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My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

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"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"
Song by Taylor Swift
from the album The Tortured Poets Department
ReleasedApril 19, 2024 (2024-04-19)
Studio
GenreSynth-pop
Length3:23
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
  • Taylor Swift
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" on YouTube

"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the third track from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024).[1] Swift produced the song with Jack Antonoff. It was released on April 19 through Republic Records. A synth-pop song with elements of new wave, the lyrics of "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" are about being abandoned by a love interest told using metaphors and from the perspective of a toy. Some critics praised the song's catchiness while others were critical of its lyrical structure.

Background and composition[edit]

On February 4, Swift announced The Tortured Poets Department during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights (2022) at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. The album cover was shared on Swift's social media shortly after the announcement. The album's tracklist was shared the following day with "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" as track three. Swift said she developed the album "for about two years" and after releasing the previous record Midnights.[1] The song was written entirely by Swift; it is the only other track from the standard version of the album, alongside "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?", where Swift is the sole credited songwriter.[2] Swift told Amazon Music, "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" is about "being somebody's favorite toy until they break you and then don't want to play with you anymore." She added that "it's kind of like a song about denial really so that you could live in this world where there's still hope for a toxic, broken relationship."[3]

Produced by Swift and Antonoff, "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" is a synth-pop song with pounding drums.[4][5] It has also been considered "new wave-adjacent" by Maria Sherman of the Associated Press.[6] The lyrics utilise metaphors and imagery describing herself from the stance of a toy and being abandoned by her deleterious partner rather than addressing his problems.[7][8][9] Swift yearns to revisit a failed romance before a breakup. The pre-chorus, "But you should've seen him when he first got me," she sings about her former partner fascinated by her but later lost enthusiasm. In the lyrics, "There was a litany of reasons why we could've playеd for keeps this time, I know I'm just repeating mysеlf, put me back on my shelf," Swift suggests the pair were previous lovers and they were giving their relationship another attempt.[10][11] Swift sings in the chorus, "My boy only breaks his favorite toys, toys, oh, I'm queen of sandcastles he destroys", describing their unhealthy relationship.[12] The lyrics "'Cause he took me out of my box, stole my tortured heart" alludes to Swift's love interest being a rebound after a recent breakup.[13] The song also references Barbie in the lyrics: "I felt more when we played pretend than with all the Kens, 'cause he took me out of my box."[6]

Reception[edit]

In Jason Lipshutz's Billboard ranking of all 31 songs of the parent album, the song was placed at seventeenth, adding that the song "deserves the stadium treatment" and called it a "big, booming song".[5] The Hollywood Reporter's described the song as a "poppy earworm",[14] while Vulture said it was "sadder than you'd think".[15] Cosmopolitan's Courtney Young ranked it twenty-sixth in her ranking of the top thirty breakup songs by Swift.[16] An anonymous Paste review opined that the song "features another low-point in Swift's lyrical oeuvre" and added that Swift was "capitalizing on the Barbenheimer mania that none of us could escape"[17] Upon first-listen, Business Insider's Callie Ahlgrim said the track was sonically reminiscent of the vault tracks from Swift's 2023 re-recorded album 1989 (Taylor's Version), "so this isn't necessarily a knock in my book." She added that the song failed to stand out and it was dependant on a "fast-dulling formula".[18] In her post-review article, she recategorised the song from "background music" to "worth listening to" after repeated listens.[19]

John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute said it was one of the "strongest songs" from the album's first half, writing: "a singalong refrain that plays with up-and-down movements,"[20] In his review of the parent album Tony Le Calvez of Lomabeat.com criticised the lyrical structure of its tracks, citing "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" as an example: "The lyrics fit into the chorus line like pouring a big bucket of clams into a smaller bucket; the clams are clattering all over the floor and making a mess."[21] Writing for Exclaim!, Alex Hudson said the song was "yet another mid-tempo synthpop plodder".[22]

Commercial performance[edit]

Upon the release of The Tortured Poets Department, its songs claimed the top 14 positions on the Billboard Global 200. "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" debuted and peaked at number six.[23] In the United States, it debuted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached the top ten in charts of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Philippines and Singapore, attaining peaks of five, six, ten, seven, nine, and seven, respectively. The track also occcupied the top 25 positions in Belgium (17), Denmark (17), Greece (11), India (14), Luxembourg (12), Malaysia (11), Portugal (15), South Africa (17), Sweden (13), and the United Arab Emirates (14). Swift performed the song live during the surprise song set at the second night of the Eras Tour show in Paris on 10 May.[24] A limited digital variant of the parent album contained the Eras Tour live recording of "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys".[25]

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the album liner notes[26]

  • Taylor Swift – lead vocals, piano, songwriter, producer
  • Jack Antonoff – producer, programming, drums, electric guitar, bass, Moog, Juno, M1
  • Laura Sisk – recording
  • Oli Jacobs – recording
  • Jon Sher – assistant engineering
  • Jack Manning – assistant engineering
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Bryce Bordone – mix engineering
  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Ryan Smith – vinyl mastering

