18 Best Taylor Swift Songs for Introverts

It might seem counterintuitive to associate Taylor Swift and introversion. After all, she’s performing in sold-out arenas night after night… but that doesn’t mean she’s 100% extroverted all of the time. Taylor has written about a kaleidoscope of experiences and emotions, some of which align perfectly with being introverted. In this post, I’ll share the 18 best Taylor Swift songs for introverts (in my opinion as an introvert and a long-time Swiftie).

Because of her emotive storytelling and raw vulnerability, her music can be a haven for those of us who are deeply introspective and crave deep connection. Read on to see if your favorite song made the list!

What Taylor Swift and Introverts Have In Common

Whether or not Taylor Swift identifies as introverted, she and introverts have two big things in common: seeking solitude in the face of overstimulation and overthinking.

In 2015, she had this to say to GQ (and I imagine it still rings true given the success and run-time of the Eras Tour):

“I’ve just been onstage for two hours, talking to 60,000 people about my feelings. That’s so much social stimulation. When I get home, there is not one part of me that wishes I was around other people.”

This need for solitude is likely to resonate with almost every introvert navigating an extroverted world – even if we’re experiencing it on a much smaller scale. Our daily experiences can feel overstimulating and even overwhelming, and time alone is critical to our well-being. 

And when it comes to overthinking, it turns out that Taylor wrote an entire album about it.

Midnights, released in October of 2022, is inspired by 13 sleepless nights. Each song delves into a thought, experience, or emotion that took hold and caused her to lose sleep.

As introverts, we are contemplative and maybe even prone to overthinking. Who among us hasn’t stayed up late turning something over in our minds?

18 Taylor Swift Songs Introverts Can Relate To

Music can be a source of comfort and validation, especially when the lyrics describe relatable experiences or feelings.\

As introverts, we know that introversion is more than being shy (despite what society thinks). It’s nuanced: we experience the world differently and have unique needs.

The fact that we live in a society that favors extroversion makes it more complex. This leads to a host of thoughts, mindsets, and feelings that we have to untangle, like self-doubt and insecurity.

These 18 Taylor Swift songs speak to the most vulnerable aspects of the introverted experience.

Hearing them can be a balm. Not only has someone described what we go through as introverts, but it’s strangely comforting to know that someone like Taylor could feel that way too.

Want a playlist with these songs? I’ve got you!

List of the Best Taylor Swift Songs for Introverted People

1. The Archer (album: Lover)
2. August (album: Folklore)
3. Cowboy Like Me (album: Evermore)
4. I Know Places (Taylor’s Version) (album: 1989 (Taylor’s Version))
5. It’s Nice to Have a Friend (album: Lover)
6. Snow on the Beach feat. Lana Del Rey (album: Midnights)
7. Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault) (album: 1989 (Taylor’s Version))
8. Mirrorball (album: Folklore)
9. It’s Time To Go – Bonus Track (album: Evermore (Deluxe Version))
10. The Lakes – Bonus Track (album: Folklore (Deluxe Version))
11. Sweet Nothing (album: Midnights)
12. This Is Me Trying (album: Folklore)
13. You’re On Your Own, Kid (album: Midnights)
14. Nothing New feat. Phoebe Bridgers (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault) (album: Red (Taylor’s Version))
15. Paris (album: Midnights (3am Edition))
16. You’re Losing Me (From The Vault) (Single)
17. Enchanted (Taylor’s Version) (album: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version))
18. Evermore feat. Bon Iver (album: Evermore)

Song #1: The Archer (album: Lover)

At its core, The Archer is about what happens when doubt and suspicion creep into a relationship that’s otherwise going well. The lyrics allude to being hurt in the past and the self-sabotaging behavior that stems from fearing you’ll be hurt again.

As introverts, however, I think we can strongly relate to the song’s bridge. In it, Taylor sings:

‘Cause they see right through me

They see right through me

They see right through

Can you see right through me?

They see right through

They see right through me

I see right through me

I see right through me

These lyrics speak to how easy it is for society to overlook introverts for who they truly are.

The lyrics also speak to how easy it is for introverts to overlook themselves (as a consequence of society teaching us that introversion is not ideal).

