Taylor Swift, arguably the worlds most famous popstar, has just recently released her long awaited 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department. After announcing it at the 66th Grammy awards in February, swifties have been eager to hear this album, and figure out who or what it could be written about.

Despite being leaked the night before, this album smashed records that were previously broken by Swift herself, with up to 300 million debut streams.

Fortnight (feat. Post Malone) is the first song and lead single of this album. In my opinion, this is one of her best opening tracks. It’s catchy, not too fast and not too slow. Some fans say they didn’t hear Post Malone much or feel like his feature was “useless-” however, he’s heard quite frequently as backing vocals and Swift gave him the entire bridge, which for a Taylor Swift song is a VERY high honor. 

The title track is also one of my favorites on the album. The backtrack, especially the drums, sound almost like an 80’s pop song. It’s a beautiful song that deeply describes the downfall of her relationship.

So Long, London, her track 5 of the album (if you know the significance of that), was very much devastating. The very beginning of the song sounds like wedding bells, maybe referencing the wedding that should’ve happened but never did. The lyrics seem to describe how she felt like she was constantly fighting to keep the relationship, but she was the only one fighting, and the other lost himself to his depression and negative emotions. It’s an incredible song that really describes how mental health can not only affect you, but those who love you.

But Daddy I Love Him very quickly became a fan favorite. The lyric “I’m having his baby- no I’m not, but you should see your faces” gained a lot of attention, with people posting their reactions to hearing that lyric in shock. Personally, this song is not my favorite, but I did find that lyric, and the way she broke the 4th wall, very funny. 

Fresh Out The Slammer is an underrated masterpiece that everyone skips. I don’t understand. It is one of my favorites on the album- along with Guilty as Sin, which is THE best song on the album (at least, in my opinion.) The chorus sounds just so beautiful, and its so immersing. I could never EVER get enough of that song. If someone where to ask for song recommendations, Guilty as Sin would be the first one I suggest.

At 2:00am est, Swift dropped a second half to this album, “TTPD: The Anthology,” confirming the Swifties’ theory on a double drop. The Anthology is filled with much more raw emotion, and was produced by someone else giving it a more indie folk sound.

I truly believe this album is one of Swift’s best work. This is her first breakup album since Red in 2012, and she never misses with the diversity and emotion that comes with a breakup album. In my opinion, I prefer the Anthology half over the first half- but both are genuinely so beautiful. Though, if someone were to start listening to Swift, this wouldn’t be the first album I recommend. There is a lot to process, there’s a lot of emotion. It’s a very long album full of gut wrenching feelings. But overall, it’s a beautiful piece of work.

Cassidy Beebe, a sophomore at Triton, agrees this is one of Swift’s best works. 

“It’s definitely in my top 4 favorite albums,” Beebe said. “I love the way that it’s different from all her other albums and I just love the overall vibe of all the songs, they really tell a story and how she felt in that time period.”

Beebe also stated that though it was hard to pick, her three favorite songs off this album were I Can Do It With A Broken Heart, Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus, and But Daddy I Love Him. She says the lyrics are all so catchy, and ICDIWABH is relatable to her.

“I think all the lyrics flow so good together in all her songs in the album and really express her true emotions she felt, and how it’s okay to feel that way, which she always proves to her fan base.”