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The Tortured Poets Department (song)

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"The Tortured Poets Department"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album The Tortured Poets Department
ReleasedApril 19, 2024 (2024-04-19)
Studio
Genre
Length4:53
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
Lyric video
"The Tortured Poets Department" on YouTube

"The Tortured Poets Department" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the title track of her eleventh studio album (2024). Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff. A synth-pop and jangle pop song, "The Tortured Poets Department" incorporates hushed drums, sparkling synths arpeggios, and electronic sounds. Its lyrics satirize a relationship between two pretentious artists, referencing the poets Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith and the musician Charlie Puth.

Music critics compared the production to the music from the 1980s. There were mixed opinions about the song: some found it catchy and complimented the sarcastic tone, but some others found the lyrics awkward and overwritten. "The Tortured Poets Department" peaked at number three on the Billboard Global 200 and reached the top 10 on charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, the UK, and the US.

Background and composition

[edit]

Swift announced her eleventh original studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4, 2024, during her acceptance speech for the Best Pop Vocal Album award. Shortly after the announcement, Swift's website enabled the album to be pre-ordered in vinyl, CD, cassette and digital format.[1] Swift conceived The Tortured Poets Department amidst publicized reports on her personal life, including a breakup with the English actor Joe Alwyn and a brief romantic linking with the English musician Matty Healy.[2] She described it as her "lifeline" album which she "really needed" to make;[3] Republic Records released The Tortured Poets Department on April 19, 2024.[4]

"The Tortured Poets Department"
A sample of the track, featuring the sparkling synth arpeggios and hushed drums that create a 1980s-inspired sound
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The title track, "The Tortured Poets Department", is number two on the album's standard track listing.[5] It is a synth-pop[6] and jangle pop[7] song built on hushed drums,[8] sparkling synth arpeggios,[9][10] and electronic sounds. According to Clash's Lauren Webb, the song has a 1980s power ballad sensibility that evokes the music of Roxette, Cutting Crew, and Phil Collins.[6] Meanwhile, Bryan West from The Tennessean said that the track's "soft beat" recalls that of Swift's 2023 song "Suburban Legends".[11]

The lyrics of "The Tortured Poets Departent" are about experiencing emotional turmoil and heartbreak in a relationship while also being introspective.[11][12][13] In the lyrics, Swift's character recalls mutual friends of her and her partner, Lucy and Jack.[8][14] John Wholmancher of Beats Per Minute interpreted the song's lyrics as satirical, adding that Swift acknowledges her inferiority to the artistic levels of Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith, and believes that achieving great artistry comes from embracing deep self-realization and creative integrity rather than fame. In the song's opening, "Who uses typewriters anyway?", Swift seems to question the use of vintage technology, as an expression of artistic struggle, rather, views the instrument as serving a visual purpose. She calls herself and her partner "modern idiots", a self-critique and awareness of their artistic limitations. Swift possibly desires to gain a deep, genuine engagement in her creative process that Thomas and Smith achieved.[15]

Critical reception

[edit]
"The Tortured Poets Department" name-checks Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith (left) and Charlie Puth (right).

Several music journalists complimented the production of "The Tortured Poets Department". In a ranking of all 31 tracks from The Anthology edition of the album, Billboard's Jason Lipsthuz ranked the track at number 11, highlighting the "light and unobtrusive" drums that leave space for Swift's voice and describing the south as a "synth fantasia".[8] Tom Breihan of Stereogum praised the song as an earworm and selected it as one of the album's well-constructed tracks.[16] Webb contended that the track contains "unchartered sonic ground" for Swift, specifically praising the nostalgic 1980s production by Antonoff.[6] Lindsay Zoladz, writing for The New York Times, described "The Tortured Poets Department" as a "chatty, radiant" song that effectively portrays "the flushed delirium of a doomed romance".[9]

