What Is Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ A Reference To?

Taylor Swift made a surprise announcement during the 2024 Grammys that her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, is coming out this spring. There’s a cover, a poem, and as she revealed during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album, she’s been working on it for the last two years. The Tortured Poets Department is also her longest album title and first album with more than one word in the title since 2010’s Speak Now.

What Is Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department A Reference To?

One popular theory is that it’s a reference to the Tortured Man Club, a group chat between All Of Us Strangers stars Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott and her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. As one Swiftie wrote on X, “Am I the only one reminded of Joe Alwyn’s ‘Tortured Man Club’? I only say this cuz I was openly waiting for her breakup album, and it looks like this might be it. She’s the best when she’s in her feelings.”

Swift and Alwyn reportedly started dating in 2017 and were together until 2023. If she started working on the album two years ago, this would be mid-relationship (maybe there will be a song about attending the Cats premiere together?).

Or maybe it’s just a collection of words that she’s like. Who knows! We’ll find out on April 19th, when The Tortured Poets Department comes out.