative to its own album. A positive "own album" score means the song was streamed below the median, so the lower streams contribute to it being underrated.

    2) For every song, I found the percent difference between its lifetime Spotify streams and the median streams, including neighboring albums. For example, the set of neighboring albums for Red are Speak Now, Red, and1989. This reveals songs that may be more popular on their own album but not highly streamed relative to surrounding albums. No Taylor's Version streams were used in this section. A positive "neighboring albums" score means the song was streamed below the median, contributing to it being underrated.

    3) For every song, I assigned a critical acclaim score. I used an average of six rankings of Taylor's discography from media publications. This reflects how the songs stand against one another in the eyes of Swifties. Songs on the upper half of the rankings got a more positive score (high acclaim), the middle of the ranking got a score of 0 (neutral acclaim), and songs on the lower half got a more negative score (low acclaim). 

    A positive "critical acclaim" score means the song was ranked in the upper half, which boosts underratedness for songs with high praise and lowers it for songs with lower critical opinion. For context, "All Too Well" scored the highest critical acclaim with this data. Thank you to Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed, NME, Vulture, Paste, and TheCoolist! 

    Spotify streaming data was pulled as of 2/2/2024.

    After adding each part of the formula together, I was able to rank from most to least underrated.

    The Top 25 Most Underrated Taylor Swift Songs

    Honorable mentions that got very close to making the list include "Epiphany," "Sweet Nothing," "I Almost Do," "The Lucky One," and "You Are in Love."

    The graphs show the distribution of how each part of the formula (streaming performance relative to its own album, its neighboring albums, and critical acclaim) contributed to the songs' underrated scores.

    25: "Closure," Evermore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 42 + 57 - 26 = 73

    • Streamed 42% below the median Evermore track

    • Streamed 57% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 26% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Don't treat me like some situation that needs to be handled"

    This song took some time to grow on me (it was also ranked lower by critics, as seen in the negative critical acclaim score). I was initially thrown by the use of the drumbeat with the piano. It isn't a go-to track when I listen to Evermore, but a lot of Swifties really like this one!

    24: "Superman," Speak Now

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 74 + 63 - 64 = 73

    • Streamed 74% below the median Speak Now track

    • Streamed 63% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 64% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I always forget to tell you I love you / I loved you from the very first day"

    Am I the only one who loves this song? The critical acclaim score is negative, but I disagree. "Superman" has been a favorite of mine ever since Speak Now was released, and it's often discounted. The chorus is so catchy, and the melody of the song always makes me smile. Definitely underrated.

    23: "Cornelia Street," Lover

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 9 + 13 + 51 = 73

    • Streamed 9% below the median Lover track

    • Streamed 13% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 51% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I get mystified by how this city screams your name"

    This is my personal second-favorite Lover track, so I completely agree that this song does not get enough appreciation. The introduction grips you with those ambient instruments, and the melody of the chorus bounces between octaves, showing off Taylor's vocal range. 

    22: "Cowboy Like Me," Evermore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 13 + 35 + 26 = 74

    • Streamed 13% below the median Evermore track

    • Streamed 35% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 26% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I've got some tricks up my sleeve / Takes one to know one"

    "Cowboy Like Me" is another Evermore track that took time to grow on me. I do think the melody of the pre-chorus and the harmonies in the chorus are really pretty. This song gets its biggest underrated boost from a comparison of its lifetime streams with songs from neighboring albums (Folklore and Midnights). 

    21: "I Know Places," 1989

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 42 + 44 - 9 = 77

    • Streamed 42% below the median 1989 track

    • Streamed 44% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 9% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "They are the hunters, we are the foxes / And we run"

    The vocals on this song are impressive and get glossed over in comparison with more popular 1989 songs. (Spotify data shows it is streamed over 40% below the median 1989 track.) This epic track deserves more love!

    20: "Dress," Reputation

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 29 + 10 + 38 = 77

    • Streamed 29% below the median Reputation track

    • Streamed 10% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 38% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I don't want you like a best friend"

    I'm not shocked to see the data showing this song to be underrated — it was named the best song off Reputation by Billboard, back in 2017. It is streamed 29% below the median Reputation track but is a definite fan favorite.

    19: "It's Time to Go," Evermore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 50 + 62 - 33 = 79

    • Streamed 50% below the median Evermore track

    • Streamed 62% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 33% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Sometimes giving up is the strong thing / Sometimes to run is the brave thing"

    I think this delicate ballad, one of two deluxe tracks off Evermore, gets overshadowed by the incredible "Right Where You Left Me." The storytelling aspect of "It's Time to Go" reminds me of tracks like "Mine" and "Mary's Song," where time passes throughout the lyrics. 

    This song is highly under-streamed compared with the rest of Evermore and neighboring albums, but it is in the lower half of the song rankings, bringing its underrated score down.

