Taylor Swift’s “All’s fair In love and poetry” holds both the #1 and #2 spots on the iTunes music video chart despite lacking audio. This 8-second “video” serves as a pre-order incentive for her upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Department” on Apple Music, featuring only an image with accompanying lyrics. While it remains uncertain whether this silent release strategy was intentional to boost chart performance, it marks the second instance of Swift offering a silent 8-second audio clip on iTunes. The first occurrence was during the launch of her studio album “1989” in 2014, when a clip of static noises was mistakenly released instead of the actual song.
Scheduled for release on April 19, 2024, through Republic Records, “The Tortured Poets Department” stands as Taylor Swift’s eleventh studio album. Swift unveiled the album during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards following her victory in the Best Pop Vocal Album category for her previous work, “Midnights.” Describing the album as a crucial reflection of her songwriting, honed during her Eras Tour, Swift has enlisted collaborations with Post Malone and Florence and the Machine. The album will be available in four physical versions, each featuring bonus tracks.
Social media hints and enigmatic messages marked Swift’s announcement of the album, while its conception was driven by her deep-seated need for songwriting. Rumors suggest Jack Antonoff’s involvement as a producer. The album’s title and artwork, photographed by Beth Garrabrant, have ignited grammatical discussions and inspired numerous parodies.
On February 6, 2024, Swift unveiled the tracklist for the album on social media, with announced collaborations with Post Malone and Florence and the Machine. Four physical editions of the album were announced, each containing a bonus track. Swift introduced three of these editions during her Asia-Pacific Eras Tour leg. Additionally, a collector’s edition deluxe CD sold out within two hours of release. On March 18, 2024, the top selling singer made the album available for pre-release on Apple Music, with a handwritten note video reaching #1 on the US iTunes Music Video chart.
