{"id":77931,"date":"2024-02-23T18:18:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T18:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/a-guide-to-taylor-swifts-tortured-poets-department-bonus-versions\/"},"modified":"2024-02-23T18:18:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T18:18:01","slug":"a-guide-to-taylor-swifts-tortured-poets-department-bonus-versions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/23\/a-guide-to-taylor-swifts-tortured-poets-department-bonus-versions\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Taylor Swift’s ‘Tortured Poets Department’ Bonus Versions"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Taylor Swift<\/span> Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images for The Recording Academy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Taylor Swift<\/strong><\/a> is treating her fans to more than one version of her upcoming 11th studio album.<\/p>\n

Three editions of The Tortured Poets Department<\/em><\/a>, the original and two bonus versions, will be released on Friday, April 19. In addition to the 16 songs from the standard edition, each album variation will feature one of three bonus tracks titled \u201cThe Manuscript,\u201d \u201cThe Bolter\u201d and \u201cThe Albatross.\u201d<\/p>\n

While many fans believed Swift\u2019s next album release would be Reputation (Taylor\u2019s Version)<\/em><\/a>, the singer surprised fans by announcing The Tortured Poets Department<\/em> at the 2024 Grammys<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The way I can celebrate] is by telling you a secret that I\u2019ve been keeping from you for the past two years, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19,\u201d she said while accepting the award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the February 2024 awards ceremony. \u201cIt\u2019s called The Tortured Poets Department<\/em> and I\u2019m going to go post the cover right now backstage.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Taylor Swift Through the Years<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tTaylor Swift started writing songs about love and breakups in the early 2000s, but her talent was soon recognized by music executives who knew she was the real deal. From releasing her first record in 2006 to gracing stages all over the world this star has earned her place in the Hollywood A-list music scene. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

She followed up the reveal by announcing the album\u2019s two bonus versions during her Eras Tour<\/em><\/a> concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.<\/p>\n

In true Swiftie fashion, fans wasted no time theorizing about the possible meanings behind the different album versions and their bonus tracks, namely how they may be connected to her relationship with ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the different versions of The Tortured Poets Department<\/em>:<\/p>\n

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\n Taylor Swift<\/span> Graham Denholm\/TAS24\/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018The Manuscript\u2019<\/h3>\n

The bonus track \u201cThe Manuscript\u201d will be included on vinyl, CD and cassette versions of the original album edition, the cover of which shows Swift lying down on white bed sheets sporting what looks like black lingerie. The song will seemingly not be released on digital or streaming upon the album\u2019s release, though Swift has been known to digitally release bonus tracks \u2014 such as Midnight<\/em>\u2019s \u201cHits Different\u201d and \u201cYou\u2019re Losing Me\u201d \u2014 after the fact.<\/p>\n

Each of the album formats comes with its own collectibles, including never-before-seen pics, photo and lyric booklets, handwritten lyrics unique to each item, collectible album sleeves and more, according to Swift\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tThey\u2019re so gorgeous! Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn kept their romance relatively private, but there were plenty of milestones to look back on prior to their April 2023 split. Swift\u2019s relationship with the U.K. native was made public in May 2017. One year later, a source told Us Weekly exclusively that the \u201cCardigan\u201d singer believed [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018The Bolter\u2019<\/h3>\n

Swift announced \u201cThe Bolter\u201d edition of The Tortured Poets Department<\/em> during a February Eras Tour<\/em> concert<\/a> in Melbourne. \u201cLook at that cover, it\u2019s so tortured [and] so poetic,\u201d she said on stage. The cover shows Swift lying on what looks like the same bed as on the original cover artwork, but this time she has a melancholy look on her face.<\/p>\n

The first bonus version, which was only available to purchase for a limited time on Swift\u2019s website, also came in vinyl, CD and cassette and included similar collectible items as the original.<\/p>\n

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\n Taylor Swift<\/span> Graham Denholm\/TAS24\/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This version\u2019s bonus track, \u201cThe Bolter,\u201d has been widely theorized<\/a> to be about Swift\u2019s former romance with Alwyn. Many Swifities believe the song\u2019s title is a reference to how Swift and the actor were seen bolting into a car to avoid paparazzi after the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards<\/a>. The exes kept their relationship out of the public eye throughout their six-year relationship, which ended in early 2023.<\/p>\n

Others suspect the song could share meaning with author Frances Osborne\u2019s 2010 book of the same name, which follows the story of Idina Sackville<\/strong> as she fled to Kenya after leaving multiple marriages and breaking societal norms.<\/p>\n

While Swift did not reveal the track\u2019s inspiration during her Melbourne concert, she described the album as being a \u201clifeline\u201d for herself. \u201cIt sort of reminded me of why songwriting is something that actually gets me through life, and I\u2019ve never had an album where I\u2019ve needed songwriting more than I needed it on Tortured Poets,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>See Every Time Taylor Swift Matched Her Outfit to an Album Era<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tTaylor Swift has a big reputation in the fashion industry.\u00a0 Whenever Swift releases a new album, her style famously changes to match its respective vibe. From whimsical dresses to sequined getups, we can\u2019t get enough of her ever-changing fashion eras.\u00a0\u00a0 When she first dropped her self-titled debut album in 2006, we were blessed with cowgirl [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018The Albatross\u2019<\/h3>\n

The Tortured Poets Department<\/em>\u2019s second bonus version, featuring the track \u201cThe Albatross,\u201d was announced during a February Eras Tour<\/em> stop<\/a> in Sydney. \u201cYou know, it\u2019s good to have options. Everyone likes options. I wanted to show you something if you would direct your attention to the main screen. This is an alternate cover for The Tortured Poets Department<\/em>,\u201d Swift told attendees while debuting the album\u2019s artwork. \u201cThe Albatross\u201d version\u2019s cover sees Swift looking into the camera while wearing a white shirt and standing in front of the ocean.<\/p>\n

The cover\u2019s ocean setting has connections to the word \u201calbatross\u201d itself, as it can refer to a type of bird that resides near the ocean and can be found in Australia. According to Smithsonian<\/em><\/a> magazine, albatross birds spend their first six years at sea, which some Swifties noted is the same length as the pop star\u2019s relationship with Alwyn.<\/p>\n

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