Swift Releases 12th Album; Film Tops Box Office

Taylor Swift, who has surpassed 100 million RIAA‑certified U.S. album sales, released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Oct. 3; the 12-track, 41-minute record was made with longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback and features Sabrina Carpenter on the title track. Some songs are reportedly inspired in part by her relationship with Travis Kelce, and the album quickly broke streaming records. Swift staged an 89-minute theatrical listening‑party event, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl (Oct. 3–5), which premiered the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia” and included behind‑the‑scenes footage, lyric videos and song‑by‑song commentary. The film opened No. 1 domestically, earning $15.8 million on Friday and was projected to finish roughly $28–33 million for the short weekend across 3,702 theaters; AMC‑sanctioned shows encouraged dancing and audiences gave the event an A+ CinemaScore. Packed, often orange‑clad fans worldwide turned screenings into sing‑alongs and watch parties, and Swift surprised fans with four limited‑edition CDs sold for 24 hours containing acoustic/unplugged versions, demos and alternate covers recorded with Martin and Shellback. Critics and celebrities largely praised the album and Swift’s songwriting while noting a more mature, sexually charged lyrical turn and eye‑catching promotional fashion.