After three long months, Taylor Swift will be releasing The Tortured Poets Department, her 11th studio album and the first since her split from Joe Alwyn. But while Swifites count down the hours to the release, and discover just how many sad songs there are about the British actor – and how many there may be about her short-lived rebound with Matty Healy – I've been left wondering if we may actually get a second release on April 19 – Reputation (Taylor's Version).
In classic Taylor fashion, she has been dropping so-called Easter eggs for months hinting at the release of the fifth album to receive the TV-treatment, a re-recording in order to own the full rights to all of her records.
Using her own fashion style to tease eras – black for Reputation, green for the self-titled debut album – it's actually been the use of the word "two", first referenced when she announced the new album live at the Grammys, that had been bothering me.
"I am telling you a secret that I have been keeping for two years," she told the audience and fans watching at home on February 4, throwing up two fingers on the word "two" before pausing and giving a pointed look at the camera.
In recent days, as promotion for the new album ramps up, the number two has also appeared in various other marketing materials.
A tweet Taylor sent on April 17, two days before the release, used the peace sign emoji – two fingers being raised – instead of the number two A teaser video, also posted on April 17, features several clocks that are all set to 2 o'clock – although it is unclear if it's meant to be AM or PM – while the room features two desks and two typewriters.
As the camera zoomed into a calendar pinned to the walk, there are two stars on either side of the notice announcing the music video would be released at 8pm ET on April 19.
A clock at the Los Angeles Spotify pop-up is also set to 2pm.
A countdown on Taylor's own website also appeared to be set to 2pm EST on April 18.
The number two may in fact be a connection to a song on the new album – the opening track is called 'Fortnight', and obviously a fortnight is made up of two weeks; it is also the lead single and the music video will drop at 8/7c.
© Taylor SwiftBut it could also be a hint that a second album will be dropping – and it would make sense for it to be Reputation, which, with its hard black and white theme, could be a sister album to The Tortured Poets Department, which has a softer black and white color scheme.
The majority of Reputation, recorded in 2016 and 2017, is about her falling in love with Joe, while it is thought The Tortured Poets Department will include tracks about their decision to end the romance after six years.
© Big Machine RecordsOther hints include the dried (read: dead) cornelia flowers at the Spotify pop-up – Cornelia Street was the street in New York she lived on when they were first dating and a song on her seventh album Lover – as well as dried lavender; 'Lavender Haze' is the opening song on Midnights, which Taylor previously described as meaning "that you were in that all-encompassing love glow".
Both songs are about her relationship with Joe.
© SpotifyThe snake motif used in the Reputation era has also been referenced in her 2024 Golden Globes dress, but the biggest hint is her partnership with Target, which has empty shelves across the country with barcodes labeled Serpentine.
When scanned, it takes customers to the Target app and a Target special edition of the new album – but Serpentine is another word for a snake, hinting that the shelves may soon be filled with the Reputation (TV) CDs. Also? Reputation is 10-letters long and so is Serpentine; Taylor has spoken before about how she uses this method to create fake code names for her albums.
© Jackson LeeOne of the savviest reasons for releasing Reputation (TV) on the same day however is that fans listening to The Tortured Poets Department may also wish to go back and listen to Reputation to contextualize the new lyrics, and reconsider past events, making it good business sense for Taylor to drop Reputation (TV) in order to profit from her own work.
Whether Taylor drops the re-record on April 19 or not, it's clear the news cycle will belong to her for another few weeks, as The Tortured Poets Department has been announced as breaking Spotify's record for the most pre-saved album of all time.
That, plus the numerous limited edition vinyls and CDs, and what is sure to be a further merchandise drop, means 2024 is shaping up to be the year of Taylor Swift as well.