There were criticisms of the lyrics as being overwritten or clunky, specifically the lyric, "You smoked, and then ate seven bars of chocolate, We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist. I scratch your head, you fall asleep, like a tattooed Golden Retriever."[13][17][18] The said line became the subject of parodies online.[15] In The Irish Times, Finn McRedmond wrote: "[Swift] leaves no space for the song to breathe, cramming in as many words as she can."[19] Screen Rant's Lynn Sharpe placed the song 21st out of the 31 album tracks, deeming the songwriting "overly conversational" and "hyperspecific" that makes it distracting for listeners.[20] Pitchfork's Olivia Horn called it a "winking" track that makes fun of Swift's self-seriousness but criticized how the lyrics' metaphors were ineffective.[21] Business Insider's Callie Ahlgrim said the song succeeds with its intention of being "over-the-top corny and tongue-in-cheek amusing", but felt the production "sounds like an AI-created Midnights parody".[22] On the contrary, Helen Brown of The Independent complimented Swift's lyricism: "I defy anyone not to lean into Swift's concisely charged storytelling."[23]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Following the album's release, nine of its tracks debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Global 200, with "The Tortured Poets Department" debuting and peaking at number three on the chart. Swift extended her total top 10 entries on the chart to 33.[24][25] In the United States, the track opened at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The track alongside 13 other songs from The Tortured Poets Department made Swift the first artist to occupy the entire top 14 of the Hot 100.[26][27] In Australia, "The Tortured Poets Department" debuted at number three on the ARIA Singles Chart and she became the artist with the most simultaneous entries in a single week with 29.[28][29] In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and extended her total top 10 entries in the country to 28.[30][31]

Elsewhere, "The Tortured Poets Department" charted within the top 10 in Canada,[32] New Zealand,[33] the Philippines,[34] Singapore,[35] Hong Kong,[36] Austria,[37] India,[38] Switzerland,[39] and Luxembourg.[40] The song also reached the top 20 in several other countries: number 11 in Malaysia,[41] number 12 in Denmark,[42] number 13 in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region,[43] number 14 in Greece,[44] number 15 in Sweden,[45] number 16 in Portugal,[46] Belgium,[47] and South Africa,[48] and number 19 in Latvia[49] and Indonesia.[50] It received a platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)[51] and a silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[52]

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Tortured Poets Department[5]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "The Tortured Poets Department"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[53] 60
Australia (ARIA)[28] 3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[37] 10
Belgium (Billboard)[47] 16
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[54] 55
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[32] 3
Croatia (Billboard)[55] 24
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[56] 32
Denmark (Tracklisten)[42] 12
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[57] 48
France (SNEP)[58] 55
Global 200 (Billboard)[24] 3
Greece International (IFPI)[44] 14
Hong Kong (Billboard)[36] 8
India (IMI)[38] 10
Indonesia (Billboard)[50] 19
Ireland (IRMA)[59] 4
Italy (FIMI)[60] 85
Latvia (LAIPA)[49] 19
Luxembourg (Billboard)[40] 10
Malaysia (Billboard)[41] 11
MENA (IFPI)[43] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 4
Norway (VG-lista)[61] 28
Philippines (Billboard)[34] 5
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[62] 72
Portugal (AFP)[46] 16
Singapore (RIAS)[35] 4
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[63] 32
South Africa (TOSAC)[48] 16
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[30] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 4

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "The Tortured Poets Department"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Platinum 70,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[64] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (April 18, 2024). "Taylor Swift Announces New Album The Tortured Poets Department During Grammys Acceptance Speech". Variety. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  2. ^ Sisario, Ben (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Arrives With a Promotional Blitz". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  3. ^ Bonner, Mehera (February 16, 2024). "Taylor Swift Reveals Bonus Track Title and New Album Cover for The Tortured Poets Department". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "As The Tortured Poets Department drops, here's all Taylor Swift's albums ranked by sales". Music Week. April 19, 2024. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Swift, Taylor (2024). The Tortured Poets Department (The Manuscript edition vinyl liner notes). Republic Records. 602458933314.
  6. ^ a b c Webb, Lauren (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department". Clash. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
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  8. ^ a b c Lipshutz, Jason (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: All 31 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
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  34. ^ a b "Philippines Songs - Week of May 4, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  35. ^ a b "RIAS Top Charts Week 17 (19 - 25 Apr 2024)". RIAS. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
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  52. ^ a b "British single certifications – Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
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  64. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department". Radioscope. Retrieved December 19, 2024. Type The Tortured Poets Department in the "Search:" field.
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