From Cover Songs to Mashups: The Evolution, Significance, and Fandom of Taylor Swift’s Concert Surprise Songs

Throughout her career, Taylor Swift has utilized concert surprise songs (acoustic performances unique for that night) to connect with in-person audiences and with the Eras Tour, virtual audiences joining via livestreams. These songs speak to our collective expanding understanding of Swift’s musical oeuvre, creative process, and fandom, starting with cover songs that shared her musical influences, then choosing songs within her own canon, and culminating with mashups that connect songs across albums. This article explores fan interactions with the Eras Tour surprise songs via tracking projects, reactions online, and art, as well as provides an initial structural analysis of the 138 mashup performances between November 2023 and December 2024.