We praise Taylor Swift a lot but I truly want to reflect on how good of an album Fearless was and is. And she released it age 18, full of songs she wrote from 16-18. Certainly other young women made equally good albums (Alanis, Fiona, Lauryn), but still! This album fucks.

Like, Fearless is such a fully-realized end-to-end album. To use a phrase Swifties hate, “sonically cohesive.” Other than Jagged Little Pill (which age wise is more like Taylor's Red), it’s hard for me to think of another album from an artist that hits like this beginning to end.

Like, Fearless nailed the production. Michelle Branch's The Spirit Room and Jewel's Pieces of You had great writing and were let down by lousy production. Alanis and Taylor nailed both. The Score (The Fugees) does too (all hail Wyclef!!). Fiona's Tidal is OK. Hence end-to-end.

People have pointed out Lorde's Pure Heroine and that was one I omitted erroneously. Definitely another end-to-end album that nails production, writing, and vocals. Melodrama is an equally great follow-up.