Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, is officially here, and news/theories/Easter eggs have been breaking faster than you can scream HER MIND at random members of your family who are beseeching you to calm down. Here is literally everything we know about the album so far, and yes: We will be updating this as more intel breaks (because, again, Tay's MIND).
Time to Get Your PhD in Taylor Swift
A Quick Refresher on Taylor Swift’s Complete Dating History and Exes
A Handy-Dandy Timeline of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Relationship for Ya
The Release Date Is April 19 (aka TODAY!!!), and It Is...Significant
Taylor confirmed the release date while collecting her 13th Grammy Award, saying, “My brand-new album comes out April 19. It’s called The Tortured Poets Department. I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage.”
The April 19 release date has multiple reference points and appears to be connected to Taylor’s ex Joe Alwyn due to it being the day Taylor went to dinner with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and they proceeded to unfollow him.
April 19 is also considered the date the American Revolution began (reminder that Taylor, erm, Miss Americana, and Joe spent time together in England and one of her tracks is “So Long, London”) as well as “Poetry and the Creative Mind Day.”
The Album Title Might Be a Reference to Joe Alwyn’s Group Chat
It took Swifties literally five minutes to realize The Tortured Poets Department could be a reference to Joe Alwyn’s WhatsApp group with Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott called “The Tortured Man Club.” Unconfirmed, but lol if true.
Our First Glimpse Into the Album Was *Chef's Kiss*
Yep, Tay posted a note on Instagram the day she announced the album that read the following:
“And so I enter into evidence
My tarnished coat of arms
My muses, acquired like bruises,
My talismans and charms
The tick tick tick of love bombs
My veins of pitch black ink
All’s fair in love and poetry,
Sincerely,
The Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department”
The Tracklist Initially Had Everyone Thinking This Is a Breakup Album
...Which it kinda sorta is!!! I mean, look at the initial tracklist, which the musician dropped on Instagram after it leaked on TikTok. Ahem:
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
Bonus Track: The Manuscript
Fans obvi almost immediately jumped to the conclusion that the album was about Joe based on some of the song titles:
That! Said!!!!!!
TTPD Only Mentions Tay's Joe Alywn Breakup In a Few Songs
Namely, “So Long, London” and “loml.”
Obvi, fans were shocked given everyone kiiiiinda assumed TTPD would mainly be about the musician's 'ship with Joe and not Matty Healy.
FYI, prior to the album dropping, the Daily Mail spoke to a source who said, “If it is a dis album, that is shady. He helped her with song writing on her past album so it will really come as a shock to him if she talks about their breakup, as it is something he has not spoken of at all. Regardless of what she does, he will still not respond because he has removed himself from her narrative and is very glad he did.” Yikes!
Fans Think “But Daddy I Love Him” Might Be About Harry Styles
Obviously, “But Daddy I Love Him” is a line from Disney’s original animated film The Little Mermaid, but it also happens to be the phrase from a shirt Harry Styles wore once upon a time...
...Which had fans thinking the song is either about (or features) the fellow musician:
Important to note that Harry was originally in the running to play Prince Eric in the live action film, and fans snooped around Apple Music for new clues and words per Taylor Nation’s request. The finding? “Hereby,” which is also included in The Little Mermaid when Ariel signs her voice away to Ursula.
The Album Is About the Five Stages of Grief
Fans noticed the shifting variant background hues and began theorizing that The Tortured Poets Department’s colors represent the Five Stages of Grief:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
And luckily, Tay herself confirmed all our suspicions when she dropped five Apple Music playlists based on each stage. Here's everything ya need to know about them:
A Recent Spotify Fan Event Unveiled a Ton More Easter Eggs
I’m simply not mentally over *insane hand gesture* all of this, but we’re going to deep dive anyway. On April 16, Spotify threw a TTPD fan exhibit at The Grove in Los Angeles and fans found a ton of Easter eggs relating to the new album. According to a press release from the music and podcast streamer, the experience was “highly curated to represent the direction of the new record” and updated each day “with additional aspects, creating a one-of-a-kind experience,” until April 18.
Allow me to lay out everything fans found, rapid-fire style:
An open book containing new lyrics
![general atmosphere of spotify's taylor swift pop up at the grove for her new album the tortured poets department](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/general-atmosphere-of-spotifys-taylor-swift-pop-up-at-the-news-photo-1713465268.jpg?resize=980:* "General Atmosphere Of Spotify's Taylor Swift Pop-Up At The Grove For Her New Album "The Tortured Poets Department"")
The book contained different sets of lyrics, including:
“Even statues crumble if they’re made to wait”
“One less temptress. One less dagger to sharpen”
The new lyrics came nearly a week after Tay posted some on her social accounts:
A Speak Now nod...and 72 drawers
![general atmosphere of spotify's taylor swift pop up at the grove for her new album the tortured poets department](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/general-atmosphere-of-spotifys-taylor-swift-pop-up-at-the-news-photo-1713465677.jpg?resize=980:* "General Atmosphere Of Spotify's Taylor Swift Pop-Up At The Grove For Her New Album "The Tortured Poets Department"")
There were books placed on shelves throughout the exhibit, and their titles seemed to pull from The Tortured Poets Department tracklist with the exception of one: a notebook with the word “US” written in Sharpie. Swifties thought it tied back to her Speak Now track, “The Story of Us.”
Fans also found 72 drawers in cabinet units throughout the exhibit that resembled a library book catalog. There were six open drawers, and eagle-eyed Swifties noted that 72 months is equivalent to 6 years—aka how long she was with Joe Alwyn.
A globe pinned to Florida
There was a nod to the Sunshine State, also the name of one of Tay’s new album tracks featuring Florence Welch.
Quills and fountain pens
Longtime Swifties know that the singer categorizes her songs in different categories inspired by writing devices. According to Tay, quill songs have “words and phrasings [that] are antiquated,” like “Ivy.” On the flip side, fountain pens have “a modern storyline or references, with a poetic twist” like her magnum opus, “All Too Well.” Because of this detail, fans relate TTPD as a bridge between Red and Evermore, the albums on which those songs live.
A clock set to 2:00
There were a ton of nods to the number two throughout the exhibit, including peace signs and clocks set to 2:00...which wound up being beyond important since 2 am is when she dropped a whopping 15 ADDITIONAL SONGS. Legit still at a loss for words. 😭😭😭
You Can Now Order the Album, Cassette, and CD
Depending on how you choose to purchase The Tortured Poets Department, you’re in for some fun treats. Example? The record comes with a collectible 24-page book-bound jacket, unique handwritten lyrics, and never-before-seen photos.
The Tortured Poets Department Vinyl + Bonus Track
The Tortured Poets Department Vinyl + Bonus Track
Taylor Is “So Proud” of the Project
While accepting her Artist of the Year award at the 2024 iHeart Radio Music Awards, the singer thanked her fans and teased that “we have so many exciting things ahead of us,” namely The Tortured Poets Department. “I’m so proud of it,” Tay added before gushing, “I cannot wait to share it with you.”
Watch the celeb’s speech in full below:
Brb, about to listen to this entire album on repeat for the foreseeable future!
