What if a summer love story and Taylor Swift were made for each other? Because in The Summer I Turned Pretty, these two worlds collide in a perfect explosion of heartbeats, secrets, and those unforgettable moments that only Swift’s songs can capture. Ready for all the places Taylor’s music made your heart jump in the series? Buckle up, because this is the ultimate guide you never knew you needed, and it’s bursting with swoon, drama, and the soundtrack to every love story you’ve dreamed of.
Why Taylor Swift is the Heartbeat of The Summer I Turned Pretty
This isn’t a coincidence. Show creator Jenny Han is a huge Taylor Swift fan, and she made sure to weave Taylor’s music deep inside the veins of this story. Think of Taylor’s songs as Belly Conklin’s (the main character) secret diary, telling us everything her words can’t. That blend of teen crush, heartbreak, and “maybe this is forever” moments? Taylor gets it like no one else.
Here’s the twist though, Jenny Han actually wrote to Taylor Swift personally to ask permission to use some of her lesser-known songs in the show. And that’s just the start. Since Taylor reclaimed ownership of her music catalog in 2025, the doors flew wide open for the series to use even more gems from her vault to score key scenes. This makes The Summer I Turned Pretty not just a show but a Taylor Swift experience.
Season 1: The Dawn of Swift in Belly’s Summer
The very first season set the tone with Taylor Swift songs that didn’t just play in the background, they were the mood lighting.
- “Lover”: The moment Belly and Conrad reunite for the summer, “Lover” plays softly, wrapping the screen in the warmth of first love and second chances. It’s a match made in TV soundtrack heaven.
- “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)”: Played during Belly’s debutante ball dance with Conrad, the song mirrored the complicated, raw feels of their relationship perfectly.
- “Cruel Summer” and “False God”: These tracks punctuated the highs and lows, the thrill and confusion of young love caught in the summer heat.
Five Taylor Swift songs were sprinkled across Season 1, giving viewers those goosebumps moments that we know and love from a Taylor Swift needle drop.
Season 2: Doubling Down on That Swift Magic
By Season 2, the show was practically known for its Swift needle drops, packing nearly double the songs compared to Season 1. Jenny Han teased fans that they managed to sneak in as many as 11 Taylor tracks, including two that made the promotional campaigns, making Swift’s presence impossible to miss.
Key songs included:
- “August”: A nostalgic, bittersweet ballad that perfectly captured unspoken feelings and missed chances.
- “Back to December (Taylor’s Version)”: The regret and hope tangled in this song makes it an emotional powerhouse on screen.
- “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” and “Invisible String”: These tracks beautifully underscored the evolving relationships, the idea of fate, and the tension of what might come next.
Season 2 showed how integral Taylor’s music became in narrating the heartache and triumphs of Belly and her complicated love triangle.
Season 3: The Final Chapter and The Most Emotional Needle Drops
Season 3 kicked off with a bang and left fans tearing up by the end, thanks in no small part to Taylor Swift’s songs.
- “Daylight” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” set the tone from the trailers themselves, painting the season with intense passion and heartbreak, and they played during major reveal scenes.
- The season finale unleashed two major Taylor songs that had fans swooning hard: “Dress” and “Out of the Woods.”
– Dress scored Belly and Conrad’s first kiss under the Paris moonlight. Jenny Han describes the song as sultry and filled with passion, matching the scene’s chemistry perfectly.
– Out of the Woods accompanied Belly’s emotional confession of love at the train station, a moment of clarity that pulled the heartstrings tight. This track was selected to show Belly’s personal growth and realization of true love.
In total, Season 3 is packed with Taylor Swift needle drops, some newly released from The Tortured Poet’s Department anthology album, others revitalized classics, making it the most musically rich season yet.
Surprising Facts About Taylor’s Role in the Show
- Jenny Han initially wasn’t sure if she could secure Taylor’s songs. She even wrote a handwritten letter to Swift personally to request The Way I Loved You, showing how much those songs meant to the story.
- Since Swift owns her catalog again as of May 2025, the series had unprecedented access to unreleased tracks for Season 3, and that rare access is part of what makes the soundtrack so fresh.
- Taylor’s music isn’t just background. It’s woven into the characters’ emotions, almost like another voice telling Belly’s story and echoing the ups and downs of teenage love.
Why Fans Obsessed Over These Needle Drops
Swifties and TSITP fans agree: Taylor’s music makes The Summer I Turned Pretty more than just a show. Each needle drop is like catching a glimpse of Belly’s diary, and that’s real intimacy on screen.
- The songs create moments that stick with you long after the episode ends.
- They give emotional weight to key scenes, who knew a song like “Dress” could make a first kiss feel even more electric?
- The soundtrack bridges generations of Swift’s music, from classic versions on Fearless to brand-new unreleased songs, making the show feel timeless and fresh.
What to Do Next?
If loving Taylor Swift and The Summer I Turned Pretty is your vibe: share this article with a friend who lives for epic soundtracks! Follow the official playlist on Spotify or Amazon Prime and get ready to binge with an ear for all the feels.
Don’t wait to try out your own TSITP-inspired playlist and feel the summer love any day of the year. And hey, comment below with your favorite Taylor Swift song moment from the show. Which one had you crying or swooning hardest?
Closing Charge
Taylor Swift’s music is the soul of The Summer I Turned Pretty. It captures every little heartbreak, awkward glance, and magic kiss better than words alone ever could. This soundtrack isn’t just background noise, it’s a love letter to the audience, a soundtrack to the summer we all wish we could live again.
So, what are you waiting for? Drop a comment, hit share, and follow for more juicy, music-filled moments that make every season unforgettable.
