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.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest opinion

If I had 178 pages to talk about Taylor Swift's life, I could probably do better than this. I feel the author knows what he's talking about, but just kept trying to insert himself into the narrative. Some of the anecdotes are not going to pull in the younger swifties, the only reason why I understood half of them is from my dad not letting anyone else touch the radio.
There were only a few paragraphs of TTPD, not even a chapter. Felt like he talked more about himself more than anything.

How i love being a swiftie 🥺 Happy release day to Heartbreak is the National Anthem, the perfect book for swifties of all ages. Thanks to @williammorrow for sending me a free early copy :)

This is honestly the cutest little book/gift for any swiftie in your life this year. Heartbreak is the National Anthem is written by Rob Sheffield. If you are a big Taylor Swift fan, then you know Rob is the journalist at Rolling Stone who often covers Taylor Swift's new releases, and more specifically, has made his list ranking all his favorite Taylor Swift songs. Heartbreak is the National Anthem explores Taylor's rise in the pop industry, her life, the biggest events of her career, and most importantly, her music and impact on the music industry.

From the first page, it is clear that Rob has so much love and appreciation for Taylor and the mark she has left on the world. In his analysis of each of his favorite songs (which can I say, absolute TASTE), Rob breaks down the lyrics and the correlating events in Taylor's life that may have caused her to write him, but more importantly, he describes the impact each song has had on so many people across the world.

It has always been obvious from Rob's coverage of each of Taylor's albums how much he respects her artistry, songwriting ability, and the absolute hold she has over the music industry, and this book makes her impact so clear. I loved how he threw in different key events throughout Taylor's career (the good and bad) that has led Taylor to where she is. So many chapters felt nostalgic as I too reminisced on each era and how each album has impacted me. I loved how Rob wasn't afraid to highlight some of Taylor's traits that may seem negative, but that make her the strong, powerful, legend she is. The organization did tend to feel a bit all over the place, but I loved how Rob stayed focused on discussing each of his favorite songs and important eras.

For a short book, this was an easy read and personally, I think a must read for any swiftie out there!!

As a Swiftie, I don’t always love reading what other people have to say about Taylor Swift’s artistry because I have my own opinions. Authors tend to focus on the lore or rumors instead of facts. But this book was just a joy to read! It was obvious that Rob is really part of the fanbase but also has a broader perspective of the impact of her art because of his knowledge of the music industry. I loved his interjection of her lyrics at times and his personal stories of being in her orbit. He really nailed all the ways she is unique as an artist and business woman. I’d recommend to any Swiftie or to any non-Swiftie that is curious about how she has collected the massive amount of fans that she has. I found myself smiling frequently while reading.

I have admired Rob Sheffield's writing and especially his care when reporting on Taylor Swift. Sheffield succeeds where many music writers fail when talking about Taylor Swift's career by giving a holistic view of her work and undeniable influence on culture. Most critics careen right past the work and dive into her omnipresent personal life, conflating the two while doing a disservice to both. Sheffield approaches this collection of essays as a fan but does lean perhaps a bit too far into setting an altar to Swift adorned with her own work. While the punny references can work for some people, they were a miss for me and I felt that it simply was not a book for an adult reader. As a former middle school reading teacher, I can tell the audience for this book is not me but this can be a great "Baby's First Criticism" for young Taylor Swift fans who aim to follow a writer's path in the future. This is a great pick for emerging readers who have musical interests.
Thank you to Dey Rey Street Books and Net Galley for an e-ARC of this title.

As a certified Taylor Swift stan I was super excited to read Heartbreak Is the National Anthem by Rob Sheffield. I have so many thoughts about this book. The first 30% of this book honestly really confused me. Who was this book written for? If a die hard Taylor Swift fan picked up this book they would not be learning anything new. If someone who knew nothing about Taylor Swift picked up this book they would not understand any of the hundreds of lyrical references and easter eggs that Sheffield was throwing in. Where I started to really feel engaged with this book was learning about Sheffields deep musical knowledge and how it applied to Taylor's songwriting and music choices. I really loved learning more background on Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell and learning truly deep cut knowledge of comparisons of Taylor's songs and lyrics and how they were similar or paying tribute to different artists. If you're a huge Swiftie and interested in the layers under the lyrics and easter eggs this is a great resource and learning tool. I don't think you'll learn anything new about Taylor herself, but going beyond the lyrics and learning more music history is guaranteed in this book. I was really unsure about 1/3 of the way in, but once we got past all of the lyrics and basic history of her life - I really enjoyed this read! Thanks to NetGalley and Dey Street Books for this eArc.

