The Tortured Poets Department, as hated as it is, is still one of her best albums to date. Despite this, I do have a couple of complaints about the album and its era, and my biggest complaint is for its visual elements.

 

Lyrically and thematically, TTPD had so much to offer, but all we got in the end were minimalist pictures of Taylor in bed holding pillows and sheets.

 

To me, TTPD is a romantic gothic album with a modern twist and a pinch of southern gothic aesthetics. When I listen to it, I imagine candles, dried flowers, dark corridors, abandoned mansions, victorian dresses, open fields, and gloomy skies. Taylor's approach to the album's aesthetic felt lazy and uninspired (practically a simpler, more lackluster version of the Midnights photoshoot with a sepia filter slapped over it)

 

The concept behind the Fortnight video was amazing, but the lost visual potential of the album still bothers me to this day. We could've had stunning videos with great concepts for songs like Down Bad, Guilty as Sin?, and Florida!!!, but for some reason, Taylor chose not to expand the visual universe of TTPD.

It's been my favorite album visuals from her, so imo: absolutely not. 

No

Sure. It's very silly how she basically made the concept of "eras" synonymous with her name and then immediately stopped doing most of the things that make an album era. No more interviews or magazine cover shoots, no more televised performances, fewer music videos…

I liked the aesthetic she went with and thought it matched the music quite well. It showed a naturally maturation in her image. Could she have gone further with it and done more visuals? Yes, but it still got the point across with what she did do. 
 

Also, she was on the biggest tour of her career at the time of its release, so she was already doing a lot 

Edited May 18, 20251 yr by Iaintsorry

The only thing wasted was that album was not being shelved

Toe.tal.lee.

 

The fact we only got one single from this, Folklore, and evermore, and yet Midnights and Lover eras got FOUR singles each? 

31 songs and only one actual music video will forever leave me baffled.

Music video wise, absolutely. But the tour ones and the album shoot being by far her largest were great.

Considering her self directed videos are horrible, maybe not

I'm still confused of the aesthetic of TTTD, can a Swiftie elaborate on this for me? 

Honestly, yeah. She looks absolutely stunning across pretty much the entire photoshoot, but... it's just her standing around in dresses looking sad in various poses. As you highlight, the visual potential was immense (not even getting into music videos), and she did basically nothing with it 

is the visual potential in the room with us?

 

1 hour ago, MidnightsAtPeace said:

The Tortured Poets Department, as hated as it is, is still one of her best albums to date.

No, the album was saved from Taylor's bland and lifeless visual aesthetic and directing style. She is not great at videos tbh 

the minimalist aesthetics fits the vibe of the album imo 

She stopped working with Joseph khan and get lazy and cheep and directed her own music videos instead 

Yes, a lot of visual potential wasted.

 

made the era feel incomplete.

1 hour ago, Yog said:

I'm still confused of the aesthetic of TTTD, can a Swiftie elaborate on this for me? 

She took inspo from Patty Smith's early career and many novels and movies referenced in the album for the photoshoot and Fortnight video, tied in with the novels/book/typewriter theme from the album as it's very much a book from the demise of her 2 latest relationships. 
 

She could've done much more with it.

Edited May 18, 20251 yr by Popboi.

No alien abduction music video for Down Bad is a CRIME 

Stopped reading at. .. is still one of her best albums to date

 

Cause that lie 

I'm surprised some are saying no. There's a single video and some nice tour visuals but visually the album cycle as an era was completely underwhelming compared to practically every other era.

 

She spent more effort marketing the album through acoustic bonus tracks that nobody is listening to a year out in an effort to get more money from her base than she did marketing the album as she has done every previous album as an experience. Perhaps it was because she was focused on the eras tour, which was absolutely a huge demand from her physically and mentally, but the point still stands.

 

She embodied the aesthetics from a fashion point one time in public appearance, which was when she announced it and that was practically all I can recall. Even at the Grammy's this year, when TTPD was nominated, she had moved on entirely from the aesthetic. Which is not normal for her.

 

Its actually so disappointing, because I really love the album. It deserved so much more.

 

 

Edited May 18, 20251 yr by coney island

Yes. The lack of music videos and the fact that her attention was more broadly on the Eras Tour prevented it from getting the full visual moment it should've had. There were so many great concepts that would've benefitted from more visuals. 

She clearly didn't care about making the album into much of an era, which I kind of understand given how busy she was with the tour. It's also quite a personal album so she may not have wanted to draw too much public focus to it outside what she did give

Edited May 18, 20251 yr by rebeltwat

I actually really liked this Album and may need to revisit the album. It takes me back to last spring for sure. 
 

She easily could have done more for the era but the album was a monster as is, and iirc the eras tour was still going strong which in itself is massive promo. Plus she was starting to get oversaturated at that time so it was best she didn't go all out with radio releases and visuals etc.

 

She really should take longer break before dropping new music. She's probably gonna announce a new project this month for a summer release though lol.