Brief
Taylor Swift’s ‘The Encore’ receives lowest Metacritic score of 2026
The Encore lands at the bottom of Metacritic’s 2026 album rankings despite strong first‑week sales.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Taylor Swift’s latest four‑song release, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, has been rated 39 out of 100 on Metacritic, placing it last among 237 albums released in 2026, according to TV Fandom Lounge.
Critics cited a lack of new ideas, with The Telegraph’s reviewer—who identifies as a Swiftie—calling the tracks “terrible.” The Guardian questioned Swift’s repeated lyrical themes, while The Independent singled out the song “Cleveland!” as among her worst writing. TV Fandom Lounge also noted the commercial angle, estimating fans would need $741.24 to collect all 38 editions of the release.
Despite the poor reviews, Swift’s original album sold 4.002 million album‑equivalent units in its first week, showing continued strong consumer demand.
Key facts
- The Encore scored 39 on Metacritic, the lowest of 237 albums released in 2026. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- A Telegraph reviewer who is a Swiftie called the new songs terrible. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- The Guardian questioned why Swift keeps returning to similar lyrical ideas. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- The Independent criticised the song “Cleveland!”. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- Fans would need $741.24 to collect all 38 editions of The Encore. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- Swift’s original album sold 4.002 million album‑equivalent units in its first week. (dailytimes.com.pk)
Sources
- [1] dailytimes.com.pk — originally reported as “Taylor Swift faces critical setback as 'The Encore' ranks last on chart”
