Taylor Swift (album)
Released October 24, 2006
Recorded 2005
Studio
The Castles Studios Quad Studios-A Sound Cottage Sound Emporium
Genre
Country
Length 53:30
Taylor Swift is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 24, 2006, by Big Machine Records. Swift was 16 years old at the time of the album’s release and wrote its songs during her freshman year of high school. Swift has writing credits on all of the album’s songs, including those co-written with Liz Rose. Swift experimented with several producers, ultimately choosing Nathan Chapman, who had produced her demo album. Musically, the album is country music styled, and lyrically it speaks of romantic relationships, a couple of which Swift wrote from observing relationships before being in one. Lyrics also touch on Swift’s personal struggles in high school.
Five singles were released from the album, all of which have been certified platinum by the RIAA. “Tim McGraw” was released as the lead single and reached the top ten on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs. “Teardrops on My Guitar” was released as the second single and was the album’s best-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100. “Our Song” was released as the third single from the album and was Swift’s first number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number one song on the Hot Country Songs chart. “Picture to Burn” and “Should’ve Said No” were released as the fourth single and fifth singles from the album, respectively, and both were successful on the country charts in the United States. Swift promoted the album by performing on tour as the opening act for artists such as Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Brad Paisley, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
Taylor Swift was received positively by contemporary critics, who praised Swift’s talent at such a young age. The album enjoyed commercial success and launched Swift’s career in country music. In the United States, it topped the Top Country Albums Chart for 24 non-consecutive weeks, and was certified seven times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 7 million copies. Taylor Swift has logged 275 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 chart as of early 2013. The album was also successful outside of Swift’s native country, especially in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The album has sold over 6 million copies worldwide as of January 2015.
Track listing
Standard edition
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Tim McGraw”
Taylor Swift Liz Rose
3:54
2. “Picture to Burn”
Swift Rose
2:55
3. “Teardrops on My Guitar”
Swift Rose
3:35
4. “A Place in This World”
Swift Robert Ellis Orrall Angelo Petraglia
3:22
5. “Cold as You”
Swift Rose
4:01
6. “The Outside” Swift 3:29
7. “Tied Together with a Smile”
Swift Rose
4:11
8. “Stay Beautiful”
Swift Rose
3:58
9. “Should’ve Said No” Swift 4:04
10. “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)”
Swift Rose Brian Maher
3:35
11. “Our Song” Swift 3:24
Total length: 40:28
Personnel
As listed in liner notes.
Chuck Ainlay – mixing
Jeff Balding – mixing
Bruce Bouton – Dobro
Mike Brignardello – bass
Scott Borchetta – executive producer
Nick Buda – drums
Gary Brunette – electric guitar
Jason Campbell – production coordination
Chason Carlson – engineer
Nathan Chapman – acoustic guitar, banjo, bass, drums, electric guitar, engineer, background vocals, mandolin, production
Aaron Chmielewski – assistant engineer
Eric Darken – percussion
Allen Ditto – engineer
Dan Dugmore – pedal steel
Shannon Forrest – drums
Rob Hajacos – fiddle
Gordon Hammon – assistant engineer
Tony Harrell – keyboard
Jeffrey Hyde – banjo
Scott Kidd – mixing assistant
Greg Lawrence – mixing assistant
Andy Leftwich – fiddle, mandolin
Liana Manis – background vocals
Tim Marks – bass
Robert Ellis Orrall – background vocals, producer
Lex Price – mandolin
Lee Ann Ramey – graphic design
Joshua Whitmore – dobro, pedal steel
Clarke Schleicher – engineer
Steve Short – assistant engineer
Sandi Spika – engineer
Whitney Sutton – production coordination
Taylor Swift – acoustic guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar, banjo
Wanda Vick – fiddle
Hank Williams – mastering
John Willis – banjo, mandolin, hi string acoustic guitar