This is a fun, charming look at Taylor Swift's music career, written by Rolling Stone columnist (and Taylor Swift superfan) Rob Sheffield. I resonated deeply with Rob and his clear love of music, as well as how he wears his heart on his sleeve.

In "Heartbreak," Rob is upfront and unabashed in his appreciation for Taylor's music, sharing his stories of how he first fell in love with her lyrics, and how her musical styles have grown and changed over the years. I also appreciated some biographical and career details I hadn't heard before.

I really enjoyed reading this and I was grateful for the distraction that became reading “Heartbreak”. One thing I will say is that I have never met someone who deciphers music the way I do, until I read this book. Was there a few too many puns and shoe-horned references to Taylor's lyrics? Sure, but that corniness was comforting and lighthearted.

I'm also a Swift fan, but Rob's depth of knowledge of her music is truly impressive. He has a complete ranking of Taylor's songs on the Rolling Stone website (the list is currently at 274 songs), and while I could quibble with him over particulars, I tip my hat to him for even attempting such an endeavor. I have trouble choosing my top five albums of hers, let alone ranking each song!

I was one, of many, very lucky people who had the chance to attend an Eras Tour show. However; that was not always a guarantee. I won my tickets in a contest and it changed my life. I watched several of her shows via TikTok livestream and watching her singing her heart out. Her show reminded me that life goes on, the show goes on, music goes on, and Taylor will still be on her tallest tiptoes, shining just for us.

Heartbreak Is The National Anthem feels like it was written for me. While Sheffield acknowledges Taylor Swift’s missteps and failures, this isn’t a critical takedown. It’s a book filled with admiration, curiosity, and wonder, celebrating Swift’s dedication to creative autonomy—like the remarkable success of Taylor’s Versions.

I like Rob Sheffield books. I like that you get a history lesson and a personal story in his reads. We got a lesson on Taylor on her rise to fame and his behind the scenes view on working at Rolling Stone.. This book is informative like something his other books had.

I loved this. Sheffield is a true fan but unlike most of us he has had far more access to Taylor over the years. His insight into how her music has changed pop music was insightful and interesting.

This was an instant pre-order for my adult Swiftie.

I love Rob Sheffield, I love how he writes about music & I especially love Taylor Swift but this book wasn’t what I was expecting. I think I was expecting it to be more like his memoirs & let the music tell the story but it was more academic, really breaking down the albums & songs & Taylor herself. If you’re a beginner or moderate Swiftie this book is for you.

I have to admit, I’m late to the Swiftie game. I didn’t really know her outside of the girl who sings “Shake It Off”, but when the Eras tour started, and she became involved with Travis Kelce, I started listening to her music (and watching football). And REALLY liked it. I fell into the rabbit hole, and I still haven’t heard every song, but I do now consider myself a middle-aged Swiftie. I don’t know how I got here, but I’m loving it, and I loved this book!

This gets into her albums, some of her songs and tours, and a bit about who Taylor is. The writing in this is great, and while the author is obviously a Taylor Swift stan, they admit she has her haters. Snarky, nostalgic, hilarious, informative and interesting, I definitely recommend this one to other Swifties! There were no photos in my e-ARC, but it sounds like the actual book does have pictures, based on how it’s categorized on NetGalley. If what I read had pictures, I’d probably give it five stars, so I’m rounding up. 4.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(Thank you to Harper Collins, Dey Street Books, Rob Sheffield and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

Rob Sheffield has been one of my favorite music writers for a long time but this book takes it to a new level. He’s a full fledged swiftie and there are so many insider stories that I’ll treasure this one for years to come.

I always enjoy Rob’s books so his book being on Taylor Swift this time made it a must read for me! I have to say I didn’t peg him for a Swiftie and loved hearing his experience which is so different from the stereotypical Swiftie you encounter elsewhere. He digs deep on the songs. Yes he jumps around a bit and doesn’t discuss all her songs but I think that’s the charm — it’s clear he’s not just doing this from a research angle but that instead it’s personal. The way it should be, IMHO.

This book is a fantastic guide through Taylor Swift's musical eras that comprise her Eras Tour. I love the behind the scenes glimpses into her creative process and the experiences that drive her to use music as an emotional outlet. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, and found that to be a delightful way to celebrate this amazing singer, songwriter, musician, and all around good human possessing an abundance of kindness and generosity. Taylor Swift is a force and while I wouldn't call myself a Swiftie I've definitely become a fan.

This book had potential but missed the mark. While Swifties might enjoy the references and personal anecdotes, it’s not detailed enough to be a biography or analytical enough to explore Taylor’s impact on pop music. The organization felt scattered, and the promised thesis—how Taylor reinvented pop—was only lightly touched on. A quick read for fans, but not what I hoped for.

A useful and accessible biography of a cultural phenomenon! We had a fun little display on Taylor Swift with this book as the centerpiece along with the just-published Invisible Strings and Taylor By the Book, Heavy Hitter, and a few other titles (but not, sadly, the Eras tour book :)), but of course now all the titles from it are always checked out.

I love when one of your favorite writers [have you read 'Love is a Mix Tape' yet? What ARE you waiting for??] writes a book about one of your favorite musical artists and it turns out he is also a GINORMOUS fan- winner, winner in my book.

This was a glorious music-soaked read, filled with a fairly comprehensive breakdown of Taylor's music and why it is truly so amazing AND why it draws even the most unexpected people to it and her.

