Taylor Swift shocks fans with double album

Taylor Swift’s long-awaited eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, was released today, but just hours after the album’s release, yet another album was released – The Anthology with another 15 songs. In total, she released 31 songs during the day.

– I have been out on social media and there are quite a lot of videos where people discover that there are two albums and 15 new tracks. People get hysterical because it’s so over the top, says host and entertainment journalist Sara Kinberg in Efter fem.

Taylor Swift became the most played artist in the world for the second year in a row with 26 billion streams last year. Now her new double album has become a big talking point.

– It feels like an album that is very much made for her sake. She is very good at text, so it feels like this is a diary. There is a lot of processing in the albums, says Sara Kinberg.

Fans’ reactions: “Unfair”

Several theories about what her songs are about have circulated on social media. Nothing has been confirmed by Swift herself, but fans seem to agree that several songs are about her ex-boyfriends, actor Joe Alywin and singer Matty Healy from the band The 1975.

– She and Joe were together for six years, so then it has been interpreted that the song “So Long, London” is about their break-up. She sings about trying to keep this dying relationship alive and wondering if he ever loved her.

Personally, Sara Kinberg thinks Taylor Swift is a “word artist” and praises her lyrics.

– Then I think it’s fun, because the fans are a bit upset because she has too many songs about Matty Healy. He was a guy who came and went, they didn’t have a six-year relationship and then you think it’s unfair that Joe didn’t get more songs, she says.

The album is described a bit like a timeline, where the penultimate song on the first part of the album instead switches to being about her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Their relationship has, among other things, attracted big headlines during this year’s Super Bowl.

– There are a lot of football terms, she sings about touchdown, sitting on the bench, jerseys and being his trophy, says Sara Kinberg.

She describes the story told in the albums as depression in the breakup, with Taylor forced to keep a smile on her face during the world tour. Then everything takes a turn when she meets Travis.

Power factor in politics and economics

US correspondent Tomas Kvarnkullen tells Efter fem that the US reporting on the album release has been extensive.

– It is something that attracts enormous attention in the United States. Psychologists are interviewed about why so many people will love these songs about breakups, says Tomas Kvarnkullen.

He believes many Swifties across the US have been waiting for this moment. In addition to the hysteria surrounding the double album, a debate has been sparked about the album being leaked. Fans debated whether or not a “true Swiftie” should listen to the leaked album beforehand.

Taylor’s influence on the American economy and the presidential election has also been well discussed in the American media during the spring.

– It is at a level that is completely unique, her influence on economies is remarkable and there is also speculation as to whether she can have a political influence on the American presidential election, by either urging people to vote or standing behind a certain candidate, says Tomas Kvarnkullen.

Even in Sweden, Stockholm’s economy is expected to make millions in profit due to Swift’s three concerts in May.