'Tortured Poets' release live updates: Taylor Swift explains new album

Tick. Tick. Tick. When the clock struck midnight (ET), a meeting of "The Tortured Poets Department" was called to order.

Taylor Swift released her 11th era album ushering in new poetry with dagger-to-the heart ballads and fresh bops. As the meeting got underway, the sepia toned department was abuzz, which is why reporters Austin Curtright (a sports reporter and Swiftie) and Bryan West (the full-time Taylor Swift reporter) are collecting highlights for the department's minutes complete with all of the information you need to know about the new album.

Grab your quills, typewriters and parchment as we dive into the highly anticipated new album “The Tortured Poets Department.”

Jack Antonoff 'overwhelmed'

Frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff, who's one co-writer of "The Tortured Poets Department," shared his thoughts on album on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after its release:

"love this album more than i can say," he wrote. ".... love you all very much ... more later very overwhelmed ... love you taylor."

More news may be coming at 2 a.m. ET

Don't go to bed yet, Swifties. It seems as if another announcement is coming after the midnight release of "The Tortured Poets Department," as there's a countdown for 2 a.m. ET on Swift's Instagram account. 

It could potentially be bonus songs, similar to how Swift rolled out extra songs for her last album, "Midnights." But who knows with Swift.

The countdown can be accessed by scrolling all the way up or down on Swift's Instagram page.

Track 5: 'So Long, London'

In a heartbreak letter to the English capital city Swift had called home, the singer says so long to London. The choice of this song for Track 5 on her new album "The Tortured Poets Department" is intentional. Throughout Swift's 11 eras, Track 5 is reserved for a special, vulnerable song.

“Track five is kind of a tradition that really started with you guys," Swift said live on Instagram in July 2019, "because I didn’t realize I was doing this, but as I was making albums, I guess, I don’t know why, but instinctively I was just kind of putting a very vulnerable, personal, honest, emotional song as Track 5."

“So Long, London” puts Swift’s poetry prowess on display. Read more about the track.

'Tortured Poets,' track-by-track

“The Tortured Poets Department” is an asylum full of dashed wedding hopes, cemeteries, drugs, lustful longing and heart-shattering tragedy.

Fans believed Taylor Swift’s new project would mirror “Folklore” and “Evermore,” but they didn’t anticipate the newest music being dressed in synths similar to the vault tracks of “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” You can definitely hear the influence of co-writers, co-producers and close friends Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff.

If the singer’s 250+ song discography were a card catalog, you could track sounds and themes here that run parallel to hits from other eras. Call it the “Taylor Swift” decimal system, and read all about it.

'Florida!!!' is 'one hell of a drug'

The only song in Taylor Swift's discography to include three exclamation points, "Florida!!!" is one of two collaborations on "The Tortured Poets Department.”

Swift teams up with Florence + The Machine for Track 8. Swift's dad, Scott, told fans in Florida, the song about the state was his favorite off the album. Cue the drums, bum-bum-bum-bum-bum.

Read more about the suspense-filled track.

Taylor Swift shares message after release of 'The Tortured Poets Department'

Swift explained the meaning of her new album shortly after its midnight release. Here's what she said:

"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."

Taylor Swift name-drops Patti Smith and Dylan Thomas on new song. Here’s why

The chorus of the title track mentions two literary legends and one of the places that connects them: Patti Smith, Dylan Thomas and the Chelsea Hotel.

Swift sings in “The Tortured Poets Department”: “I laughed in your face and said, ‘You’re not Dylan Thomas. I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel. We’re modern idiots.”

Dylan Thomas is a Welsh poet and writer famous for "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” “Under Milk Wood” and “Fern Hill.” Thomas was born in 1914 and died in 1953.

Patti Smith is a famous poet, author, songwriter, singer and painter born in 1947. Her Instagram bio reads, “Writer. We are all alive together.” Smith is still an active writer. She did a book signing in New York City Thursday morning.

The Chelsea Hotel (or Hotel Chelsea or The Chelsea) is in Manhattan. Built in the late 19th century, the 12-story hotel is a New York designated landmark that has famously housed writers, painters, authors and the who’s who of fashionable socialites. And still does.

Stephanie Burt, a Harvard professor who teaches a class on Swift, explained the layers of the lyric.

‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ is quintessential Taylor

“I Can Do it With a Broken Heart” is so quintessentially Taylor, writes national music writer Melissa Ruggieri.

With fluttering synths and an electro-pop beat, it’s structured as one of Swift’s trademark glistening pop gems. But in the lyrics, Swift travels through the most potent psychological exploration of “the show must go on” since Smokey Robinson and The Miracles described “The Tears of a Clown” in 1967.

USA TODAY reviews ‘Tortured Poets’

These 16 tracks of pensive pop, out now, are the antithesis to “Lover.” Heartbreak and misery wrapped in melody. Rainbows faded into sepia tone. An era endured not enjoyed.

National music writer Melissa Ruggieri breaks down how Swift pulls listeners into the depths of misery catalyzed by a public breakup while she staged the biggest concert tour in history.

Ruggieri also reveals that "TTPD" is bookended with a prologue – a poem by Stevie Nicks – and an epilogue framed as Swift’s summary report as the chairman of The Tortured Poets Department (Chaos, “leads the caged beast to do the most curious things,” she writes).

Read the entire review. 

Taylor Swift, Post Malone recreate 2019 AMAs hug in 'Fortnight' music video

Turns out, Post Malone has been a part of "The Tortured Poets Department" long before the album's release, as Swift and Malone recreated their famous hug at the 2019 American Music Awards in the sneak peek of the music video "Fortnight," a single from Swift's new album that features Malone. 

