Taylor Swift - the folklorian rankdown (Winner Revealed!)

[.indulgecountry]

nbnc missing top 5 is a travesty. The amount of detail, character development, and plotline she was able to smush into that 3.5 minute song is a work of art. It should've been a smash.

[Marooned@Midnight]

1, 2, 3, 6, 7!

I’m disappointed Betty didn’t make the top 5 and I think it’s a travesty MTR didn’t even crack the top 10. NBNC is overrated IMO. I’m pulling for an Exile win!

[DistrictTwelve]

2, 4, 7, 8, 13

amazing top 5! 3 and 2 from folklore/evermore is a perfect balance. rooting for everything except for i guess my 13 (taylor moment)

[Mayman]

1 3 6 7 8

This Is Me Trying deserved top 5.

[Troublemaker]

Just realized my 29 and 31 are still in…

[bat1990]

3, 8, 10, 17, 25 are all left, which is better than I was expecting tbh.

I'm gonna get so much hate for my #25, lol

[Mylo13 💜]

Excellent top 5 (and 6 really, with nbnc). August, Cardigan or Champagne Problems for the win!

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Despite losing my number one ages ago, I can’t complain about this top 5 at all. All fantastic songs and all individually serve as excellent representations of this album. My only qualm, which is barely a qualm at all, is that the two main singles predictably are still here (and I hope not the top 2), but as I said, barely a qualm because both are still great songs. I’d be okay with any of these winning, but am leaning toward a couple more than others.

[toomuchboy]

Neither exile or (especially) willow belong top 5. cardigan is just alright.

[nickd]

8, 10, 12, 15, 25

Well most of these are certainly pretty great but I don't really feel like I have a dog in the race at this point.

[dremolus - solarpunk]

a bit disappointed at no body no crime, betty, and tis the damn season missing the top 5 but again, the list is so stacked, we'd be disappointed with any outcome.

[sapphire]

1, 2, 5, 6, 10 are left for me. No Body No Crime should've been in the top 5! I did expect that my #4 My Tears Ricochet will be ranked low in general. I still love it though.

[austin]

'champagne problems' really just gets better and better. pleasantly surprised it managed to hang in there.

I still think 'august' wins, but there is probably only one song I am rooting against here.

[taylor]

Welcome to the finale of the folklorian rankdown reveals!!!

It's been such a fun ride with you, but all good things must come to an end, and this just happens to be the good thing that has to end. Gather around as I show you the Final Five!!! There are bound to be some SHOCKING twists, so sit tight as I prepare reveals!

For the final piece of waiting music, how about something from Fearless (Taylor's Version)? There's no hint to go with this song, but perhaps there is a significance to the album I chose to dip into...

SPOILER: Click to show

{the folklorians}
born
fearlessarrow
Fire
Marooned@Midnight
twigs
trilogy
RoseColoredGirl
schnetzka
ClevelandRox
tim
austin
@imhappy259
@jadenlefranks
wyckyd
nick64
toomuchboy
lady𝓐fan
khan
Exclusive
dremolus - solarpunk
reputainbow
neverduplicated
bboat11
sapphire
someguy
Mylo13 💜
DistrictTwelve
Future Captain
BB🌕
Mayman
.indulgecountry
nickd
GrinningLikeADevil
wrip
Rhythm Nation
samo🦕
Troublemaker
CF15
willapted33
Rose "Payola" Nylund
woods
CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker
GrinningLikeADevil
bat1990

[taylor]

Your Midas touch on the Chevy door

November flush and your flannel cure

"This dorm was once a madhouse"

I made a joke, "Well, it's made for me"

How evergreen, our group of friends

Don't think we'll say that word again

And soon they'll have the nerve to deck the halls

That we once walked through

One for the money, two for the show

I never was ready, so I watch you go

Sometimes you just don't know the answer

'Til someone's on their knees and asks you

"She would've made such a lovely bride

What a shame she's fucked in the head," they said

But you'll find the real thing instead

She'll patch up your tapestry that I shred

And hold your hand while dancing

Never leave you standing

Crestfallen on the landing

With champagne problems

Your mom's ring in your pocket

Her picture in your wallet

You won't remember all my

champagne problems.

