Harvard Professor Releases Book on Taylor Swift’s Musical Legacy

A new book by Harvard's Stephanie Burt takes a fresh look at Swift's writing and music. Through Taylor's Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift, Burt shares findings from her packed Swift-focused class at Harvard.

Students first noticed Burt with a Swift bag in fall 2023. "No part of this journey was anything I expected," said Burt, as reported by The Harvard Gazette. The class drew far more interest than planned — not just 15 fans, but 200 students showed up.

NBC's Today Show picked up the story, with Emilie Ikeda sharing her experience taking the class herself. 

Swift's path started with a bold choice: when offered her first big Nashville deal, she turned it down. They wanted her to perform others' work, but the future star stuck to her guns, insisting on writing her own songs.

The book spots fresh details in Swift's first songs. "You can really hear her becoming herself in real time as you go from one song to the next," Burt told The Harvard Gazette. Her study also sheds new light on Reputation — a turning point in Swift's sound, and the artist's most controversial album.

Swift's drive shines through her music, something that many Harvard students can connect with. 

"I think a lot of us see that aspect in our own lives, especially people at Harvard," Burt told The Harvard Gazette. "If you never stop working and you never slow down, you'll never have to confront your self-doubt. That's honestly one of the reasons that I personally have gradually become such a big Swiftie."