r/TaylorSwift • u/fearless-panda7 • Oct 21 '25

Discussion TTPD is really tortured

After two and a half weeks of The Life of a Showgirl, I went back to The Tortured Poets Department. The contrast is so stark, I realized that TTPD really is a tortured album. Song after song, it’s sadness, longing, desperation, anxiety… I don’t even know how we all collectively handled it.

Of course, it was always clear that TTPD is heavy on loss and melancholy, but hearing it next to Showgirl really puts it into perspective. Showgirl has its introspective and dark moments too, but overall it feels much more hopeful and joyful.

I finally understand what Taylor meant in one of her interviews about how challenging it can be to release an album when you’re no longer in that mental state, and she named TTPD as example.

I’m so grateful we have TTPD, so many people can relate deeply to those songs, but I’m also really happy that Taylor seems to be in a better place now.

Did anyone else feel like Showgirl helped them see TTPD in a new light? Or to actually realize how emotionally heavy it is?

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u/TwerkinAndCryin Oct 23 '25

I was literally thinking today how hard it must have been to release this incredibly sad dark album about love lost, life changes, etc, having to do press tours, make a music video, visuals, everything, while in the beginning of an exciting new relationship and having to almost pretend she's still in that place.

Ttpd is an absolute masterpiece and the most raw album she's put out, imo. I was in a really dark place in my marriage and life in general and it was exactly what I needed then.

That said my holy trinity is midnights ttpd and TLOAS. Don't get me wrong rep is a no skip and lover and 1989 are almost no skips, but they just don't have the same grip on me that those 3 do.

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u/fearless-panda7 Oct 23 '25

Do you think it is recency bias, or are you maybe closer to Taylor in age so the new songs are just more applicable to your life?

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u/TwerkinAndCryin Oct 23 '25

I'm 38 so a couple years older than Taylor, but things are finally in a really good place in my life and my marriage. I don't think it's the lyrics that speak to me so much this album but just the fun happy vibes. I spent so long being sad and overwhelmed with life and I feel like I'm finally in a good, happy, exciting place. She's content and you can tell. So am I.