Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

International Business Times UK

Entertainment

Athena Freya

Taylor Swift's 'Showgirl' Bonus Tracks Divide Critics as 'Patient Zero' Hits No. 1

Taylor Swift Showgirl TikTok United States USA Today

Taylor Swift's expanded album has prompted contrasting reactions to its new songs, with reviewers divided over the songwriting and production (Credit: TAS Rights Management)

Taylor Swift's 'Patient Zero' has reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but the singer's four bonus tracks from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore have divided critics and social media users over their lyrics, production and songwriting. Despite strong commercial results, reviewers disagree over the quality of the expanded album.

Released on 25 September 2026, the deluxe edition adds 'Patient Zero', 'Cleveland!', 'Pink Clouding' and 'Babylon' to Swift's 2025 album. Their contrasting reception has placed the individual songs under scrutiny.

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

Ukrainian soldiers in combat have access to Starlink satellite internet restricted

Ukrainian soldiers in combat have access to Starlink satellite internet restricted

Outage of system managed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX comes as Russia launches ballistic missiles at Ukraine without any advance warning from US

The Guardian - UK

Two Central North Carolina Adults Died of West Nile Virus as Mosquito Season Stretches Into Mid-October

Two Central North Carolina Adults Died of West Nile Virus as Mosquito Season Stretches Into Mid-October

Two adults in central North Carolina died of West Nile virus. Learn who faces the highest risk, which symptoms matter, and how to prevent bites.

Judge extends White House access to banned media outlets CNN, MS Now and Politico

Judge extends White House access to banned media outlets CNN, MS Now and Politico

District court judge Timothy Kelly was ruling after the Trump administration blocked access to the three outlets in September

The Guardian - US

‘Deeply unfortunate’: Hasina on Bangladesh skipping BRICS summit

‘Deeply unfortunate’: Hasina on Bangladesh skipping BRICS summit

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has called Dhaka's decision to skip the Brics summit in India “deeply unfortunate”, saying the country's participation could have opened new opportunities for its economic and social development.

The Times of India

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

US Justice Department threatens California over alleged noncitizen voters' list

US Justice Department threatens California over alleged noncitizen voters' list

The US Justice Department has directed California officials to investigate alleged noncitizen voters within 48 hours. It has demanded that ballots from these voters be withheld until their citizenship is confirmed. The department underlines its commitment to ensuring election integrity and may take legal action if demands are not met.…

The Economic Times

Live: Loud explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh following attack on Aramco building

Live: Loud explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh following attack on Aramco building

Loud explosions were heard in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, AFP journalists said on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia earlier reported damage to an Aramco building in Dhahran and four people wounded in Riyadh after the kingdom intercepted Houthi missiles targeting the capital. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

Ukrainian soldiers in combat have access to Starlink satellite internet restricted

Ukrainian soldiers in combat have access to Starlink satellite internet restricted

Outage of system managed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX comes as Russia launches ballistic missiles at Ukraine without any advance warning from US

The Guardian - UK

Two Central North Carolina Adults Died of West Nile Virus as Mosquito Season Stretches Into Mid-October

Two Central North Carolina Adults Died of West Nile Virus as Mosquito Season Stretches Into Mid-October

Two adults in central North Carolina died of West Nile virus. Learn who faces the highest risk, which symptoms matter, and how to prevent bites.

Judge extends White House access to banned media outlets CNN, MS Now and Politico

Judge extends White House access to banned media outlets CNN, MS Now and Politico

District court judge Timothy Kelly was ruling after the Trump administration blocked access to the three outlets in September

The Guardian - US

‘Deeply unfortunate’: Hasina on Bangladesh skipping BRICS summit

‘Deeply unfortunate’: Hasina on Bangladesh skipping BRICS summit

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has called Dhaka's decision to skip the Brics summit in India “deeply unfortunate”, saying the country's participation could have opened new opportunities for its economic and social development.

The Times of India

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

US Justice Department threatens California over alleged noncitizen voters' list

US Justice Department threatens California over alleged noncitizen voters' list

The US Justice Department has directed California officials to investigate alleged noncitizen voters within 48 hours. It has demanded that ballots from these voters be withheld until their citizenship is confirmed. The department underlines its commitment to ensuring election integrity and may take legal action if demands are not met.…

The Economic Times

Live: Loud explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh following attack on Aramco building

Live: Loud explosions heard in Saudi capital Riyadh following attack on Aramco building

Loud explosions were heard in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, AFP journalists said on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia earlier reported damage to an Aramco building in Dhahran and four people wounded in Riyadh after the kingdom intercepted Houthi missiles targeting the capital. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Our Picks

William Shatner’s kidney stone sold for $75,000, helping a Louisiana family get a home

Most people who pass a kidney stone would happily never see it again, but William Shatner’s experience took an unexpected turn. The Star Trek actor’s small black kidney stone, which he assumed had been discarded after removal, became an unusual fundraising item when a Canadian gambling company expressed interest in…

The Times of India

'62 years in the making': Joni Mitchell becomes US citizen

Joni Mitchell has become a US citizen, 62 years after she first left Canada.

Woman Goes In For An Oil Change. Then She Gets Strange Looks When She Decides To Stay In The Car

“My husband thinks I’m crazy for sitting in my car."

55 Interesting Facts And Posts About The World Around Us

Well-informed people are often called insufferable know-it-alls, but that might just be jealousy. If you secretly wish to be a trivia-night hero, these fascinating facts are just what you need. They are so interesting, you might lose track of time by the end. Just scroll through and check them out…

James Bond Drank About 53 U.S. Standard Drinks a Week, and Doctors Suspected a Tremor Behind His Shaken Martinis

Doctors tallied every drink in Ian Fleming's Bond novels and found 007 averaged 92 UK units a week, about 53 U.S. drinks, with a shaky martini theory.

Netflix’s Narnia trailer featuring Led Zeppelin divides fans as some brand it a ‘disgrace’

‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ is directed by ‘Barbie’ filmmaker Greta Gerwig and is set to be released next year

The Independent UK

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play