The Album Drops April 19, and the Date 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—aka Miss Americana—and Joe spent time 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.
We Have Some (Potential) Lyrics
Taylor posted lyrics (or possibly a note?) on Instagram, reading:
“And so I enter into evidence
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 Track List Has Everyone Thinking This Is a Breakup Album
’Kay, so Taylor dropped the track list on Instagram after it leaked on TikTok:
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)
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Side D
I Can Do It With a Broken Heart
The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
The Alchemy
Clara Bow
Bonus Track: The Manuscript
And fans immediately jumped to conclusions that the album is about Joe based on some of the song titles:
FYI, 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.”
There’s Also Two Bonus Tracks That Could Potentially Be Tied to Joe
During one of her Eras Tour shows in Melbourne, Australia, Taylor revealed some new info about The Tortured Poets Department, including a new cover for the album and a bonus track called “The Bolter.” Fans immediately took to Twitter with their theories, and most of them pointed back to Taylor’s relationship with Joe thanks to a clip of them *literally* sprinting from paparazzi into a black car.
Others theorized that the track’s title could tie back to folklore (like, actual stories, not Tay’s 2020 album):
Then in Sydney, Taylor dropped news about another bonus track called “The Albatross” on The Albatross vinyl variant:
And fans also think this one is about Joe thanks to an albatross being defined (by Merriam Webster) as “something that causes persistent deep concern or anxiety” and “something that greatly hinders accomplishment.”
Oh and there’s also this:
“But Daddy I Love Him” Might Be About Harry Styles
Obviously, “But Daddy I Love Him” is a line from Disney’s original animated The Little Mermaid, but it also happens to be a shirt Harry Styles wore once upon a time:
Which has fans thinking the song is either about (or features) Harry:
You Can Pre-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.
