31 Best Taylor Swift Songs About Exes

“Begin Again”

Song Year: 2012

Breakups happen, and in each, there's always a heartbreak. Well, the sad moments don't need to continue for eternity. As the name suggests, “Begin Again” refers to the moment when you pick your pieces after a terrible breakup and drag yourself to a new flame.

The time of this song's release comes shortly after this celebrated pop music star broke up with Gyllenhaal and hooked up with Conor Kennedy in 2012 summer.

While most of Taylor Swift's songs about exes are full of malice, “Begin Again” is different. It praises Kennedy, comparing him to her ex. From the music, you can easily notice how much the artist had high hopes for their new relationship.

“Tim McGraw”

Song Year: 2006

Tim McGraw was never her boyfriend and never became her ex. However, he inspired her to write this song, hence the title. It's among her first hits on her debut album and one of the songs that catapulted her career to the level of a superstar.

Talking about her relationship with Brandon Bordello, the high school boyfriend who left her after joining college, Swift creatively elicits motions into the song.

While the song might seem like an attack to Bordello, the superstar revealed that he (Bordello) later bought the Taylor Swift album and commented that it was fantastic.

“I Did Something Bad”

Song Year: 2017

You might be wrong if you thought all of Taylor Swift's exes featuring in her songs took the blame and bashings without fighting back. John Mayer, for instance, dismissed her songwriting prowess in an interview calling it cheap. As if that was not enough, he also wrote a song, “Paper Doll,” dedicated to Swift, his ex-girlfriend.

Swift’s 2015 boyfriend, Calvin Harris, didn't even wait for the celebrated songstress to dedicate a song to him. He took the fight to social media and kept dissing Swift on the platforms after their breakup.

That prompted Swift to cover their breakup in a song, “I Did Something Bad.” Afterward, Harris also avenged by mentioning Swift in his track “Ole.”

“Hey Stephen”

Song Year: 2008

“Hey Stephe”n is about Stephen Barker Liles. While the two never dated technically, they had a mutual crush on each other during the singer's 2008 tour.

Stephen was a member of Love and Theft, which was supposed to be the opening act during Swift's 2008 Fearless album tour. In an interview, he joked about the whole issue, saying that he was worried when Swift told him that she wrote a song about him, given she rarely writes good things about men.

But he was relieved to hear that it was a nice song and the best thing someone ever did to him.

“Starlight”

Song Year: 2012

“Starlight” is among the sensational songs that rented the waves in 2012. It came at a time Swift's relationship with Robert F Kennedy's grandson, Conor Kennedy, was at its peak to the point she bought a home close to the family's house in Massachusetts.

That spiked a closeness between her and Kennedy's family, with “Starlight” being an inspiration from his grandparents. The song reflects the two lovebirds' (Ethel and Bobby's) early romance.

“The Last Time” ft. Gary Lightbody

Song Year: 2012

“The Last Time” is a song released in Swift's album, Red, featuring Gary Lightbody. Swift didn't mention the name of the ex behind this song. However, fans have suggested that Jake Gyllenhaal could be the inspiration.

That makes sense, considering the timing of the song's release. Gyllenhaal was the biggest inspiration behind most of Swift's tracks on the Red album released in 2012. Also, rumors were that Gyllenhaal was romantically entangled with two ladies, Rachel Bilson, and actress Anna Kendrick.

Thus, Swift uses the song “Last Time” to express her desire to be at the top of her boyfriend's preferences.

“Ours”

Song Year: 2010

Have you ever had to defend your love and protect your partner from world criticism? You need to hear “Ours,” one of the best Taylor Swift songs about exes. This song came at the time Swift was dating John Mayer.

Even without much scrutiny, it's easy to see that he (Mayer) inspired this hit in the superstar's 2010 album, Speak Now. Their love became a massive subject in the media during that time, with critics basing arguments on their huge age difference.

Ours was a fierce song fighting against all the opposition towards their love. It continuously references Mayer's physical features, including his tattoos, gapped teeth, etc.

“I Know Places”

Song Year: 2014

Taylor Swift's relationship with Harry Styles was one of the hardest. According to her, their biggest fear was finding somewhere peaceful they could hide from the paparazzi instead of focusing on what happens in the relationship.

Going by the dynamics surrounding their dating life, fans have consistently suggested “I Know Places” to have drawn inspiration from the relationship.

“I Almost Do”

Song Year: 2012

The feeling of rekindling a relationship, especially if you loved the person so much, is always inevitable. However, is it always the best step to follow?

“I Almost Do” is a song Swift wrote depicting the opportunities she and Gyllenhaal had to rekindle their love but refused to do so.

They knew the relationship wouldn't stand the test of time, and rekindling it was just a recipe for more heartbreaks.

“Fifteen”

Song Year: 2008

“Fifteen” is another great hit from Taylor's album, Fearless. It talks about her relationship with her then-high school boyfriend, Brandon Bordello. While she doesn't mention Bordello in the song, fans suggest he could be the inspiration behind the track, given that he was the one Swift dated at 15.

Apart from her personal experiences, “Fifteen” talks about being 15 and has several struggles that most girls at that age can relate to. The desire to love and be loved, the ease of trusting people's words, and the wish to go back and tell herself the things she knows now are all quite relatable.

Top Taylor Swift Songs About Exes, Final Thoughts

Taylor Swift is among the most celebrated pop music stars today. Since her career debut, Swift has been drawing inspiration for her songs from personal life experiences, and some of these experiences have been her love life.

Swift has several songs dedicated to the men she has dated, with most of them aiming at bashing the exes. This list of the best Taylor Swift songs about exes is sure to have a breakup ballad or ode to moving on that will have you listening on repeat.