If the Swifties are going to do anything, it’s theorize. The countdown for Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department is well underway, which means her fans are compiling all the data, the easter eggs, the subtle nods, the blatant references, and any other tidbits that might help round out their theories as to what this album holds.
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While we will have to wait until April 19 to find out exactly what Swift has in store, it’s fun to run through the possibilities in the meantime. Check out what the Swifties have to say about the album, below.
What Fans Are Saying About The Tortured Poets Department
Much Ado About a Peace Sign
The double album theory. It’s a rumor that has popped up for several album cycles. Up until now, it’s been little more than wishful thinking, but who could blame the fans for wanting as much Swift music as possible?
Despite the letdowns in the past, the Swifties are clinging to the theory once again, hoping The Tortured Poets Department will finally fulfill that promise. The evidence toward that claim is somewhat thin, but when has that ever stopped this fandom?
While announcing the album at the 2024 Grammys, Swift held up a seemingly innocuous peace sign. But was it really just a peace sign? The Swifties don’t think so. Many fans have pointed out that the action might have been a coded reference to The Tortured Poets Department being a double album.
While that alone might not have been enough to give this theory legs, the peace sign showed up again at a Spotify installment for the album. Just a coincidence? Never when Swift is involved.
A Tale of Two Albums
While some fans think The Tortured Poets Department will be a double album in the traditional sense (meaning two newly released bodies of work), others think it could be part two of a larger story that was first introduced with Reputation.
Reputation was rumored to be next up on Swift’s “Taylor’s Version” project. When Swift announced The Tortured Poets Department, fans were waiting for her to announce the redux version of the 2017 album. While they certainly didn’t complain about the gift of new Swift music, it left a lot of unanswered questions. What about all the references to Reputation leading up to the announcement?
The fans have come up with their answer to that question: The Tortured Poets Department is the sister album to Reputation. From the album artwork that is black and white (though slightly sepia) to the themes that the album seems to be exploring, it all calls to mind Swift’s Reputation era. It’s a connection that hasn’t gone unnoticed by some fans.
Great Expectations
While the theories above are the most pervasive, there are other expectations about the album that are scattered across social media. All of those mix-matched thoughts are zeroing in on one idea: the album will be good.
Now, the Swifties largely think that every Swift album will be fantastic. They are loyal to no end. But, despite the limited knowledge they have about this record, they have a strong feeling that The Tortured Poets Department might just be Swift’s best album to date.
The “Folklorian Trio” (i.e. Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, and Swift) are also the creative minds behind The Tortured Poets Department. Given the prestige of that album, it’s safe to assume they will work their magic again.
Moreover, Swift has lived a whole lot of life since the release of her last original album, Midnights. From the announcement of a major breakup to another public relationship to unarguably the biggest tour of her career, Swift has many talking points she could bring up on this record. The fans are more than excited to hear her take on all the madness.
(Photo by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage)
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