Taylor Swift live - The Tortured Poets Department album listen through

Clara Bow

This track is named after the iconic 1920s silent film star Clara Bow who is considered to be the first “it girl" and in her time was a Hollywood sex symbol who at the height of her career received 35,000 letters, biographer David Stenn told TODAY.

Being a popular female figure in Hollywood also meant she was on the receiving end of rumours and attacks from the tabloids which caused her to have mental struggles due to the pressures of fame.

Steve Nicks also gets a mention in the song as the Fleetwood Mac singer is considered to be the "it girl" on the 1970s.

Swift herself can relate to this role too as she acknowledges she's the "it girl" of the moment, a century on from Bow - and this is reflected in the song's outro:

"You look like Taylor Swift / In this light, we're lovin' it /You've got edge, she never did /The future's bright, dazzling," as Swift describes how there will be another "it girl" that succeeds her.

The Alchemy

If you were wondering whether there would be a song about Swift's boyfriend and NFL player Travis Kelce on the album, then this appears to be one.

Most notably, there are American football references in the chorus - "So when I touch down / Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team / Ditch the clowns, get the crown / Baby, I'm the one to be."

A possible mention of her exes as the "blokes warm the benches," while describing how "We've been on a winning streak," in this upbeat anthem.

But what is Alchemy?

It refers to the process of turning metals into gold which dates back to medieval times.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Swift didn't pull any punches with this track which is speculated to be about her brief romance with Matty Healy.

Interestingly, Healy's height has been subject to debate over the years as the Englishman told The Fader in 2018: “Everyone in the band is 6’4” and I’m 5’10”, so everyone thinks that I’m 5’5."

He's also reacted to a fan who commented how he was taller than she thought, as Healy said: "I’m 5’11”-6” […] How can I be fucking 5’5”, 5’6”… I am sick to f***ing death of this. I am a big boy!"

Typically you'll see Healy on stage in a suit and tie, which Swift appears to reference - "Gazing at me, starry-eyed/
In your Jehovah’s Witness suit." (Healy is not a Jehovah's Witness, though he does dress like one according to Swift).

The pair's fleeting romance ended last summer, and Swift appears to confirm this timing: “I just want to know if rusting my sparkling summer was the goal."

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

One of the more musically upbeat songs on the album... but don't be fooled, the lyrics tell a different story.

The song's subject matter tackles when you have to plaster a smile on your face as a certain area of your life is thriving, but in reality you're depressed because another important aspect of your life is falling apart.

For Swift, that's going on her sell-out Eras Tour and experiencing the biggest successes in career while at the same time also going through her breakup with Alwyn during all of this.

"Breaking down, I hit the floor/All the piеces of me shatterеd as the crowd was chanting, 'More'" she sings.

While at the end of the song Swift laughs as she says candidly: "You know you're good and I'm good / 'Cause I'm miserable! / And nobody even knows!"

loml

Most people typically associate the abbreviated text slang "loml" to mean "love of my life," but Swift has used it in a melancholic way instead to refer to the "loss of my life."

This change in meaning for the somber piano heartbreak song has led Swifties to believe the singer is reflecting on her split from ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn after six years together which is Swift's longest relationship to date.

She claims the relationship she's singing about is "counterfeit" despite talk of marriage and kids: "You shit-talked me under the table/Talking rings and talking cradles/I wish I could unrecall /How we almost had it all."

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

This acoustic tune is about a "dangerous man" that Swift wants to "fix" which has left Swifties thinking the man in question is Matty Healy (once again).

Healy is a smoker and has made headlines over his controversial comments which has led listeners to believe the following line is describing him: "The smoke cloud billows out his mouth like a freight train through a small town / The jokes that he told across the bar were revolting and far too loud."

While the hostile reaction to the pair seeing one another is also mentioned - "They shake their heads saying, "God, help her" when I tell 'em he's my man."

By the end of the song, Swift amusingly admits defeat to changing the man as she concludes: "Woah, maybe I can't."

Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?

We see Swift here the most abrasive and unapologetic she's been so far when reflecting on the criticism, rumours and narratives she's contended with during her career over the last two decades.

"I was tame, I was gentle till the circus life made me mean," she sings, as life experiences have forced her to become resilient and grow thicker skin.

The chorus also has a sarcastic attitude - "So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street / Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream / ‘Who’s afraid of little old me?’ / You should be."

In the outro, Swift takes aim at those who have berated her: "You caged me and then you called me crazy/I am what I am 'cause you trained me."

The vocal delivery from Swift lets you know she means business.

Guilty as Sin?

