Taylor Swift has received a ton of mixed reviews since the release of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In fact, a writer for Paste Magazine actually went anonymous after receiving “threats of violence.” Her review of one of Taylor’s previous albums elicited quite the reaction.
On X, Paste Magazine posted a statement about the review.
“Editor’s Note: There is no byline on this review due to how, in 2019 when Paste reviewed ‘Lover,’ the writer was sent threats of violence from readers who disagreed with the work. We care more about the safety of our staff than a name attached to an article.”
The review itself criticized Taylor’s songwriting ability and bashed her song with Post Malone.
“Between producer Jack Antonoff’s atrocious backing instrumental and the Y2K-era, teen dramedy echo chamber of a vocal harmony provided by out-of-place guest performer Post Malone, ‘Fortnight’ chokes on the vomit of its own opaqueness,” the review stated.
Swifties can be a passionate bunch, and this didn’t sit well with them. Many viewed the review as an attack on Taylor as a person rather than an artist.
As a result, Paste Magazine decided to keep the reviewer anonymous.
“The readers are ought to disagree with the work if all that’s included in the review is digs at taylor’s personal life instead of her music, do better,” one person wrote on X.
Another user added, “I don’t agree with most of this review, but I do respect your decision to protect your staff. They don’t deserve to be hunted for having an opinion on art.”
Taylor Swift Responds to TTPD Reviews Amid ‘Threats of Violence’ Toward Writers
Since Taylor’s release of TTPD, Taylor has responded to some reviews directly on her Instagram. Specifically, she shared Rolling Stone’s “Come for the Torture, Stay for the Poetry” review on her Instagram Story on Sunday.
“And that’s the closest I’ve come to my heart exploding,” she wrote over the story, referencing lyrics from her album. She then tagged the writer and magazine.
She did the same for several other reviews, including The Times and The Independent. “These chemicals hit me like whiiiiite wiiiiine,” she quoted her song, The Alchemy, for The Times piece.
Additionally, she used the lyric “Everyone we know understands why it’s meant to be” when captioning her story of The Independent’s review. This comes after Paste Magazine’s decision to make their reviewer anonymous.