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Dissecting Taylor Swift’s new album

“The Tortured Poets Department,” is a 31-song excavation of Taylor Swift’s recent relationships. Despite the hype, it has proved to be less universally loved than some of her previous work.

Our music writers discussed the album, which is seemingly tailor-made for her most obsessive fans, and how her narrative continues to change.

“I’ve trained myself to view Taylor Swift’s work through the eyes of her fans,” my colleague Ben Sisario said. “That’s crucial for understanding Swift, whose connection with her listeners is at the root of her success, and it’s also become part of the art itself. The question is not just what is Swift saying, but what is she telling her fans, and how will they respond to it?”