The 10 Best Covers of Taylor Swift Songs, From Niall Horan to Sabrina Carpenter

Updated on Oct 19, 2023 at 12:20 PM

We love to sing along to our favorite Taylor Swift songs, so perhaps it's no surprise that our favorite artists like to as well. Through the years, plenty of singers and bands have covered Swift's songs, each adding their own unique spin. This year, singer Sabrina Carpenter covered a "Red" track, singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy released her own version of "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" from Swift's self-titled debut album, and The Maine covered Swift's recent hit "Cruel Summer." Others who've covered Swift's songs include Sara Bareilles, Maggie Rogers, and One Direction's Niall Horan, all picking songs from different Swift eras.

Swift is always supportive of other people's versions of her hits. When Rogers covered "Tim McGraw" (another track from Swift's first album) in 2018, Swift shared it on Instagram, thanking Rogers and adding, "This cover is heavenly," per MTV News. Swift similarly praised Horan's cover of "Lover" (which also features Fletcher) in 2020, calling it "absolutely stunning" on Instagram, per Teen Vogue.

With the singer's heartbreaking lyrics and catchy melodies, it's no wonder Swift's musical colleagues are drawn to her songs again and again. Ahead, we rounded up some of our favorite covers of Taylor Swift songs.

"I Knew You Were Trouble" by Sabrina Carpenter

Carpenter — an opener on Swift's Eras Tour — released a Spotify Singles cover of "I Knew You Were Trouble" on Oct. 18. The original was one of the main hits on Swift's "Red" album, released in 2012. Swift shared the track on her Instagram Stories and wrote, "Well she nailed it."

"I'm Only Me When I'm With You" by Soccer Mommy

Singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy released a cover of Swift's "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" — which is from Swift's debut album — on Aug. 23. The track is the first single from Soccer Mommy's upcoming cover EP "Karaoke Night."

"Tim McGraw" by Maggie Rogers

Rogers's cover of "Tim McGraw" came as a Spotify Single in 2018. Her slow, thoughtful arrangement imbues the love song — one of the singles from Swift's first album — with a bittersweetness.

"Lover" by Niall Horan and Fletcher

Horan enlisted singer Fletcher to join him for this 2020 "Lover" cover, reimagining the title song from Swift's 2019 album as a duet (Swift herself released a duet version with Shawn Mendes, but the arrangements are quite different). The cover is another thread connecting Horan's former band One Direction to Swift. Harry Styles famously dated the singer, while Zayn Malik teamed up with her for 2017's "I Don't Wanna Live Forever."

"Clean" by Sara Bareilles

Bareilles performed "Clean," from Swift's 2014 album "1989," at a 2021 event held by the National Music Publishers' Association in honor of Swift. Bareilles called Swift a "true songwriting icon" who's "proven herself over and over." Scroll to 2:26 in the video to hear the full performance.

"August" by MUNA

The band MUNA covered "August," from Swift's 2020 album "Folklore," as part of their 2022 "Live From Electric Lady" EP. MUNA ended up being one of the openers on Swift's Eras Tour.

"Delicate" by James Bay

James Bay covered "Delicate," from 2017's "Reputation," in the BBC Live Lounge in 2018, giving the song a rocking edge.

"Exile" by Bastille

British band Bastille covered "Exile," another "Folklore" track during a live performance on SiriusXM in 2022. Their version features singer Dan Smith accompanying himself on the piano.

"Anti-Hero (Country Version)" by Josiah and the Bonnevilles

Shortly after "Midnights" was released in October 2022, Josiah and the Bonnevilles arranged "Anti-Hero," the first single, as a more country, folk-inspired version, really digging into the sadness in the lyrics. The song quickly became a TikTok favorite.

"Cruel Summer" by The Maine

Rock band The Maine covered "Lover" track "Cruel Summer" in July 2023. Their version is a bit more mellow than Swift's with a more electronic arrangement.