Track lengths in order of longest to shortest

Spotify announced the track lengths a week before the release. Bonus songs were not included.

• "But Daddy I Love Him" 5:40
• "Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?" 5:34
• "The Tortured Poets Department" 4:53
• "loml" 4:37
• "So Long, London" 4:22
• "Down Bad" 4:21
• "Guilty as Sin?" 4:14
• "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" 4:05
• "Fortnight" (ft. Post Malone) 3:48
• "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" 3:38
• "Clara Bow" 3:36
• "Florida!!!" (ft. Florence + The Machine) 3:35
• "Fresh Out the Slammer" 3:30
• "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" 3:23
• "The Alchemy" 3:16
• "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" 2:36

Five writers credited on the album

Per usual, Taylor Swift is credited as a composer on all 16 tracks. Two she did by herself: "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" and "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" Austin Post (Post Malone) helped with the song he is featured on, "Fortnight," and Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine) is credited on "Florida!!!"

Jack Antonoff, a co-producer of Swift's since her "1989" album, is credited on eight titles: "Fortnight," "The Tortured Poets Department," "Down Bad," "Fresh Out The Slammer," "Guilty As Sin?," "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)," "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" and "The Alchemy."

Aaron Dessner, a co-producer of Swift's since "Folklore," is credited on five tracks: "So Long, London," "But Daddy I Love Him," "loml," "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" and "Clara Bow."

Credits for the bonus tracks have not yet been released.

Easter egg clues hiding in plain sight

Hours before the Grammys, TaylorSwift.com “crashed” showing an “Error 321 Backend fetch failed.” Error 321 is a communication error that would appear on a fax machine with a poor telephone line connection. Below, “hneriergrd:” appeared to be an unscrambled version of “red herring,” which is a clue or piece of information intended to be misleading or distracting. And underneath that was “DPT: 123.” DPT backwards is TPD, "Tortured Poets Department."

Misheard lyrics: 10 funniest mix-ups from 'Blank Space' to 'Cruel Summer'

Even the most ardent Swiftie can hear a lyric incorrectly, and, as the self-deprecating among us tend to do, can laugh (or would it be shake?) it off.

Maybe you still think Swift is singing about “Starbucks lovers” in “Blank Space” or her “good girl face” in “Style.” Or maybe you learned you were singing some of her lyrics incorrectly from watching The Eras Tour movie with subtitles.

Given Swift’s vast catalog – and her penchant for lyrical loquaciousness – there is a lot of room for error. From USA TODAY music writer Melissa Ruggieri, here are 10 of our favorite mondegreens (the official term for misheard lyrics).

Who could the new songs be about?

Swift, who has released some iconic for breakup anthems over the years, hasn't explained – and likely never will – the real-life inspirations behind some of her heartbreaking songs. However, assuming at least some of the songs from "Tortured Poets" have meaning derived from her love life, Swift's 11th album could include songs about three recent love interests.

Swift has dated, or been connected with, three people since the release of her last album "Midnights": actor Joe Alwyn, musician Matty Healy and current boyfriend Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Deciding which, if any, she sings about will be for the lyric-analyzing Swifties to decipher.

All 11 of Taylor Swift's No. 1 songs, ranked

In anticipation of “The Tortured Poets Department,” USA TODAY music writer Melissa Ruggieri ranked Swift’s 11 No. 1 hits (and yes, she probably would appreciate the numerical symmetry to her new album).

Swift drops merch, sneak peek of ‘Fortnight’ video

Just hours before the release of the album Swift officially released merch for it.

Along with the merch drop, Swift also released a sneak peek of the music video for "Fortnight," the first single on her album that features Post Malone. The post on X, formerly known as Twitter, noted the music video will release at 8 p.m. ET on Friday.

"At this hearing, I stand before my fellow members of The Tortured Poets Department with a summary of my findings," the post read. "Album tonight. Fortnight music video tomorrow at 8pm et."

Swift starred alongside Malone in the snippet of her upcoming music video for "Fortnight," which means 14 days or two weeks of time.

Swift's merch includes an assortment of clothing, along with multiple pieces of jewelry and a "The Tortured Poets Department" vinyl case. Each item features the album’s “TTPD” logo.

'Fortnight' with Post Malone to be first single

The opening chapter to "Tortured Poets" is the lead single.

Swift shared the news on Instagram at 2 p.m. ET that her collaboration with Post Malone will hit radio stations. "Fortnight" will also be the music video that airs Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.

"The first single from The Tortured Poets Department is…………. Fortnight featuring @postmalone 🤍," Swift said on Instagram. "I’ve been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand when we worked together on Fortnight. Honestly can’t wait for you guys to hear this song at Midnight TONIGHT and see the video at 8pm ET TOMORROW."

Announcing Swift's newest chapter

Swift announced her new project at the Grammys after her 13th career win.

"I want to say thank you to the fans," Swift said holding her Grammy for pop vocal album, "by telling you a secret that I've been keeping from you for the past two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19."

The first bonus track announced was "The Manuscript." Two weeks later onstage in Melbourne, Australia, Swift announced a second variant including the bonus track "The Bolter." The following week she unveiled a third variant in Sydney, Australia, with the bonus track "The Albatross." And in Singapore, she revealed a fourth variant called "The Black Dog."

'The Tortured Poet's Department' drops April 19... are you ready for it? Catch Taylor Swift live with tickets atVivid Seats, shopmerchandise, and stream her latest onDisney+. Purchases you make through our links may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter "This Swift Beat."