Taylor Swift latest: Patti Smith responds to Tortured Poets mention in song that hits out at Matty Healy
Godmother of punk responds to mention on Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ as pop titan smashes Spotify records on day of album release
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Taylor Swift has released her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, and fans are busy unpacking everything from lyrics to her “Fortnight” music video.
The pop titan’s latest record, announced earlier this year when she won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album (Midnights), was released overnight on Friday 19 April and has already broken two Spotify records.
In a five-star review of the album, The Independent’s critic Helen Brown praised the “playful narratives” and “hooks like anchors”.
Fans have been surprised that many songs on the album seem to take aim at Swift’s ex Matty Healy, whom she briefly dated last year, instead of Joe Alwyn, her boyfriend of six years, whom she was reported to have parted ways with around April 2023.
Patti Smith has responded after she was namechecked on the title track, writing: “This is saying I was moved to be mentioned in the company of the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Thank you Taylor.”
Aaron Dessner celebrates Taylor Swift’s ‘brilliant’ album
The National frontman Aaron Dessner has celebrated Swift’s latest album, writing on Instagram: “I'm so excited and honoured to share that I have contributed to my dear friend and collaborator @taylorswift's brilliant 11th album.
“We started working on these songs over two years ago and it feels like they have kept us company and evolved in beautiful and unexpected ways through so much life lived during this process. It's hard to believe Taylor and I have now recorded over 60 songs together (17 across this anthology!!) in the 4 years since we began working together on Folklore in 2020. I am forever grateful to Taylor for sharing her insane talents with and trusting me with her music,” Dessner added.
“I believe these songs are some of the most lyrically acute, intricate, vulnerable and cathartic Taylor has ever written and I am continually astonished by her skills as a songwriter and performer.”
Dessner, 47, and Swift, 34, first crossed paths on Saturday Night Live in 2014, when The National performed as the musical guest. Swift was there in support of her friend, comedian and Girls star Lena Dunham.
Swifties flood Charlie Puth’s social media after name-drop on new album
Among the many big names dropped on Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is fellow singer Charlie Puth.
In the title track of the album, Swift sings: “We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.”
Following Swift’s complimentary declaration, several of her followers (Swifties) flooded the “See You Again” singer’s Instagram.
“Who is here after TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT,” one person commented below his latest post, celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday.
“Wake up you were mentioned in the tortured poets department!” a second commented with another writing: “How does it feel to get a shoutout from Taylor?”
Puth has previously expressed his adulation for Swift. “This is why she’s such a genius, man,” he said after a 2021 performance of her old hit “Teardrops on My Guitar”.
“These are the chord changes. It’s wonderful. I think it’s wonderful.”
Midnights review - what did our critic say about Taylor Swift’s last album?
Midnights is Taylor Swift’s darkest and most cryptic album yet - review
The subtle melodies of Midnights take time to sink their claws in. But Swift’s feline vocal stealth and assured lyrical control ensures she keeps your attention
Taylor Swift teases ‘timetable’ for The Tortured Poets Department album
How Taylor Swift takes aim at Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department
Fans expecting a post-mortem of the musician’s six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn have been left surprised, as Swift seems to spend more time dissecting her brief fling with The 1975 frontman.
How Taylor Swift takes aim at Matty Healy on The Tortured Poets Department
Fans expecting a post-mortem of the musician’s six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn have been left surprised, as Swift seems to spend more time dissecting her brief fling with The 1975 frontman
Message from T Swift:
The Tortured Poets Department. An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time - one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure. This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up. There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed. And upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted. This writer is of the firm belief that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it. And then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT is out now.
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt perform ‘Barbenheimer’ duet to Taylor Swift song in ‘SNL’ monologue
Who are The Blue Nile, the Scottish band Taylor Swift references on Guilty as Sin?
Taylor Swift fans are scrambling to decipher the US artist’s many lyrical references on new album The Tortured Poets Society.
The Grammy-winning artist released her 11th studio album at midnight (5am GMT) on Friday 19 April, then announced an extended “anthology” version shortly after.
Swifties were surprised to learn that the majority of songs do not, in fact, appear to be about her six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn, with exceptions such as “So Long, London” and “loml”.
Instead, much of her songwriting seems inspired by her brief fling with The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy, whom she dated around April and May last year.
On “Guilty as Sin?” she sings about “fatal fantasies” for someone from her past who sends her the 1989 song “The Downtown Lights”, by Scottish band The Blue Nile (she might have felt a particular affinity for the song as it was released the year she was born).
Full story:
Who are The Blue Nile, the Scottish band Taylor Swift references on Guilty as Sin?
Song from new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ namedrops her ex Matty Healy’s favourite band
Taylor Swift ‘thanks’ Kim Kardashian on Tortured Poets song as she reflects on feud
Taylor Swift ‘thanks’ Kim Kardashian on Tortured Poets song as she reflects on feud
Several signs point towards Kardashian being the topic of song ‘thanK you aIMee’
Stevie Nicks shares surprise message for Taylor Swift on The Tortured Poets Department
Stevie Nicks has written a poem to accompany Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Society.
The legendary singer-songwriter’s words are included as a prologue for the pop star’s 11th studio album, which is already receiving early rave reviews from critics.
The poem reads, in part: “He was in love with her / Or at least she thought so / She was broken hearted / Maybe he was too / Neither of them knew,” Nicks writes.
“She was way too hot to handle / He was way too high to try...”
Full story:
Stevie Nicks shares message for Taylor Swift on The Tortured Poets Department
Fleetwood Mac star has praised Swift’s songwriting talents in the past
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