Taylor Swift has been making music for nearly two decades now. And one would wonder- what is that she does so differently that has pushed her to this level of fame. No doubt, a big part of it can be chalked up to her fierce fanbase- Swifties- who would happily spend a fortune on concerts- where they will not even get to see the pop star's shadow- or buy five versions of the same album just for a different cover. But can this blind frenzy really land her in the Best Album category? 'The Tortured Poets Department' is a great example of why not. 

Taylor Swift’s eleventh studio album, 'The Tortured Poets Department', has broken all sorts of records since day one. But here are three solid reasons why its success is really just a Swiftie-driven hype, nothing more. 

Taylor Swift’s 'The Tortured Poets Department' has been accused of sticking pretty closely to her familiar formula of letting out gossip about her personal life through her songs. Sure, she has had many tracks that touched on deeper topics- like 'A Place in This World' from her debut self-titled album, where she reflected on growing up and finding her place in the world. Even so, most of her creative fuel still seems to come from the romance drama, and double edged word plays on those who got away.

Of course, it is Taylor Swift’s prerogative to write about whatever subject she chooses, but the whole 'love, breakup, cry about my ex' routine is starting to feel a bit predictable and stale for some fans. That is why many critics are suggesting it might be time for Swift to move beyond the idea that feeling 'tortured' is a prerequisite for meaningful songwriting.

Taylor Swift may catch flak for her vocal abilities or even for recycling the same music again and again, but if there is one thing both critics and fans can agree on, it is that she is a brilliant songwriter. Unfortunately, 'The Tortured Poets Department' does not quite live up to that reputation either. In fact, some of the lyrics have made fans physically cringe. 

For instance, "You smokеd then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist” from the titular single. Yes, Charlie Puth loved the shout-out, not fans. There were also some other disappointing lyrics, like, "He jokes that it’s heroin, but this time with an ‘e" or "Now I’m down bad, crying at the gym". Overall, Swift’s attempt to modernize her poetic songwriting did not quite land this time. 

Taylor Swift’s 'The Tortured Poets Department' arrived amid the excitement of her Eras Tour, and whether that is why the album felt a bit stale cannot be said for sure. However, one thing that every critic has unanimously agreed on is that the album did not offer anything new. The music, themes, and lyrics was way too familiar, and some fans even accused her of trying to copy Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo.

Ariana Grande already gave us the 'angry at my audience for dragging me over my boyfriend' anthem with 'Yes, And?', and Swift’s 'imgonnagetyouback' on the deluxe version sounded a lot like Olivia Rodrigo’s 'get him back!'. Despite the comparisons, Swift is still way ahead of her contemporaries like Grande in the award circuits, even with the criticism. But is it really justified?

Taylor Swift Has a Weird Grammy Flex at 2025 Ceremony That Has Nothing to Do with Her Records

Do you think ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is worthy of its success? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!