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #2: August (album: Folklore)

August is one of three songs on Folklore about a love triangle. It’s written from the perspective of the “other woman.” It speaks to the loss of a situationship and the heartbreak that comes with thinking it was something more.

As an introvert, making new connections can be challenging, and I think this song perfectly captures the heartbreak and loneliness that follows a seemingly strong connection fizzling out – be it a relationship or friendship.

The lyrics of the bridge are the most relatable, in my opinion. Here are the lyrics:

Back when we were still changin’ for the better

Wanting was enough

For me, it was enough

To live for the hope of it all

Cancel plans just in case you’d call

And say, “Meet me behind the mall”

So much for summer love and saying “us”

‘Cause you weren’t mine to lose

You weren’t mine to lose, no

When Taylor sings “To live for the hope of it all / Cancel plans just in case you’d call / And say ‘Meet me behind the mall’,” I’m transported back to my teens and twenties.

It paints such a vivid picture. I can remember what it felt like to realize that, even though I’d made someone my world, they didn’t understand me and/or necessarily reciprocate because I was just one of many friends.

As introverts, our connections are few and precious, and the loss of one can feel monumental. It can leave us reminiscing on the past, just like the protagonist in August.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #3: Cowboy Like Me (album: Evermore)

Cowboy Like Me is one of Taylor Swift’s most underrated love songs (in my humble opinion).

It’s also a song that speaks about changing yourself to please others, get your way, and achieve success.

In it, Taylor writes about two con artists who have successfully hustled and swindled wealthy men and women. Yet, when their paths cross, they fall in love and hang up their boots so to speak.

What’s most relatable is that these two characters have presented themselves in certain ways (sometimes lying) to gain favor. The lyrics go:

You’re a cowboy like me

Perched in the dark

Telling all the rich folks anything they wanna hear

Like it could be love

This is so relatable because almost every introvert has, in some way, shape, or form, pretended to be extroverted to fit in. I can only hope we all find comfort in being ourselves someday.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner

Song #4: I Know Places (album: 1989 (Taylor’s Version))

I Know Places is a song about the scrutiny that Taylor’s love life is typically under. It’s as much a warning as a plea to her partner.

She sings about what could happen if they allow the public’s opinions to creep into their relationship, and she’s almost begging for the other person to block it out with her by insisting she knows how to escape it.

Ultimately, I think it’s a song about a desperate sort of fear, but it can also be about finding solace in each other even when there’s so much external chatter.

What makes this song relatable to introverts is the emphasis on retreating to a safe space. This can be both literally and metaphorically. She sings:

Baby, I know places we won’t be found, and

They’ll be chasing their tails trying to track us down

‘Cause I, I know places we can hide

I know places

As introverts, we thrive in solitude. We benefit from intimate interactions. We tend to prefer less stimulating environments and people. Yet we still thrive on connection (albeit deeper connection) and rely on allies. Both are safe spaces in their ways.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Ryan Tedder

Song #5: It’s Nice to Have a Friend (album: Lover)

It’s Nice to Have a Friend is easily Taylor’s most unique love song despite being one of her least-streamed songs.

The lyrics are simple yet they conjure vivid images, and it sounds so beautiful but is almost haunting.

It describes a life-long relationship that transitions from friends to lovers using everyday moments. Despite seeming mundane, these moments cause major shifts in the relationship like staying out late on a summer night or working up the courage to touch hands.

The aspect of this song that’s most aligned with introversion is the depth of the relationship and the comfort that depth brings.

It’s a relationship that’s blossomed over time through consistency and mutual support.

In the song, Taylor continually sings “It’s nice to have a friend” and, as an introvert with a handful of amazing friends, that resonates. I often think how lucky I am to have a close circle of wonderful people to rely on.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Adam King Feeney, and Louis Bell

Song #6: Snow on the Beach feat. Lana Del Rey (album: Midnights)

Snow on the Beach is another of Taylor’s incredible love songs with multiple meanings or interpretations.

On the surface, the song is about making a connection that feels unlike any other. It’s so rare that it can only be compared to natural phenomena like snow falling on a beach.

