Since she began her career at just 16 years old, Taylor Swift has gone from an up-and-coming country singer to one of the biggest pop stars of our time, with one record-breaking milestone after another, from her sold-out stadium tours to her hit songs and albums. She’s known for her autobiographical lyrics and songs, and her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, is due out in October. Her catalog has earned her 14 Grammy Awards and counting, and she also recently made headlines for successfully buying back her master recordings after a long fight.

Swift’s music doesn’t just serve as the soundtrack to her fans’ lives — it’s also been featured in plenty of movies, with songs carefully chosen to suit the tone and mood. She’s known to be selective when it comes to licensing her music, and her songs give an added touch to the films they’re featured in. Whether one of her existing songs is used as a perfect needle drop or she writes a brand-new one specifically for a project, it’s a special treat when fans hear them at the cinema or while streaming on their couch.

10.”Out of the Woods”

‘Migration’ (2023)

In Migration, a family of ducks — anxious dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani), adventure-seeking mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks), teenager Dax (Caspar Jennings), sweet duckling Gwen (Tresi Gazal), and curmudgeonly Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito) — decides to leave their pond in New England and head to Jamaica, but they mistakenly fly north instead of south and end up spending some time in New York City. The movie features Swift’s song “Out of the Woods” from her album 1989.

Lyrically, “Out of the Woods” is about struggles within a relationship and borrows a familiar phrase, but it’s also fitting for a movie like Migration, where it can be interpreted both literally and figuratively, as the family in the movie is dealing with their own problems and finds themselves far away from their familiar territory. The song is well-suited for the movie, proving Swift’s music can fit in just about anywhere.

9.”Sweeter Than Fiction”

‘One Chance’ (2013)

Biopic One Chance follows Paul Potts (James Corden), a bullied shop worker and opera singer who competed on and won Britain’s Got Talent. It was based on the true story of Potts’ journey to stardom and shares its name with his debut album. Swift’s song “Sweeter than Fiction” is included on the soundtrack. Although it was written and produced with Jack Antonoff specifically for the movie, it was later included on the Taylor’s Version re-release of 1989.

“Sweeter than Fiction” features lyrics about overcoming the odds and proving people wrong, making it a fitting song for Potts’ heartwarming and uplifting story, which shares its themes. It’s one of Swift’s more underrated soundtrack contributions, but it’s also a notable track in her discography, as it has elements of her later collaborations with Antonoff, with a poppy ‘80s feel which would put it right at home in a John Hughes film.

8.”…Ready for It?” and “Look What You Made Me Do”

‘Sing 2’ (2021)

In the family jukebox musical Sing 2, the performers from the first Sing movie come together to put on a concert to impress an entertainment mogul in Redshore City, the entertainment capital of the world. But to pull it off, they must persuade a reclusive rock star to join them. The movie includes two of Swift’s songs, both from her album Reputation, “…Ready for It?” and “Look What You Made Me Do.”

The Sing series has made wonderful use of plenty of great songs, and given Swift’s discography and star power, it’s no surprise her songs have been among them (the first film included her hit “Shake It Off”). And while they’re not the typical needle drops, as both are sung by Rosita, voiced by Reese Witherspoon, Swift’s tracks are still used wonderfully. After all, the fun of a jukebox musical comes from seeing how existing music can be adapted for a story.

7.”Welcome to New York”

‘The Secret Life of Pets’ (2016)

Terrier Max (Louis C.K.) enjoys his life in New York City with his owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper), and their neighbors — until everything changes when Katie takes in stray dog Duke (Eric Stonestreet) and the two get lost in the city in The Secret Life of Pets. Swift’s song “Welcome to New York” plays in the movie’s opening minutes, over animated shots of the city and Max’s narration of what his life in the city is like.

Countless songs have been written about the lure and promise of New York City, and “Welcome to New York” is as much a love song to the city as any of them. It pairs perfectly with the opening scenes of the city, which manage to capture its beauty and excitement, even in animation. It also suits the rest of the film, which features Max and Duke learning about the sides of the city they’ve never been exposed to before.

6.”Today Was a Fairytale” and “Jump Then Fall”

‘Valentine’s Day’ (2010)

Romantic comedy Valentine’s Day follows various couples through the titular holiday. Swift, making her acting debut, plays teenager Felicia, the girlfriend of football player Willy, played by Swift’s actual boyfriend at the time, Taylor Lautner. In addition to acting in the movie, Swift’s songs “Jump Then Fall,” first released on her album Fearless, and “Today Was a Fairytale,” which was specifically written for the movie, are part of its soundtrack.

