Surprise Album Release and a Lyric Gone Viral: Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was supposed to drop on April 19, 2024. However, the album leaked online a day early, sending fans into a frenzy. While excitement filled the air, a specific lyric in the title track, “The Tortured Poets Department” (also the second song on the album), caught everyone’s attention – and not necessarily for the best reason.

The Lyric in Question

The controversial line appears in the song’s second verse, where Swift reportedly sings:

“You smoked and 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.”

Fan Reactions on “The Tortured Poets Department” From Mockery to Confusion

The internet quickly lit up with mixed reactions to the Charlie Puth name-drop. Here’s a glimpse of what fans had to say:

Mockery: Some fans found the lyric humorous, questioning its seriousness. Tweets like “‘We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist’ ??? taylor swift you need to be so serious right now,” and “taylor swift releasing that charlie puth line after i’ve been defending her songwriting all week” flooded social media.
Confusion and Shade Detection: Others interpreted the lyric as a subtle dig at Puth. Tweets like “charlie puth hearing his name come up in a taylor swift song bc she doesn’t consider him a big artist” and “Serious question. Does Taylor Swift actually listen to music? Is she aware of anyone who isn’t a Top 40, already-famous artist? The Charlie Puth line is mesmerizing because…are there no other ‘smaller’ artists she could namedrop?” expressed this sentiment.

A Look Back: Taylor and Charlie’s History Other Than “The Tortured Poets Department”

Although “The Tortured Poets Department” leak sparked this debate, Swift and Puth have previously acknowledged each other publicly:

Puth Praises Swift’s Songwriting: In 2021, Puth took to social media to analyze the genius behind Swift’s 2006 hit, “Teardrops on My Guitar.” He highlighted her unique chord progressions and commended her overall songwriting skills.
Puth Crowns Taylor the “Queen of Chords”: In a 2022 concert, Puth further complimented Swift, calling her the “queen of these types of chords” while referencing songs like “Fifteen” and “Blank Space.”

What Does it All Mean?

With only the leaked lyric to go by, it’s difficult to decipher Swift’s true intention. Was it a lighthearted moment between friends? An offhand remark? Or something more? Fans will likely have to wait for the official album release and possibly even a future interview from Swift to understand the context behind this unexpected lyric.

Key Points about the article that you need to know:

Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was set to release on April 19, 2024, but leaked online a day early, causing excitement among fans.

A specific lyric in the title track caught attention, where Swift mentions Charlie Puth, sparking mixed reactions from fans.

Some fans found the lyric humorous, while others interpreted it as a subtle dig at Puth, leading to confusion and debate on social media.

Tweets questioning Swift’s seriousness and awareness of lesser-known artists circulated online, adding to the discussion.

Despite the controversy, Swift and Puth have previously acknowledged each other publicly, with Puth praising Swift’s songwriting skills.

With only the leaked lyric available, fans are left speculating about Swift’s true intention behind the mention of Puth.

It remains unclear whether the lyric was meant as a friendly nod or carried a deeper meaning, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the album’s official release for more context.