While the song’s about a romantic relationship, the feelings described in the lyrics are reminiscent of those that come from forging a strong connection.

It’s exciting, and sometimes it might feel impossible to have met a kindred spirit.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

Song #7: Now That We Don’t Talk (album: 1989 (Taylor’s Version))

Even though Now That We Don’t Talk is very much a breakup song, it’s very relatable to introverts.

The lyrics describe the aftermath of a breakup from the point of view of the person who is watching their ex move on. In the lyrics, we hear all the things she’d like to say to her ex but can’t because they’re no longer in communication.

It’s the bridge of the song that’s most relevant to introverts in my opinion. In the bridge, Taylor reflects on all the ways she no longer has to change herself to fit within the relationship including all the things she no longer has to pretend to like. Taylor sings:

I don’t have to pretend I like acid rock

Or that I’d like to be on a mega yacht

With important men who think important thoughts

Guess maybe I am better off

Now that we don’t talk

Is it possible you’ve mourned the loss of a friendship while feeling relieved because you no longer have to pretend to be a version of yourself that you didn’t like?

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #8: Mirrorball (album: Folklore)

Mirrorball is easily one of Taylor’s most vulnerable songs, and it’s one that’s resonated with many people,  to the point where some refer to themselves as “Mirrorball Girlies.”

Mirrorball is about changing yourself to fit in, so people like you, find you enchanting, want to be around you, etc.

You change yourself so much, in fact, that you break yourself in the process of contorting to the expectations of others. Taylor sings:

And they called off the circus, burned the disco down

When they sent home the horses and the rodeo clowns

I’m still on that tightrope

I’m still trying everything to get you laughing at me

And I’m still a believer, but I don’t know why

I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try

I’m still on that trapeze

I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me

As an introvert in an extroverted society, I’ve often felt obligated to change parts of myself to appeal to others. Not only can this be exhausting, but it has led me away from who I truly am in the past.

Have you ever felt like you’ve downplayed aspects of your introversion to fit in?

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #9: It’s Time To Go – Bonus Track (album: Evermore (Deluxe Edition))

It’s Time to Go is a song about knowing when to walk away… which is way harder than it sounds.

The lyrics describe experiences that shake you up, causing you to question if you’re in the right place after all. Things like your feelings not being reciprocated, being betrayed by a friend, or being passed up for a promotion. Taylor relates the song to herself by singing about her experience with Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group (allegedly).

Taylor reassures the listener that moving on is noble and even brave in the lyrics. like:

… Sometimes giving up is the strong thing

Sometimes to run is the brave thing

Sometimes walking out is the one thing

That will find you the right thing

As introverts, we may feel compelled to stay in scenarios that drain us. Maybe it’s a job, friendship, or relationship. Or maybe it’s a behavior or a habit that we engage in.

But knowing when to set boundaries (whether with others or ourselves) and having the strength to act on it truly is an act of courage. In its own way, this song can be a hype song for our quiet souls.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner

Song #10: The Lakes – Bonus Track (album: Folklore)

The Lakes is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs (although I could say the same about every song on this list).

This song is about feeling out of place in mainstream society and retreating to a safe space for artists, creatives, and tender-hearted people.

Taylor sings about finding shelter from society’s pressures. She paints a vivid and almost melancholy picture in the lyrics:

I want auroras and sad prose

I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet

‘Cause I haven’t moved in years

But doesn’t that sound amazing? This song really speaks to the comfort that can come from being secluded in a beautiful place.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #11: Sweet Nothing (album: Midnights)

Some fans theorize that Sweet Nothing is about the relationship between Taylor and her mom Andrea Swift. Others believe it’s a love song.

For me, this song is about the comfort that comes from being vulnerable with someone who truly accepts you. In the song, Taylor sings about retreating home to someone who doesn’t expect anything from her: no pretenses, no fakeness, no saving face.

But the bridge is what most resonates with my introverted heart. Taylor sings:

Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors

And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other

And the voices that implore, “You should be doing more”

To you, I can admit that I’m just too soft for all of it

She comes clean by admitting that she’s “too soft” for society and its standards, expectations, and pressures. That is something I’ve felt many times over as an introvert and something I’ve heard from many introverts too.

