Taylor Swift Story Behind Every Track, Album and Era

You call yourself a Swiftie, Taylor Swift’s biggest fan. Many do, just like my wife, Kathleen. So, when I presented this book to her she was skeptical. Many people have tried to cash in on the popularity of Taylor Swift, with half-baked attempts to sell books. However, “Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs” by Annie Zaleski does not fall into that category and is truly amazing.

If you’re a Super Swiftie, the “Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs” is the one book you need, and when it comes to Tay, the very particular Kathleen concurs.

Author Annie Zaleski is an award-winning music journalist and author based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, the Guardian, Time, and the Los Angeles Times, and she has written books on artists including Lady Gaga, Pink, and Duran Duran.

When I was offered the opportunity to speak with Annie, I didn't hesitate. Check out the interview to hear which artist she says is the only person who can compare to what Taylor has accomplished.

Annie said, "What I tried to do is to go album by album, and obviously, I think Taylor very much used her albums in different eras, so I kind of viewed each chapter as sort of a distinct era to kind of write about. I did the writing and the researching kind of all at the same time. The nice thing is I could listen to the album while looking up interviews from her and doing research."

This Taylor Swift book is the first, and only complete look at the stories and songcraft behind the entire discography of the voice of a generation. 

It ranges from her humble beginnings as a teenage country singer to her record-breaking Eras Tour. Taylor’s career is incomparable both in her mastery over multiple genres and the pure scale of her fan base and success. She weaves effortlessly through country, rock, pop, indie, and folk music, and has created a style of her own.

I asked Annie about Taylor's Easter eggs she said, "It's almost a full-time job keeping up with her Easter eggs. At the Grammys before she released Tortured Poets Department she did a peace sign, and everyone was 'Oh, that's nice it's a peace sign' and she was hinting that it was a double record. It makes the fandom more fun that you're kind of hunting for clues about things or her career or upcoming releases."

The book gives you the full story behind every single song Taylor Swift has ever released.

Zaleski examines eleven albums, more than 250 songs, hidden gems, cover versions, vault tracks and more. This really is the definitive guide to Taylor's incredible songbook and a celebration of one of music's greatest-ever talents. It ranges from her self-titled debut to “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Annie Zaleski is an award-winning music writer and leaves no stone unturned as she explores the inspiration, production and legacy of pop's greatest back catalogue, delving into every era to tell the story of Taylor's entire career through her music.

Madonna released her self-titled debut album on July 27, 1983. From that day forth, the pop world was never the same, and that's not hyperbole.

Madonna introduced a new energy, style and sound into the culture with her debut. It was both liberating and unapologetically feminine, with an undercurrent of toughness. Just looking at the cover of the album makes you realize this woman was a unique force all her own.

It's remarkable looking back at how good this album is knowing what was to come from Madonna. Just think of the different genre elements she would explore and the many reinventions over the decades she would deliver. Thinking about it all is dizzying.

Madonna has sold 10 million copies worldwide, with five million selling in the United States. It's considered one of the best debut albums of all time, and it's easy to see why. Madonna only had eight tracks, but five of those tracks were released as singles. Trying to rank those singles is incredibly difficult, because they're all truly iconic songs. Alas, we're going to put on our jelly bracelets, sunglasses and lace gloves and give it a go. Here are the five singles from Madonna ranked.

Once again, ranking these singles is incredibly difficult, but something had to be fifth. By no means are we saying "Holiday" is less-than; we just think the other four singles are better. Of course, "Holiday" is where people really started to pay attention. It was Madonna's first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at no. 16.

The reign of Madonna and her hold on pop culture really took off with "Lucky Star." The song is undeniable, of course,  but when paired with the music video showing off Madonna's then-signature look, it's a sensation. Economists should really research the sales of items tied to "the Madonna look" from 1983, because that would be fascinating.

The world's first glimpse of Madge herself, "Everybody" is an anthemic call to the dancefloor that you can feel circulating in your body. It's the song that helped Madonna get signed to Sire Records, which provided the launching pad for her to be the icon we know today. The sheer history felt in this song is almost overwhelming.

Forty years later, and this bop is still on fire! It's got everything: An infectious beat, delicious lust and a shamelessness that remains aspirational. What a damn queen!

This mid-tempo ballad still rules, even though it's about a relationship falling apart. It's basically the musical equivalent of Nicole Kidman saying, "Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this." There's that intangible painful feeling that manages to also be so incredibly comforting, and it's been helping countless people get through breakups for four decades. It's those reasons why we think "Borderline" is the best single from Madonna.