I remember when her first album came out [though it does feel like such a very long time ago now] and her first song was everywhere; the ex came home with the vinyl and we listened and couldn't believe she was only 16 AND that she wrote the whole album, and from that moment, I was a total fan. While I really like all of her music [I am not sure I've heard one that I went "Oh EW" ever] my favorite of her discography is 'Red', which came at a much needed time and felt like she was looking into my broken soul and heart and singing about it, and her absolutely fantastic 'The Tortured Poet's Department' [which introduced me to the fact that Post Malone can SING and me buying his new album as well. *SHRUG*]; loml is one of the most heartbreaking songs ever and again, its like she rooted around in my heart and brain and being sad by what she saw there, wrote this song about it and it still, after multiple listens, destroys me. My own love for Taylor's music made reading about Mr. Sheffield's love of Taylor's music icing on a cake I didn't know I was getting.

If you love Taylor Swift and her music [YAY for Swifties!], then this book is for you. It is a love letter to her and her music from a huge fan and he invites us along to 'fangirl' with him.

IF you are on the fence about her [or *GASP* don't like her], then this STILL might be a book for you as it opens up her world and creativity, and gives you a glimpse into her life and a deep dive into her music that just might change your mind [or at least, give you a chance to respect what she does, even if her music isn't for you].

I loved this book so much an it was absolutely what I needed in the midst of some really heavy reading. Glorious.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rob Sheffield, and Dey Street Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For a lover of most things Taylor Swift, Heartbreak Is the National Anthem just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I think there was a wealth of knowledge and certainly great aspects of the book, but I just didn't love it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I don't normally rate books under 3 stars, but this one really really bummed me out. It bounces around in a jolting way, it doesn't highlight anything we couldn't find in a 2 second Google search, and it just felt very unpolished.

What I thought would be fun anecdotes about Swift's life or deep dives into her albums instead was a tumultuous exploration of Swift's influences. I didn't mind that, but it wasn't what I expected. I wanted to learn things I didn't know before and would actually care about. Most of this book talked about things I already knew or was soooo industry-detailed that I zoned out.

The book did take a turn for the better when I switched from my physical copy to the audiobook, but the first half put me to sleep multiple times. The organization got better as the book went on, but the beginning was very muddled.

I think diehard Swifties could enjoy this, but I could also see them being disappointed like I was. The only thing to do is to pick it up and see for yourself.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The subtitle of this book is extremely misleading and the summary/blurb doesn't get any better. Anyone looking for actual music criticism (in the sense of looking at Taylor Swift's place in history and how she changed the music landscape) should look elsewhere. Sheffield is an unabashed fan of Swift, and evidently has insider access to her, which turns the book into a gushing explanation of why each part of her music is great and nearly perfect. I enjoy Swift's music - I have most of her albums in my iTunes, I watched Miss Americana, I am fascinated by the way her legion of fans decode everything she does, in a way that's only comparable to Bob Dylan. I was looking forward to learning more about her impact on pop music and how she's grown artistically. Instead, this is just a book-length fan letter.

Thank you to Dey Street for my copy of HEARTBREAK IS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

If you were an alien that just got here and wanted to know about Taylor Swift, I'd hand you this book. If you are in any way an expert in all things Swift and also call yourself a "Swiftie" don't read this one, you already know all the information this book contains. I would say most people know what this book contains, fan or not. The organization of this one is quite strange, and I didn't really want to keep reading it, but I do enjoy Rob Sheffield and anytime I get to read about Taylor is a good time.

There are a lot of Taylor Swift books coming out this fall, but this one is the one I'll be recommending. The author is probably Taylor's biggest fan in pop music criticism, and he's been taking her seriously as a musician for a long time- and knows her story and lore as well as any fan. This was a fun, absorbing book to read, and short chapters about different parts of Taylor's life and musical career were interesting. There are lots of referential lines that sneak into this one that proves it is both by and for the fans.

Everyone knows who Taylor Swift is. You would have to be living under a rock to not see who cultural impact on society. This book is not the regular biography or analysis of Swift’s life. If you are looking for a straight forward timeline this isn’t the book for you. If you are looking for a book that combines Swift Lore and History with Personal stories, this is the book for you. Sheffield skillfully weaves his own narrative with Swift’s impact on the music industry and the world. By focusing in on individual stories and lore, Sheffield give us a way to appreciate the magnitude of her impact.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Dey Street Books for sending me this ebook for review consideration.

Heartbreak is the National Anthem is a fever dream of a music historian diving into the lore of Taylor Swift. As a fan of Rob Sheffield's work (his Taylor Swift song ranking is a masterpiece even if we disagree on some major points) and a Swiftie I was thrilled to read this title. It's clear from the get-go that the author is a huge Taylor Swift fan with a ton of respect for her work while also maintaining a healthy dose of perspective on her fumbles over the years. His typical writing style shines throughout this book as well.

Unfortunately for me this book missed the mark. It felt as though the author wasn't sure what lane to stay in. Is this a reflection on his own experience with Swift's music? Is this a historical timeline of her rise to astronomical heights of success? Is this a reflection on her place within the industry? Instead what we got was a hodgepodge of all three, with none of them being done at a depth a book about Swift needs given the length & breadth of her career. Where this books shines is when Sheffield reflects on the musical influences within Swift's catalog, placing them in context of her history. Unfortunately as a Swiftie I was supremely irritated by his insertion of "what this song is about" or "here's what this song means." One of the best parts of music is finding yourself and your own experiences within it. As a female fan Taylor's age who literally grew up alongside her, I don't need a older man's perspective on what Taylor means in her songwriting because I lived those experiences.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.