Taylor Swift might have sung, “I swear I don’t love the drama, it loves me,” on her 2017 album Reputation, but the fanfare leading up to its loooong-awaited rerelease seems to indicate otherwise. Ever since Swift’s sixth studio record became eligible for rerecording way back in November 2022 — the same long-ago month that saw Ron DeSantis topping polls and the end of The Walking Dead — fans have eagerly lapped up any clue that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is ready for release. Yet 16 months later, all we have are a few brief clips and a new understanding of trademark law.
If you’re still down to clown, the latest rumors are that the album will arrive on July 16, which just so happens to be World Snake Day (during the Year of the Snake, no less). But if the date comes and passes without so much as a hiss? Well, take comfort in knowing it would be far from the first time we were all fooled by Swift’s Rep teases. And while some of the examples on the list below may seem like unintentional red herrings, remember Swift’s own warning to listeners on “Mastermind” off 2022’s Midnights: “What if I told you none of this was accidental?”
May 2023: The “Karma” Music Video Starts It All
Swift’s video for the Midnights single “Karma” contained references to all of her albums, but the Reputation nods got fans talking the most. From a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snake cameo to the coffee-cup clock with a black nail by the No. 2 (a.k.a. a potential February release, duh), there were a good amount of clues that indicated Rep (TV) would soon be on its way.
August 2023: Two TV Teasers and … Ed Sheeran?
Toward the end of summer 2023, Swifties were surprised with not one but two clips of songs from Rep (TV) featured on TV shows: “Delicate” on The Summer I Turned Pretty and “Look What You Made Me Do” on Wilderness. What felt like celebratory gifts were probably more like consolation prizes as we still haven’t heard full versions of either track.
Also in August, Swift’s close pal and frequent collaborator Ed Sheeran revealed he had not yet recorded the new version of “End Game,” which was disappointing only if you miss the sound of Sheeran rapping.
October 2023: Shout-outs in Swift’s Eras Tour Movie Post
In her Instagram post celebrating the premiere of the movie The Eras Tour, Swift made several notable references to Reputation, including “getting in the car now” (a.k.a. “Getaway Car”) and “look what you genuinely made me do” (which, like her reputation, needs no further explanation). Perhaps the film would contain an announcement about Rep (TV)’s release date, we thought! Nope, just a better view of the Lover house and some amusing bloopers in the credits.
December 2023: Time’s “Person of the Year” Has “tRuSt iSSues”
Finally, some legit teases! In her Time Person of the Year cover story, Swift explicitly talked about Rep (TV) for the first time by calling the vault tracks “fire.” Let your very patient fans be the judge of that, Ms. Swift! The star fueled the flames in her Instagram caption about the article, writing that she had “tRuSt iSSueS” regarding interviews. An R for Rep and an S for snakes? Hmm …
January 2024: Green Dresses and Black-and-White Photos
By the start of 2024, hype was building that Swift would release Rep (TV) in February (remember that “Karma” clock?), supported by a few seeming teases in the year’s first month. In addition to Swift sporting some very Rep-like looks at the Golden Globes and on the street, she and some of her A-list friends changed their social-media profile pictures to black-and-white, which fans took to be a hint that the album was forthcoming. Well, an album was forthcoming, but it turned out to be The Tortured Poets Department, which also features a black-and-white photo of Swift on the cover. Half-credit?
February 2024: A Grammys Bait-and-Switch
With the two on the coffee clock having arrived, Swifties were convinced the star would drop Rep (TV) sometime in the month. The Grammys, during which Midnights scooped up Album of the Year, seemed like a perfect time. Yet Swift used her acceptance speech not to announce the release of the record everyone expected but a brand-new one (the aforementioned TTPD). Which we might have been way happier about if we already had Rep (TV) in our hands!
March 2024: Taylor Swift and … Tom Brady?
While Swift is a hardcore Chiefs fan these days, it was just a year ago that she allowed another NFL team to use a clip from a Rep (TV) song in its docuseries. Viewers of The Dynasty: The New England Patriots on Apple TV+ got to hear “Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)” during one episode. Perhaps Swift was lured in by the “TV” similarities?
June 2024: “This Is What You Came For” Hits Eras
On June 14, the lucky attendees of Swift’s second Liverpool stop on the Eras Tour got to hear her perform “This Is What You Came For,” the 2016 Calvin Harris–Rihanna hit later revealed to be written by Harris’s own ex. Many theorized the rarely heard track was bound to be a Rep (TV) vault track, especially since Swift’s breakup with Harris occurred while the original album was being recorded. Hey, it still could be!
August 2024: Swift Does “Something Bad” With Her Hand
All summer, it seemed as if the album might finally be released on August 17 since the date marked seven years since Swift’s social media went dark in advance of the original Rep’s announcement. During a London tour stop, Swift played Rep’s “I Did Something Bad” (one of her self-proclaimed favorite songs) for the first time, giving fans hope, but ultimately nothing came of it. A few days later, on August 20, Swift got fans hyped up again when she made a snakelike hand signal during her final London show, but it ended up signaling only a possible cramp.
October 2024: A New Bodysuit and Boy-Pop Delays
Oh boy, October was a ride when it came to Rep (TV) teases. Not only did Swift debut a very snaky new bodysuit on tour in Miami — about which she left a rare and suspicious comment on Instagram — but she wore Rep-tinged outfits on multiple nights out. Also, both Joe Jonas and Shawn Mendes delayed their planned October 18 album releases, moves many fans took to be made out of caution over Swift’s incoming album. It’s possible that was the case and Swift moved the release date, but alas, we’ll never know.
November 2024: The End of an Era But Still No Rep (TV)
Her last three posts also go in order 3..2…1… (people in the cover). A countdown to an announcement? pic.twitter.com/eB9pZ0XRR9
— GAV #1 FOTS STAN (@gavbreakfavtoys) November 5, 2024
Surely, Swift would announce Rep (TV) at the end of the Eras Tour, right? It was a solid theory strengthened by the singer’s continued love of green outfits and an astute fan noticing Swift’s recent Instagram posts seemed to indicate a countdown. Sadly, the only things the Vancouver final show delivered (besides great music) were tears and confetti.
January 2025: Spotify Glitch or Reason to Clown?
After so many false hopes, most Swifties had stopped looking so closely for Rep (TV) clues by the beginning of this year. Yet when some Spotify listeners discovered the original album wasn’t showing up on the streaming service, the clowning began that an announcement was imminent. In all likelihood, it was probably just a glitch — and not the cool Midnights version.
February 2025: Travis Kelce and Trademarks
From Swift presenting at the Grammys, to boyfriend Travis Kelce saying he “can neither confirm nor deny” the Rep (TV) release date, to news that the album’s trademarks would be valid only until August, February brought some solid teases but no actual news.
March 2025: An (Imaginary) Lady Gaga Collab
The release of Lady Gaga’s Mayhem wasn’t exciting just for Little Monsters but for Swifties, too. It was rumored the two pop idols had collaborated on a Rep-coded song. Alas, the rumors proved false and fans were left with their hopes once again dashed.
Related
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The latest rumor is that it will drop on World Snake Day, but are we just clowning?
