Folklore (Taylor Swift album)

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Folklore
Digital and streaming standard cover.[1] There are eight different covers for limited-edition physical copies.[2]
Studio album by
Taylor Swift
ReleasedJuly 24, 2020 (2020-07-24)
Recorded2020
Studio
Additional recording
Genre
Length63:29
LabelRepublic
Producer
Taylor Swift chronology
Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008
(2020) 		Folklore
(2020)
Taylor Swift studio album chronology
Lover
(2019) 		Folklore
(2020)
Singles from Folklore
  1. "Cardigan"
    Released: July 24, 2020

Folklore (stylized in all lowercase) is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on July 24, 2020, through Republic Records, eleven months after Swift's seventh studio album, Lover (2019). The album was created in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and features production from Aaron Dessner, her long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff, and Swift herself. It is a surprise album, announced on social media hours before its release. Departing from the mainstream pop sound of Swift's previous releases, Folklore is an indie folk, alternative rock, electro-folk and chamber pop album driven by pianos and guitars. Lyrically, it incorporates vivid storytelling that details third-person narratives.

"Cardigan" was released as the first single alongside the album launch. Folklore received widespread critical acclaim upon release, with praise towards the album's relaxed, unconventional sound and the fictional songwriting—many named the album the best in Swift's discography.

Background and release

Folklore was written and recorded in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Swift stated that the album "started with imagery", "visuals that popped into my mind and piqued my curiosity".[5] She "poured all of [her] whims, dreams, fears, and musings into" the album, collaborating with some of her "musical heroes".[6] Aaron Dessner, guitarist of the American indie rock band The National, was approached by Swift in late April to co-write some songs remotely. Dessner worked on eleven of the album's sixteen tracks with Swift over the next several months, while Swift wrote the remaining five songs with Jack Antonoff, William Bowery and Bon Iver.[7] Dessner remarked that he "thought it would take a while for song ideas to come" and "had no expectations as far as what we could accomplish remotely" but was pleasantly surprised that "a few hours after sharing music, my phone lit up with a voice memo from Taylor of a fully written song—the momentum never really stopped."[8] Dessner added, himself and Swift "were pretty much in touch daily for three or four months by text and phone calls". Talking about the music, he commented, "There's a palpable humanity and warmth and raw emotion in these songs that I hope you'll love and take comfort in as much as I do."[9]

The album was released eleven months after Lover (2019), Swift's seventh studio album. Folklore is a surprise release, announced by Swift on her social media accounts hours before its launch, on midnight of July 24, 2020.[10][11][12][13][14] The project was created privately, in total secrecy; Swift's label, Republic Records, was let known about the album only few hours before it launched.[15] Folklore was released on all digital music platforms; eight limited-edition deluxe CDs and vinyls available only first-week were also released, all of which featured different cover artworks and photos.[2]

During the YouTube premiere countdown to the music video for "Cardigan", Swift revealed that the album lyrics contained many of her signature Easter eggs: "One thing I did purposely on this album was put the Easter eggs in the lyrics, more than just the videos. I created character arcs and recurring themes that map out who is singing about who... For example, there's a collection of three songs I refer to as the Teenage Love Triangle. These three signs explore a love triangle from all three people's perspectives at different times in their lives".[16][17][better source needed] She referred to the album as "wistful and full of escapism. Sad, beautiful, tragic. Like a photo album full of imagery, and all the stories behind that imagery"[18][better source needed] and described "My Tears Ricochet"—a self-written track—as the first song she wrote for the album and one that explores "lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently in our memories".[19][20][better source needed]

Music and lyrics

A tale that becomes folklore is one that is passed down and whispered around. Sometimes even sung about. The lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible. Speculation, over time, becomes fact. Myths, ghost stories, and fables. Fairytales and parables. Gossip and legend. Someone's secrets written in the sky for all to behold. In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory. I've told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve. Now it's up to you to pass them down.