Matty Healy is at the centre of this song, according to fans who have noted a lyrical reference to ’80s Scottish band The Blue Nile and their song Downtown Lights.

The 1975 front man described them as his "favorite band of all time," in a 2016 interview with Vulture.

Swift sings that she's having "fatal fantasies" about the person who sent her the 1989 song.

While the track is thought to be about the negative public reaction to Swift and Healy's reportedly brief relationship last year.

The term "guilty as sin" also appears in another song of Swift's Carolina - a single she wrote for the 2022 film Where the Crawdads Sing.

Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)

As both a Taylor Swift and Florence + The Machine fan, this was one of the songs I was most excited about - and it did not disappoint.

With loud drums and the pair exclaiming about escaping to the Sunshine State to avoid all your problems (for Swift, fans believe it to be just after her split from Alwyn) it's clear why three exclamation points were needed in the song title.

Swift previously performed in Florida on her Eras Tour back April last year - the first shows just after her break-up was confirmed.

“Barricaded in the bathroom with a bottle of wine. Well, me and my ghosts, we had a hell of a time," Welch sings while Swift describes Florida as "one hell of a drug."

Welch was a sensational fit for the song, with her vocals packing a punch while the tune also has the vibes of her third studio album 2015's How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.

Fresh Out The Slammer

Fresh Out The Slammer has a hypnotic rhythm as Swift rhymes off how the bad conditions within a previous relationship felt like she was doing jail time, as she then returned to a past love once she was "free."

Again, Swifties believe the singer is describing her break-up with Joe Alwyn and "runnin' back home" to Matty Healy who she is believed to have briefly dated months later but the two musicians apparently have history.

Back in 2014, dating rumours surrounding Swift and Healy emerged but were never confirmed when the English singer was spotted wearing an 1989 album top, and Swift was also seen wearing a 1975 t-shirt.

But Daddy I Love Him

This song is one of the most interesting ones in terms of subject matter.

It is widely believed to be Swift's response to her fans who begged her to stop dating Matty Healy last year over his controversial comments about women, including Ice Spice and even herself.

And judging by the lyrics, she didn't care at the time what people thought:

“I’ll tell you something right now / I’d rather burn my whole life down than listen to one more second of all this bitching and moaning / I’ll tell you something about my good name, it’s mine alone to disgrace / I don’t cater to all these vipers dressed in empaths’ clothing.”

It's not the first time Swift has poked fun at the perception that surrounds her love life, as she famously did this in her 1989 era with songs such as Shake It Off and Blank Space - though But Daddy I Love Him is perhaps the most direct of the bunch.

So Long, London

When you hear the delicate choir vocals from Swift at the beginning, you know it's going to be an emotionally brutal one.

"So Long London" details a person deciding to admit defeat after attempting to persevere through struggles within their relationship.

It's a stark contrast to Swift's previous song that references the UK capital - the upbeat London Boy on her 2019 album Lover where she describes travelling around the city with her beau.

Of course, fans are making the connection between the two tracks which they believe to be about Swift's British ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn who she dated from 2017 to 2023.

"I left all I knew, you left me at the house by the Heath," she sings, which suggests the couple had been living near Hampstead Heath in North London.

Down Bad

If you love space metaphors and cursing, then you'll be a fan of Down Bad.

The song begins with some extraterrestrial-style sounds as she talks about a momentary "cosmic love" that doesn't well as by the chorus she reveals: "Now I'm down bad crying at the gym."

(Relatable).

"F**k it if I can't have him," she repeats about a guy she describes as "my twin."

Some believe the song is about Swift's dalliance with Matty Healy last year, but we'll leave that for you decide.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys

The chaos and turbulence of feeling disregarded from a relationship is explored in this song using the metaphor of broken toys.

"Pull my string and I’ll tell you that he runs because he loves me," Swift sings, describing herself as the "queen of sandcastles he destroys."

This anthemic tune is certainly a highlight on the album which is perfectly suited for a stadium audience on her Eras Tour - so hopefully we'll get to hear it live soon.

The Tortured Poets Department

The synth pop continues onto the title track which has Swift's Folklore-style storytelling at its core.

Fans are convinced the song is about the singer's rumoured relationship with The 1975 frontman Matt Healy as at one point Swift refers to a "tattooed golden retriever" and the line "You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate," perhaps referencing The 1975 hit Chocolate?

Meanwhile, the album was subject to leaks a day before its release and one rumoured lyric that raised eyebrows was "You smoked and ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist."

Well, it turns out the lyric appears on this song and the internet has already turned it into a meme as people have been declaring who they think should be a bigger artist - some of those include, Succession's Kendall Roy, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Katy Perry.

Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)

Fortnight is the first track on the album as well as the lead single from TTPD, and the music video for the song is expected to drop later today at 8pm ET.

It marks the first of two collaborations on the project, with Swift teaming up with fellow chart-topper Post Malone, in what is guaranteed to be a hit.

"I’ve been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever," Swift said in the single announcement.

Post Malone fits smoothly on the track and the back and forth between him and Swift is a lovely listen.

The song has a heavy 80s influence and the downtempo synth pop track is all about a woman whose ex is married to someone else becomes her neighbour (and she's not happy about it with the lyrics: "Your wife waters the flowers/ I want to kill her.")

"I love you, it's ruining my life," are lyrics that also appear which were first teased by Swift back in February.

"Fortnight" is also the British word for two weeks, leading fans to speculate if the track is about Swift's last two weeks of her relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn, or her brief rumoured romance with British singer Matty Healy.

"Fortnight is giving Folklore smoking weed with Midnights," one fan said of the song, which sums it up pretty well.

Join us for live listen through of The Tortured Poets Department

Happy TTPD release day!

To celebrate, we're doing a live listen through of the album to share our thoughts, reactions as well as deep dive into fan theories and reactions.

So keep your eyes peeled...

Overjoyed Swifties react to news of TTPD double album

It's fair to say the announcement of The Tortured Poets Department being a double album has left Swifties feeling ecstatic as they shared their elated reactions online:

One fan said: "You're telling me Taylor Swift wrote not one but TWO albums WHILE performing at a sold out world tour that shattered records ??????????"

"Taylor Swift said 'this album release WILL be bigger than World War 3,'" another person wrote.

A third person added: "I’M NOT EVEN TWO SONGS IN YET AND WE ALREADY HAVE A SECOND ALBUM WHATTT."

"One thing about being a Swiftie is that you will NEVER be bored," a fourth person commented.

Someone else posted: "WHAT THE F***?!?!?!?!?! I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN READY TO FULLY TAKE IN THE FIRST ALBUM AND THERE'S A SECOND ONE????? INSANITY!!!!!!!"

Taylor Swift announces TTPD is a double album in 2am surprise

Fans had a feeling something else was coming at 2am - and oh boy were they right.

Swift took to social media to announce that The Tortured Poets Department is a double album, with 15 extra songs.

"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," the singer wrote.

Four of the extra songs were already knew as they are bonus songs on different editions of the album.

Here is a list of the 15 extra songs:

• The Black Dog
• imgonnagetyouback
• The Albatross
• Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus
• How Did It End?
• So High School
• I Hate It Here
• thanK you aIMee
• I Look in People's Windows
• The Prophecy
• Cassandra
• Peter
• The Bolter
• Robin
• The Manuscript

The Tortured Poets Department is out now!

It's finally here - The Tortured Poets Department is out now.

"The Tortured Poets Department. An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time - one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure," Swift said in a recent social media post.

"This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up. There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed. And upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted.

She continued: "This writer is of the firm belief that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it.

"And then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry.

"THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT is out now."

Swifties issue warnings online not to listen to reported album 'leaks'

Following reports that The Tortured Poets Departmentappeared to have leaked a day early online, Swifties are coming together on social media to urge people not to listen to the music.

(Swift has not confirmed whether these 'leaks' are real, with some speculating it could be the result of AI).

One fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "If you listened to the leaks you’re not a real Swiftie and don’t respect Taylor."

"Y’all had ONE f****ing day to wait. *ONE*… You’re no fan of Taylor’s if you’re listening to leaks the DAY before the actual album drops," another similarly said.

A third person added: "I hope y'all know taylor would HATE you for spreading leaks btw."

"Really crazy to see Swifties openly streaming leaks as if Taylor hasn't been so extremely open her entire career about how important ownership over art is to her it's genuinely shameful," a fourth person commented.

Read more details and reaction to the reported leak here.

Fans gather outside TTPD mural in Chicago to scan QR code

Taylor Swift fans gathered outside a building where a mural featuring a large QR code was being painted to promote Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," yesterday (April 17) in Chicago.

Fans scanned the code, danced and sang along to Taylor Swift music, which was being played at the worksite.

The QR code links to a video clip with the message “Error 321” and offers options to pre-order the album on cassette, CD or vinyl.

Excitement among Swifties grows on social media as album drop gets closer

With just under 13 hours until The Tortured Poets Department is out, fans can't contain their excitement on X, formerly Twitter.

One fan wrote: "THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT IN 13 HOURS!!! LETS GO!!"

