Taylor Swift has spent decades writing songs that have been a part of all of our lives’ soundtrack, but a lot of her songs have also found space in the stories of some major shows. From tearful breakup scenes in network comedies to dystopian closing credits, her music has shaped some of the most memorable moments in recent screen history. And right now, as rumours swirl about a possible Toy Story 5 collaboration, here are five times a Taylor Swift absolutely nailed a show’s soundtrack.
Taylor Swift’s Ivy played on Apple TV’s Dickinson
In the penultimate episode of Dickinson, Emily Dickinson sleeps with her secret love Sue Gilbert, and Swift’s evermore track Ivy plays immediately after the intimate scene. Swifties had already theorised that the song which describes infidelity between a woman and a lover outside her marriage, was inspired by the real Dickinson’s love letters to Gilbert.
White Horse played on Grey’s Anatomy
Swift had been a vocal Grey’s Anatomy fan her entire life, so when she found out White Horse would be featured on the medical drama, she described it as achieving her “life’s goal.” The song is a slow, aching country ballad about the collapse of a fairy tale romance and it fitted the show’s emotional register very precisely.
Bon Iver and Taylor Swift’s Exile played on Netflix’s You
You has always had a strange, knowing relationship with Taylor Swift’s music, but the real gut-punch came in Season 3. As Joe burned down his suburban home, his wife Love’s body still inside, Swift and Bon Iver’s devastating duet Exile played over the scene, permanently fusing the song with Love Quinn’s death and Joe’s ultimate betrayal. It’s a song about two people grieving a relationship from completely different angles, talking past each other without realising it.
The Bear played Love Story
Nobody expected The Bear to be the show that gave Swift’s most beloved pop song a second life, but here we are. Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s character Richie sings along to Love Story in Season 2, and the context turns what’s normally a triumphant sing-along into something unexpectedly tender.
The Summer I Turned Pretty summoned all the swifties to the show
Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Jenny Han’s beloved trilogy always had Taylor Swift woven into its DNA as Han has spoken openly about how much Swift’s music influenced the books. Season 2 leaned all the way into that connection. The ballad August from Swift’s Folklore album was used in the full trailer for Season 2, blended together with Betty with nine additional Taylor Swift songs appearing across the season itself.
The show possibly has the most number of Taylor Swift songs, and fans are absolutely hear for it!
Edited by Nibir Konwar