In an era where streaming dominates, vinyl has taken on a new life.  From multi-colored vinyl pressings to alternate covers and expanded tracklists, artists and labels are now leaning into collector culture as a deliberate sales strategy.

Fans and critics alike have expressed mixed feelings about Taylor Swift’s much-awaited 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Some praise the album’s bold, innuendo-filled hits, while others miss the intimate storytelling of earlier eras. But amid the reviews and rankings, an uglier conversation has bubbled up online, and it’s one that says more about us as fans than about the music itself.

As a Swiftie, of course, I ran to her website to try and score tickets for this experience. I expected AMC to have already been sold out. But after nearly two hours in the queue, my friends and I were able to get through — which brought me to the 12 p.m. showing of “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.”

Back in August, Taylor Swift joined her then-boyfriend — now-fiancé — Travis Kelce on his New Heights podcast to announce her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” The record hit streaming services and store shelves on Friday. While not a particularly innovative or poetic work in the singer’s catalogue, “The Life of a Showgirl” is an improvement on her recent pop sound. And Swift’s music is danceable again.