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The Swifties are starting to see through Taylor Swift.
Over the past four months, Swift has faced growing criticism from fans and social media users due to her repeated release of multiple versions of her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.
The album was originally launched on April 19, 2024, and has remained a powerhouse, dominating four crucial Billboard charts and holding the top spot on three of these charts while coming close to leading a fourth.
Even though other worthy artists pop up with inspiring albums over time, the 34-year-old Grammy winner maintains her stronghold on almost every ranking that her music graces, per She Finds.
This week, the album kept its No. 1 position on the Billboard 200, marking its fourteenth nonconsecutive week at the pinnacle of the all-genre album consumption list. Billboard has already confirmed it will achieve a fifteenth week at the top. Since its release and as of this month, the record has seen nearly 40 distinct variants.
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All’s fair in dominating the music industry, more like. One might question if Swift is merely doing what she can to meet the ferocious demand for her music, recycling old albums, or if she is being a little more sly.
Critics on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have labelled the pop singer as “greedy” and “vile,” accusing her of deliberately issuing new versions to “block” other artists, such as Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan, from claiming the number one spot.
She did this to make it seem like she’s blocking Kanye but she’s actually doing this to block Chappell Roan. She is truly vile. https://t.co/z3M76SOHxV
— ivan (@runfrthehills) August 15, 2024
Just this week, The Tab reported that Swift has once again unleashed exclusive editions of her Tortured Poets album, strategically timed for a chart showdown with Chappell Roan (real name Kayleigh Amstutz), 26, who’s on the brink of her first number-one. Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess has been gaining serious momentum, even clinching the top spot on the UK album chart last week.
Meanwhile, the ‘Anti-Hero’ hitmaker is under fire for her relentless strategy of dropping limited edition versions of her album to keep her grip on the charts.
@sabregaming Hopefully i dont need to make 30 other videos on the subject matter #taylorswift #chappellroan #sabrinacarpenter #music #fyp #swiftie ♬ original sound – Sabre
Others think this is not about pop-blocking Roan and more her cryptic jab at long-time rival Kanye West, who has also released multiple versions of his Vultures 2.
In a related move, Swift has altered the wording of her song “Thank You Aimee” —originally styled as “thanK you aIMee,” which was perceived as a jab at Kim Kardashian. The new digital download now reads “thank You aimEe,” (capitalizing YE).
But most are just upset that Taylor is surpassing all other artists again.
Another added: “Taylor Swift dropping her 148th variant of an album no one knows any songs off to block Chappell Roan KNOWING that this is Chappell’s only week to go number one because Post Malone just released is just anti feminist loser behaviour. I’m sorry, she’s lost a fan in me.”
@curiouslymedia What do you think- chart blocking? Or chart winning?! #taylorswift #chappellroan #ye ♬ original sound – Curiously
Swift has remained silent amid the ongoing backlash, keeping the crown as one of the world’s best-selling music artists.
[source:shefinds]
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