Taylor Swift fans sent into frenzy as new album The Tortured Poets Department ‘leaked’

Taylor Swift’s long-awaited album, The Tortured Poets Department, appears to have been leaked online sparking a frenzy of debate among fans.

The singer announced the project, which marks her 11th studio album, while accepting a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album (for 2022’s Midnights).

The Tortured Poets Department was due to be released on Friday (19 April), but a copy appears to have found its way onto social media with full lyrics, audio, and tracks being shared ahead of time.

Some Swifties have refused to listen to the leak insisting that “true fans” would wait for its official release.

“I cannot imagine listening to the album before Taylor’s intended time with all my friends,” said one impassioned supporter.

Another added: “Listening to this stuff early, is a slap in the face to all the work Taylor is doing to own her work. I’ll be listening on the 19th at midnight!”

“I’ll listen to Taylor Swift after the official release of The Tortured Poets Department because I respect the singer I love and that’s a true fan,” chastised one fan.

Meanwhile, some lyrics have led to ridicule including the following from the alleged leak: “You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate, we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.

“I scratch your head, you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever. Now I’m down bad crying at the gym.”

Fans and critics united to criticise the verse with one Swift fan page lamenting, “How could she let us down like this?”

Others said: “She’s torturing poetry”.

However other shrewd social media users predicted the “leak” could be a ploy by Swift to make a social commentary on the use of AI.

“If this is a marketing ploy by her team to make some statement on AI art by leaking a fake album written by ChatGPT, Taylor Swift may be the smartest woman alive,” wrote one user on X/Twitter before continuing. “However, it’s not. She genuinely wrote that Charlie Puth line LOL”.

Much has been made of the title of the record, which is considerably longer than Swift albums such as Red, Fearless, Speak Now, 1989 or Midnights.

Many believe it might be a reference to the WhatsApp group apparently shared between her ex-boyfriend, British actor Joe Alwayn, with Irish stars Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott.

The Tortured Poets Department is released on Friday 19 April. The bio on Swift’s Instagram account currently states: “All’s fair in love and poetry”, the tagline to the album.

The Independent has contacted Taylor Swift’s representatives for comment.