TRENDING

It's been five months since we heard that sweet sweet Miss Americana remix in Glendale (AKA Swift City), "Era"zona for the first time. On the opening night of The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift shocked audiences with a prodigious three-hour setlist, complete with a tour through *almost* every era (RIP Debut). We still can't comprehend how Taylor Swift busted out 44+ songs each night.

Every era is magical in it's own right, but with a mammoth 5-hour performance (including openers), optional bathroom and snack breaks should def be planned (we speak from experience!). Now that we've *finally* memorized each song on the setlist, we're here to give you our unofficially official ranking of all 10 The Eras Tour eras. Acoustic section included. 

International girlies, gear up: You're up next!

10. evermore

Don't get us wrong, we heart evermore. It just gives cozy winter concert vibes, not summer stadium tour vibes. If you're in need of a bathroom break, this might be the time to do it. We are, however, *obsessed* with "Champagne Problems" live at the piano. It's one of the few times Taylor interacts with the crowd earnestly, tearfully smiling ear-to-ear as the crowd roars in a standing ovation usually lasting over a minute each show. 

9. Speak Now

"Long Live" may have been added to the setlist in honor of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), but the title is a bit of an oxymoron. Clocking in at just about 10 minutes, T-Swift's third album gets the most limited Eras Tour recognition by far. Pretty short-lived, if you ask us. Are we obsessed with the dazzling ball gowns? Of course. Does the Koi fish guitar give us total Last Kiss nostalgia? Duh. We just wish there was *more*. More dancing, more songs, more 2010 Taylor heartbreak. But we'll take what we can get.

 

8. 1989

A quick 15-minute set filled with iconic hits, the 1989 era is arguably the most danceable act on tour. Taylor just really stuck to the classics—both a blessing and a curse. While hits like "Blank Space" (complete with glowing bicycles and golf clubs) and "Shake It Off" are perf for casual fans, a lot of Swifties are left wondering why songs like "New Romantics" were left off the setlist. 

Songs from this era are also cut criminally short. "Wildest Dreams" skips a verse, and "Bad Blood" is almost entirely made up of choruses. That fiery finale makes it super worth it, though.

7. Red

Much like the album, the Red era is, uh, wide-ranging. The set features the only fan interaction the entire show (Taylor gives her iconic "22" hat to a lucky fan scouted by her team), the longest song on the setlist by a mile ("ATWTMVTVFTV," duh!), and then two very forgettable performances ("We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble"). 

Taylor's performance of the 10-minute version of "All Too Well" is one of the concert's hidden gems. It's just Taylor and her guitar, but that's how the song is meant to be played. It's sad, beautiful and oh-so tragic, complete with the most magical first fall of snow any stadium's ever seen. "ATW" carries this era on its plaid shirt-covered back. 

6. Midnights

Maybe it's just exhaustion, but the Midnights era feels like a bejeweled blur. Fresh out of a whirlwind surprise song era, Taylor launches into the retro "Lavender Haze" to begin her final set. The first half of this set features soft pop anthems like "Anti-Hero" and "Midnight Rain," before a flirty transition to fan faves like "Mastermind". Each performance is entertaining but hard to remember by the marathon-of-a-night's end. 

The true highlight of this era comes during the final song, "Karma". Complete with album-inspired confetti and fireworks, it's a satisfying finale. We just wish Ice Spice could be there every night to sing the remix. 

5. Acoustic section

Let's be real: The acoustic set can sometimes feel like it makes or breaks your Eras Tour experience. That's why it's in the middle. You land with a pair of fan favorites like "Dear John" and "Daylight"? Your life is complete. You end up with a less-than-stellar combo like "A Place in this World" and "Today Was A Fairytale"? You're low-key wishing Taylor could redo your concert and try again, only this time with songs you ~really~ like. 

While it's fun to track the surprise songs each night of tour, many Swifties treat it like the end of the world. Truth is—you don't have to have the "perfect" songs to have a good acoustic set. Take pride in the fact that each night, Taylor is personalizing your concert, just for you. Lest we forget that T. Swift already gifts us 40+ other jams, every single night? Just imagine what it would be like if songs like "Cruel Summer", "All Too Well" and "August" weren't on the setlist! Utter. Chaos. So thank you Taylor. 

4. Fearless

There are few things more smile-inducing than seeing a crowd of 70k+ people jumping along in time to the chorus of Taylor Swift's mega-hit "Love Story". It may be her most frequently-performed song ever, but that's because it's still one of her all-time bests, fifteen years later.

The Fearless set turns up the nostalgia. Taylor's long-time guitarist Paul Sidoti gets an epic solo. Heart hands are exchanged. An adorable twirl reminds us of the country Tay we knew so long ago. By bringing back old mems to help audiences create new ones, this set reminds us that yes, this is, in fact, "The Eras" Tour. 

3. reputation

 From the moment you hear the click-click-click of Taylor's reputation heel, there's a shift in the stadium's energy during this era. The snakes slithering across the stage. The edgy asymmetric bodysuit. It's T-Swift reflecting on her worst by performing at her best—and if the epic gallery of former Taylors (played by a fantastic dance crew) during "LWYMMD" doesn't prove that, we don't know what will. 

The reputation tour broke records—and for good reason. These songs are meant to be performed in a stadium. The beams of light ascending to the heavens during the "Don't Blame Me" bridge remind you of just that. 

2. folkore

As the longest set on the tour, the folklore era touches every emotion. There's satisfaction in her whimsical portrayal of Rebekah Harkness in "the last great american dynasty." There's anger in the scathing bridges of "illicit affairs" and "my tears ricochet" (that we know all the dance moves to, might we add). And of course, there's an epic tale of love and loss realized in the infamous T-Swift love triangle. 

The iconic Grammy's folklore cabin makes a return, standing proudly as a backdrop for this era. Highlights include the ethereal production of "august" and the gentle acoustic "betty" performance, both of which breathe life into a beautiful fictional universe we couldn't stop marveling over. 

1. Lover

This is it. The Ticketmaster Great War. The outfit selection. The bracelet making. The song memorization. It all leads up to the moment Taylor rises from beneath those magnificent pastel plumes. It's been a long time coming, to say the least. 

When we lost Lover Fest in 2020, we found ourselves wishing for the tour that could have been, dreaming of when we might one day see Taylor live again. By opening The Eras Tour with the Lover era, Swift reminds us that she too was right where you left her (get it?) over three years ago.

The Lover set is nearly perfect. Before you have an opportunity to recover from the exquisite sensory overload of an opening sequence, Taylor jumps straight into "Cruel Summer," explicitly referencing "the first bridge of the evening" and encouraging you to cross it with her. Songs like "The Man" and "You Need To Calm Down" serve as crowd-thumping anthems, complimented by beautiful, introspective solos like "Lover" and "The Archer".

The Lover era encapsulates the theme of The Eras Tour—a faithful return to and a heartening celebration of Taylor Swift's music. Not to mention how effortlessly the color scheme matches the early evening sun. 

It's golden, like "Daylight."

Want more T. Swift content? Check these out!
💗 We found the perfect outfit for every vault track on Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
💗 Our fave re-recorded moments from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) 
💗 A nondefinitive ranking of the vault tracks from Speak Now (Taylor's Version) 

Obsess over The Eras Tour with us on Threads @girlslifemag!

All images: @taylorswift

by Laila Mayfield | 8/19/2023