Hearing this admission from someone who seems larger than life is comforting in a way, as is being reminded that we can create a safe space of our choosing. 

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & William Bowery

Song #12: This Is Me Trying (album: Folklore)

Taylor herself confirmed that This Is Me Trying is written from the point of view of someone overcoming addiction and the effort it takes to stick with recovery.

The words are simple but the imagery is vivid (as often happens with Taylor’s lyrics).

Taylor sings these lyrics repeatedly throughout the song and there’s almost a sense of weariness:

And I just wanted you to know

That this is me trying

(And maybe I don’t quite know what to say)

I just wanted you to know

That this is me trying

At least I’m trying

These lyrics perfectly describe a facet of the introverted experience that many introverts relate to: pretending to be extroverted to fit in, be recognized, and succeed. Society often underestimates just how much energy that requires.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #13: You’re On Your Own, Kid (album: Midnights)

You’re On Your Own, Kid is one of Taylor’s most powerful songs (in my opinion) because it empowers the listener to believe in themselves and seize the present.

In the song, Taylor sings about different types of disillusionment, both in love and in life. At first, the namesake lyric “you’re on your own, kid” really is meant to convey loneliness.

But in the bridge, Taylor flips the sentiment to remind the listener of their inner strength. She recalls all that she’s gone through – and survived. She sings:

From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes

I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this

I hosted parties and starved my body

Like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss

The jokes weren’t funny, I took the money

My friends from home don’t know what to say

I looked around in a blood-soaked gown

And I saw something they can’t take away

‘Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned

Everything you lose is a step you take

So make the friendship bracelets

Take the moment and taste it

You’ve got no reason to be afraid

You’re on your own, kid

Yeah, you can face this

You’re on your own, kid

You always have been

As introverts in an extroverted society, we may feel like we’ve changed ourselves or given up parts of ourselves to fit in. However, with awareness, self-compassion, and confidence, we can trust ourselves to navigate the present and future with confidence.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #14: Nothing New feat Phoebe Bridgers (album: (Red Taylor’s Version))

Nothing New is such a vulnerable song. The lyrics speak to a common experience faced by young women in the entertainment industry: phasing out as you get older.

The lyrics go:

I’ve had (I’ve had) too much to drink tonight

How did I go from growing up to breaking down?

And I wake up (wake up) in the middle of the night

It’s like I can feel time moving

How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?

Will you still want me when I’m nothing new?

Something I’ve experienced first-hand and heard from fellow introverts is that a fear of rejection is prevalent. Society teaches us that extroverted traits are the ideal (totally subjective by the way), and introverts internalize that message. As a result, we try our hardest to fit in but always fear being found out (and rejected). 

Something else the lyrics touch on is how we are often more willing to confirm these expectations when we’re younger, only to question them as we move through life.

We might be happy to contort ourselves to fit these expectations when we’re younger but begin to question it as we gain perspective.

Songwriter: Taylor Swift

Song #15: Paris (album: Midnights)

Paris is such an upbeat song that it’s almost effervescent.

In it, Taylor describes the experience of falling in love with someone so deeply that your relationship becomes your buffer and escape from the real world.

I think it perfectly describes the start of a relationship when your feelings are all-consuming and your budding romance utterly consumes you.

Despite it being a love song through and through, I also believe it describes what it feels like to happily retreat to a bubble of your making, something that introverts can relate to.

This can be a bubble from the demands of the world, the media, or even asinine gossip which can drain us.

On that note, the most relatable lyrics come at the beginning of the song where Taylor sings the dialogue between her and someone else.

The person shares long-winded gossip:

“Your ex-friend’s sister

Met someone at a club and he kissed her

Turns out it was that guy you hooked up with ages ago

Some wannabe Z-lister

And all the outfits were terrible

2003 unbearable

Did you see the photos?”