    18: "The Other Side of the Door," Fearless

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score: 34 + 79 - 33 = 80

    • Streamed 34% below the median Fearless track

    • Streamed 79% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 33% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "With your face and the beautiful eyes / And the conversation with the little white lies"

    I was happy to see the Fearless Platinum Edition popping in here. "The Other Side of the Door" has one of the best outros in Taylor's catalog. I personally think it was a toss-up between it and "The Way I Loved You" for making the standard edition of the album. This is not the last you'll see of the Platinum Edition on this list!

    17: "Come In With the Rain," Fearless

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  56 + 76 - 51 = 81

    • Streamed 56% below the median Fearless track

    • Streamed 76% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 51% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I know you by heart / And you don't even know where I start"

    This understated song has one of my favorite melodies of Taylor's verses ("I could go back, to every laugh...") and is most certainly underrated. Who doesn't love that fiddle solo in the bridge?

    16: "Ivy," Evermore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  -2 + 24 + 66 = 88

    • Streamed 2% above the median Evermore track

    • Streamed 24% below the median track when neighboring albums are included

    • Ranked 66% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Oh, I can't / Stop you putting roots in my dreamland"

    I love the bouncy melody of the verses — it gives me "Willow" vibes (but even better, in my opinion!). This one gets a big boost from critical opinion; it is slightly under-streamed compared with its neighboring albums but is actually in the upper half of streams for Evermore songs.

    15: "Hoax," Folklore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  48 + 43 + 1 = 92

    • Streamed 48% below the median Folklore track

    • Streamed 43% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 1% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Don't want no other shade of blue / But you / No other sadness in the world would do"

    I don't listen to this one often, but when I do, I'm reminded of how much I like it. The opening piano riff that repeats throughout is haunting, and I like how Taylor layers lower and higher octaves on top of each other to add texture.

    While the critical acclaim score is just over 0 (it's ranked slightly above the middle of the lists), "Hoax" makes up for its underratedness in streaming metrics.

    14: "Jump Then Fall," Fearless

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  37 + 63 - 7 = 93

    • Streamed 37% below the median Fearless track

    • Streamed 63% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 7% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I realize your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard"

    "Jump Then Fall" makes me so happy! With the bouncy guitar instrumental and upbeat vibe, it is a go-to for me. More people need to appreciate the Fearless Platinum Edition bonus tracks; they are definitely hidden gems.

    13: "Treacherous," Red

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  0 + 62 + 31 = 93

    • Streamed 0% below the median Red track (it's the median!)

    • Streamed 62% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 31% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "All we are is skin and bone / Trained to get along"

    Lucky number 13! I've always thought this track was underrated — the acoustic guitar and the mix of major and minor chords are especially gorgeous. Listening to it is an emotional roller coaster, how it builds slowly to the bridge, lets loose, and then quiets down again. 

    "Treacherous" isn't that under-streamed compared with other Red songs (right at the median), but it has lower lifetime streams compared with the median of songs including neighboring albums (Speak Now and 1989).

    12: "Superstar," Fearless

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  61 + 80 - 43 = 98

    • Streamed 61% below the median Fearless track

    • Streamed 80% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 43% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "You played in bars, you play guitar / I'm invisible and everyone knows who you are"

    The data shows "Superstar" as the most underrated song of the Fearless Platinum Edition. While it is lower in the rankings of Taylor's tracks, I think it gets some unnecessary skips. It has its moments (love the bridge!) and is a sweet, acoustic ballad.

    11: "Marjorie," Evermore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  5 + 28 + 65 = 98

    • Streamed 5% below the median Evermore track

    • Streamed 28% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 65% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "All your closets of backlogged dreams / And how you left them all to me"

    Since it's my personal favorite Evermore track, I was happy to see this song on the Eras Tour setlist. It was one of the most tear-jerking moments of the show, and the use of her grandmother's vocals at the end is so heartfelt. The bridge of this song is absolutely stunning (like listening to a poem). 

    Now for the top 10!

    10: "Clean," 1989

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  20 + 18 + 63 = 101

    • Streamed 20% below the median 1989 track

    • Streamed 18% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 63% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Rain came pouring down / When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe"

    Taylor Swift + Imogen Heap = magic! I didn't truly appreciate this song until it was my surprise song at the Eras Tour, and I heard Taylor sing it with just the piano and the crowd. I think Taylor's Version takes this one to the next level, with a more gentle subtlety than the original.

    9: "Hits Different," Midnights

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  44 + 40 + 17 = 101

    • Streamed 44% below the median Midnights track

    • Streamed 40% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 17% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Rip the Band-Aid off and skip town like an asshole outlaw"

    "Hits Different" certainly hits different (haha)! In all seriousness, this song is fun to listen to and has a great melody. While it is one of the least streamed songs off Midnights, it has a fan following, especially with lyrics like "skip town like an asshole outlaw." 

