Fans waited two long years for Taylor Swift to bless their ears with new music. Now that she has, their wish has been granted, but the floodgates of music seem to have burst wide open. It has been almost three months since Taylor Swift dropped 'The Tortured Poets Department,' yet the album's repertoire does not seem to stop expanding. The last few months saw multiple bonus tracks and variant releases by Swift. And recently, the songstress has unleashed yet another batch of variants, and surprisingly, fans are not exactly excited about it. 

Taylor Swift released three new versions of 'The Tortured Poets Department' with different bonus tracks. These are digital variants of the album, titled, 'The Tortured Poets Department (Live from Stockholm).' For those unaware, the 2024 album initially had 19 physical variants, including nine CD, six vinyl, and four cassette variants. Since then, it has ballooned to include an additional 12 variants, making it an eyebrow-raising 31 variant collection. Now, three more digital versions have joined this ever-expanding album. 

This practice of churning out multiple variants, especially in physical form, has been criticized by many, both in and out of the industry. And it is not only about the relentless race to top the charts and overshadow fellow artists but also the serious environmental concerns it raises. Taylor Swift has also caught major heat for it, and these digital releases have not dodged the bullet either. 

Taylor Swift Divides Fans into Two Teams, as Yet Another Version of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Song Makes Way With Post Malone

Fans took issues with the three releases, stating that 'The Tortured Poets Department' is shaping up to be a real "torture" for listeners. 

Releasing multiple variants of the same album does benefit an artist in maintaining dominance on the musical charts. And many fans accused Taylor Swift of trading her artistic integrity for commercial success. Meanwhile, some believed that Swift is trying to beat Whitney Houston's record of having the longest-running number-one single ever by a female solo artist and from a soundtrack album.

There were, however, some loyal swifties, of course, who wanted to get their hands on the variants before they got sold out.

Taylor Swift has been accused of trying to block artists like Billie Eilish off the charts not too long ago, and the new releases did not help her case. Fans seemed to have grown tired of 'The Tortured Poets Department' turning into an endless album. Nonetheless, it looks like Swift has no intention of slowing down despite the constant backlash from critics and her own loyal fans. 

Billie Eilish Finally Snatches Away Taylor Swift’s Priced Jewel, Amidst Eras’ Tour Global Dominance

What do you think about these three variants of 'The Tortured Poets Department'? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!