10 Taylor Swift Songs That Deserve More Love (And Why You Should Revisit Them)

Taylor Swift’s catalog is deep—like, really deep. Sure, the hits get the spotlight, but if you only know her for “Shake It Off” or “Cruel Summer,” you’re missing some of her most emotionally layered, poetic, and underrated tracks.

Here are ten songs that didn’t get the recognition they deserved, along with the reasons you should give them another listen—and maybe a permanent spot on your favorite playlist.

1. 

“Clean”(1989)

“Clean” closes out 1989 not with a bang, but a quiet, devastating acceptance. Co-written with Imogen Heap, the song is about finally moving on after heartbreak—not the dramatic kind, but the kind that creeps up when you realize you’re okay.drought was the very worst / When the flowers that we’d grown together died of thirst.”

It’s subtle, poetic, and emotionally mature. A perfect post-breakup listen when you’re finding your footing again.

2. 

“peace” (folklore)

On folklore, Taylor stripped things back—and “peace” might be the most vulnerable she’s ever sounded. It’s about loving someone deeply but knowing your life may never offer them stability.

“I never had the courage of my convictions / As long as danger is near / And it’s just around the corner, darling / ‘Cause it lives in me.”

There’s no resolution in this song. Just honesty. And that’s what makes it hit hard.

3. 

“All You Had to Do Was Stay” (1989)

If pop production could cry, this song would be sobbing. “All You Had to Do Was Stay” sounds upbeat, but it’s about someone who left and only wanted back in once it was too late.

“People like you always want back the love they pushed aside / But people like me are gone forever when you say goodbye.”

It’s the heartbreak of wasted chances wrapped in glitter and synths. A deceptively catchy gut-punch.

4. 

“The Archer” (Lover)

This one gets overlooked because Lover had bigger hits, but “The Archer” is Taylor at her most self-aware and insecure.

“I’ve been the archer, I’ve been the prey / Who could ever leave me, darling? / But who could stay?”

There’s no persona here—just raw doubt and quiet desperation. One of her most human songs.

5. 

“This Love”  (1989)

“This Love” is moody and oceanic. The lyrics are sparse, but every word feels soaked in meaning.

“This love left a permanent mark / This love is glowing in the dark.”

It’s not flashy, but it lingers—like someone you never really got over.

6. 

“Sad Beautiful Tragic”(Red)

Some songs just ache, and this is one of them. “Sad Beautiful Tragic” feels like it was written on a rainy train ride, which… it was.

“Distance, timing, breakdown, fighting / Silence, the train runs off its tracks.”

It’s the kind of heartbreak that leaves you numb rather than sobbing. And somehow, that hurts more.

7. 

“Daylight” (Lover)

“Daylight” is about finding peace after years of emotional storms. It closes Lover with hope—but not the cheesy kind.

“I once believed love would be burning red / But it’s golden, like daylight.”

This lyric alone reframes her own past work. It’s Taylor’s personal growth in one line.

8. 

“Nothing New” (feat. Phoebe Bridgers (Red: Taylor’s Version)

This one was locked in the vault until 2021—and it’s one of her most haunting tracks. With Phoebe Bridgers on vocals, it captures the fear of fading relevance and the pressure on women to stay “shiny.”

“How can a person know everything at eighteen / But nothing at twenty-two?”

It’s brutal, introspective, and almost too real.

9. 

“The Way I Loved You” (Fearless)

On the surface, it’s a catchy country-pop tune, but listen closer: this is about missing the chaos of a messy relationship even when you’ve moved on to someone “perfect.”

“He can’t see the smile I’m faking / And my heart’s not breaking / ‘Cause I’m not feeling anything at all.”

It captures that twisted truth: sometimes healthy love doesn’t feel like enough right away.

10. 

“Right Where You Left Me” (evermore deluxe edition)

Taylor goes full ghost story here. The song is about being emotionally frozen in the moment someone left you.

“I’m still at the restaurant / Still sitting in a corner I haunt / Cross-legged in the dim light.”

It’s storytelling at its sharpest—vivid, lonely, and cinematic. If you’ve ever been stuck in the past, this one cuts deep.

Final Thoughts

Taylor Swift’s underrated songs aren’t hidden—they’re just buried under the weight of massive hits. But when you dig into these lesser-known tracks, you’ll find her sharpest lines, her most honest moments, and the kind of emotional complexity that turns good songwriting into great art.

Got a favorite Taylor deep cut? Let’s hear it.