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

Published 07/09/2024, 1:53 AM EDT

via Imago

Taylor Swift has garnered global interest and international attention with her musical prowess and the ongoing Eras Tour. However, even with her widespread appeal, she has recently divided her fandom once more. A recent activity that previously caused a stir among fans has led to another online tug-of-war. The pop icon released yet another version of her iconic song featuring Post Malone from ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ months after the original record's release, leaving fans in a daze.

Taylor Swift recently matched a record reminiscent of her '1989' and 'Fearless' eras with her 11th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for ‘The Tortured Poets Department’. Known for celebrating her success with musical surprises, she released an acoustic version of the album's only single, ‘Fortnight,’ featuring Post Malone. However, the move invited a mix of love and hate comments as it brought back memories of when the pop star was previously accused of overshadowing Billie Eilish.

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At that time, Swift released first draft phone memos of the tracks ‘The Black Dog’, ‘Cassandra’, and ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’ from her album shortly after Eilish criticized artists for flooding the market with vinyl variants in a Billboard interview. More recently, Anthony Fantano of TheNeedleDrop dubbed her the “Pettiest Pop Star” for her marketing tactics, noting how she quickly released a UK-only version of her record-breaking album with additional tracks to dominate trends and outdo Charlie XCX’s recent release of ‘BRAT’.

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Now, as Swift has returned to her habit of releasing variants, her fans are once again in splits with some still enchanted by her ways, while others were less impressed.

Swifties are at odds over Taylor Swift's recent release of an acoustic variant from The Tortured Poets Department

There is no denying that Taylor Swift frequently releases numerous variants of her work. However, whether this is an intentional move to overshadow her contemporaries remains uncertain. The recent controversy surrounding her variant releases has left fans visibly frustrated, unsure if their frustration stems from her habits or the recent accusations.

Despite this, some fans have already decided where to stream and when to buy the new variant. A few supporters even believe the newly released variant is superior to the original. 

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Yet, a section of fans maintains that her releases support the notion that she is obsessed with chart performance. While some may criticize Swift, Swift's loyalists continue to show unwavering support for her actions. However, there were also voices suggesting that Swift's relentless release of variants to counter allegations of chart obsession might hinder her success. Despite these concerns, one thing remains indisputable: Swift continues to captivate the world, and her sold-out tours and soon-to-be sold-out variants will be more than enough to confirm this.

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As Taylor Swift Dominates the Globe, Why Are Her Fans Missing This One Era the Most?

What do you think of fans mixed reactions over Taylor Swift's release of an acoustic version of 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone from 'The Tortured Poets Department'? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

933 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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