Thank you Rob Sheffield ( @robbiesheff ), Dey Street Books( @deystreet ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Heartbreak is the National Anthem early (publishes November 12, 2024).

This book is an excellent overview of Taylor Swift’s career by a music journalist who knows his stuff—and Taylor. Each of her eras is expertly covered, along with deep dives into certain songs and events in her life.

I found it to be a quick read, and its focus on the industry and not the drama (although it’s mentioned) to be refreshing.

Definitely a must read for Taylor fans and a great gift for the holidays!

#HeartbreakistheNationalAnthem #NetGalley #RobSheffield #DeyStreetBooks

This is a book for music industry fans more than Taylor Swift fans. You aren't going to learn much about Swift in this book. Sheffield instead looks closely at her music and how it has changed the industry. He is a huge Swift fan, which shows as he dissects albums and lyrics. For those who don't know Swift too well, this is a book to be read with a library of her music nearby so you can stop and listen to each song as he talks about them. This book references 80's and 90's music which might be lost on younger fans. The appeal of this book will probably be limited and Swift fans might want to look elsewhere, but there are some great observations in this book

Great analysis of Taylor's cultural, musical and personal impact on the author's life. If you're a fan of Rob's writing you'll love this book!

Thanks to Del Street Books and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem by Rob Sheffield is, as the subtitle suggests, about how Taylor Swift reinvented pop music. Well, kinda. It's part exploration of her career, part lyric analysis, part media analysis, and a whole lot of personal anecdotes. Unfortunately, I just don't find this guy very interesting.

If this book lived up to its subtitle (and was organized in a way that made any sense), I think this would have been an interesting book! But it doesn't deliver on its subtitle, and it's not well thought out either. This was a big disappointment for me, unfortunately.

I am a huge Swiftie! Been a fan since 2006 when I first heard Tim McGraw! I was so excited to read this book! I feel like it was definitely a good summary of what’s she’s done in her career so far! I loved each era and his opinions of some songs!

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem is a perspective of Taylor's world and her impact on the world.

I am a huge Taylor Swift fan so naturally, I was very excited to read this. This book goes into Taylor's background and notable moments in her career. If you are a Taylor Swift fan I think this is a must-read for you. However, this is not a typical biography. You don't really learn anything new about Taylor Swift in this book. Mostly just focuses on how she changed pop music. I really enjoyed this one and it was a nice fast read.

Thank you so much Libro.FM, Dey Ray Street Books, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you so much to Dey Street Books for the advance copy!

This book will be out on November 12th.

"An eternal law of pop music: anything halfway cool that's ever happened is because teenage girls made it happen."

I have been a fan of Rob Sheffield ever since I was a tween and watching him on all the VH1 music shows. and reading his pieces in Rolling Stone, And I have been reading his books ever since his first book came out back in 2007. I trust his judgment and just fascinated by his music knowledge. What makes me love him even more than I do (besides his friendship with fellow RS journalist Brittany Spanos) is his love for Harry Styles and the leading lady of this review Taylor Swift.

Look I understand why people do not like Taylor Swift (and a lot of it has nothing to do with her herself), heck I even have my moments where I question my opinions towards her. But ultimately what always brings me back is her music. Specifically her lyrics. I am two years older than Taylor but I felt as if I grew up with her. I will admit she lost me in the Lover era because of "ME!", "London Boy" and "Paper Rings" but then "Folklore" dropped and brought me right back in.

This book dives into the Taylor background showcasing some notable moments but also talks about her lyrics, inspirations and connections to other songs. This is where Rob's music knowledge really shines especially in the New Romantics chapter. I think he could have even gone deeper talking more about her songwriting by album instead of pivot to talking about her current (but soon ending) Eras Tour. Which I will say, as an Evermore stan, I wanted him to talk more about the album and the songs and the production as opposed to talking about the performances from the Tour and ultimately digressing away from Evermore completely.

