When Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, in August 2025, die-hard Swifties were over the moon, eagerly counting down the days until its release. Fast forward to now, the pop queen’s album is officially out, and it’s already topping the charts. After dropping subtle hints for a long time, the album was officially released on October 3, 2025, and fans jumped in to find all the easter eggs hidden in the twelve songs.
Taylor’s latest studio album may be topping the charts, but it’s also stirring some unexpected drama. Just a day after premiering The Release Party of a Showgirl along with the album’s release, the singer dropped another surprise, and it’s not the reaction she would have expected.
Taylor Swift’s latest album update sparks backlash
On October 4, 2025, just a day after dropping the album, Taylor Swift dropped four additional limited-edition CD variants of The Life of a Showgirl. The new CDs, priced at USD 8 each, feature some exclusive acoustic tracks, bringing the total versions of her latest album to nine. However, even for many die-hard Swifties, this move felt more like a money-making tactic than a gift.
The additional versions have since drawn significant backlash on social media, with some fans popularly speculating the lyrics in the CD variant were about her fiance and NFL star, Travis Kelce. One fan commented on Instagram, “I love Taylor, but four vinyls each with different songs feels like a cash grab.”
Several netizens voiced frustration over the financial strain of buying multiple editions of the same album. A netizen wrote, “Remember when we used to do Deluxe albums and all of the tracks would be in one place? Can we get back to that?” Another disappointed Swiftie commented, “Babe I’m a die hard Swiftie but please read the room we are tired.” A third user chimed in:
“This is so upsetting. I love Taylor, I do. But for the love of God why do you need so many variants? Why does one hard working fan have to buy seven different versions of an album instead of just having all of the songs be on one complete album? You have millions of dollars. Give us broke fans a break.”
This isn’t the first time Taylor Swift has released multi-variant albums
Perhaps what sparked even more backlash was the fact that Swift has applied this strategy before, too. When she dropped her eighth studio album, Folklore, in 2020, she brought in ten different versions. Her Midnights album came with six, and The Tortured Poets Department offered five, including a Target exclusive.
Each purchase counts separately toward sales charts, boosting numbers, and according to industry experts, it is an intentional move. But this time, even her most loyal Swifties feel the move went too far. One fan called out the singer, venting on Instagram:
“Hey Taylor, I’m sorry but this is ridiculous. My wife and me are such big fans of yours, but you need to stop that cashgrabbing from your fans. What’s going on? […] We miss you as one of the rare persons which focused on music and not of the cash and the industry. Come on Taylor, where are you? We’ll wait for you.”
Taylor’s lyrics slammed as ‘tone deaf’
The controversy surrounding Taylor’s newest album has now extended to her lyrics as well. A Spotify pop-up of her album featured a line written in lipstick on a mirror, “Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.” The pop-up, which was later projected across Times Square, sparked backlash as fans called her out for being ‘tone deaf’, given Swift’s luxurious billionaire status.
Even before the album dropped as a whole, internet critics were already slamming Taylor for the line. One angry netizen wrote, “Taylor really said being the highest-paid popstar alive feels ‘not so glamorous’… I bet flying private to your 18th mansion must be rough.” Another wrote:
“It’s tone deaf. There are a lot of us who work jobs that feel like a prison for a hell of a lot less. If you hate it so much, step back. She could still have a successful career songwriting for other people.”
Taylor is no stranger to criticism, but despite everything, her fortune continues to prosper. Thanks to her Eras Tour, she now has an estimated net worth of USD 1.6 billion. Many online accused her of ‘cosplaying the struggle,’ saying her lyrics don’t resonate with fans who face real financial hardships.
Despite the backlash, The Life of a Showgirl is already a global success. Spotify confirmed it was the most pre-saved album in the Countdown Page’s history. Tracks like The Fate of Ophelia, rumoured to be about her fiancé, Travis Kelce, and a duet with Sabrina Carpenter are keeping fans hooked.
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