Taylor Swift took the world by surprise yet again on Sunday when she revealed that her brand-new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” will be out on April 19. Swift made the announcement during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards after winning the award for “Best Pop Vocal Album.” “I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years,” she said before shocking fans, who, up until then, believed she was on the verge of announcing the release date of “Reputation (Taylor’s Version).” 

“Midnights” was announced in a similar fashion at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, when she dramatically revealed the album’s existence and release date while accepting the award for “Video of the Year.” She teases her work in patterns, and even with all the sleuthing Swifties do in their spare time, she seems to always catch her fans by surprise. 

The new album has a total of 16 tracks and 1 bonus track. CDs, vinyls, and cassettes are already available for purchase on her site. A special “collector’s edition” of the CD was available following the announcement and includes a patch, bookmark and more. Fans had to wait in a queue to purchase the merch — I personally waited over half an hour, but no matter. 

Then, as we were putting together this week’s issue of The Justice, Swift posted the new album’s tracklist — as though the last 24 hours weren’t chaotic enough. The tracklist is as follows:

1. Fortnight (feat Post Malone)

2. The Tortured Poets Department

3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

4. Down Bad

5. So Long, London

6. But Daddy I Love Him

7. Fresh Out the Slammer

8. Florida!!! (feat Florence + The Machine)

9. Guilty as Sin?

10. Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

11. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

12. loml 

13. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

15. The Alchemy

16. Clara Bow

17. Bonus Track: The Manuscript

There’s not much use in speculating in print what each track will sound like, but lord knows the internet will take the next couple months to theorize. But what we can say is that — and I apologize for bringing this up — this album is certainly being released on the heels of her not-so-recent breakup with British actor Joe Alwyn, meaning at least some tracks will likely touch on him. He’s already said it would be “shady” for her to diss him on the album, but let’s get one thing clear: Her work is not about her exes. It is about her. 

Swift’s track fives are known for being her most emotionally vulnerable and personal song on each album, and based on the title “So Long, London,” I’m expecting something heartbreaking and beautifully written. It’ll join the ranks of songs such as “Cold As You,” “Dear John” and “All Too Well” — and I, for one, cannot wait.