We officially have less than a month to go before Taylor Swift embarks on her Reputation Stadium Tour. Following the spectacles that were her Red and 1989 Tours, the “Look What You Made Me Do” singer has set expectations high for herself — and we have faith that she’ll exceed them.
It’s no secret Taylor loves a concert cover. Whether she’s bringing up celebrities to sing along with her (never forget her and the Biebs’ “Baby” duet), putting her own spin on tunes from the past, or even trying out different music styles during radio appearances, the covers add a surprising twist to her live sets. It’s a practice we hope will continue with this year’s tour, especially after she delivered a country-inspired cover of Earth, Wind & Fire‘s classic “September” on Friday (April 13).
While we wait for the Reputation festivities to kick off, we rounded up just a few of our favorite covers from her previous world tours and appearances. Listen below, and then let us know who you hope joins her on stage this summer.
13. “How to Save a Life” by the Fray
Swift gave an emotional salute to The Fray during her Speak Now Tour date in the band’s hometown of Denver, Colorado. Although the verses required Swift to dip into low notes we don’t typically hear from her, she pulled it off surprisingly well.
12. “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette
On her 1989 Tour, Swift brought out Alanis Morissette for a powerful duet of the ’90s icon’s hit. Although Swift was a mere 5 years old when the song was released in July 1995, she was fully engrossed in sharing the stage with Morissette, as evidenced by her headbanging.
Another clip of You Oughta Know! #1989TourLA pic.twitter.com/tnmeKzfAPj
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSwiftOnTour) August 25, 2015
11. “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Swift’s Spotify Singles cover brought fans back to her country roots in Reputation era, with the acoustic rendition allowing her breathy vocals to shine. And with a clever little lyric swap in the track’s opening line from “the 21st night of September” to “the 28th of September,” Swift made fans go crazy over her pretty version in more ways than one.
10. “Ain’t Nothin Bout You” by Brooks & Dunn
A curly-haired Swift got about as country as she could get when she covered Brooks & Dunn’s 2001 hit at the ACM Awards. Her predecessors were even on stage to watch her tackle their song, and it appeared to be a humbling experience for both parties.
9. “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light ‘Em Up)” by Fall Out Boy
Swift took a whack at her supermodel strut alongside pop-punk icons Fall Out Boy at the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, adding her touch to the band’s hit “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark.” Following her friend and “Bad Blood” music video co-star Cara Delevigne, Swift entered the stage sporting a Union Jack-covered ensemble, and graced the catwalk for the song’s second verse. She lit ‘em up, indeed.
8. “Jenny From The Block” by Jennifer Lopez
For Swift’s 2012 Red tour, she would regularly bring out hometown artists to sing one of their biggest hits alongside her. Swift’s genuine glee is the most fun to watch when she’s with someone who was clearly a childhood idol of hers, as was the case when Jennifer Lopez crashed the party in Los Angeles for a little “Jenny From The Block.”
7. “Riptide” by Vance Joy
As part of the promotion for 1989, Swift stopped by BBC1’s Live Lounge for a truly stirring, slowed down rendition of Vance Joy‘s hit, accompanying herself on piano. Her love went beyond just a great cover — Vance Joy will be one of her opening acts for her upcoming tour, so it seems likely that at some point or another we might get a “Riptide” performance by the two together.
6. “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor
James Taylor joined Swift for a rendition of his classic “Fire and Rain” at Swift’s big Madison Square Garden show. “It was my favorite class of the day just because of [this] one song,” Swift explained in her introduction about learning the song in school. This is not a strictly musical observation, but it’s also worth noting that Swift’s ballgown-style princess dress is worth taking notice of.
5. “Drops of Jupiter” by Train
It’s no wonder this tune wound up on the live album of the Speak Now World Tour, so all fans could listen to it on repeat whenever they desired.
4. “White Blank Page” by Mumford & Sons
2011-era Swift has her high-heeled feet still firmly planted in the country camp, so it’s not a surprise she would gravitate towards the Americana sounds of Mumford when picking a cover. For a Live Lounge performance backed by her band, Swift’s emotional depth — and guitar skills — are on display.
3. “Dancing in the Dark/Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi
Unexpected? Totally, but also unexpectedly delightful. Check Swift’s satisfied grin at the end of the medley — she knows she crushed it.
2. “Untouchable” by Luna Halo
The best covers take a song we all know and turn it into something different and special in its own way, which is what Swift did so beautifully will Halo’s tune here. Taking the rocking original and changing it up into a ballad brought new depth to the music, and may have even introduced the song to a new audience.
1. “Someone Like You” by Adele
Get your tissues ready. In 2014, Swift joined a leukemia patient — who’s also evidently a piano wiz — for a rendition of Adele’s heartbreaking ballad, which resulted in a touchingly bittersweet moment. “You killed that!” Swift exclaims at the song’s end, giving the giddy patient a double high-five and melting our hearts in the process.