This book is for the longtime fan who wants to indulge in all things Taylor. And I like to think more Taylor fans respect Rob and his work and would appreciate the thoughts he had throughout the course of her career. I did learn a few new things that I don't believe I ever knew before such as Taylor essentially stealing a line from another performer's song for her anthem "All Too Well". I do feel as if Taylor does not get enough credit for her songwriting. Much like fellow pop icon Mariah Carey, Taylor is such a smart lyricists. And she somehow can make you connect to her feelings because we all have experienced similar feelings.

It is hard to imagine where Taylor goes from here. Rob himself even questions it in the beginning of the book, "How can she keep getting bigger? How can so many people keep hearing themselves in these songs?" I have no clue what Taylor does from here but you bet I will be on the ride to see what she does and what she has to say.

This book was a quick read (under 300 pages) and I recommend reading while listening to Taylor Swift (because duh)! If you are not a Swiftie, you probably would not enjoy this book BUT if you want to read a high level short biography of Taylor Swift to impress your kids, your partner or the water cooler, give this book a read!

"Heartbreak is the National Anthem" by Rob Sheffield is a love letter to Taylor Swift's music and career. Sheffield, a long-time music journalist for Rolling Stone, dives deep into Swift's discography, analyzing her lyrics and exploring her impact on popular culture. The book is filled with insightful observations and personal anecdotes from the journalist that offer a fresh perspective on Swift's work. As a Swiftie and avid reader, I was a bit disappointed.

I was book has no idea what it’s trying to be. Is it a biography? Is it a collection of essays? Is it a just deep dive into Swift’s discography? I liked that each chapter or essay could stand alone, but at the same time, it read like a really, really long magazine in which every article is about Swift.

While I appreciated the new perspectives on songs and lyrics, and the ties to other artists, albums, and musical phenomena (the connection between the “Dylan Thomas/Patti Smith” reference on TTPD and “White Horse?” Brilliant.), the book felt disorganized and a bit chaotic. I loved the chapters that provided new insight into Swift’s career moves and strategy (Sheffield wrote a great synopsis of the Kimye feud and advocated for the importance of Taylor’s Versions), but why nitpick individual songs on folklore without elaborating on the complexity of The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology in a whole chapter? I appreciated what Sheffield shared, but how he shared it sometimes came across as chaotic.

The worst part of all? I found that, by the end of it, Taylor seemed … annoying to me. I find it ironic that, as a male Gen X Swiftie, Sheffield has every opportunity to prove the exact opposite of societal norms and expectations of Swift; however, some of the lesser-known anecdotes and stories he included make Swift come off as a try-hard music nerd who is desperate for success. While I appreciated how he explained her inspiration from past artists and albums, music genres and styles, Sheffield seemed to get caught up in the inspiration rather than Swift’s innovation.

Additionally, some readers may find the writing style to be overly exuberant and lacking in critical analysis. I felt like every few chapters included some sort of story, name drop, or anecdote from Sheffield that reminded us that he knows Taylor Swift. Rather than elaborating about his stance on "reputation" redefining Taylor’s music, he discussed her living room, which is fine! But writing about how "reputation" came to be and what inspired it doesn’t clearly articulate how it reinvented pop music.

Overall, "Heartbreak is the National Anthem" is a good read for dedicated Swifties who want to gain a deeper understanding of their favorite artist's music. While it may not appeal to everyone, it offers a unique and passionate perspective on one of the most influential musicians of our time. Plus, it’s a quick read!

This was a book I was VERY excited about (huge Swiftie over here) so I was so happy to get to read it early. First of all, I loved Sheffield’s writing style so much. The guy can really turn a phrase and some of his Swiftian puns and lines were just fantastic. Second, this was just such a fun read as a fan. Going back and reflecting on all the different versions and eras of Taylor was such a lovely walk down memory lane. Sheffield talks about not only her impact on music, but society as well. I loved that it was a fair depiction of Taylor as well. Yes, there’s A LOT of praise in this book as expected, but he’s not afraid to call out some of her more cringe moments and mistakes throughout her career (he’s still kind about them though). Also, her personal life (of course) is brought up, but it all relates to her music and her career instead of leaning into the “long list of ex lovers” narrative. I think this is a great read for any Swiftie!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dey Street Books for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review