Maggie Collins 

Arts and Entertainment Editor 

Taylor Swift shows off some new lyrics. Photo credit: Instagram @taylorswift/@bethgarrabrant 

When Taylor Swift accepted her 13th Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, she announced that she would release her next album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19. This album was a secret she’d been keeping for two years. Swifties felt mixed emotions since no one expected her to announce a set of new songs. It undoubtedly made for a memorable acceptance speech and received plenty of applause from the audience. 

Many fans expected a new recording of Reputation would come out soon because it is the only album she has yet to rerecord. Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989 all have a “Taylor’s Version,” and she has owned all her albums since Folklore. However, the new album announcement has put the Reputation rumor to rest, at least for now. 

The form and timing of the announcement of the new album are not the only things that have thrown Swifties off. The album’s title is a departure from Swift’s typically short titles, which are usually one word. Her 2024 album will have her longest title to date. The Tortured Poets Department might be a jab at her ex, Joe Alwyn. As a December 2022 Variety interview revealed, Alwyn previously shared a WhatsApp group chat with Paul Mescal titled “The Tortured Man Club.”  

Swift posted the album cover on social media immediately following the Grammy announcement with handwritten lyrics, signing it, “All’s fair in love and poetry…Sincerely, The Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department.” The black and white cover shows her reclining on a bed with the frame cutting out her face. One day after the announcement, Swift posted the 16-song tracklist, which divulged guest appearances from Post Malone and Florence and the Machine. Deluxe albums are available for dedicated fans featuring different bonus tracks and collector editions, including never-seen-before photos, a bookmark, a magnet, and a 24-page handwritten lyric book.  

Swift has long been uniquely strategic about what, when, where, and how she releases new material. The Grammy announcement was exciting and new but also less impressive than previous announcements. I imagined a new album having a more significant moment than a short speech during an awards broadcast. Her usual pattern over recent years has been to post small hints on social media to build anticipation, but this surprise came with no clues. Nevertheless, fans look forward to hearing this new album and seeing what other surprises she has in store between now and April.