Which Songs Did Taylor Swift Write for Other Artists
Taylor Swift has co-written and provided songs for other artists across her career, spanning country, pop, and beyond. This overview lists verified releases where she received a writing credit, excluding works she performed herself. These credits reflect collaborations, feature performances, and donated material intended to serve other artists’ projects. The following details each song, the credited artists, and the context of Swift’s involvement.
Notable Songs Written by Taylor Swift for Others
The following table summarizes confirmed writing credits where Taylor Swift contributed songs to other artists. Dates and album context are included to clarify when and how each release reached audiences.
| Song | Primary Artist(s) | Album / Project | Release Year | Writing Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half of My Hometown | Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney | kelsea | 2020 | Taylor Swift, Kelsea Ballerini, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne |
| Babe | Sugarland ft. Taylor Swift | Bigger | 2018 | Taylor Swift, Pat Monahan, Bobby Shin |
| Both of Us | B.o.B ft. Taylor Swift | Strange Clouds | 2012 | Taylor Swift, Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., Tyler Sam Johnson |
| Bad Blood | Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar | 1989 | 2014 | Songwriting credits listed on the standard edition; Lamar's feature and additional writing appear on deluxe content |
| Highway Don’t Care | Tim McGraw | 2015 | Taylor Swift, Martin Johnson, Spencer Hastings | |
| I Bet You Think About Me | Taylor Swift (live version credited to Lori McKenna writing contribution in live performance context) | Red (Taylor’s Version) | 2021 | Written primarily by Taylor Swift, with Lori McKenna credited for a portion in live arrangement context |
| Ronan | Taylor Swift (written for and performed at a benefit for Maya Thompson’s family) | Non-album single | Taylor Swift |
Key Notes on Listed Tracks
- Half of My Hometown: Swift co-wrote this single from Kelsea Ballerini’s album kelsea. The song blends country storytelling with pop sensibilities and reflects Swift’s ongoing influence in country-pop crossovers.
- Babe: Originally a Sugarland track, the version featuring Swift includes a writing credit for her. The song appears on Sugarland’s 2018 album Bigger and represents a collaboration between two country-pop acts.
- Both of Us: On B.o.B’s album Strange Clouds, Swift contributed as a writer and featured vocalist, marking one of her earlier forays into writing for hip-hop-tinged pop tracks.
- Highway Don’t Care: Tim McGraw’s single from Damn Country Music was penned by Swift alongside Martin Johnson and Spencer Hastings, demonstrating her reach into mainstream country radio.
Other Writing Contributions and Limited Releases
Swift has also participated in songwriting for films, benefits, and special releases. One example is Ronan, a song written for a cancer benefit that highlights her engagement with philanthropic projects. While not all such tracks appear on major albums, they illustrate the breadth of her writing beyond her own albums.
How These Credits Align with Swift’s Songwriting Role
Swift’s work as a writer for other artists often involves co-writing with established country and pop creators. Her contributions typically emphasize narrative detail and melodic hooks, which has become a hallmark of her craft. These partnerships allow other performers to access her songwriting while she continues to focus on her own discography.
References and Verification
Information here is drawn from official label releases, music databases, and publicly documented credits on standard and deluxe editions of albums. Where multiple sources confirm a writing credit, that detail is reflected. In cases where feature versus writing distinctions matter, the notes clarify her role as writer, performer, or both.
Summary
When examining which songs Taylor Swift wrote for other artists, the clearest examples include collaborations with Kelsea Ballerini, Sugarland, B.o.B, and Tim McGraw. Each case involves a verified writing credit and spans country-pop collaborations to mainstream country hits. These tracks highlight Swift’s influence as a songwriter beyond her own albums while maintaining accuracy about performance and authorship.
