There’s a huge problem headed for Taylor Swift‘s record-breaking Eras Tour, and it’s called The Tortured Poets Department.
The American singer’s 11th original studio album is set to drop on Friday, April 19 and add more than 16 new tracks to her already extensive musical catalogue.
But the question on every Swiftie’s mind is how she will fit those songs into her already stacked Eras Tour setlist.
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Swift has been touring for over a year now and though she’s currently taking a break to hit Coachella with beau Travis Kelce, she’s due to kick off the European leg of the Eras tour on May 9, just 20 days after The Tortured Poets Department drops.
Naturally, fans will want to her Swift perform her new tracks live, but with a show already runs for close to four hours, that’s going to be easier said than done.
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There are currently three major theories as to how Swift might tackle the The Tortured Poets Department problem at her upcoming Eras Tour dates.
Keep reading to see all of them, and how likely each option is to come true.
Replace old songs with new ones on the Eras Tour setlist: most likely
It’s most likely Swift will cut several older songs from her current Eras Tour setlist to make space for new tracks from The Tortured Poets Department in future shows.
With 10 eras already represented in the 3.5-hour show, there are plenty of places where Swift could trim the fat.
As it stands, she performs seven songs each from Midnights and Folklore, six songs from Lover, five songs each from Evermore and 1989, four songs each from Reputation and Red, three songs from Fearless, and two songs from Speak Now.
Swift also performs two surprise acoustic songs at each show, for a total of 45 songs across the full setlist.
It’s clear she likes to perform more tracks from her latest releases, so fans could expect her to perform about seven songs from The Tortured Poets Department.
To do that, she has two options.
Option one: Swift could cut one song from her seven longest eras (Midnights, Folklore, Lover, Evermore, 1989, Reputation and Red) to make space for the seven new tracks.
Doing so would keep her show at its current 3.5-hour runtime and allow fans to still hear some of their favourite songs from each of those albums.
Option two: Swift could cut her two shortest eras entirely (Fearless and Speak Now) and replace them with her new The Tortured Poets Department era.
It would give her time to perform five songs – more, if she cut a few tracks from one of the longer eras – but would definitely disappoint fans of her older music. Somehow, we doubt she’ll pick this option.
Extend the Eras Tour setlist for a four-hour show: less likely
With a 3.5-hour runtime, the Eras Tour is already a very long show – but if anyone could keep fans in a stadium for four hours straight, it’s Taylor Swift.
If she didn’t want to cut any songs from her current setlist, she could just add her new tracks and make the show even longer.
Some fans would delight at getting an extra 30 minutes of Swift on stage, but we doubt she’ll tackle the The Tortured Poets Department problem this way.
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Performing for four hours straight night after night would take a huge toll on Swift’s body and voice, which is the last thing she needs with months of touring still ahead of her.
Adding an extra 30 minutes to the show could also spark backlash from fans who attended earlier Eras Tour dates and only got a 3.5 hour experience for the same high prices.
Secret songs from The Tortured Poets Department: least likely
Another theory is that Swift could opt to either replace her ‘secret songs’ segment in the show with a short The Tortured Poets Department era, or simply play different tracks from the album as her two secret songs each night.
But this option also seems unlikely, as fans love the secret songs portion of the night so much, cutting it would be a pretty unpopular choice.
READ MORE: Everything we know about The Tortured Poets Department
Even if she opted to keep the segment but only play The Tortured Poets Department tracks, it could still disappoint fans who want to hear deep cuts from her older records.
Though it would be an easy way to slot The Tortured Poets Department into her current setlist, doing so at the cost of her secret songs would no doubt be a divisive decision.
Dishonourable mention: No change to the Eras Tour setlist
Some fans have claimed the “fairest” way for Swift to handle The Tortured Poets Department debacle is to simply keep the current Eras Tour setlist as it is and not play any of her new tracks.
Many of the fans pushing this theory went to concert dates earlier this year or last year and feel it’s “unfair” that concert-goers could get to hear a whole new era at future shows.
Somehow, we doubt Swift would agree and the chances of her simply refusing to put any The Tortured Poets Department tracks on the setlist are slim to none.