On the same day that wildly popular singer-songwriter Taylor Swift dropped a highly anticipated double album, an entertainment magazine published a harsh review of the product—and declined to name the author over concern for retaliation.
The Tortured Poets Department was released on April 19, followed by a review titled “Taylor Swift Strikes Out” that appeared in Paste magazine. In a post on X sharing the article on the same day, the outlet acknowledged the lack of a byline, explaining that it was anonymous due to previous issues with reviews of Swift’s music.
In 2019, Paste revealed, the outlet published a review of Swift’s album Lover, which resulted in “threats of violence” towards the author “from readers who disagreed with the work.” The post added that the outlet is more concerned “about the safety of our staff than a name attached to an article.”
#TaylorSwift is the most famous musician—and, arguably, person—on Earth, but on ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ she can’t help but infantilize the very people who buy into her music and drive her successes upwards in the first place. Read our review ↓ https://t.co/P8gv3PkIP0
— Paste Magazine (@PasteMagazine) April 19, 2024
According to the anonymous review, The Tortured Poets Department only earned a 3.6 out of a 10-star rating. The article stands in stark contrast to the overwhelmingly positive response the double album has received in less than one week after its release.
The anonymous writer starts the review by acknowledging that “no musician has been bigger in this century than Swift,” referring specifically to “popularity” among the public but “not always in terms of quality.” Also stating that she is not “immune to having multi-dimensional feelings” because of her fame, the critic pointed out that the 34-year-old singer “has made the choice” to “monetize” such emotions in her work.
The writer further described “torture [as] fashion to Taylor Swift.” Continuing, the review argues that the new album starts with a “shred of hope” that the artist “knows what she’s talking about,” but that it later proves to be “most dog-water, uninspired synth arrangement you could possibly imagine.” Another scathing critique of the album includes mention that it contains Swift’s “worst lyricism to-date.”
Following the release of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s 11th studio album made history by becoming the most streamed album in one day on Spotify. It sold 1.6 million units in the 24 hours after its release. Meanwhile, Swift continues with her wildly popular Eras Tour, which has already made a $1.04 billion profit.
