Even if you aren’t a fan of pop music, there’s no point in denying it: Taylor Swift has become one of the most popular and influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century, with her songs always securing a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 list and being streamed worldwide by millions (Variety).
The artist, who had been writing music since the age of twelve, has won several awards throughout her career, including several Grammys, and has successfully released ten studio albums, four of which she had re-recorded in the past few years.
However, fans have been left in euphoric shock as Taylor’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, came out last Friday. The album, which has been classified by Swift as pertaining to the genre of pop, has 16 songs and is a little over an hour long. Each song was written by Taylor herself.
Nevertheless, although this was an exciting moment for all Swifties, many of them had the opportunity to listen to the songs on the new album due to an accidental leak that occurred on April 18th, just before its release on the 19th. Many fans revealed online that they had received a Google Drive link that contained all 17 songs (BBC). However, while some Swifties immediately listened to the album, others firmly stated that they would wait until the official release to both respect Swift’s work and to make the experience more enjoyable for themselves.
For those who decided to listen to the album when it was finally released, the wait was worth it – songs such as Fortnight (featuring Post Malone), The Tortured Poets Department, and Clara Bow were instantly loved by fans, who posted their positive reviews of the album on social media.
As the author of this article, I listened to Swift’s album a couple of days after it came out. In my opinion, it is perhaps one of the singer’s best albums yet, and my personal pick from it would be So Long, London. Overall, however, the album is a compilation of songs that narrate Taylor’s life and relationships over the years, serving as a reflection on her past (Dazed).
Works cited:
Dazed. “The Tortured Poets Department.” Dazed, 19 Apr. 2024, www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/62443/1/the-tortured-poets-department-taylor-swifts-most-forgettable-album. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024.
“Taylor Swift (Artist).” Variety, variety.com/t/taylor-swift/.
“Taylor Swift: Fans React as New Album Is Apparently Leaked.” Www.bbc.com, 18 Apr. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68844317.