In her 11th album, Taylor Swift invites us into her ‘Tortured Poets Department,’ a collection of songs that delve deep into heartbreak’s raw, messy beauty. With a touch of humor and a strong sense of self-awareness, she dissects the emotional aftermath of lost love, finding solace and beauty in the wreckage.

Many speculate a recent breakup inspired the album with actor Joe Alwyn. The lyrics are raw and unguarded, detailing the messy stages of heartbreak. Swift explores the complexities of love and loss, finding a sense of release through songwriting. The title “The Tortured Poets Department” hints at a space for open expression. The album embraces vulnerability as a source of strength, showcasing the artist’s willingness to bare her soul.

In a classic Taylor Swift move, she surprised everyone with a late-night social media announcement in February, revealing “The Tortured Poets Department” was a double album titled “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.” This surprise release added 15 songs to the original collection, totaling 31 songs.

“It’s a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album.  I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn’t mine anymore… it’s all yours, “ Swift explained to her fans on her social media platforms.

Below are my rankings on “The Tortured Poets Department.”

1. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
2. The Tortured Poets Department
3. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart 
4. The Alchemy
5. So Long, London
6. But Daddy, I love Him 
7. Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)
8. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
9. Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)
10. Down Bad
11. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys
12. loml
13. Fresh Out The Slammer
14. Guilty as Sin?
15. I can Fix Him (No I Really Can)
16. Clara Bow

“The Tortured Poets Department” is an album that delves into various emotions, including heartbreak, depression, denial, anger, happiness, and love. Each song in the album has a distinct meaning and story, as metaphors for the emotions Taylor Swift experienced while creating it. In my opinion, this is one of the best albums she has ever written. Every aspect of the album is fantastic – the lyrics of each track have a deep meaning that relates to the song, and a variety of stories are told exquisitely, similar to the albums ‘folklore’ and ‘evermore,’ but even better. The instrumentals on the album provide a teenage, rock, and pop vibe, enhancing the listening experience even further.