Given Swift’s role as Felicia in Valentine’s Day, it’s no surprise her music is in the movie. “Today Was a Fairytale” is a sweet country-pop song (Swift’s signature style at the time) that captures the whirlwind feeling of young love, especially for Felicia and Willy. “Jump Then Fall” similarly evokes the exciting energy that comes with diving into a new relationship and falling in love.

5.”Love Story”

‘Letters to Juliet’ (2010)

In Letters to Juliet, aspiring writer Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) travels to Verona, Italy, with her fiancé, where she discovers a wall covered in letters to Shakespeare’s infamous tragic heroine Juliet, which are then collected and answered by an organization called Secretaries of Juliet. Among them is a 50-year-old letter written by a woman looking for her long-lost love. Swift’s famous love song “Love Story” is part of the soundtrack, as well as her album Fearless.

If ever a Swift song seemed tailor-made for a movie, it’s “Love Story” in Letters to Juliet. The song is packed with references to some of literature’s most famous love stories — especially tragic ones — including Shakespeare’s famous play about star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. The song fits perfectly in a movie that draws heavily on the play for its own story, so much so that the track was even used in the trailers to promote it.

4.”All Too Well”

‘The Fall Guy’ (2024)

One year after stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) breaks his back during a stunt and leaves Hollywood, he’s drawn back in when his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), gets her shot at her directorial debut and her star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), disappears in The Fall Guy. The movie features a snippet of Swift’s 10-minute epic “All Too Well,” as it plays over the radio in Colt’s car as he tearfully reminisces about his relationship with Jody.

Swift’s music isn’t just used to set the mood of a scene — it’s also often used as a piece of characterization. Female characters often listen to Swift’s music with their friends or use it to cope with a breakup, while male characters are depicted enjoying it as a way to illustrate their softer side, from shows like Supernatural and The Bear to “All Too Well” in The Fall Guy. The track is quintessential Swift.

3.”My Tears Ricochet”

‘It Ends with Us’ (2024)

After Lily (Blake Lively) moves to Boston to leave her traumatic childhood behind and pursue her dreams in It Ends with Us, she crosses paths with Ryle (Justin Baldoni), and the two hit it off immediately. But everything changes when her first love comes back into her life and Ryle begins to show his true colors. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Colleen Hoover and features Swift’s song “My Tears Ricochet.”

The controversy surrounding It Ends with Us and what was going on behind the scenes has overshadowed the film itself, but it’s still worth noting the fitting use of Swift’s track “My Tears Ricochet.” The song’s lyrics reference mistreatment at the hands of someone she loved and pain leading to more pain, which fits the film’s topics of abusive and dysfunctional relationships. Swift herself has said the song is about “an embittered tormentor showing up at the funeral of his fallen object of affection.”

2.”Safe & Sound”

‘The Hunger Games’ (2012)

When Katniss Everdeen’s (Jennifer Lawrence) younger sister is chosen to participate in the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place in the dystopian film The Hunger Games, based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. Swift teamed up with the Civil Wars for the ballad “Safe & Sound” for the movie, which plays over the end credits. The track was also among those Swift re-recorded while fighting for ownership of her master recordings.

“Safe & Sound” is a moving, lullaby-like ballad with lyrics that hint at Katniss’ protective nature over her sister. The song, both musically and lyrically, captures the film’s more somber themes, while the styles of Swift and the Civil Wars mesh beautifully, particularly in their vocals. The track also feels like a preview of where Swift’s musical style would go on the albums Folklore and Evermore.

1.”Carolina”

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ (2022)

Based on the novel of the same name, mystery-thriller Where the Crawdads Sing follows Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a young woman who raised herself and lives alone in the marshlands of North Carolina. She becomes the main suspect after a man she was once involved with is found dead. Swift’s song “Carolina,” which was inspired by the book and features lyrics written from Kya’s perspective, is included in the film.

It’s no surprise that the moody and haunting “Carolina” was specifically written for Where the Crawdads Sing — it fits it perfectly. It’s a haunting track with great vocals from Swift, and its lyrics hint at loneliness and secrecy. Its acoustic sound and minor chords, as well as its perspective of a fictional character and the involvement of producer Aaron Dessner, put it in line with her albums Folklore and Evermore.