— Swift in the primer for Folklore, Billboard[5]

Folklore has been described as an indie folk,[21][22] alternative rock,[21] electro-folk,[23] and chamber pop[23] album with elements of electronica,[14] dream pop[24] and country,[21] devoid of any pop songs,[25] marking Swift's departure from the contemporary pop sound of her previous releases.[23] The album consists of downtempo songs[26] that have an "earthy" lo-fi production and elegant melodies, lending a modern spin on traditional songcraft, largely built around "nearly neo-classical" instrumentals, such as: soft, sonorous pianos; burbling, picked guitars; fractured, glitchy electronica;[14][26][27] "ethereal" strings;[24] "throbbing" percussions;[22] and horns.[28] However, it does not completely avoid "digital beats, plush synths" characteristic of Swift, but instead "dials them down until they are an almost invisible texture".[26] Rolling Stone noticed that the vibe of Folklore is close to that of "Safe & Sound", Swift's 2011 single for the Hunger Games soundtrack (2012).

The album's lyrics display Swift's deepening self-awareness,[14] "vivid" storytelling,[21] and a "higher degree of fictionalization", less "self-referential" than most of Swift's discography.[23] The songs explore points of view that diverge from Swift's life, including third-person narratives.[28] The fictitious characters described in Folklore include: A scandalous old widow hated by her whole town; a scared seven-year-old girl with a traumatized best friend; a ghost watching her enemies at the funeral; recovering addicts; and a fumbling teenage boy. Three of the tracks—"Cardigan", "August" and "Betty"—depict the same love triangle, from all three different perspectives.[25]

Promotion

Folklore marked the first time Swift strayed away from a traditional album rollout, instead opting to release the album suddenly because "[her] gut is telling [her] that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world". Swift first announced the album on Twitter, 16 hours prior to its digital release at midnight.[29] The track "Cardigan" was released as a single to pop and adult pop radio formats, accompanied by a music video directed by Swift and produced by Jil Hardin,[30][31][32] which was released on YouTube alongside the album and lyric videos for each track.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.7/10[34]
Metacritic94/100[35]
Review scores
SourceRating
Consequence of SoundA-[36]
The Daily Telegraph[26]
Entertainment WeeklyA[37]
The Guardian[38]
The Independent[39]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[40]
musicOMH[41]
NME[21]
Rolling Stone[25]
The Times[42]

Folklore recieved widespread critical acclaim upon release, with praise towards the album's "subdued" nature, Swift's unconventional music direction and the narrative songwriting; many commentators named it as the best body of work in Swift's catalogue. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 94, indicating "universal acclaim", based on fourteen reviews; it is the highest Metascore for any of her albums.[35]

Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone dubbed Folklore as Swift's "greatest album—so far" and called it "the debut album of a whole new Swift", in which her "narrative scope has opened up, with a wide-ranging cast of characters, for seventeen songs without a dud". Sheffield summarized that Swift "dreams up a host of characters to keep her company" on the album, where "stepping into their lives brings out her deepest wit, compassion, and empathy".[25] Mark Savage of BBC called Folklore "Swift's indie album" and a "low-key, sombre record, looking back at old flames and old mistakes—some real, some imagined", with a "rich seam of melancholy that chimes perfectly with the times".[43] Chris Willman of Variety wrote that "it's hard to remember any contemporary pop superstar that has indulged in a more serious or successful act of sonic palate cleansing than Swift has" with Folklore, describing it a "highly subdued but rich affair".[23]

Describing the album as "fresh, forward-thinking and, most of all, honest", Hannah Mylrea of NME opined that "the glossy production [Swift] lent on for the past half-decade is cast aside for simpler, softer melodies and wistful instrumentation", and added that Swift "concocted a gorgeous, relaxed record filled with modern folk songs".[21] Rating the album with five stars, The Daily Telegraph's Neil McCormick defined Folklore as an "exquisite collection of 16 down-tempo songs of love, loss, memory, desire, friendship and our abiding need for human connection", that solidifies "Swift's status as a serious singer-songwriter".[26] Also giving the album five stars, The Guardian's Laura Snapes wrote Swift's "emotional acuity has never been more assured" than in Folklore, and labelled the album as her "most coherent record since her staunchly country days" and also her "most experimental".[14]

