Music
On Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, The Pre-Show Playlist Is Full Of Easter Eggs
Fans can jam to a slew of hits before the singer takes the stage.
Before Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show, fans know it’s time for the pre-party, and the singer has provided the perfect soundtrack. Swift expertly curated a selection of 40 songs that play before she goes onstage at Eras Tour, and many of her selections included Easter eggs, from hints at future collaborations to nods to her opening acts.
The playlist features a variety of artists and genres all designed to pump you up for the concert. From Grammy-winning hitmakers like Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson, to up-and-coming artists like Raye and Griff, fans can expect to hear many hits as Swift gets ready to enter the stage (in a literal janitor’s cart).
Read on for Swift’s full Eras Tour pre-show playlist, including the songs she added for 2024 stops and the three hits that always play before she takes the stage.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Pre-Show Playlist
Lana Del Rey - “Diet Mountain Dew”
Fans who arrive at the Eras Tour early will be greeted by the voice of Swift’s “Snow on the Beach” collaborator Lana Del Rey. Swift chose one of her earliest singles, 2012’s “Diet Mountain Dew,” for the playlist, proving she’s a longtime fan of Del Rey.
Selena Gomez - “Look At Her Now”
Swift gives a shoutout to her BFF Selena Gomez by including “Look At Her Now,” which she danced to when Gomez performed the track at the 2019 American Music Awards.
HAIM - “My Song 5”
Swift has been friends with Alana, Danielle, and Este Haim for so long that she’s often called the fourth Haim sister, and she proves her loyalty by including one of their earliest singles, “My Song 5,” on the playlist.
Griff - “Shade of Yellow”
Swift has shown support to Griff in the past by sending flowers and including her on Apple Music playlists, so it only makes sense that she also puts “Shade of Yellow” on her pre-show playlist.
niceboy ed - “life you lead”
This song started a slew of Swiftie conspiracy theories after Swift used it in a 2022 TikTok video, and fans discovered that niceboy ed’s identity is completely unknown. The mysterious artist has only released two more singles since then, and their inclusion on the Eras Tour playlist only raises more questions about who they are.
Suki Waterhouse - “Moves”
While it’s not one of her most public friendships, Swift has been friends with Suki Waterhouse for quite some time, even singing her praises to SSENSE in August. “She is the wildest person I know who I would also trust to keep any secret,” she said of Waterhouse.
boygenius - “True Blue”
Phoebe Bridgers, one of the boygenius members, collaborated with Swift on “Nothing New” and opened for her on the May 2023 dates of the Eras Tour, so it’s only natural that her band with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus make an appearance on the pre-show playlist.
Florence + the Machine - “King”
Swift’s inclusion of Florence + the Machine’s “King” was seen as a nod to her constant collaborator Jack Antonoff, who produced the song, but it also turned out to be a Swiftian Easter egg for her track with Florence, “Florida!!!” on The Tortured Poets Department.
HAIM - “3 AM”
Swift also included HAIM’s 2020 track “3 AM,” from their Grammy Album of the Year-nominated Women in Music Pt III.
Lil Nas X - “THAT’S WHAT I WANT”
In an adorable full-circle moment, Lil Nas X attended one of Swift’s Chicago shows in June and danced to his own hit while waiting for her to take the stage.
MUNA - “Number One Fan”
MUNA was among the many Eras Tour openers in the U.S., so it’s natural that their anthem, “Number One Fan,” gets a shoutout on the playlist.
Lenny Kravitz - “American Woman”
Swift used Lenny Kravitz’s “American Woman” as her entrance song on the Red Tour, playing it right before she took the stage. Its inclusion on the Eras Tour playlist is a nice throwback nod.
Ethel Cain - “American Teenager”
Swift cleverly contrasts “American Woman” with Ethel Cain’s “American Teenager,” giving two different perspectives on girlhood.
Taylor Swift - “False God”
It’s not known why Swift chose Lover deep-cut “False God” to be the lone representative of her catalog on her pre-show playlist, but it is one of the album’s best songs, so I’m not mad about it.
Hamilton Leithauser - “A 1000 Times”
Singer-songwriter Hamilton Leithauser is friendly with Lucy Dacus, who’s mentioned on Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, which proves there should be a Six Degrees of Taylor Swift function à la Kevin Bacon.
Kenny Chesney - “Big Star”
Swift was supposed to open for Kenny Chesney on one of his tours but had to drop out because Bud Light was a sponsor, and she was underage at the time. However, the country singer gave her a bonus that jumpstarted her career, so her inclusion of “Big Star” nods to his act of kindness.
Steve Lacy - “Bad Habit”
Swift was clearly feeling Steve Lacy’s performance of “Bad Habit” at the 2022 Grammys, which carried over to the Eras Tour.
