The Black Dog (song)

"The Black Dog" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024). It was included as a bonus track for a physical edition of the album and as part of a double album edition subtitled The Anthology. Produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "The Black Dog" is a slow-building post-industrial ballad. Its sparse piano-led production contains a dynamic shift in the chorus, which crescendos with vocal harmonies and thumping synths towards its conclusion. In the lyrics, Swift's character is heartbroken and resents an ex-partner after finding him with another woman at a bar called the Black Dog.

Music critics received "The Black Dog" with generally positive reviews, praising its engaging lyrics, Swift's vocals, the production, and chorus. Several reviewers considered it a highlight from the double album or Swift's discography. The song peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Global 200 and reached the national charts of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United States. It received a gold certification in Australia. Swift performed "The Black Dog" three times on the Eras Tour in 2024, and its first demo recording was temporarily released as a digital-edition bonus track.