On Sept. 25, Taylor Swift released four new songs — and, IMHO, they’re not her best. (Like, at all.) The pop star dropped a four-song expansion of her album The Life Of A Showgirl, which came out a little less than a year ago in October 2025. And while fans and music lovers alike were excited to hear Swift’s new tracks, unfortunately, the TLOS: Encore reviews are in… and they’re not looking good. (Swifties, avert your eyes!)
But before I get into it, a preface: Swift is no stranger to criticism. She’s a multi-platinum recording artist and billionaire, with a career that spans over 20 years and 12 albums. And with a career that impressive, reviews and critiques are just the name of the game. So, trust — if there’s anyone who can handle a negative review, it’s Swift.
When Swift announced the release of TLOS: Encore, fans were initially excited. It had been 11 months since the album dropped — and in those 11 months, a lot happened in Swift’s life: she was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, released a single for Toy Story 5, and (of course) got married to her partner of three years, Travis Kelce. So, safe to say, Swift had a fair amount of material for her new songs, and fans were excited to see what this new era meant for her music. However, when Encore dropped, the enthusiasm fell flat.
For the Sept. 25 release, Swift dropped four songs: “Patient Zero,” “Pink Clouding,” “Babylon,” and “Cleveland!” And after streaming, listeners took to social media to share their thoughts on the tracks. Needless to say, they didn’t hold back. (Truly, I can’t believe the women who wrote “cardigan” also wrote “Cleveland!” Interpret that how you will.)
But the lukewarm reaction isn’t just on social media. The Independent gave the album 2/5 stars, saying that the project “pales in comparison” to her earlier works. The Guardian also slammed the project, giving it 2/5 stars, calling it a “Swiftian Groundhog Day,” and saying that Swift “seems unwilling or unable to extricate herself from the vast web of self-reference.” Oof.
However, it’s not all bad. While many folks are critiquing the album, there are just as many people praising it.
Look, at the end of the day, it’s important to remember that art is subjective: What some folks might not like, others might love. And that’s OK! While I might not be blasting Encore on repeat this fall, I certainly won’t leave the function if some of the songs come on — well, except “Cleveland!”…