When it comes to Taylor Swift’s extensive catalog of music, certain songs are better than others. Some songs fall flat on an album of otherwise perfect tracks, while others get lost behind flashy production or vocal effects. In some instances, the studio version just doesn’t do the song justice.

After wrapping up her Eras Tour in December 2024, Swift reaffirmed her status as one of today’s best live acts, something that could be argued about her since she first started touring. However, the Eras Tour quickly became known for its “surprise songs,” two performances of songs from her catalog that she played on both the guitar and the piano each night. Swift’s ability to present any song in a new way, sometimes referencing specific anniversaries or significance, made certain songs stand out.

These acoustic performances, combined with the already stacked setlist, produced songs that sounded even better than their studio versions with reworked arrangements, raw vocals, and a new perspective. Below is a list of such songs spanning across Swift’s career as an incredible live performer.

10

I Don’t Wanna Live Forever

Eras Tour Chicago Night 2

Swift’s 2017 collaboration with One Direction’s Zayn Malik for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack isn’t an immediate fan-favorite. It’s an iconic collaboration between two of the biggest stars of the 2010s for one of the biggest franchises, but there’s so much great music in her catalog that “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” often gets brushed aside or forgotten. This changed when Swift first sang it as a surprise song on the Eras Tour.

“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” is Swift’s third-most-streamed song on Spotify, with 1,862,338,174 streams at the time of writing.

The original version is built on bass-driven production and polished by clean vocals, but the true meaning of the lyrics comes through more hauntingly with nothing but a piano to accompany them. Where most surprise song performances include playful reactions or teasing from Swift, this one was filled with raw emotion. She was likely still reeling from her breakup with TV and movie actor Joe Alwyn, and this performance allowed her to pour those feelings into a moment that wouldn’t soon be forgotten by fans.

9

my tears ricochet

folklore: long pond studio sessions

Swift’s eighth studio album, folklore, is filled with fictional characters and dramatized examinations of particular feelings, but, at its core, folklore is a very personal album. Most of its characters are made up, but the events described in certain songs are similar to things Swift has pulled from her own life. “my tears ricochet,” was a quick standout for listeners who know the significance of Swift’s track 5s.

In this song, she sings about overlooking her own funeral only to see the person who caused her the most pain show up to pay their respects. The studio version is already emotional, but, once you strip everything back, leaving just Swift’s voice and Jack Antonoff on piano, there’s no denying the personal feelings she weaved into this song. Her voice carries much more weight than in the album version, allowing full transparency between herself and the listener.

8

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Reputation Stadium Tour

If I could go back in time and attend any tour at least once, it would be the Reputation Stadium Tour. Unfortunately, I was one of those people who didn’t realize how great reputation was until much later. “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” is a song that Swift played on just an acoustic guitar, a much-needed break in between a setlist filled with heavy production and highly choreographed numbers.

The studio version of “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” is incredible, but not for fans who prefer Swift’s more stripped-back tracks. This live acoustic version allows the lyrics to speak for themselves. It’s a romantic track about holding onto the one you love despite the environment you’re surrounded by, and nothing could get that message across more than the version performed on tour.

7

exile

Eras Tour Los Angeles Night 4

Another folklore track that received a stunning upgrade is “exile.” The collaboration with Bon Iver is a deeply felt song that already has a relatively simple instrumental and production in the studio version. Similarly, the live version performed as a surprise song on the Eras Tour in Los Angeles features Swift at the piano. What separates this live version from the rest of the songs on this list is the audience.

“Without any preparation, the audience took on the role of backing vocals.”

Bon Iver wasn’t present to sing this duet with Swift, so she sang the full song by herself, knowing that the end included a call-and-response portion between the two. The audience took on the role of backing vocals, answering Swift’s lines with those that followed in the studio version. This created an unforgettable moment on a tour filled with unforgettable moments, proving the dedication of Swifties and making a live version many now regard as better than the original.

6

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Eras Tour

When Swift released The Tortured Poets Department, many wondered if she would add a new section to the Eras Tour setlist. When it became clear that she would, Swifties began to predict which songs would make the cut. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” is one of the last tracks on the original version of the album, and one that has a very slow start. Eventually, it builds up to a bridge filled with all the rage one might expect from a post-breakup Swift anthem, but that bridge wouldn’t be fully appreciated until fans witnessed its live performance.

