On April 19, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her much anticipated eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. What fans were not prepared for was her release of an additional album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, that same day. The double album is climbing the charts and Swift’s followers are raving about each and every new track.
A total of 31 songs are included on both of the albums, including collaborations with artists like Post Malone on “Fortnight” and Florence and the Machine on “Florida!!!” The album’s original tracks are written and produced by a variety of songwriters such as Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and even Swift herself.
Many fans had high expectations for the largely advertised album, and even higher expectations when a second album was announced and released. A long time Taylor Swift fan, OHS junior Emery Vick said, “The Tortured Poets Department is so amazing because of Taylor’s songwriting. Every lyric has such a unique meaning which is really cool. It is also so exciting that it is a double album, so you get twice the amount of new songs.”
Most fans have described this double album as being a mixture of both Folklore and Midnights. Swift’s lyrics range from having deep poetic tones to upbeat sounds and words that keep listeners on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Paraphrased from an article by Rolling Stone, this album was an ambitious step in Swift’s music career, yet it is exactly what fans wanted.
Some common themes among many of Swift’s other albums include love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, and The Tortured Poets Department and The Anthology are no exception. A multitude of the newly released tracks like “So Long, London” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” are about past relationships with Matty Healy and Joe Alwyn. They tell the heartbreaking stories of love, loss and moving on. Some of her other songs, including “So High School” are about her current relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce.
Swift’s new albums are sure to evoke a variety of emotions in listeners. OHS junior Jordan Otte said, “Taylor’s new album is so good and really shows how she does not only do pop music, but also does sad music. It shows us what she goes through and what she deals with in her life.”Both albums are available for streaming on all music platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora. To buy Swift’s new TTPD merch, visit her Official Website.
