I cannot wait to hear The Fate Of Ophelia properly, other than YOYOK which is top 5 Taylor for me, this is her best song since Folklore/Evermore for me

Has anyone had their physical shipped out yet? Mine are still prepared to ship.

It’s out!!

Giving it a listen now.

I am waiting to listen at the cinema.

Wood is a BANGER

On first listen I’d have to admit I am underwhelmed. TFOO is very catchy, more in the vein of fortnight in terms of lead single. I’m sure it’ll grow, opalite was my favourite on first listen. Some very questionable lyrics like “I make deals with the devil cos my d!cks bigger” and the entirety of the Charli xcx diss actually romantic. I’m a little bit confused with this album because it is definitely not the massive pop moment she’s been making it out to be with max martin and shellback producing. I’ll give it a few more listens and see

I have to say I am also underwhelmed on first listen but I do think there's potential for it to grow on me. Definitely not an instant fave of Taylor's for me. The life of a showgirl, the fate of Ophelia and eldest daughter are my picks at the moment.

I have to agree, it's not the BIG pop monet I was expecting.

It's decent though.

Oh dear

well I’m enjoying this on first listen! It’s not as instant as TTPD was for me but it’s still great!

The Fate of Ophelia is my favourite lead single of hers since cardigan

On first listen I wasn't blown away either! Had she not revealed the producers she was working with i'd have honestly not thought Max Martin was involved with this.

It's different to Tortured Poets (probably more in line with Midnights) but I feel like the album title, the others involved and the photoshoot kind of don't match. I'll be listening again but it wasn't what I was imagining.

This isn’t as in your face as I expected, agreed. But I’m enjoying the album a lot on first listen and I think the entire thing will be more of a grower. It gave me a similar feeling to ‘Man’s Best Friend’ on first listen and I grew to love that more and more with each listen.

My immediate highlights (after one listen): ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, ‘Elizabeth Taylor’, ‘Opalite’, ‘Ruin The Friendship’, ‘CANCELLED!’ and ‘The Life of a Showgirl’.

Really solid on first listen and I am enjoying it. But I will need more time with a few of the tracks.

‘Actually Romantic’ is by FAR the worst on here.

On 2nd listen to 'Actually Romantic' I actually like the music. I'm just not a fan of it's contents

(But 2nd listen through this is all already getting better for me)

The album is growing on me as I listen more, but still some incredibly clunky moments on here, even more so than on ttpd or midnights. I think actually romantic is so bad honestly, so childish and unnecessary.

I'll start with the positives - on first listen I really liked 'Ruin The Friendship' and especially 'The Fate of Ophelia', she's on such a strong run of lead singles in the 2020s so far with 'cardigan', 'willow', 'Anti-Hero', 'Fortnight' and now 'The Fate of Ophelia'.

But overall I think my expectations were too high sonically with Max Martin's name so heavily involved in the marketing of this album, when we know the magic they've created together in the past. A lot was just washing over me and some of the lyrics were really rough, particularly on 'CANCELLED!' and 'Actually Romantic'. I agree with Jonjo that musically the latter could've been salvageable though as the chords were reminding me of 'Where Is My Mind?' by Pixies, an all-time favourite.

I also agree that the direction of the music isn't really what I had in mind when I saw the album photoshoots. That glitzy showgirl concept felt like it was coming to life a bit with the Sabrina track at the end but then the album was over!

I'm hoping some of it will grow on me now I can at least manage expectations. I was planning to book tickets to the accompanying cinema release so here's hoping that helps more of this to click.

This feels a bit mundane for what I was expecting based on the concept/people involved. 'Ruin the Friendship' was the only one that really did anything for me and 'Wood' too for its Jackson 5-soundingness.

Most of it is okay, but some of it is embarrassing and cringe (looking at you 'Eldest Daughter' and 'Actually Romantic')

I'll go back to it eventually but it's comfortably my least favourite this side of 1989 on first listen.

Listening to a new Taylor record is always interesting as someone who dips in and out of the fandom. 'Folklore' and 'Evermore' were two of my favourite projects of 2020, so I’ll always check in to see whether she’s doing something unexpected or left-field like those were. And of course, '1989' remains a pop bible, so any hint of that team reuniting for a big pop moment is exciting.

I’ve just finished my second listen, and aside from the first few songs hinting at something a little different, the album is weighed down by bland production and overwrought writing (the melodies somehow also sound like first drafts). 'Ruin the Friendship' is the notable exception. It really goes downhill from there.

I genuinely wonder if one of the inevitable downsides of being insanely successful is that everything you release is destined to be met with acclaim regardless. She sounds like she is on creative autopilot, and what’s almost ironic is that Jack, written off as similarly creatively bankrupt, has just delivered some of the most maximalist, frenetic pop for Doja Cat. Max Martin feels wasted here.

50 minutes ago, Jade said:

But overall I think my expectations were too high sonically with Max Martin's name so heavily involved in the marketing of this album, when we know the magic they've created together in the past.

'eternal sunshine' was the benchmark for me, and a perfect example of an established producer and established artist coming together and bringing out the best in each other

I'm sad that it's so bland. I agree with the above there's a couple of great tracks but for the majority it's bland and dull with poor production. I was expecting a big pop moment (We were so due one) and this just doesn't hit the mark I'd probably be cancelling my pre-order if it hadn't already shipped.

I'm continuing to listen today and hopefully a few more songs click but 'Actually Romantic' is truly awful.

It feels so disjointed as a concept to, the artwork / album title and how it was promoted just doesn't fit the actual album and I don't think that's helping.

Edited October 3, 2025Oct 3 by Mr. C. Joel

I've only listened to the title track so far. I know its now how its done but after hearing about AR I was so let down I needed the one song I was excited for to pick me back up for it.

I loved it. Her and Sabrina are so good together and Sabrina got to actually sing by herself unlike most of Taylor's features. She put respect on her name.

Edited October 3, 2025Oct 3 by Henessy Lake

Mainly for me not much of this is sonically that interesting. I was cautiously optimistic due to Max Martin being back but it’s more of the same. A lot these tracks feel like they could be filler on TTPD or Rep, but they form the majority of this album. Idk if I like it less than TTPD because that did not hit for me at all and I think I have 3 or 4 songs saved plus it was so bloated, but I’m also only really arsed by 2 tracks here so far plus Opalite, The Life Of A Showgirl and Wood I feel have potential to grow. Cancelled is so so so cringe, musically and lyrically, at least Actually Romantic’s production is somewhat a little tiny bit interesting, Cancelled sounds like you’ve asked AI to make a song milennials would want to use on TikTok.

Her stans are trying to go with the “you just hate fun pop” slant to defend this it seems, but this… isn’t fun? The production is dull, the lyrics I suppose could be read as hehe tongue in cheek which is fine, whatever, but there is nothing dynamic and fun and intriguing about the vast vast majority of this album. And she is more than capable of that as we’ve seen we’ve 1989. She’s got two facets that shine and have propelled her to icon status, the fun pop melodies/production and the introspective songwriting, but this has neither of those to my ears.

First listen ranking:

The Fate Of Ophelia

Ruin The Friendship

Opalite

The Life Of A Showgirl

Wood

Eldest Daughter

Elizabeth Taylor

Father Figure

Wi$h Li$t

Honey

Actually Romantic

Cancelled