Placement in evermore's rankdown: #3 of 17


Total: 454 (Points: 1,086)
Average: 10.32
Std. Dev.: 8.29

tim - 1
schnetzka - 1
austin - 2
nick64 - 2
.indulgecountry - 2
born - 2
Fire - 2
lady𝓐fan - 2
toomuchboy - 2
fearlessarrow - 3
neverduplicated - 4
bboat11 - 5
Future Captain - 5
Rose "Payola" Nylund - 5
BB🌕 - 6
Mayman - 6
Rhythm Nation - 6
twigs - 6
DistrictTwelve - 7
Marooned@Midnight - 7
Mylo13 💜 - 7
willapted33 - 7
RoseColoredGirl - 8
sapphire - 10
bat1990 - 10
Exclusive - 10
trilogy - 10
taylor - 11
reputainbow - 11
wrip - 12
dremolus - solarpunk - 13
samo🦕 - 14
GrinningLikeADevil - 15
khan - 15
nickd - 15
someguy - 15
wyckyd - 15
CF15 - 19
woods - 19

What A Shame She's F**ked in the Head
CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker - 21
@jadenlefranks - 28
ClevelandRox - 30
Troublemaker - 31
@imhappy259 - 32

SPOILER: Click to show

{songs remaining}
cardigan
exile (ft. Bon Iver)
august
willow

[taylor]

Kicking off our Top 5 is evermore's "champagne problems," a wonderful addition to the Taylor Swift Track 2 Canon. Written solely by Taylor and Joe (under the pen name William Bowery, who wrote the song's melody), it is a mournful ballad with spacious "oom-pah" piano chords that entwine with a guitar arpeggio, and choir vocals during the bridge. It depicts a difficult girlfriend whose personal struggles disrupt her romantic relationship, lead her to turn down her lover's earnest proposal, and take responsibility for the heartbreak it causes that person.

This song HITS. It's still so good, and features what is inarguably one of the best bridges in Taylor's entire catalog. I'm so glad it did so well not only in the evermore rankdown, but made Top 5 here as well!

evermore now has one song standing!!! Will this rankdown be a "willow" and bend right to this album's wind? 

[CF15]

Nice song, but I didn't think it would finish this high.

[taylor]

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

They count me out time and time again

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

But I come back stronger than a 90's trend.

Wait for the signal and I'll meet you after dark

Show me the places where the others gave you scars

Now this is an open/shut case

I guess I should've known from the look on your face

Every bait-and-switch was a work of art.



Placement in evermore's rankdown: #2 of 17 (also had the LOWEST SD!!)


Total: 450 (Points: 1,090)
Average: 10.23
Std. Dev.: 8.32

@imhappy259 - 1
neverduplicated - 1
RoseColoredGirl - 1
khan - 2
ClevelandRox - 3
GrinningLikeADevil - 3
someguy - 3
wrip - 3
CF15 - 4
fearlessarrow - 4
Troublemaker - 4
sapphire - 5
nick64 - 5
.indulgecountry - 5
Marooned@Midnight - 6
reputainbow - 6
willapted33 - 6
wyckyd - 6
Rhythm Nation - 7
Rose "Payola" Nylund - 7
austin - 8
bat1990 - 8
BB🌕 - 8
DistrictTwelve - 8
lady𝓐fan - 8
Mayman - 8
nickd - 8
woods - 8
born - 9
taylor - 10
Fire - 10
tim - 11
Exclusive - 13
Mylo13 💜 - 13
dremolus - solarpunk - 17
twigs - 18
schnetzka - 20
trilogy - 20

I'd Cheat to Win
@jadenlefranks - 23
Future Captain - 24
toomuchboy - 26
bboat11 - 28
samo🦕 - 28
CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker - 34

SPOILER: Click to show

{songs remaining}
cardigan
exile (ft. Bon Iver)
august

[taylor]

"willow" leaves us at #4, knocking evermore out and leaving us with a folklore-exclusive Top 3!!! I am so happy this song did so well both in its album rankdown and here, proving that the people who think it's overrated are clearly just a vocal minority! What's not to love about this song: great songwriting, catchy melody, soothing vocals...I just love this song. It was #3 on my Top 50 list for 2021!!!

[CF15]

I guess I'll take that perfect rank. Can't say I'm surprised the top 3 are all from folklore, lol.

[taylor]

Hold on to your hats, folks! The next reveal will blow you away!!! 

[born]

Can we please take a moment to appreciate that “champagne problems” reached #1 for a few lists and was also stable in the top 3 for most of the submission period!!! I wish it could’ve finished higher but the last few lists really dragged it down :(

[CF15]

Kind of hoping for "exile", but it's probably "cardigan".

[CF15]

Jan 31, 2022 18:43:28 GMT -5 born said:

Can we please take a moment to appreciate that “champagne problems” reached #1 for a few lists and was also stable in the top 3 for most of the submission period!!! I wish it could’ve finished higher but the last few lists really dragged it down :(

I don't think we can see the movements in the post.

[taylor]

Back when we were still changing 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.



Placement in folklore's rankdown: #1 of 16


Total: 432 (Points: 1,108)
Average: 9.82
Std. Dev.: 8.62

Mylo13 💜 - 1
samo🦕 - 1
trilogy - 1
willapted33 - 1
sapphire - 2
BB🌕 - 2
DistrictTwelve - 2
fearlessarrow - 2
GrinningLikeADevil - 2
woods - 2
wrip - 2
CF15 - 3
Marooned@Midnight - 3
neverduplicated - 3
Fire - 4
Rose "Payola" Nylund - 4
toomuchboy - 4
dremolus - solarpunk - 5
Exclusive - 5
reputainbow - 5
austin - 6
someguy - 6
Future Captain - 7
Mayman - 7
schnetzka - 7
wyckyd - 8
khan - 9
nickd - 10
bboat11 - 12
tim - 15
twigs - 15
Rhythm Nation - 16
bat1990 - 17
born - 17
lady𝓐fan - 17
RoseColoredGirl - 17
.indulgecountry - 18
nick64 - 19

So Much For Summer Love
ClevelandRox - 20
@imhappy259 - 21
CagedJuggalo The Third Tanker - 26
taylor - 29
Troublemaker - 29
@jadenlefranks - 30

[CF15]

I thought this was definitely making the top 2! :( Such a nice retro vibe it has.
1 vs. 14. "cardigan" for the win!

[taylor]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! The song that took it all in the folklore rankdown couldn't manage to repeat history here! Despite four #1s, "august" slips away from the penthouse, settling for bronze. I ranked it so low because while I have stopped being such a clown who hated the song outright (I have grown to quite like it!!), I still don't revisit it by itself all that often. Despite my low rank, I'm not too upset to see it slip into the Top 3 here!

"august" is a gloomy dream-pop song that captures the summer affair between two young lovers—a naive girl (Augustine--or August) who is seen holding on to a boy that "wasn't hers to lose"; the boy is revealed to be James later on in the album. The song is a summer anthem, seeing the girl grieve and yearn over her love, using Taylor's light and breezy delivery, yo-yoing vocal yelps, and a grandiose production driven by acoustic guitar, glistening vocal reverb, and key changes.

[twigs]

Yessss the best possible top 2 from this top 5! (Well champagne problems should’ve made it actually, I just knew it wasn’t possible)

[taylor]

And then there were two!

exile (ft. Bon Iver) vs. cardigan

Place your bets now!!!

[taylor]

Jan 31, 2022 18:46:07 GMT -5 CF15 said:

Jan 31, 2022 18:43:28 GMT -5 born said:

Can we please take a moment to appreciate that “champagne problems” reached #1 for a few lists and was also stable in the top 3 for most of the submission period!!! I wish it could’ve finished higher but the last few lists really dragged it down

I don't think we can see the movements in the post.

Yeah, we hosts are using Google Sheets to share the data from each Taylor RD we do, and I don't know how to track movements using that system. Sorry!

We'll still have closeness stats and whatnot at the end for y'all to peruse...and something extra that we three witches think oughta be really cool!  ;)