Bakar - “Hell N Back”
Bakar released “Hell N Back” in 2019, but it only started going viral in the past year, when it also seemingly caught Swift’s attention.
Saweetie - “Best Friend (feat. Doja Cat)”
Given that Swift has many best friends, some of which are featured on the Eras Tour, it’s no surprise that she added Saweetie’s ode to friendship to her playlist.
Doja Cat - “Boss Bitch”
Doja Cat may also have something to do with Swift putting “Best Friend” on her playlist, as she also included the rapper’s viral track “Boss Bitch.”
King Princess - “For My Friends”
Swift has been a fan of King Princess since she rose to fame, even mentioning the singer during her Billboard Woman of the Decade speech in 2019.
Florence + the Machine - “Free”
If “King” wasn’t enough of an Easter egg, Swift's addition of a second Florence song, “Free,” to her pre-show playlist should have been a surefire sign of what was to come.
BLACKPINK - “Pink Venom”
Swift was spotted dancing when BLACKPINK performed “Pink Venom” at the 2022 Video Music Awards. Clearly, she’s a Blink.
Janet Jackson - “All For You”
Swift and Del Rey nodded to Janet Jackson’s 2000 hit “All For You” on “Snow on the Beach,” making it a fitting song to play before the Eras Tour.
Paramore - “Misery Business”
Not only is Swift longtime friends with Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams, but she also collaborated with her on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Plus, the band opened for the first two shows of the Eras Tour and rejoined Swift in Europe, where she specifically requested that they add “Misery Business” to their setlist. Basically, all roads led to this song going on the playlist.
boygenius - “$20”
Swift was inspired to add another boygenius song, perhaps after Baker and Dacus joined Bridgers during her first Eras Tour set.
Fall Out Boy - “My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark”
Swift added Fall Out Boy’s long-winded 2013 hit a few shows into the tour, likely as an Easter egg for their collaboration “Electric Touch” on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
Raye & 070 Shake - “Escapism.”
Raye is a known fan of Swift, praising her for re-recording her first six albums.
Faith Hill - “This Kiss”
Faith Hill and her husband, Tim McGraw, have been friends and mentors of Swift since the start of her career (with the latter being the namesake of her debut single), so it’s no surprise that one of Hill’s biggest hits gets a nod during the Eras Tour.
Sabrina Carpenter - “Nonsense”
Swift's inclusion of Sabrina Carpenter’s viral hit “Nonsense” turned out to be an Easter egg hinting at her being the opening act for Eras Tour dates in Latin America, Australia, and Singapore.
Ice Spice - “In Ha Mood”
If you hear Ice Spice’s voice blaring through the speakers, it’s time to head to your seat. Swift including the rapper’s breakout single “In Ha Mood” ended up being an Easter egg for the duo’s “Karma” remix.
Lady Gaga - “Applause”
Swift is a noted Little Monster, having praised Lady Gaga’s single “Applause” back in 2013. As the penultimate song to play before the Eras Tour, it plays as if Swift is demanding applause and hyping up the crowd for her arrival.
Lesley Gore - “You Don’t Own Me”
As the two-minute-and-13-second countdown begins, Lesley Gore’s 1963 classic “You Don’t Own Me” plays over the speakers and usually causes an empowering sing-along in the crowd. It’s an apt choice for Swift’s pre-entrance song amid her re-recording process, sending a clear message that her music is hers and hers alone.
New Songs Added To 2024 Eras Tour Playlist
Holly Humberstone - “Down Swinging”
Australian artist Holly Humberstone seems to be a newer discovery for Swift, given how the two singers have yet to speak about each other.
Maisie Peters - “History of Man”
Maisie Peters’ new single was produced by Swift’s good friend and collaborator Ed Sheeran, making its inclusion a subtle nod to both artists.
Camila Cabello - “I LUV IT (feat. Playboi Carti)”
Camila Cabello previously opened for Swift on 2018’s Reputation Stadium Tour, and given how Swift added her new single “I LUV IT” to her playlist, they have seemingly stayed close since then.
Doja Cat - “Agora Hills”
Swift adding a third Doja Cat song, the 2023 single “Agora Hills,” to the playlist shows how big of a stan she is.
Gracie Abrams - “Risk”
At first, Swift's addition of Abrams’ new single “Risk” to the playlist seemed like a nod to her frequent Eras Tour opener, who will rejoin the tour in October. However, it ended up also being another Easter egg about their collaboration “Us” on Abrams’ upcoming album, Secret of Us.
Rudimental - “Waiting All Night (feat. Ella Eyre)”
There’s no known connection between Swift and Rudimental, which just means that she must be a fan of the song.
