Taylor Swift has taken her music career to new heights by releasing two versions of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” within hours of each other. The standard edition was released at midnight ET on Friday, featuring a 16-song tracklist that had been announced back in February. But just two hours later, Swift dropped a deluxe edition with an impressive 31 songs, much to the delight of her fans.
Rumors of a double album release had been circulating earlier this week as fans picked up clues from Swift’s social media posts and website countdown to 2 a.m. ET. The surprise move left many of her loyal followers stunned online, but they were thrilled to discover that the additional tracks on the deluxe edition were written by Swift and co-produced with Jack Antonoff or Aaron Dessner, except for one track, “I Look in People’s Windows,” which was co-produced with Patrick Berger.
As a newly minted billionaire, Swift has spent the past 18 months expanding her economic power. Her Eras World Tour and concert film helped solidify her status as the first musician to become a billionaire solely through songs and performances. In another bold move to promote tourism, Singapore reportedly paid nearly $3 million per show for exclusivity for the Southeast Asia leg of its Eras tour. Both versions of the album are now available to stream on all major platforms for fans to enjoy.
Swift’s surprise release strategy has proven successful in engaging with her fanbase and generating excitement around new music releases. Her fans appreciate her willingness to take risks and try something new while keeping them on their toes with unexpected announcements like these.