"No more months, no more weeks, no more days... we're HOURS away now," another person said.

A third person added: "TODAYS THE DAYYYY!!!! THE SUN IS SHINING! THE BIRDS ARE CHIRPING! I AM READY TO BE EXTREMELY EMOTIONALLY DEVESTATED BY TAYLOR SWIFT AT MIDNIGHT!"

"ONE DAY UNTIL #TSTTPD I've never been more excited to hear an album, I'm so down bad already and I know I'm going to love it so much! Thank you taylor for all your hard work I know it's going to be amazing!" a fourth person commented.

Someone else posted: "I won’t apologize for the tortured poet I’m about to become."

Fans speculate TTPD album title is linked to Joe Alwyn actor group chat

When Swift announced the album title The Tortured Poets Department, you could say it left Swifties surprised as it's her longest album title to date.

Previously, all of her other album titles have just been one or two words long (hence why Swift names each of her albums in the Eras tour intro).

While some thought the title might have been inspired by the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, other Swifties did some digging and believe they've found a connection to her ex Joe Alwyn.

In a 2022 interview with Variety, Alwyn and fellow actor Paul Mescal revealed they have a WhatsApp group chat with Andrew Scott who started it called "The Tortured Man Club."

"We were both in the Sally Rooney universe and crossed over with Lenny Abrahamson. We were so lucky to have that experience," Alwyn said.

He and Mescal have starred in shows based on critically acclaimed novels by Sally Rooney - Alwyn in 2022's Conversations with Friends and Mescal in 2020's Normal People.

Mescal also dated singer and Swift's friend (also Eras Tour opener) Phoebe Bridgers and the pair broke up after two years together in December 2022.

Who did Taylor Swift work with on The Tortured Poets Department?

For her latest project, Swift wrote the album with producers and longtime collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner.

The trio previously worked together on Swift's previous albums Midnights, Folklore and Evermore, while Antonoff and Swift have been collaborating since her 1989 album.

As the songwriting credits for TTPD have already been shared, fans have been predicting which song will be their favourite - here is the full list:

1. 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff & Austin Post
2. 'The Tortured Poets Department': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
3. 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys': Taylor Swift
4. 'Down Bad' Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
5. 'So Long, London': Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner
6. 'But Daddy I Love Him': Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner
7. 'Fresh Out the Slammer': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
8. 'Florida!!!' featuring Florence + The Machine: Taylor Swift & Florence Welch
9. 'Guilty as Sin?': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
10. 'Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?': Taylor Swift
11. 'I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
12. 'loml': (Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner)
13. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived': Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner
15. 'The Alchemy': Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff
16. 'Clara Bow': Taylor Swift & Aaron Dessner

What is The Tortured Poets Department album tracklist?

Swift dropped the track list for The Tortured Poets Department on February 5 which has 16 songs on the standard edition plus four bonus songs on various deluxe editions of the album.

There are also two collaborations on the album with Post Malone featuring on the opening track Fortnight and Florence + The Machine featuring on the eighth track Florida!!!

Here is a full track list breakdown:

Side A:

• Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)
• The Tortured Poets Department
• My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys
• Down Bad.

Side B:

• So Long, London
• But Daddy I Love Him
• Fresh Out the Slammer
• Florida!!! (Florence + the Machine)

Side C:

• Guilty as Sin?
• Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
• I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)
• loml.

Side D:

• I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
• The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
• The Alchemy
• Clara Bow.

Swifties believe they've found Joe Alwyn Easter eggs on new album at LA pop-up

It's a Taylor Swift pop-up, which only mean one thing... Easter eggs.

And fans are convinced they have found hints linking the album to the singer's breakup from ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn after six years.

There were 72 mailboxes at the installation, which fans think is referring to 72 months - that's equivalent to the duration her and Alwyn's relationship (2017-2023).

Open books were also on display with quotes and Swifties believe these to be song lyrics from the album, which included:

"Even statues crumble / If they’re made to wait," and "One less temptress / One less dagger to sharpen."

Plus, with wedding lace decoration, statues and dead flowers (with song references) read the full breakdown of hints here.

Taylor Swift teases 'timetable' for The Tortured Poets Department

Taylor Swift has revealed the 'timetable' for The Tortured Poets Department album in a new video which she shared on social media yesterday.

In clip begins seemingly in the Midnights room as a nod to her previous album, the POV then moves down a hallway and opens the door of 'The Tortured Poets Department.'

Inside the glossy white room are two desks - both with typewriters and cups of the coffee - as it then pans to a notice board which has details of the TTPD timetable.

