So, strange question: why is Taylor Swift releasing The Life of a Showgirl on Oct. 3?
Oh, there’s the obvious answer: October is the 10th month, Oct. 3 is a Friday (the typical day of album releases), and 10+3 = 13, her favorite number. No one else has made numerology her brand quite like Taylor Swift.
But as Jason Kelce’s boisterous introduction for Swift on the New Heights podcast indicated, Taylor wins a lot of awards, including Grammys—specifically, Grammys for Album of the Year. And in what is shaping up to be an underwhelming year in pop music, The Life of a Showgirl could have cleaned up at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl release date benefits Kendrick Lamar
It might have (likely) extended Swift’s record for the most Album of the Year wins. It still could, theoretically. With Max Martin and Shellback back on board, The Life of a Showgirl is already being anticipated as the second coming of 1989. But its time in the Grammy spotlight won’t come until 2027, which feels like a lifetime away. So, why did Swift hold off?
Unfortunately for Drake, Swift probably did it because of Kendrick Lamar (and Sabrina Carpenter).
Swift taking herself out of contention means that Kendrick Lamar’s GNX will (probably) win Album of the Year.
Lamar surprised-release the LP on Nov. 22, 2024. While “Not Like Us” cleaned up at the 67th Grammys by winning all five of its categories, the album was ineligible because it was released after the eligibility window had closed.
The Recording Academy loves Kendrick as much as it loves Taylor, so GNX will undoubtedly get an AOTY nomination. But 2025 hasn’t provided any album that’s an obvious obstacle to GNX’s victory.
2025 contenders (And 2024 holdovers)
Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem has dominated the charts, but the Grammys don’t seem to like him. Despite pulling off similar commercial feats with Dangerous (2021) and One Thing at a Time (2023), Wallen didn’t get his first Grammy nomination until 2025 (“I Had Some Help”), and he needed Post Malone to do it.
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem was well-received. Same for Miley Cyrus’s Something Beautiful, even though it seemingly came and left. Bad Bunny’s Debi Tirar Mas Fotos may get a nod. These are all strong albums, but none seem destined for AOTY.
Perhaps Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia, which came out on Oct. 28, 2024, could deny GNX the throne. More likely is that the Grammys will split the difference and give Tyler Best Melodic Rap Performance.
It’s good to be Taylor’s friends
The 68th Grammy Awards’ eligibility period is August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025. As of the time of writing this, there are two and a half weeks left in August and a mad dash of releases on the way.
But the only potential AOTY contenders are the surprising Grammy sweetheart Jon Batiste (BIG MONEY on Aug. 29) and Sabrina Carpenter, who drops Man’s Best Friend on Aug. 29.
Carpenter, who opened up for Swift on the Eras tour, scored her first Grammy AOTY nomination in 2025 for Short N’ Sweet. Carpenter is also the only featured performer on Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, joining Taylor for the title track.
Swift holding back TLOAS also helps Sabrina. Recency bias may boost Man’s Best Friend to Carpenter’s second AOTY nod, and another possible Best Pop Vocal Album Grammy—which she won in 2025, beating out Billie Eilish (Hit Me Hard and Soft), Ariana Grande (Eternal Sunshine), Chappell Roan (The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) and Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Department).
Taylor Swift has a strong connection with Kendrick Lamar: he provided a rap verse on the remix of “Bad Blood,” and Swift’s BFF and frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff, was one of the leading producers on GNX.
Swift’s decision to release TLOAS in October ensures greater success for her friends at the 2026 Grammys, but it’s (likely) not a purely altruistic decision.
The life of a strategist
Travis Kelce is in the last year of his current contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Though he will become an unrestricted free agent in the 2026 offseason, everyone expects him to retire. He could “Tom Brady” it and play well into his forties, but he gives off the vibe that he’s got one foot out the door.
With this being his (likely) last run, I imagine that Swift didn’t want to miss any of his games, which is why she decided to release an album in October instead of, say, mid-summer or late-spring.
When the album drops, she’ll announce her 2026 tour dates. As she prepares, she’ll watch her boyfriend play well into January, and then attend the Grammys in February, where she’ll cheer on her friends as they win.
And in 2027, The Life of a Showgirl will compete for Album of the Year…probably along with the third album in Beyoncé’s Renaissance trilogy and—let’s throw in Adele’s follow-up to 30. Those three always seem to be nominated together.