Who Is ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ For?

Fangirl Nonsense: We can’t stop thinking about Royel Otis’s cover of “Linger” by the Cranberries and neither can every 30 year-old man. Harry Styles’ Pleasing is doing a pop-up in Austin, Texas! Sara saw Quarters of Change in Washington DC. 

On April 19, Taylor Swift released The Tortured Poets Department *and* The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology with a total of 31 tracks. In a big surprise to all of us, this album is mostly about Matty Healy, rather than Joe Alwyn. One year after Taylor and Matty’s whirl-wind and highly criticized relationship, Taylor is telling her side of the story and possibly calling out fans in the process. All of this begs the question – who is the album for? And did we need to know all of this? We explore the significance of this album in the context of Taylor’s fame and power, her music choices on the record, and her relationship to fans and music critics.

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Taylor Swift Has Given Fans a Lot. Is It Finally Too Much? (New York Times, Matt Stevens and Shivani Gonzalez, April 22, 2024)

Sources for Who Is ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ For?

Premature Evaluation: Taylor Swift The Tortured Poets Department (Stereogum, Tom Breihan, April 19, 2024)

Taylor Swift Really Hates Matty Healy, and Also Maybe Us (Glamour, Stephanie McNeal, April 19, 2024)

The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Taylor Swift and Matty Healy’s Relationship (Vulture, Justin Curto, April 19, 2024)

A Comprehensive Guide to Every Matty Healy Reference on The Tortured Poets Department (Harper’s Bazaar, Joe Calfee & Chelsey Sanchez, April 19, 2024)

Wait, Was Taylor Actually Singing About Matty For All These Years? (Elite Daily, Dylan Kickham, April 22, 2024)