The Life of a Showgirl (TLOASG) has been a highly anticipated commercial success, as it quickly garnered the attention of Taylor Swift’s longtime fans for its visuals. However, many critics and fans are underwhelmed with the tracks, as they failed to align with the glitz and glamour the album presents itself with.

Taylor Swift released her album on Oct. 3, and has since received mixed reviews, and an abundance of scrutiny for her lyricism and song production. Many people claim that too many of the songs are sampled or reminiscent of other songs. Critics also said that one of the songs Actually Romantic may be a diss track targeted towards pop singer Charli XCX. This is due to their relationship history with band members of The 1975.

Many fans unfortunately found her lyricism distasteful and predictable. Critics described the album as a “cash-grab” and lacking in depth. The Life of a Showgirl also only received a 5.9 rating out of 10 on Pitchfork, which is notably low in comparison to the rest of her albums, such as Folklore or Red, which both received scores over 7.5.

Students from East gave their opinions and criticisms on the album.

“I just think the album lacks uniqueness,” senior Caroline Wheatley said. “I think it’s bland and sounds repetitive.”

While Swift has been getting a great deal of negative feedback, the sales the album has grossed in the past week say otherwise. The album reached over 3.5 million sales on its release week, surpassing the record previously held by Adele’s 2015 release of the album 25.

Some fans have also grown to like a couple of the tracks, including Opalite and The Fate of Ophelia. Opalite obtained 100 million streams worldwide within its first four days of release. 

“I like Taylor Swift’s new album, but I don’t like it as much as her other albums,” senior Aubrey DeStefano said. “It’s more upbeat than her past ones which I think is so cool, but I don’t think it’s what people were expecting.”

While TLOASG is an undeniable statistical success, the overwhelming criticism from fans may have left a permanent stain on Swift’s reputation as a strong lyricist. For some, the album marks a new chapter in Swift’s career, but for others it shows a decline in her authenticity.

Written by senior Jamie Johnson. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.