She transitions into this song after “Fortnight,” donning a battered marching band jacket. After guiding the audience through the song’s introduction, she literally marches into the bridge with the dancers in tow. The drumming is amplified, the dramatics are perfectly performed, and it ends with Swift crumpled on the ground after taking every bullet for her lover while a white flag waves in the background, making it an immediate standout on the new setlist.

5

Cornelia Street

Lover (Live From Paris)

The Lover promotions didn’t include the planned Lover Fest tour due to 2020 cancellations, but we still got a set of excellent performances on Lover (Live from Paris). On this live album, uploaded to streaming services as individual tracks, Swift performed eight songs off of her seventh studio album. The version of “Cornelia Street” from this particular show would go on to be one of fans’ most well-loved live versions of Swift’s discography.

Compared to the studio version that features a pulsing beat and subtle production, this live version of “Cornelia Street” is stripped down to Swift and an acoustic guitar. Her voice is crisp, hitting every note perfectly without any bells and whistles to distract the listener, and the audience’s soft voices singing along only add to its universal appeal.

4

illicit affairs

Eras Tour

Another folklore track that became even more notable through its live performance on the Eras Tour is “illicit affairs,” one that remained on the regular setlist from the first show to the very last. On the album, this song is known, like most Swift songs, for its bridge, a desperate melody that pleads for the narrator’s lover to realize what their affair has done to her emotionally.

“And you wanna scream

Don’t call me ‘kid’

Don’t call me ‘baby’

Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me

You showed me colors you know I can’t see with anyone else”

Likely knowing just how incredible this particular part of the song was, Swift transitions from “august” straight into the “illicit affairs” bridge, not even bothering to build up anticipation with the rest of the song. She gestures wildly to herself while singing “Look at this idiotic fool that you made me,” and ends the song down on her knees, letting her anger color every word. Many fans want this version on streaming services because they prefer the anger to the sadness in the studio version.

3

Don’t Blame Me

Reputation Stadium Tour & Eras Tour

One of Swift’s most famous live performances is “Don’t Blame Me,” another reputation track with heavy bass, synthesizers, and overall grand production. All of these elements make it the perfect song to perform in a stadium. Swift performed “Don’t Blame Me” consistently on both the Reputation Stadium Tour and the Eras Tour, each including a key moment that builds and builds until it bursts in the bridge.

During each live performance of “Don’t Blame Me,” fans shout “Take us to church!” right before the breakdown as a collective fan chant.

Towards the end of this performance, Swift walks down the aisle or rises on a platform as the instrumentals and backing vocals fade. Just when it gets quiet enough, she delivers some of her most impressive live vocals in a moment that can only be described as religious. It’s a performance that fans hope to see for years to come.

2

I Did Something Bad

Reputation Stadium Tour

It wouldn’t be the Reputation Stadium Tour without an incredibly over-the-top performance of “I Did Something Bad,” one of the album’s strongest singles. The studio version is already dramatic, punchy, and filled with female rage, but the live version amplifies all of that by 100. From the moment the track starts, Swift is in character, delivering each line into her microphone with so much sarcasm and confidence that you can’t help but fall under her spell.

Swift’s delivery of “If a man talks s*** then I owe him nothing,” backed by her backup vocalists, might be one of her most iconic performances on its own. There’s a brief moment of silence after that line, just to really make sure everyone heard her, and the audience is listening as intently as possible. They’re hanging onto every word she sings like she’s teaching a class on how to deal with men who’ve wronged you, and I’d be taking notes if I were there.

1

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

1989 World Tour

The last performance on this list is one that Swifties find a way to talk about at any given moment. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is a single off of Red that’s a fun, country-pop track that often gets lost among such incredible songs as “All Too Well” and “Begin Again.” The live version that Swift performed on her 1989 World Tour is one that completely transforms the tone of the song.

Dressed in a black leather bodysuit, Swift plays an electric guitar with ease and falls convincingly into the role of a seasoned rock star. Her vocals are gritty, making the anger she presents that much more believable when you realize just how well that emotion fits the lyrics over its original witty energy. Since this performance, fans have wondered when to expect a rock album from Swift, and I’m sitting here wondering the same thing.