Here Is Every Taylor Swift Album Cover, Ranked

12/30/2025

From her self-titled debut to 'The Life of a Showgirl,' here's our ranking of every Taylor Swift album cover.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Beth Garrabrant

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 with countless awards – including the only artist to win the album of the year at the Grammys four times.

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 – not the merit of the music itself. 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.

17. ‘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.
16. ‘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.
15. ‘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.
14. ‘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.
13. ‘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.
12. ‘Lover’ (2019)