Writing for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz commended that the album demonstrated "the scope and depth of [Swift's] artistic skill".[4] Calling the album "timeless", Sarah Carson of the i newspaper wrote that Folklore soundtracks "every shade of empathy, sorrow, and shame", giving it five stars.[22] The Sydney Morning Herald's Giselle Nguyen, in her five-star review of the album, described it a "clear-eyed, subdued affair that reveals a little more magic with each listen", and commented that, "as the first album of her 30s, it feels fitting that Swift is putting boundaries firmly in place, both for herself and her audience—she's more mature and measured than ever".[24] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent complimented the unconventionality of the album, highlighting "there are no pop bangers here, just exquisite, piano-based poetry".[39]

Commercial performance

With over 80.6 million streams in its first day, Folklore broke the record for the highest album debut streams for a female artist on Spotify, previously held by Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next.[44]

Track listing

Credits are adapted from Pitchfork.[3]

Folklore track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The 1"
Dessner3:30
2."Cardigan"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:59
3."The Last Great American Dynasty"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:51
4."Exile" (featuring Bon Iver)
Dessner4:45
5."My Tears Ricochet"Swift
4:15
6."Mirrorball"
  • Swift
  • Antonoff
  • Antonoff
  • Swift
3:29
7."Seven"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:28
8."August"
  • Swift
  • Antonoff
  • Antonoff
  • Swift
4:21
9."This Is Me Trying"
  • Swift
  • Antonoff
  • Antonoff
  • Swift
3:15
10."Illicit Affairs"
  • Swift
  • Antonoff
  • Antonoff
  • Swift
3:10
11."Invisible String"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner4:12
12."Mad Woman"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:57
13."Epiphany"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner4:49
14."Betty"
  • Swift
  • Bowery
  • Dessner
  • Antonoff
  • Swift
4:54
15."Peace"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:54
16."Hoax"
  • Swift
  • Dessner
Dessner3:40
Total length:63:29
Physical bonus track
No.TitleLength
17."The Lakes" 

Notes

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Pitchfork.[3]

Musicians

  • Taylor Swift – lead vocals
  • Aaron Dessner – piano (1–4, 7, 11–16), acoustic guitar (1, 7, 11, 12, 16), electric guitar (1–4, 11–14, 16), drum programming (1–4, 7, 11, 12), Mellotron (1, 2, 11, 13, 15), OP-1 (1, 4, 16), synth bass (1, 16), percussion (2–4, 7, 11, 12, 14), bass (2, 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15), synthesizer (2–4, 7, 11–13, 15), slide guitar (3), keyboards (3), high string guitar (14), field recording (15), drone (15)
  • Bryce Dessner – orchestration (1–4, 7, 11–13)
  • Thomas Bartlett – synthesizer (1), OP-1 (1)[a]
  • Jason Treuting – percussion (1)[a]
  • Yuki Numata Resnick – viola (1, 2, 7, 11, 12), violin (1, 2, 7, 11, 12)
  • Benjamin Lanz – modular synth (2)
  • Dave Nelson – trombone (2, 13)[a]
  • James McAlister – drum programming (2, 11), beat programming (12), synthesizers (12), hand percussion (12), drums (12)[a]
  • Clarice Jensen – cello (2, 7, 11–13)[a]
  • Rob Moose – orchestration (3, 16), violin (3, 4, 16), viola (3, 4, 16)[a]
  • JT Bates – drums (3, 7, 13)[a]
  • Justin Vernon – lead vocals (4), pulse (15)[a]
  • Jack Antonoff – live drums (5, 6, 8–10, 14), percussion (5, 6, 8–10, 14), programming (5, 6, 8–10), electric guitars (5, 6, 8–10, 14), keyboards (5, 6, 8–10), piano (5), bass (5, 8–10, 14), background vocals (5, 6, 9, 10), acoustic guitars (6, 8, 14), B3 (6, 14), organ (9), Mellotron (14)
  • Evan Smith – saxophones (5, 8–10, 14), keyboards (5, 8–10), programming (5), flute (8), electric guitar (8, 10), accordion (10, background vocals (10), clarinet (14)
  • Bobby Hawk – strings (5, 8, 9)
  • Bryan Devendorf – drum programming (7)[a]
  • Jonathan Low – synth bass (8)[a]
  • Mikey Freedom Hart – pedal steel (10, 14), Mellotron (14), Wurlitzer (14), harpsichord (14), vibraphone (14), electric guitar (14)
  • Kyle Resnick – trumpet (13)
  • Josh Kaufman – harmonica (14), electric guitar (14), lap steel (14)[a]

