New History of Taylor Swift's Breakup Poems

Singer Taylor Swift released the album "The Tortured Poets Department". The new album is making new history.

ARSIP TAYLOR SWIFT/BETH GARRABRANT

Taylor Swift poses for her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

The adage that humans are imperfect is true. In fact, even Taylor Swift can't get everything she wants. However, because of this, Swift has managed to become a magnet for many people across all ages. His new album, The Tortured Poets Department, could also be different if his life path is complete.

Love stories have been a big stumbling block for Swift. Behind her success as an idol and achievements, the story of her romantic relationships often causes her pain. However, in reality, she turns it into ammunition. Without the memories of the wounds of her love journey, Swift might not have been as productive throughout these past years.

In this album, through the song "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart", he answers this by writing: "I cry a lot/ but I am so productive/ it's an art/ you know/ you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart//”

Also read: Taylor Swift, ”Anti-Hero”, and Self-Image

Indeed, upon close examination, almost all of his albums have content about heartbreak from his personal experience. However, the difference is that his latest album, following its title about a tormented poet, is filled with content about heartbreak and feelings of being left out.

Through 31 songs released on April 19, 2024, Swift presents her vulnerability. Instead of cursing her ex as she has done in previous albums, Swift focuses on herself with more subtle and matured language, yet piercing. Such as in "So Long, London" which seems to be clearly aimed at her former lover Joe Alwyn, the English actor who has been in a relationship with her for the past six years.

In the song, Swift writes, ”For so long, London/ had a good run/ a moment of warm sun/ but I'm not the one/ So long, London/ stitches underdone / two graves/ one gun/ you'll find someone//”

Also read: We Feel Hugged by Taylor Swift

Despite the maturity of the lyrics, unfortunately the musical arrangements in Swift's collaboration with Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner on this album do not show much innovation. Some songs sound similar to tracks that have been released on previous albums.

"Fresh Out The Slammer", for example, reminds of "Cruel Summer" from the album Lover (2019) or "Blank Space" from the album 1989 (2014) where the lyrics are sung with staccato beats. There is also the song "The Tortured Poets Department" which is similar to several songs on the albums Reputation (2017) or Evermore (2020). Only the musical arrangements in the new songs feel more gloomy.

ARSIP TAYLOR SWIFT/BETH GARRABRANT

Taylor Swift poses for her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

It doesn't seem to be a problem this time, as Swift appears to want to immerse herself in the pain and sorrow of being left by her lover. This is not just about seeking popularity or trying to be liked.

Talking about gloomy, almost all of the songs in The Tortured Poets Department offer a gloomy feel. The duet with Florence + The Machine in the song "Florida", which is said to bring out the rock side of Swift, still feels painful rather than angry. Nevertheless, the collaboration between the two produced the best songs on this album without eliminating their characteristics.

Likewise, the collaboration with Post Malone in the song "Fortnight” still provides space for this American rapper to bring out his touch. The opening song on Swift's new album also ranked on the Billboard Hot 100.

Apart from "Fortnight", there are 14 songs from this album that entered the Billboard chart, namely "Down Bad", "I Can Do With A Broken Heart", "The Tortured Poets Department", "So Long, London”, ”My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”, ”But Daddy I Love Him”, ”Florida”, ”Who's Afraid of Little Old Me”, ”Guilty as Sin?”, ”Fresh Out The Slammer”, ”Loml ”, ”The Alchemy”, and ”The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”.

ARSIP TAYLOR SWIFT/BETH GARRABRANT

Taylor Swift poses for her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

New History

Swift's occupation of this chart repeats the success of her album Midnights (2022). At that time, the song "Anti-Hero" and his friends dominated the top 10 Billboard charts for several weeks. It is proven that the album Midnights is Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

Meanwhile, the album The Tortured Poets Department has its own historical chapter apart from dominating the charts. In its first week, this album sold 2.61 million copies. This figure is the highest album sales in nine years. Previously, in 2015, the last album to achieve the highest album sales was Adele's 25 with 3.48 million copies.

ARSIP TAYLOR SWIFT/BETH GARRABRANT

Taylor Swift poses for her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Swift's total album sales in the first week beat the record of her own re-recorded album, namely 1989 (Taylor's Version) (2023) with sales of 1.65 million copies. For streaming, Swift also set a record with 891.3 million streams. This figure beats the record Drake set in 2018 with 745.9 million streams.

Swift once again made headlines worldwide with her achievements. However, like all humans, no one is perfect. Swift is also like us who have stumbled through heartbreaks and has the right to be herself in mourning without having to think about the opinions of those around her.