Friday 19 April is starred as "The Tortured Poets Department release day," and underneath news of a new music video is announced which will be released the same day at 8pm ET.

What time will The Tortured Poets Department be released?

Of course, everyone and their mother knows Swift's new album is coming out tomorrow (April 9), but the time of the release is different for each country.

For instance, UK fans will need to set early alarms tomorrow morning as the album will drop at 5am!

If you need to double check exactly when the new music will be released in your time zone, here is a list of the varying times, according to different countries:

• United States (PT) - 9:00 PM (18 April)
• United States (ET) - 12:00 AM
• Canada - 12:00 AM (Toronto), 9:00 PM (18 April) (Vancouver)
• Brazil (Rio De Janiero) - 1:00 AM
• Argentina (Buenos Aires) - 1:00 AM
• United Kingdom (BST) - 5:00 AM
• Europe (Central European Time) - 6:00 AM
• South Africa (Cape Town, Central Africa Time) - 6:00 AM
• India (New Delhi) - 9:30 AM
• Indonesia (Jakarta) - 11:00 AM
• Philippines (Manila) - 12:00 PM
• China - 12:00 PM (Beijing, Shanghai)
• Hong Kong - 12:00 PM
• Singapore - 12:00 PM
• Australia - 12:00 PM (Perth), 2:00 PM (Sydney)
• Japan (Tokyo) - 1:00 PM
• New Zealand (Auckland) - 4:00 PM

Swifties flock to The Tortured Poets Department LA pop-up

LA Swifties were excited to learn about Swift's Spotify pop-up at The Grove for her new album.

Fans got the chance to gain a further understanding of this era's aesthetic, with the pop-up installation being styled as a library where lyrics to the album have been teased in the run up to the release.

For those in the area who are interested in going in-person, you can visit The Grove installation from Tuesday (April 16) to Thursday (April 18), 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. PT.

Is The Tortured Poets Department about Matty Healy?

Fans are speculating that The 1975 frontman Matty Healy might also be the subject of a few songs from the new album, after the pair seemingly dated briefly last year.

Although the musicians never confirmed their romance, the pair were seen in public holding hands and kissing, leading fans to believe the two were dating.

Rumours were fuelled further when both Swift and Healy were on separate tours and both mouthed the phrase, "This is about you, I love you, you know who you are," before performing love songs.

Due to Healy's problematic behaviour throughout his career, fans are speculating certain songs on the TTPD track list are about The 1975 member.

Check out which songs fans have suggested here.

Has The Tortured Poets Department leaked a day early?

Less than a day away from the April 19 release, all 17 songs off of Swift's new album have reportedly been popping up online as many fans eagerly await to hear the new music.

Mail Online reports that the leak occurred thanks to a Google Drive link that features snippets from the songs.

One particular rumoured lyric leak has sent the internet in frenzy, the lyrics are as follows:

"You smoked and ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist."

There is no confirmation that this song is real and some have even speculated that due to the bizarre lyrics that it had been AI-generated.

Check out all of the reaction here.

Swift responds to fan theory with 'five stages of grief' playlists

Ahead of her album release, Swift created a series of playlists on Apple Music where she has categorised her previous music into the five stages of grief.

But it appears Swift was inspired by the fan theory and not the other way around as the description reads:

"And when Swifties agree upon a theory, Taylor takes an interest—so naturally, she's responded by crafting a series of exclusive playlists, choosing songs of her own that fit each stage."

Here is a breakdown of each of the playlists:

• “I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life Songs” - denial
• “You Don’t Get to Tell Me About Sad Songs," - anger
• "Am I Allowed To Cry?" - bargaining
• "Old Habits Die Screaming - depression
• "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart" - acceptance

Popular fan theory says new album explores the 'five stages of grief'

Since the new album was announced, Swifties have been speculating about the themes and a popular fan theory is that TTPD will represent the five stages of grief.

These stages are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, and were first used by by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book On Death and Dying.

This theory came about as Swift announced alternative artwork cover for various editions of the album with different hues which each has its own bonus track - The Manuscript, The Bolter, The Black Dog, and The Albatross.

Swifties believe this album explores these stages of grief due to the singer's break-up of her six-year relationship with ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn last year.

When was The Tortured Poets Department first announced?

Back in February, Swift announced her new music era during her acceptance speech after winning Best Pop Vocal Album for her previous album Midnights at the Grammy Awards.

“This is my 13th Grammy – which is my lucky number, I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that,” she said. “I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years …”

"...Which is that my brand new album comes out April 19, it’s called The Tortured Poets Department, I’m going to go and post the cover right now back stage, thank you I love you."