Even the most die-hard Taylor Swift fan is being tested right now. The fandom is facing all kinds of harsh realities and online scorn, from Swift’s absolutely mercenary levels of multiple and expensive versions of physical media to a meh song that seems to be about her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, being a sexual powerhouse. And then there’s the reviews.

Fans are also forced to confront the new album might not be great. Not all of her albums have been received rapturously upon release — 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department” received cruel to lukewarm reviews at its outset. This time people are saying it loudly.

“The Life of a Showgirl” is a 5.9, says Pitchfork, adding “her music’s never been less compelling.” “While Swift’s life is extraordinary, it’s also cloistered by wealth and celebrity; perhaps the range of feelings she’s allowed to experience has become circumscribed,” says the New Yorker. Sure, it’s some of her best work — “and some of her cringiest,” notes Business Insider. “Classically designed pop tracks, with standard verse-chorus arrangements and rarely exceeding four minutes in run time,” deadpanned Billboard. The album is a “more enjoyable listen if you don’t take Taylor Swift — the artist, the persona, the person — so seriously,” cautions Teen Vogue. “Is this really the same artist that gave us Folklore and Evermore?” one-starred The Standard.

if taylor swift wrote these lyrics that’s really bad. if chatgpt did it, that’s REALLY really bad. but if travis did it? i’m kinda proud of him

People seem to dislike the material for all kinds of reasons. Probably some of them just don’t want her to be happy! But: A song, hilariously called “CANCELLED!” that is kind of about how hard it is to be famous, is a tough pill to swallow. There is, underlying all this, also some concern among her fans that she is engaged to a man who says he “can’t really read that well.” He haunts the album, like when we see her flailing with trying to do sexy material, which comes off especially flat in the era of Sabrina Carpenter — not to pit women artists against each other! Although, also it looks like Swift is doing that just fine herself with Charli XCX?

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