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Folklore (stylized in all lowercase) is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was a surprise album, released through Republic Records on July 24, 2020, eleven months after its predecessor, Lover (2019). As an indie folk, alternative rock, electro-folk, and chamber pop album, Folklore departs from the upbeat pop sound of Swift's previous albums, for mellow tunes driven by piano and guitar, featuring production from Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff. Written and recorded while in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift called the album "a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness" rising out of her imagination; it manifests vivid storytelling from largely third-person perspectives that detail introspection and escapism. The project sees Swift adopting a rustic, cottagecore aesthetic.
Folklore received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its emotional weight and instrospective songwriting, dubbing it as Swift's most subdued and sophisticated body of work yet. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 88 based on 27 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim"; it is the highest score for any of Swift's albums. The album broke numerous records on streaming services, including the Guinness World Record for the biggest opening day for an album by a female artist on Spotify. Folklore sold two million copies in its first week globally, 1.3 million of which were sold on its first day. It reached number one in Australia, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and several other territories. Also debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, Folklore gave Swift her seventh consecutive number-one album in the United States, and immediately became the best-selling album of 2020. It spent eight weeks atop the chart, making it the longest-running number one album of 2017-2020.
Folklore received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its emotional weight and instrospective songwriting, dubbing it as Swift's most subdued and sophisticated body of work yet. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 88 based on 27 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim"; it is the highest score for any of Swift's albums. The album broke numerous records on streaming services, including the Guinness World Record for the biggest opening day for an album by a female artist on Spotify. Folklore sold two million copies in its first week globally, 1.3 million of which were sold on its first day. It reached number one in Australia, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and several other territories. Also debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, Folklore gave Swift her seventh consecutive number-one album in the United States, and immediately became the best-selling album of 2020. It spent eight weeks atop the chart, making it the longest-running number one album of 2017-2020.
Tracklist
1. The 1
2. Cardigan
3. The Last Great American Dynasty
4. Exile (feat. Bon Iver)
5. My Tears Ricochet
6. Mirrorball
7. Seven
8. August
9. This Is Me Trying
10. Illicit Affairs
11. Invisible String
12. Mad Woman
13. Epiphany
14. Betty
15. Peace
16. Hoax
17. The Lakes
1. The 1
2. Cardigan
3. The Last Great American Dynasty
4. Exile (feat. Bon Iver)
5. My Tears Ricochet
6. Mirrorball
7. Seven
8. August
9. This Is Me Trying
10. Illicit Affairs
11. Invisible String
12. Mad Woman
13. Epiphany
14. Betty
15. Peace
16. Hoax
17. The Lakes
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