And Taylor replies: 

No, I didn’t, but thanks, though

As introverts, we prefer to skip the insignificant stuff in favor of meaningful experiences and connections, and that’s exactly what this lyrical interaction represents.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #16: You’re Losing Me (From The Vault) (Single)

When You’re Losing Me was first released, Swifties everywhere were shocked to encounter Taylor’s most raw and vulnerable lyrics about suffering through the slow death of a relationship that had run its course.

Swifties unofficially agree this is one of Taylor’s saddest songs to-date, however, it’s also one of the most relatable, especially if you’ve ever felt someone in your life slowly slip away.

This is a universal experience, not unique to introverted people. The song is relatable to many, in many different ways.

As an introvert, however, there are certain aspects of You’re Losing Me that strike a chord.

These lyrics are particularly striking:

Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?

I’m getting tired even for a phoenix

Always risin’ from the ashes

Mendin’ all her gashes

You might just have dealt the final blow

When Taylor likens herself to a phoenix, it brings up a few thing. First, is the exhaustion that comes from constantly trying to fit in only to realize that it wasn’t enough. Second, is the experience of cycling through energy drain or burnout, only to go back and do it again. When you are cycling through burnout, you try so hard until you face a moment that unravels you, like Taylor sings here.

The second point in the song that feels terribly relatable is when Taylor sings about feeling like a burden. She says:

And the air is thick with loss and indecision

I know my pain is such an imposition

As introverts, we may find ourselves feeling that way about our needs, wants, and struggles in our extroverted society.

How many us of haven’t felt awkward or even ashamed in an overstimulating scenario, or how many of us have struggled to articulate what we’re experiencing because it feels like we’re the only ones in the world going through it?

Songwriters: Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff

Song #17: Enchanted (album: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version))

Through and through, Enchanted is a love song, but there’s something about it that feels introvert-coded.

Maybe it’s how Taylor turns over a small moment in her mind, again and again. Or perhaps it’s the uber relatable opening lines.

Taylor starts the song by singing:

There I was again tonight

Forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy

Vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you

The scene she’s painting is so vivid – and I would bet there’s not an introvert among us who hasn’t felt this way once in their life. As introverts,  we often feel obligated to “show up” and act as if we’re enjoying ourselves to save face. We do this because society tell us being extroverted is the path to success.

In these scenarios, sometimes it helps to focus on one person, like Taylor has in the song. Having a support system present can help a night like this more bearable. Maybe that’s someone you meet or it’s someone you bring along, but it’s always comforting to have a shelter in the storm that is socializing.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift

Song #18: Evermore feat. Bon Iver (album: Evermore)

Last, but not least, is Evermore.

I believe Evermore is relatable to introverts in every way. The song is about processing emotional pain. At first, it feels insurmountable – like the pain will last forever. Over time you gain perspective and realize that the pain fades.

What’s incredibly relatable is how Taylor describes the healing process, which touches on some introverted traits and tendences.

She sings about overthinking or even overanalyzing over something that happened at the start of the song:

I replay my footsteps on each stepping stone

Trying to find the one where I went wrong

Writing letters

Addressed to the fire

She expresses a similar sentiment again later in the song, alluding to rumination: 

I rewind the tape but all it does is pause

On the very moment all was lost

Sending signals

To be double crossed

What these lyrics also get right is how these feelings are often resolved: with the support of others. Introverts get a bad rap; we’re described as being anti-social or even anti-people. But the truth is that we relish in connection as much as everyone else. We may need more quiet or even more space, but we still lean on others and value our connections. If there’s one misconception about introverts that I could change, that’d be it.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Justin Vernon, and William Bowery

Conclusion

If you’ve made it to the end of this incredibly long blog post, I have one thing to say to you:

Hello, fellow Swiftie!

While this is a list of the 18 best Taylor Swift songs for introverts (in my opinion), I also think it’s for the highly sensitive high achievers who struggle with people pleasing, over thinking, and over working. Those of us with quiet souls just trying to navigate this loud (sometimes overwhelming) world.

There is still so much I could say about Taylor Swift’s work, but all I will say is thank you to her and her amazing collaborators. Her music and lyrics are comforting, healing, empowering, and sometimes just plain fun.

What do you think is the best Taylor Swift song for introverts? Let me know down below!