It seems music lovers are confusing the name of Taylor Swift’s new album with the title of a throwback Hollywood movie starring the late Robin Williams.
Swift announced the April 19 release of her upcoming album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” during an acceptance speech at the 2024 Grammy Awards on Feb. 4.
After Swift’s surprise announcement, Google searches for the 1989 drama “Dead Poets Society” skyrocketed 588%, according to NoDepositRewards.com, an online group that promotes casinos around the world.
Other than both employing the word “poets” in their titles, the movie, which takes place at a fictional elite boarding school, and Swift’s album don’t appear to have much else in common.
Except …
There’s the fact that “Dead Poets Society” was released in 1989, which is the title of one Swift’s albums. And, of course, her new album could possibly feature songs exploring sorrow and heartbreak, topics the movie explored, too.
Come to think of it, Williams’ character in the movie, an unorthodox English teacher named John Keating, inspires his young students to live by the Latin credo carpe diem, or “seize the day.” Didn’t Swift say kind of the same thing in her 2014 hit “Shake It Off”?
Minutes after Swift shared the news about her new album on the Grammys stage, Swift posted on Instagram the album’s cover art, which features a sultry, black-and-white image of Swift lying on a bed.
“All’s fair in love and poetry …” she captioned the post.
The following day, the “Karma” singer shared the track list for the album, which features collaborations with Post Malone and Florence and the Machine.
Many Swifties believe “The Tortured Poets Department” could feature a breakup song or two about Swift’s ex Joe Alwyn, noting that the album’s title is also similar to the name of of a WhatsApp chat Alwyn was once in called “The Tortured Man Club.”
Other than sharing song titles and collaborators’ names, Swift has kept mum about the content of “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The singer, who’s been in a high-profile romance with NFL star Travis Kelce since last summer, resumes her “Eras Tour” in Tokyo on Feb. 7.
Meanwhile, Kelce, who heads to the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 11, has vowed to emulate Swift’s wins at this year’s Grammys by bringing home his own trophy, too.
