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Draft:How Did It End?

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"How Did It End?"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology
ReleasedApril 19, 2024
Studio
Length3:58
LabelRepublic Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Aaron Dessner
Lyric video
"How Did It End?" on YouTube

"How Did It End?" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from the double album edition of her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (2024). Written and produced by Swift and Aaron Dessner, "How Did It End?" is a somber piano ballad about the aftermath of a broken relationship: the narrator details others' prying into the end of her relationship and her own anguish and unawareness of how it unraveled. The lyrics extensively use death-related imagery.

Swift performed "How Did It End?" live twice on the Eras Tour, in 2024. Music critics generally praised the song's somber tone and melancholic lyricism; The Independent selected it as one of the best songs of 2024. The track peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and reached the top 40 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US.

Background and release

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Taylor Swift announced her eleventh original studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4, 2024.[1] She had worked on the album shortly after finishing her tenth album, Midnights (2022), and continued writing during the early run of the Eras Tour in 2023.[2] The standard album was released on April 19, 2024, and a double album edition subtitled The Anthology was surprise-released two hours later.[3] "How Did It End?" is from The Anthology edition of The Tortured Poets Department and is track number 21 on the album.[4][5]

Swift conceived The Tortured Poets Department amidst heightened fame brought by the Eras Tour, and publicized personal relationships, including an end of a six-year relationship with the English actor Joe Alwyn and a short-lived romantic linking with the English musician Matty Healy.[6][7][8] Swift stated that she had been working on the album for about two years prior to its release,[9][10] describing the songwriting process for the album as a lifeline, a necessary outlet for her emotions during a tumultuous time.[11][12]

Swift performed the song twice during the "surprise song" segment of her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023–2024): first as a standalone performance at the third Stockholm concert on May 19, 2024, and later in a mash-up with "You're Losing Me" (2023) at the sixth Toronto concert on November 23, 2024.[13]

Music and lyrics

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"How Did It End?" was written and produced by Swift and Aaron Dessner. The track was recorded at Long Pond Studio in Hudson Valley, New York; Kitty Committee Studio, Los Angeles, California; and Thomas Bartlett's home studio. Jonathan Low and Bella Blasko served as principal recording engineers, with James Rand assisting. The song was mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.[5]

"How Did It End?" is a somber piano ballad[14] characterized by its minimalist production consisting of slow piano keys and repeating guitar appregios.[15] Its opening establishes a haunting and introspective tone.[16]

In "How Did It End?", Swift's narrator examines her romance with her lover and dissects the painful aftermath of a concluded relationship. The narrator details others' prying into the end of her relationship and her own anguish and unawareness of how it unraveled.[6][7][8][12] Many critics interpreted the song to be about Swift's breakup with Alwyn.[a] The narrator details her emotional response to her relationship's dissolution ("It's happenin' again / How did it end? / I can't pretend like I understand / How did it end?").[6]


In "How Did It End?", Swift's narrator bemoans the end of a relationship. In the first verse, the narrator details how the relationship unraveled.[12] The lyrics explore the theme of a slow, agonizing end rather than a sudden break, with Swift describing a love that faded and withered, touching upon feelings of being misunderstood.[7] In the second verse, she details how her circle of friends, their cousins, and the people around town have known about the breakup. By the end, all of them have drawn their conclusions, but Swift's narrator remains asking, "How did it end?".[12] There's a palpable sense of grief not just for the lost love, but for the lost future and shared dreams.[6][8] A significant theme is the external pressure and voyeuristic interest from the public and media.[8][6] Swift critiques the "empathetic hunger" of onlookers who seek out details of her private sorrow.[17][14] In the refrain, she expresses that she is fully aware of the fact that her relationships are a topic that attract gossip: "Come one, come all/ It's happening again."[18][19] This highlights the invasive speculation that often accompanies celebrity breakups, portraying the narrator as a spectacle.[8][16][14]

Critical reception

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"How Did It End?" received generally positive critical reviews for its somber tone and melancholic message.[14][20] Many critics highlighted the track for its poignant lyricism and emotional vulnerability, often citing it as a standout on the album.[14][15][21] Reviewers praised Swift's ability to articulate the complex and often painful emotions associated with a breakup, particularly the intrusive nature of public speculation.[8][17][16] The song's narrative, detailing the slow decay of a relationship and subsequent public dissection, was noted for its raw honesty and relatability.[6][7][12] The Independent selected "How Did It End?" as one of the best songs of 2024.[22] Variety ranked it 11/75th best song of Swift.[23]

Billboard ranked the lyric, "Come one come all, it's happening again/ The empathetic hunger descends/ We'll tell no-one except all of our friends/ We must know, how did it end?" as the 12th out of 13th best lyric on The Tortured Poets Department. The Observer's Kitty Empire noted that the sparse, piano-driven arrangement was seen as a strength of the song.[14] The New Yorker's Sinéad O'Sullivan drew comparisons to Swift's previous work, particularly from Folklore and Evermore.[24] However, not all reception was uniformly positive. Some critics felt it tread familiar thematic ground for Swift. Despite this, the consensus leaned towards appreciating its lyrical craftsmanship and exploration of heartbreak under public scrutiny.[25][14]

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.[5]

  • Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Aaron Dessner – songwriter, producer, drum programming, electric guitar, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, synth bass
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Bryce Bordone – engineer
  • Jonathan Low – recording engineer
  • Bella Blasko – recording engineer
  • James McAlister – drums, drum programming, recording, electric guitar, synthesizer
  • Thomas Bartlett – piano, keyboards, synthesizer, recording
  • Glenn Kotche – drums, percussion
  • JT Bates – drums
  • Robert Ames – conductor
  • Elisa Bergersen – viola
  • Matthew Kettle – viola
  • Morgan Goff – viola
  • Nicholas Bootiman – viola
  • Abi Hyde-Smith – cello
  • Brian O’Kane – cello
  • Max Ruisi – cello
  • Reinoud Ford – cello
  • Chris Kelly – double bass
  • Dave Brown – double bass
  • Sophie Roper – double bass
  • David McQueen – French horn
  • Akiko Ishikawa – violin
  • Alicia Berendse – violin
  • Anna de Bruin – violin
  • Cara Laskaris – violin
  • Dan Oates – violin
  • Eloisa-Fleur Thom – violin
  • Emily Holland – violin
  • Galya Bisengalieva – violin
  • Iona Allan – violin
  • Kirsty Mangan – violin
  • Marianne Haynes – violin
  • Nicole Crespo O’Donoghue – violin
  • Ronald Long – violin
  • Sophie Mather – violin
  • Laura Beck – assistant recording engineer
  • Randy Merrill – mastering

Charts

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Chart performance for "How Did It End?"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 30
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[27] 35
Global 200 (Billboard)[28] 36
Greece International (IFPI)[29] 70
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 38
Portugal (AFP)[31] 100
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 8
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[33] 84
UK Streaming (OCC)[34] 44
US Billboard Hot 100[35] 35

Certification

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Certification for "How Did It End?"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[36] Gold 35,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Note

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  1. ^ Many including: [6]

References

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  1. ^ West, Bryan (April 21, 2024). "Taylor Swift makes Grammys history with fourth album of the year win for Midnights". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Blistein, Jon (February 7, 2024). "Taylor Swift Reveals Tortured Poets Department Back Up Plan In Case She Didn't Win a Grammy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Phillipp, Charlotte (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift Surprises Fans with Double Album — 15 More The Tortured Poets Department Songs — at 2 A.M." People. Archived from the original on July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Rossingol, Derrick (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology: Here Are The Full Album Credits With Songwriters". Uproxx. Archived from the original on April 27, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Swift, Taylor (2024). The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (vinyl). Republic Records. B0DK4N2CB1.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Bailey, Alyssa (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift Unpacks What Caused Her Breakup With Joe Alwyn in 'How Did It End?'". Elle. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Marshall, Louisa (April 19, 2024). "How Did It End: Taylor Swift Lyrics and Song Meaning". Life & Style. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Topacio Long, Stephanie (April 19, 2024). "In This Taylor Swift Ballad, She's Tired Of The "Empathetic" Public". Bustle. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  9. ^ Malone Kircher, Madison (April 19, 2024). "Harvard's Taylor Swift Scholars Have Thoughts on 'Tortured Poets'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  10. ^ Savy, Alicia. "My Unsolicited Literary Analysis of TAYLOR SWIFT's TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT". Farrago Magazine. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  11. ^ Powers, Ann (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' is written in blood". NPR. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e Princiotti, Nora (April 25, 2024). "How Taylor Swift Writes About Being Taylor Swift". The Ringer. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  13. ^ Shafer, Ellise (December 9, 2024). "Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: Every Surprise Song She's Played". Variety. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Empire, Kitty (April 20, 2024). "Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review – a whole lotta love gone bad". The Observer. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Wong, Stephanie; Genova, Emily (April 24, 2024). "Review: Taylor Swift is back, better and sooner than ever". Washington Square News. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c Records, Burner (April 20, 2024). "Unveiling Taylor Swift How Did It End? Meaning and Review". Stay Free Radio. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  17. ^ a b "A Poetic Post-Mortem: "How Did it End?" Meaning, Explained". Swiftly Sung Stories. June 23, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  18. ^ Dailey, Hannah (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 13 Best Lyrics on The Tortured Poets Department: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  19. ^ Wickman, Forrest (April 19, 2024). "Taylor Swift's New Album Finds an Exciting New Target: Her Own Fans". Slate. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  20. ^ Curtis, Lucy (April 26, 2024). "'The Tortured Poets Department' is Brilliant, Raw Work From Taylor Swift". The Oberlin Review. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  21. ^ Willman, Chris (April 29, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 75 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  22. ^ "The 20 best songs of 2024, ranked". The Independent. November 18, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  23. ^ Willman, Chris (April 29, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 75 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  24. ^ O’Sullivan, Sinéad (April 30, 2024). "Why Normal Music Reviews No Longer Make Sense for Taylor Swift". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  25. ^ Sheffield, Rob (April 19, 2024). "Come for the Torture, Stay for the Poetry: This Might Be Taylor Swift's Most Personal Album Yet". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  26. ^ "Taylor Swift – How Did It End?". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  27. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  28. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  29. ^ "IFPI Charts". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  30. ^ "Taylor Swift – How Did It End?". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  31. ^ "Taylor Swift – How Did It End?". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  32. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 17". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  34. ^ "Official Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  35. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  36. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 16, 2025.


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