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[27] 80
Australia (ARIA)[28] 5
Belgium (Billboard)[29] 17
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100)[30] 50
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[31] 6
Denmark (Tracklisten)[32] 17
France (SNEP)[33] 49
Global 200 (Billboard)[34] 6
Greece International (IFPI)[35] 11
India (IMI)[36] 14
Ireland (Billboard)[37] 10
Luxembourg (Billboard)[38] 12
Malaysia International (RIM)[39] 11
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 7
Norway (VG-lista)[41] 29
Philippines (Billboard)[42] 9
Portugal (AFP)[43] 15
Singapore (RIAS)[44] 7
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[45] 39
South Africa (Billboard)[46] 17
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47] 43
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[48] 13
Swiss Streaming (Schweizer Hitparade)[49] 18
UAE (IFPI)[50] 14
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[51] 88
UK Streaming (OCC)[52] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[53] 6

Certification[edit]

Certification for "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] Gold 35,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Dailey, Hannah (April 16, 2024). "Everything We Know About Taylor Swift's New Album 'The Tortured Poets Department' So Far". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Brow, Jason (April 16, 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Songwriting Credits Reveal Familiar Collaborators". US Weekly. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  3. ^ Perez, Lexy (22 April 2024). "Taylor Swift Details Meaning Behind 'The Tortured Poets Department' Songs". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ Martin, Rachel (19 April 2024). "Album Review: The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift". Notion. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (19 April 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department': All 18 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b Sherman, Maria (18 April 2024). "Music Review: Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' is great sad pop, meditative theater". Associated Press. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  7. ^ Chiu, Melody (19 April 2024). "Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Lyrics Detail Fury and Heartbreak in Joe Alwyn, Matty Healy Relationships". People. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. ^ Cohen, Jess (24 April 2024). "Matty Healy Reveals If He's Listened to Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department". E!. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Taylor Swift's double album: all the Easter eggs you may have missed". The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  10. ^ Earl, William; Willman, Chris (19 April 2024). "Which New Taylor Swift Songs Are About Matty Healy, Joe Alwyn or Travis Kelce? Breaking Down 'Tortured Poets Department' Lyric Clues". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  11. ^ Nicolaou, Elena; Brockington, Ariana (18 April 2024). "What Taylor Swift seemingly reveals about relationship with Matty Healy on 'The Tortured Poets Department'". Today. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  12. ^ Kerns, Hannah (23 April 2024). "Fans Think These The 1975 Songs Are About Taylor Swift". Elite Daily. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  13. ^ Gularte, Alejandra (19 April 2024). "Is The Tortured Poets Department Really About Matty Healy?". Vulture. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  14. ^ Fish, Ryan (22 April 2024). "Every Song on Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department,' Ranked". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  15. ^ Jones, Nate (20 May 2024). "All 245 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked There are at least ten stone-cold classics in her discography". Vulture. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  16. ^ Young, Courtney (26 April 2024). "The 30 Best Taylor Swift Breakup Tracks, Ranked". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Taylor Swift Strikes Out Looking on The Tortured Poets Department". Paste. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  18. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie (19 April 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' is the messiest, horniest, and funniest album she's ever made". Business Insider. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  19. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie (26 April 2024). "Taylor Swift new album 'The Tortured Poets Department' is getting mixed reviews — here's what critics are sayin". Business Insider. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  20. ^ Wohlmacher, John (23 April 2024). "Album review: Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  21. ^ Calvez, Tony Le (19 April 2024). "Review: Taylor Swift's "Tortured Poets Department" Is Her Ego Trip Album". Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  22. ^ Hudson, Alex (22 April 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Is Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing". Exclaim!. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  23. ^ Dailey, Hannah (2 May 2024). "'The Tortured Poets Department': All the Records Taylor Swift's New Album Has Broken (So Far)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  24. ^ Paul, Larisha (10 May 2024). "Taylor Swift Debuts 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys' Live at Paris Eras Tour". The Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  25. ^ Hernandez, Brian Anthony (May 24, 2024). "Taylor Swift Is Selling Live Versions of 3 Tortured Poets Department Surprise Songs for a Very Limited Time". People. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  26. ^ The Tortured Poets Department (The Manuscript edition vinyl liner notes). Taylor Swift. Republic Records. 2024. 602458933314.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ "Taylor Swift – Chart History (Argentina Hot 100)" Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Singles for Taylor Swift. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  28. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. April 29, 2024. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  29. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Belgium Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  31. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  32. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 17, 2024". Hitlisten. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  33. ^ "Top Singles (Week of 26 April 2024)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  34. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  35. ^ "IFPI Charts". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  36. ^ "IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 29th April 2024 Week 17 of 52". IMIcharts. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  37. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Ireland Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  38. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  39. ^ "TOP 20 Most Streamed International Singles In Malaysia Week 17 (19/04/2024-25/04/2024)". RIM. May 4, 2024. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024 – via Facebook.
  40. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 9, 2024. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  41. ^ "Singel 2024 uke 17". VG-lista. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  42. ^ "Philippines Songs - Week of May 4, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  43. ^ "Taylor Swift – My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  44. ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 17 (19 - 25 Apr 2024)". RIAS. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  45. ^ "Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna". IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  46. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (South Africa Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  47. ^ "Taylor Swift – My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  48. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 17". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  49. ^ "Streaming Top 100". Schweizer Hitparade. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  50. ^ "UAE: 2024 - W17 - 04/19 to 04/25". The Official MENA Chart. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  51. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  52. ^ "Official Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  53. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  54. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
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