When Taylor Swift releases a new album, streaming of her previous work surges. Erika Goldring/TAS24/Getty Images New York —

No one needs another take on Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl . We live in a surfeit of TLOAS takes. But this is a ~business~ story, I promise.

First thing’s first: Many critics have deemed Swift’s 12th studio album a miss, and I’m not going to sit here and tell the critics they’re wrong (at least, not about TLOAS ). I can squint and point out the album’s gems — I think “Wood” is fun, actually — but that kind of analysis is best reserved for my music-reviewing brethren.

My job here is to point out why I think TLOAS is a savvy business play masquerading as Millennial cringe. In short: It’s novelty Oreos.

ICYMI: Five years ago, the New York Tim

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