Taylor Swift’s Debut Self-Titled Album Released: On This Day

Author Lauren Hoffman

October 24th, 2023 12:25 PM

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Taylor Swift attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

It’s hard to believe that it has been seventeen years since the world was introduced to Taylor Swift. On October 24, 2006, the now global phenomenon released her self-titled debut album with Big Machine Records.

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The loyalty of Swift’s fans (“Swifties”) is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and I’m proud to say I’m one of them. Swift’s debut was a great country album. It would have been hard to predict in 2006 that she would go on to be one of the most successful artists of all time, in any genre. But this is where her story begins.

Swift has blessed us with ten albums since the release of Taylor Swift in 2006. We have received Fearless (2008), Speak Now (2010), Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017), Lover (2019), Folklore (2020), Evermore (2020), and Midnights (2022) to date.

Taylor Swift featured eleven songs, including “Teardrops On My Guitar,” “Our Song,” “Picture To Burn,” and “Should’ve Said No.” The 33-year-old is credited as a writer on each of the tracks for her debut album which are all based on personal experiences.

Although I don’t know if I’d ever be able to pick my favorite song overall by Swift, I do know that the lead single off of Taylor Swift the album, “Tim McGraw,” will be a release I cherish forever.

She went on to perform “Tim McGraw” live at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2007 with the country superstar himself in attendance. I remember that performance like it was yesterday.

All things aside, Swift made history as the first solo female country artist to write and/or co-write every song on a debut album. Taylor Swift, now certified seven times Platnum by the Recording Industry Associaton of America (RIAA), even garnered Swift an ACM Award nod for Album of the Year in 2008.

Whether you’re a day one Swiftie or are new to the game thanks to the NFL and Travis Kelce, I hope you spend some time today listening to Taylor Swift. Perhaps you’ll even go see Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at the movies this week which is making millions at the box office.

Throw🔙| 17 years ago today, @TaylorSwift13 released her debut album pic.twitter.com/3wJZ6VyNga
— The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) October 23, 2023

Top Five Taylor Swift Country Music Moments

5 - 2007 - Taylor sang her debut single "Tim McGraw" at the ACM Awards
Taylor sang her debut single “Tim McGraw” at the ACM Awards – Just before she won the 2007 Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist of the Year, an 18-year-old Swift made her performing debut at the awards show. She entered the audience and stood right before Tim McGraw and sang her debut single, “Tim McGraw.” The song references McGraw, but Taylor wrote it about parting ways with a high school boyfriend who left for college.
4 - 2009 - Taylor performing "15" at the Grammys with Miley Cyrus
Taylor performed alongside Miley Cyrus as she strummed guitar at the 2009 Grammy Awards.
3 - 2008 - Taylor performed "Should've Said No" at the ACM Awards
Swift began the performance in an oversized black hoodie and jeans and ended it by singing in the rain on-stage in a black dress as she gets drenched.
2 - 2006 - Taylor released her self-titled debut album
Swift released her self-titled debut, and her hit “Our Song,” made her the youngest artist to write and perform a No. 1 track on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
1 - 2009 - Winning her first Entertainer of the Year Award at the CMA Awards
The award was handed to her by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Taylor said in her acceptance speech, “I will never forget this moment because in this moment, everything that I have ever wanted just happened to me.”