    8: "It's Nice to Have a Friend," Lover

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  63 + 64 - 26 = 101

    • Streamed 63% below the median Lover track

    • Streamed 64% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 26% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Church bells ring, carry me home / Rice on the ground looks like snow"

    "It's Nice to Have a Friend" is one of the most divisive songs in Taylor's discography — you either love it or skip it. I appreciate the lyrics and the use of horns in the instrumental, but I find the melody a tad too repetitive. 

    Though on the lower half of the song rankings, it is highly under-streamed compared with the rest of Lover and neighboring works (Reputation and Folklore), which boosts its underrated score. 

    7: "The Moment I Knew," Red

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  38 + 78 - 8 = 108

    • Streamed 38% below the median Red track

    • Streamed 78% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 8% below the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "And it was like slow motion / Standing there in my party dress"

    "The Moment I Knew" is so underrated! The cellos in the beginning just let you know this is going to be a sad song. 

    Though the chorus is up there with Taylor's most heartbreaking lyrics, the synths and bass line add a level of epicness to the song, making it easy to play on repeat.

    6: "State of Grace," Red

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  -12 + 58 + 63 = 109

    • Streamed 12% above the median Red track

    • Streamed 58% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 63% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "We learn to live with the pain / Mosaic broken hearts"

    This song is the perfect album opener, and I always kick myself for missing out on the Red tour, where Taylor also used it to open the setlist. Maybe it gets some skips for its lengthier runtime (almost five minutes), but there is no denying it is a classic and underrated Taylor track.

    5: "Peace," Folklore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  42 + 36 + 35 = 113

    • Streamed 42% below the median Folklore track

    • Streamed 36% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 35% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "But I'm a fire, and I'll keep your brittle heart warm / If your cascade ocean wave blues come"

    What makes "Peace" stand out is its song structure. It's like listening to a stream of consciousness — for example, when the melody switches halfway through the second verse. We've become so used to the standard verse-chorus-verse-chorus that it's refreshing to hear something different, also showcasing Taylor's musicality. 

    4: "The Lakes," Folklore

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  59 + 54 + 8 = 121

    • Streamed 59% below the median Folklore track

    • Streamed 54% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 8% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "I'm not cut out for all these cynical clones / These hunters with cellphones"

    The orchestral vibe of this song is so pretty, and the lyrics made me pull out my dictionary a few times ("calamitous love"). The imagery also allows you to paint a picture in your head while listening. The amount of artistry in 3 minutes and 31 seconds definitely makes this track underrated.

    3: "Bigger Than the Whole Sky," Midnights

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  41 + 37 + 47 = 125

    • Streamed 41% below the median Midnights track

    • Streamed 37% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 47% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "You were more than just a short time"

    "Bigger Than the Whole Sky" is one of the most beautiful songs Taylor has written. The melody highlights her range, as she hits some of her lowest notes in the final chorus, and the lyrics hit like a gut punch. The 3am tracks are some of her strongest work, and I personally like them just as much as (if not more) than many of the actual Midnights tracks.

    2: "New Year's Day," Reputation

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  56 + 45 + 31 = 132

    • Streamed 56% below the median Reputation track

    • Streamed 45% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 31% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Hold on to the memories / They will hold on to you"

    Reputation is a unique album because it encompasses an entire spectrum of emotions, from the intensity of "I Did Something Bad" and "...Ready for It?" to ballads like "Call It What You Want" and "New Year's Day."

    My theory as to why "New Year's Day" isn't streamed as much as other Rep tracks is that the title references a specific holiday. 

    I personally think it is a "year-round" kind of song. The piano is unique and gives me Victorian-era vibes, and the repeating "Please don't ever become a stranger..." is a strong way to end the album.

    1: "Holy Ground," Red

    Republic Records / Tidyverse / Andrew Firriolo / BuzzFeed

    Score:  15 + 63 + 63 = 141

    • Streamed 15% below the median Red track

    • Streamed 63% below the median track when neighboring albums are included 

    • Ranked 63% above the median of the lists

    Favorite lyric: "Back to a first glance feeling on New York time / Back when you fit my poems like a perfect rhyme"

    I remember hearing the virtual screams on social media the morning after "Holy Ground" was announced as a surprise song. Though acclaimed by Swifties, its streaming performance is surprisingly low compared with songs off Red, or surrounding albums like Speak Now and 1989. "Holy Ground" is streamed 15% below Red's median and over 60% below the median including neighboring albums. 

    What are you waiting for? Looks like it's time to play "Holy Ground (Taylor's Version)" on repeat!

    So there you have it, Red fans! Using this formula, "Holy Ground" took the title of most underrated.

    Though only one method of ranking, I thought the results were promising! Interestingly, every album except Taylor Swift had a song that made the top 25.

    For more Taylor Swift data, check out my analysis of the most similar and different Taylor's Versions!

    Any music-related data questions you want me to look into? Want to share your personal choice for Taylor's most underrated song? Feel free to comment!

    For now, go show these tracks some love!