Technical personnel

  • Jonathan Low – recording (1–4, 7, 11–16), mixing (1–4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 16)
  • Aaron Dessner – recording (1–4, 7, 11–16), additional recording (2, 11)
  • Laura Sisk – recording (5, 6, 8–10, 14), vocal recording (1–3; Swift on 4; 13, 15, 16)
  • Jack Antonoff – recording (5, 6, 8–10, 14)
  • Bella Blasko – additional recording (2)
  • Justin Vernon – vocal recording (Bon Iver on 4)
  • John Rooney – assistant engineering (5, 9, 14)
  • Jon Sher – assistant engineering (5, 9)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (5, 6, 9, 10, 12–14)
  • John Hanes – mix engineering (5, 6, 9, 10, 12–14)
  • Randy Merrill – mastering (all tracks)

Additional instrument recording[b]

  • Kyle Resnick – viola (1, 2, 7, 11–13), violin (1, 2, 7, 11–13), trumpet (13)
  • Bella Blasko – modular synth (2)
  • Clarice Jensen – cello (2, 7, 11–13)
  • Lorenzo Wolff – strings (5, 9)
  • Bryan Devendorf – drum programming (7)
  • Mike Williams – strings (8)
  • Jon Gautier – strings (8)
  • Benjamin Lanz – trombone (13)

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k This performer is also credited with recording their instrumentation.
  2. ^ Several performers are also credited with recording their own instrumentation, as noted in the 'Musicians' section.

