Taylor Swift might just be the most famous singer-songwriter on the planet right now, although just because she’s written several worldwide hits does not mean she’s above covering other people’s songs. While Swift first gained fame as a country singer, over the course of eleven studio albums, she’s branched out into pop, folk, rock, and alternative music as she’s matured and developed as one of the defining musical figures of the 21st century. This willingness to try out new styles extends to her live shows, where Swift has surprised fans with covers of other artists’ well-known tracks.
As a musician who has never shied away from praising her fellow artists, such as name-dropping Charlie Puth and Patti Smith on “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” Swift’s concert cover songs also pay tribute to the artists she respects and admires. This goes much further than Swift’s normal country and pop stylings, as she’s even delved into hip-hop music with her live renditions of an Eminem song. As a track that Swift has not covered once but over 30 times, her fondness for the song is clear, even if she stopped playing it more than a decade ago.
Taylor Swift Regularly Played Other People’s Songs Live From Aerosmith to Usher, Swift has covered dozens of artists’ songs
The influence of all-time great singer-songwriters can be felt in Taylor Swift’s work, as her poetic lyricism recalls the confessional breakup music of Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, while her upbeat pop songs echo the danceable energy of Carole King’s Tapestry. Swift has not shied away from paying tribute to her influences, as she regularly plays other people’s songs in concert. From a duet with Alanis Morissette of her classic track “You Oughta Know,” who was a surprise Los Angeles guest during Swift’s 1989 Tour, to belting out Robbie Williams’ “Angels” at Wembley Stadium, Swift is no stranger to covers.
Taylor Swift has not shied away from paying tribute to her influences, as she regularly plays other people’s songs in concert.
It’s not just in concert that Swift has opted to perform other people’s songs, as, in 2018, she released her own stripped-back acoustic version of Earth, Wind & Fire’s famous disco track “September.” However, rather than just a straightforward cover, Swift’s version of “September” had a personal touch as she switched out the lyrics to instead refer to the “28th night of September,” which hinted at her anniversary with her former boyfriend and collaborator Joe Alwyn. While all these behind-the-scenes details add to fans’ enjoyment of Swift’s work, one track she regularly covered was dropped from her setlist.
Taylor Covered “Lose Yourself” By Eminem The Most Live
Swift has performed this Eminem song 33 times
While fans of Taylor Swift got to hear plenty of surprise songs during her Eras Tour, one cover that didn’t reappear was Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” As Swift’s most consistent cover song in her live shows, she’s performed the rap track 33 times, mostly in 2007, with the song’s final rendition at a Michigan concert in the Van Andel Arena on July 28th, 2011. It’s no surprise that Swift would try her hand at a rap song as she’s consistently spoken about her love of hip-hop in interviews and even expressed an interest in collaborating with Eminem
Taylor Swift’s final performance of “Lose Yourself” occurred during her Speak Now World Tour , where she covered songs by artists such as Jon Bovi, Bruce Springsteen, and Fall Out Boy.
Although Swift jokingly said, “Nobody wants to hear me rap,” she suggested singing the chorus on an Eminem track would be something she’d “sign up to in a heartbeat.” Despite this, “Lose Yourself” hasn’t been part of Swift’s live repertoire for years, and cover songs were a rarity during the Eras Tour, as, with eleven studio albums of original material, Swift’s self-penned work has taken precedence over other artists’ songs. Now, it’s been well over a decade since Taylor Swift covered Eminem, but based on her previous statements, there’s a chance we may see this unlikely pair work together yet.
