Since the release of her debut album in 2006, Taylor Swift has established herself as a musical icon and global superstar with her Eras Tour, remade albums and more. It’s no surprise that her highly anticipated new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” quickly became a worldwide hit and a new chapter in Swift’s record-breaking career.
“The Tortured Poets Department” is the first new album that Swift has come out with in a while, not counting her re-record of albums 1989 and Speak Now. Fans were especially excited for its release, especially after the rising popularity that came from her Eras Tour concert and movie.
To fans’ surprise, two hours after the original release of “The Tortured Poets Department” on April 19th, Swift revealed in an Instagram post that the album will be a special double album, featuring fifteen extra songs in addition to the original sixteen that were released. In the post, she wrote “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn’t mine anymore… it’s all yours.”
Fans have compared the new album to previous ones by the artist, such as “Folklore” and “Evermore.” The albums have the same despairing tones and lyrics, standing out from her usual upbeat pop anthems. In these somber albums, Swift focuses on the metaphors and meaning of the lyrics, making them beautifully written and satisfying to listen to.
Upon first listening to the album, the first song, “Fortnight,” started the album with a bang. Featuring vocals from artist Post Malone, this was a powerful way to start off the album and set a mood for the rest of the songs to come. This song focuses on the theme of heartbreak and lost love, with lyrics such as “I love you, it’s ruining my life,” and “I touched you for only a fortnight.”
A popular favorite from the album was the song “Down Bad.” This song is about heartbreak and the states of denial and sadness that come after. Many liked this song because it has an upbeat and quicker tone than some of the rest of the songs in the album, but still keeps the theme of heartbreak and loss. The contrasting sides came together to produce what many thought was a great song.
Some critics of the new album thought that Swift’s themes and lyrics were repetitive and could have been better written. Others believed that it was an instant classic and that the change in pace only highlighted her success and ability to perform different genres.
Because of the unique melodies and more mature themes, the new album was a good addition to an already groundbreaking lineup of music. The metaphors and meaning behind every lyric showcase her talent for songwriting, and the themes of heartbreak and grief show a new side of her beyond her fame and fortune.
