Swift, Taylor: Taylor Swift (2LP) [Big Machine Records]

*Taylor Swift* is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Released by Big Machine Records, it came out in the United States and Canada on October 24, 2006, and elsewhere on March 18, 2008.

After moving from Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee, Swift signed with Sony/ATV Tree Music Publishing at the age of 14 to write songs for the album. Her 2005 contract with Big Machine allowed her to work with producer Nathan Chapman during her freshman year of high school. Of the 11 tracks on the album, Swift wrote three solo and co-wrote the rest with Robert Ellis Orrall, Brian Maher, Angelo Petraglia, and Liz Rose. The lyrics reflect her teenage perspective, covering themes of romance, friendship, and personal security. As a country album, *Taylor Swift* features acoustic instruments like guitars, banjos, and fiddles, while incorporating elements of pop and pop rock.

The album spawned five singles; "Our Song" and "Should've Said No" both topped the Hot Country Songs chart, and "Teardrops on My Guitar" reached the Pop Songs chart. Swift supported the album with a six-month radio tour in 2006 and opened for other country artists during 2006–2007. By leveraging Myspace for promotion, she connected with a younger audience beyond the traditional country music demographic. Critics praised *Taylor Swift* for its accessible sound and Swift's genuine portrayal of adolescent emotions, leading to a nomination for Album of the Year at the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards.

In the United States, the album spent 24 weeks at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, became the longest-charting album of the 2000s decade on the Billboard 200, and made Swift the first female country artist to write or co-write every song on a platinum-certified debut album. It also achieved chart success and certifications in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The album's pop-oriented country sound and autobiographical songwriting set a precedent for Swift's subsequent releases and influenced other confessional singer-songwriters. In 2022, Rolling Stone included *Taylor Swift* in their list of the 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time.