References

  1. ^ "the "in the trees" edition deluxe cd + digital standard album". Taylor Swift Official Store. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b @taylorswift13 (July 23, 2020). "folklore will have 16 songs on the standard edition, but the physical deluxe editions will include a bonus track "the lakes." Because this is my 8th studio album, I made 8 deluxe CDs & 8 deluxe vinyls available for 1 week😄 Each has unique covers & photos" (Tweet). Retrieved July 23, 2020 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c Strauss, Matthew; Minsker, Evan (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift Releases New Album folklore: Listen and Read the Full Credits". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Folklore': There's Nothing Quiet About This Songwriting Tour De Force". Billboard. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "'It Started With Imagery': Read Taylor Swift's Primer For 'Folklore'". Billboard. July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift 'Folklore' Collaborator Reveals How They Wrote Songs in Just Hours". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  7. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift Was Bummed About Her Summer Plans Not Panning Out, So She's Releasing a New Album... Tonight". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  8. ^ @aaron_dessner (July 23, 2020). "Aaron Dessner on Twitter" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (July 23, 2020). "Who Is Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift's Main Collaborator on 'Folklore'?". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  10. ^ Unterberger, Andrew (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Surprise New 'Folklore' Album: What a Great (And Overdue) Idea!". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Reilly, Nick (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift to release surprise eighth album 'Folklore' tonight". NME. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  12. ^ Andrew, Scottie (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift will drop a surprise new album tonight". CNN. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  13. ^ O'Kane, Caitlin (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift announces surprise album, recorded "in isolation"". CBS News. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d e Snapes, Laura (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift announces surprise album, Folklore, with the National and Bon Iver". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  15. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (July 25, 2020). "The National's Aaron Dessner Talks Taylor Swift's New Album folklore". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ @tswiftnz (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift News on Twitter: "📲 YT | Taylor Swift about the #cardiganMusicVideo on the YouTube premiere chat "One thing I did purposely on this album was put the Easter eggs in the lyrics, more than just the videos. I created character arcs & recurring themes that map out who is singing about who.""" (Tweet). Retrieved July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ @tswiftnz (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift News on Twitter: "📲 YT | Taylor Swift about the #cardiganMusicVideo on the YouTube premiere chat "For example there's a collection of 3 songs I refer to as the Teenage Love Triangle. These 3 signs explore a love triangle from all 3 people's perspectives at different times in their lives""" (Tweet). Retrieved July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ @tswiftnewsla (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift News on Twitter: "Taylor Swift in the #cardiganMusicVideo live chat: "#folklore is wishful and full of escapism. Sad, beautiful, tragic. Like a photo album full of imagery, and all the stories behind that imagery.""" (Tweet). Retrieved July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ @tswiftnewsla (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift News on Twitter: "Taylor Swift in the #cardiganMusicVideo live chat: "[My Tears Ricochet] is about a lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently in our memories. Why it leaves such an incredible mark.""" (Tweet). Retrieved July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ @tswiftnewsla (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift News on Twitter: "Taylor Swift in the #cardiganMusicVideo live chat: "I wrote My Tears Ricochet alone and it was the first one I wrote for this album.""" (Tweet). Retrieved July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ a b c d e f Mylrea, Hannah (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift – 'Folklore' review: pop superstar undergoes an extraordinary indie-folk makeover". NME. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  22. ^ a b c Carsom, Sarah (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift, Folklore, review: a dazzling, timeless surprise album". i. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  23. ^ a b c d e Willman, Chris (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'Folklore': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved July 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ a b c Nguyen, Giselle Au-Nhien (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's new album is a fever dream you won't want to wake up from". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  25. ^ a b c d Sheffield, Rob (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift Leaves Her Comfort Zones Behind on the Head-Spinning, Heartbreaking 'Folklore'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  26. ^ a b c d e McCormick, Neil (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift, Folklore review: an exquisite, empathetic lockdown triumph". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  27. ^ "folklore by Taylor Swift". Apple Music. Retrieved July 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ a b McKenna, Lyndsey (July 24, 2020). "Stream Taylor Swift's New Album, 'Folklore'". NPR. Retrieved July 25, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ Leight, Elias (July 23, 2020). "Taylor Swift Finally Abandoned the Traditional Album Rollout". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  30. ^ Haylock, Zoe (July 23, 2020). "Surprise! Taylor Swift Is Dropping a Quarantine Album Tonight". Vulture. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  31. ^ "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access. All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  32. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access. All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  33. ^ "Taylor Swift - folklore - Reviews". Album of the Year. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  34. ^ "Folklore by Taylor Swift reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Folklore by Taylor Swift Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  36. ^ Moulton, Katie (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's folklore Dismantles Her Own Self-Mythologizing: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  37. ^ Johnston, Maura (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift forges her own path on the confident Folklore: Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  38. ^ Snapes, Laura (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift: Folklore review – bombastic pop makes way for emotional acuity". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  39. ^ a b O'Connor, Roisin (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift, Folklore review: New album is exquisite, piano-based poetry". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  40. ^ Bulmer, Eloise (July 24, 2020). "Folklore finds Taylor Swift elegantly evoking amid a perfectly minimalist sound". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ Johnson, Chloe (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift - Folklore | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Retrieved July 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift: Folklore review — there's nowt so cute as folk". The Times. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  43. ^ Savage, Mark (July 24, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Folklore sees the singer go indie". BBC News. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  44. ^ "Taylor Swift 'scores biggest Spotify debut for female artist ever' with Folklore". Metro. July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
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