Fans are left frustrated with empty packages
Taylor Swift fans are flocking to social media to report that signed CDs of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, are missing from their shipping packages. Many were excited to receive their limited-edition signed copies of the global pop star’s 12th studio album, but were shocked to find that many of the packages were missing a portion of their order or were empty.
Multiple posts on fan forums (like the r/TaylorSwiftMerch subreddit) reference that the questionable packages passed through a DHL Hebron, Kentucky, shipping hub. Fans reported that some of the packages arrived open, while others didn’t appear to be properly sealed. One Reddit user shared a video of how easily the CDs slid out of their cardboard package, which was not sealed with tape or glue.
“The one side wasn’t even folded in properly when assembled, the tucked flap was just folded outward, leaving an open door, not a sealed wall,” the user writes. “I’m actually shocked they made it here, shipped the way it was. Like for real.”
Many fans were alleging that the packages had been tampered with and the CDs had been stolen. However, someone commented that a “credible source” with DHL claims the items were not packaged carefully before being shipped.
“I have a very credible source who works at DHL in KY, and they said they had so many loose items they had to guess what went where based on box sizes and weight.” The source confirmed that an investigation is underway as DHL and Swift’s team are actively discussing the issue.
One fan who reported a missing CD later provided an update that their package was found after the official Taylor Swift store contacted the shipping company, suggesting the store is actively involved in resolving these incidents on a case-by-case basis.
The issue is so prevalent that a moderator on one fan subreddit posted a message telling fans to “Stop with the ‘Will my signed CDs get stolen'” posts, indicating the high level of anxiety surrounding the shipment of the items.
Not all hope is lost, as several fans have reported that their CDs arrived without any issue.
Neither Taylor Swift nor Republic Records has publicly addressed the situation.
The Life of a Showgirl broke multiple major records, setting new milestones in both sales and streaming upon its release last week. The album sold 1.2 million vinyl copies in its debut week in the US, surpassing the previous record holder, which was her own album, The Tortured Poets Department, at 859,000 copies. It sold 2.7 million copies (physical and digital) in the U.S. on its first day of release, a feat that surpassed the entire first-week sales of her previous album, The Tortured Poets Department, with 2.61 million equivalent album units.
The 2.7 million first-day sales made it the second-largest sales week for any album since Luminate began tracking data in 1991, trailing only Adele’s 25, which sold 3.378 million in its first week. The first-day sales volume instantly made it the best-selling album of the year.
Before its release, the album broke the record for the most pre-saves on Spotify, surpassing six million pre-saves and breaking the previous record held by The Tortured Poets Department. The album became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day for the year, reaching the milestone in under 11 hours. The lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” broke the record for the most-streamed song in a single day on Spotify, accumulating over 30 million streams.
The album became the most-streamed album of all time in its first day on Amazon Music. It also captured the year’s highest first-day album streams worldwide on Apple Music.
The limited theatrical release of the film, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, grossed an estimated $33 million in North America, becoming the highest-grossing album debut event in cinema history.
