For Swifties, every new album release is a national holiday! The highly anticipated 11th album from Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department, will be released everywhere next Friday.

As the album's release approaches, many fans have already taken to social media to spotlight and analyze the theories behind specific parts of the album.

Swift's music has always been a reflection of her personal life, and this album is no different. This album is believed to follow her split from actor Joe Alwyn and her very short romance with Matt Healy. That being said, the Swifties have made these two men a part of several fan theories. 

Since those relationships, Swift has taken over the internet with her new relationship with football star Travis Kelce. According to an article from People Magazine in February, Travis shared he sees it “as a game changer.” 

When Swift announced the release of this project, Swifties immediately linked it back to her ex-Joe. In December 2022, Joe and Paul Mescal told Variety about a group chat with Andrew Scott titled ‘The Tortured Man Club.’

Joe Alwyn and Paul Mescal have a WhatsApp group with Andrew Scott called "The Tortured Man Club."

"It hasn't had much use recently," Alwyn says.
"I feel like we're less tortured now," Mescal quips. https://t.co/CSai4ScQpz pic.twitter.com/veCp1ZdFsD

— Variety (@Variety) December 15, 2022

The track listing is full of clever eggs, and “So Long, London” might be one of her biggest ones yet. Number 5 on the tracklist, Swift is known for reserving that special spot for some of her most emotional songs. On previous albums, Swift’s No. 5 tracks include “Dear John,” “Speak Now,” and “White Horse,” to name just a few. 

 Across X and TikTok, there are several theories about that specific track being 9:28 long, which holds a special significance to their relationship. 

There's some rumors that "So Long, London" will be 9 minutes and 28 seconds long, which is actually the date that Taylor and Joe started dating...
All Too Well, you'll have a new little sister pic.twitter.com/eHFz4v1a0L

— 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳🪄⸆⸉🇸🇦🇵🇸 (@WolfyToto) March 19, 2024

In between romances, Matt Healy and Swift had a very short fling. The fling was the most controversial after he negatively commented about Swift’s collaborator on “Karma,” Ice Spice. The tracks on the album “Guilty As Sin” and “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” are supposed to be about her time with Matt. 

Everyone deserves a single-girl era, and “Florida!!!,” featuring Florence + the Machine, might be written just about that. On the Tampa, Florida stop for The Era’s Tour, Swifties noticed the change in her setlist. This concert was the first she performed after her public breakup with Joe. 

There’s no doubt that this album will break Swift's records yet again. The real question will be whether the specific fan theories are true.

Photo Credit: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters