Taylor Swift's album 'Folklore': Get to know more about her eighth record
It's the follow-up to 2019's 'Lover'
Taylor Swift has made a habit of surprise announcing her career moves - and this seemed to start with the release of her eighth album 'Folklore' back in July 2020.
Written and recorded during the Coronavirus pandemic, Taylor collaborated with a number of writers on the record, including Aaron Dessner, Bon Iver - who also features on a song - and William Bowery, the alias of her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, amongst others. Here's everything you need to know about the record.
When was 'Folklore' released?
It came out on 24th July 2020, while the deluxe edition featuring additional track 'The Lakes' was released on 18th August 2020.
How did Taylor announce the album 'Folklore'?
Taylor surprised fans around the world when she announced the album 'Folklore'. The singer took to her socials the day before the album's release, sharing a black and white, grainy photo of herself sitting in a forest looking up at the sky.
Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor told her fans on social media: 'Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen. And that thing is my 8th studio album, folklore. Surprise 🤗.
'Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into. Before this year I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music at the ‘perfect’ time, but the times we’re living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed.
'My gut is telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That’s the side of uncertainty I can get on board with. Love you guys so much ♥️.' (sic)
What's the tracklist?
1) 'The 1'
2) 'Cardigan'
3) 'The Last Great American Dynasty'
4) 'Exile' (featuring 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'
Did Taylor tour the 'Folklore' album?
Taylor was due to head out on tour in April 2020 to support and promote her seventh album 'Lover', but unfortunately this was cancelled due to the global pandemic. Instead, she included a 'Folklore' section into her 'Eras Tour', which began in March 2023 and will continue through to December 2024.
Where did it come in the charts?
'Folklore' debuted at Number 1 in the UK, which is where it stayed for the first three weeks before dropping off the top spot. 'Folklore' was certified 2x Platinum by the BPI in December 2023, translating to over 600,000 UK album sales.
A few months on from the record's release, it reached a major milestone - selling more than 1 million copies and becoming the first album to do so that year.
Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
Taylor was the subject of a Disney+ special which featured the singer performing each song from the album and discussing how she'd written it. The synopsis reads: 'Taylor Swift performs every song from her best-selling album, 'folklore', in a truly intimate concert experience.
'Accompanied by her co-producers, Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, along with a guest appearance by Justin Vernon,Taylor filmed the event at the historic Long Pond Studios in upstate New York, a setting that evokes the nostalgic, wistful nature of the album.
'In between live performances, she and her collaborators discuss the creation and meaning behind each song, and also share the challenges and joys of remotely producing this acclaimed and record-setting collection.'
She also released the performances as a live album of the same name.
Scroll through to learn more about Taylor Swift's albums:
'Taylor Swift'
'Taylor Swift' is Taylor's debut album, and is a country album with pop elements. The songs reflect Taylor's perspective on life as a teenager - she was aged just 16 when it was released!
Release date: 24th October 2006 in the United States and Canada, 18th March 2008 internationally.
Track list: 1) 'Tim McGraw', 2) 'Picture To Burn' 3) 'Teardrops On My Guitar' 4) 'A Place In This World' 5) 'Cold as You' 6) 'The Outside' 7) 'Tied Together With A Smile' 8) 'Stay Beautiful' 9) 'Should've Said No' 10) 'Mary's Song (Oh My My My)' 11) 'Our Song'
Sales: Gold in the UK with 198,000 sales, certified by the BPI.
Charts: The album peaked at Number 81 on the UK Chart. It spent three weeks in the Top 100.
Personnel: Taylor worked with executive producer Scott Borchetta on this album and producer Nathan Chapman, who also performed backing vocals and instrumentation.
'Fearless'
'Fearless' is a country pop album. Taylor wrote seven of the album's 13 songs herself and made her debut as a record producer by co-producing all songs alongside Nathan Chapman.
Release date: 11th November 2008 in the United States and Canada, 9th March 2009 internationally.
Track list: 1) 'Fearless' 2) 'Fifteen' 3) 'Love Story' 4) 'Hey Stephen' 5) 'White Horse' 6) 'You Belong With Me' 7) 'Breathe' featuring Colbie Caillat 8) 'Tell Me Why' 9) 'You're Not Sorry' 10) 'The Way I Loved You' 11) 'Forever & Always' 12) 'The Best Day' 13) 'Change'
Sales: Certified 2x Platinum in the UK with 600,000 sales, certified by BPI.
Charts: The album peaked at Number 5 on the UK Chart. It spent 12 weeks in the Top 20.
Tour: Taylor announced the 'Fearless Tour', her first headlining tour, in January 2009. The tour included a date at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire.
Accolades: 'Fearless' won Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in February 2010.
Personnel: Taylor worked with Scott Borchetta and Nathan Chapman on this album.
'Speak Now'
Taylor wrote the album entirely herself within two years whilst touring. 'Speak Now' combines country pop, pop rock and power pop.
Release date: 25th October 2010.
Track list: 1) 'Mine' 2) 'Sparks Fly' 3) 'Back to December' 4) 'Speak Now' 5) 'Dear John' 6) 'Mean' 7) 'The Story of Us' 8) 'Never Grow Up' 8) 'Enchanted' 10) 'Better than Revenge' 11) 'Innocent' 12) 'Haunted' 13) 'Last Kiss' 14) 'Long Live'
Sales: Certified Platinum in the UK with 300,000 sales, certified by BPI.
Charts: 'Speak Now' reached Number 6 on the UK chart. It spent four weeks in the Top 40.
Tours: Taylor went on the 'Speak Now World Tour', which started in Singapore in February 2011 and ended in March 2012 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Personnel: Taylor worked with producers including Nathan Chapman on this album.
'Red'
'Red' combines styles of pop, country and rock. The album spans genres, with Taylor describing its diverse musical styles as a 'metaphor for how messy a real breakup is.'
Release date: 22nd October 2012.
Track list: 1) 'State of Grace' 2) 'Red' 3) Treacherous' 4) 'I Knew You Were Trouble' 5) 'All Too Well' 6) '22' 7) 'I Almost Do' 8) 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' 9) 'Stay Stay Stay' 10) 'The Last Time' (featuring Gary Lightbody) 11) 'Holy Ground' 12) 'Sad Beautiful Tragic' 13) 'The Lucky One' 14) 'Everything Has Changed' (featuring Ed Sheeran) 15) 'Starlight' 16) 'Begin Again'
Sales: 2x Platinum in the UK with 695,000 sales, certified by BPI.
Charts: 'Red' reached Number 1 on the UK Chart. It spent four weeks in the Top 10.
Tours: Taylor went on 'The Red Tour', which started in Omaha, Nebraska in March 2013 and ended in Singapore in June 2014. The tour was attended by 1.7 million people.
Personnel: Taylor worked with producers including Max Martin and Dann Huff on the album, alongside long-time collaborator Nathan Chapman.
'1989'
'1989' was inspired by 1980s synth-pop as Taylor moved into the pop genre, and is widely thought to be Taylor's best-reviewed album. The album's title is also Taylor's birth year - she was born on 13th December 1989.
Release date: 27th October 2014.
Track list: 1) 'Welcome to New York' 2) 'Blank Space' 3) 'Style' 4) 'Out of the Woods' 5) 'All You Had to Do Was Stay' 6) 'Shake It Off' 7) 'I Wish You Would' 8) 'Bad Blood' 9) 'Wildest Dreams' 10) 'How You Get the Girl' 11) 'This Love' 12) 'I Know Places' 13) 'Clean'
Sales: 6x Platinum in the UK with 6.25 million sales.
Charts: '1989' reached Number 1 on the UK Chart. The album spent 43 weeks in the Top 10.
Accolades: '1989' won Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
Tours: Taylor embarked upon 'The 1989 World Tour' in 2015, which included 85 shows and sold over 2.2 million tickets. For many of the shows, Taylor invited special celebrity guests on stage with her, including musicians, actors, athletes and models.
Personnel: Max Martin was the album's co-executive producer.
'Reputation'
'Reputation' was created whilst Taylor took some time away from the spotlight. The album was inspired by Game of Thrones, with Taylor telling Entertainment Weekly that she started binge-watching the HBO show in 2016.
Release date: 10th November 2017.
Track list: 1) '...Ready for It?' 2) 'End Game' (featuring Ed Sheeran and Future) 3) 'I Did Something Bad' 4) 'Don't Blame Me' 5) 'Delicate' 6) 'Look What You Made Me Do' 7) 'So It Goes...' 8) 'Gorgeous' 9) 'Getaway Car' 10) 'King of My Heart' 11) 'Dancing with Our Hands Tied' 12) 'Dress' 13) 'This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things' 14) 'Call It What You Want' 15) 'New Year's Day'
Sales: Certified 3x Platinum in the UK by BPI with over 900k sales.
Charts: 'Reputation' reached Number 1 on the UK Chart and spent five weeks in the Top 10.
Tours: Taylor embarked on the 'Reputation Stadium Tour' in 2018. The all-stadium tour consisted of 53 shows and saw over 2.8 million people attend altogether. The tour became the third highest-grossing female concert tour of all time.
Personnel: Taylor mostly worked with Jack Antonoff, Max Martin and Shellback to produce the album.
'Lover'
'Lover' was Taylor's first album after her departure from Big Machine Records. The album features folk, country and pop sounds.
Release date: 23rd August 2019.
Track list: 1) 'I Forgot That You Existed' 2) 'Cruel Summer' 3) 'Lover' 4) 'The Man' 5) 'The Archer' 6) 'I Think He Knows' 7) 'Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince' 8) 'Paper Rings' 9) 'Cornelia Street' 10) 'Death By a Thousand Cuts' 11) 'London Boy' 12) 'Soon You'll Get Better' (featuring The Chicks) 13) 'False God' 14) 'You Need to Calm Down' 15) 'Afterglow' 16) 'Me!' (featuring Brendon Urie) 17) 'It's Nice to Have a Friend' 18) 'Daylight'
Sales: 'Lover' was certified 2x Platinum in the UK by BPI with 600,000 sales.
Charts: The album reached Number 1 on the UK Chart. It spent six weeks in the Top 10.
Personnel: Taylor recorded 'Lover' with producers Jack Antonoff, Joel Little, Louis Bell and Frank Dukes.
'folklore'
Recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown, 'folklore' was a surprise release. The album's title was inspired by the lasting legacy of folk songs.
Release date: 24th July 2020.
Track list: 1) 'the 1' 2) 'cardigan' 3) 'the last great american dynasty' 4) 'exile' (featuring Bon Iver) 5) 'my tears richochet' 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'
Sales: The album is certified Platinum by BPI with 300,000 sales.
Charts: 'folklore' reached Number 1 on the UK Charts. The album spent three weeks at Number 1 and 10 weeks in the Top 10.
Accolades: 'folklore' won Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Personnel: Taylor worked with producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff virtually. Taylor recorded her vocals in a studio constructed within her Los Angeles home.
'evermore'
'evermore' was a surprise album created during the Covid-19 lockdown. Announcing the news of the album's release on social media, Taylor called it a 'sister record' to 'folklore.'
Release date: 11th December 2020.
Track list: 1) 'willow' 2) 'champagne problems' 3) 'gold rush' 4) 'tis the damn season' 5) 'tolerate it' 6) 'no body, no crime' (featuring Haim) 7) 'happiness' 8) 'dorothea' 9) 'coney island' (featuring The National) 10) 'ivy' 11) 'cowboy like me' 12) 'long story short' 13) 'marjorie' 14) 'closure' 15) 'evermore' (featuring Bon Iver)
Sales: Certified Gold in the UK by BPI with 100,000 sales.
Charts: The album reached Number 1 in the UK Chart. It spent two weeks at Number 1 and nine weeks in the Top 10.
Personnel: 'evermore' was a product of Taylor's collaboration with Aaron Dessner and was mostly recorded at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley.
'Fearless (Taylor's Version)'
'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' is a re-recording of Taylor's second album 'Fearless', and the first album to be re-released following a rights dispute with producer Scooter Braun regarding the ownership of the masters of her first six studio albums.
Release date: 9th April 2021.
Track list: 1) 'Fearless' 2) 'Fifteen' 3) 'Love Story' 4) 'Hey Stephen 5) 'White Horse' 6) 'You Belong With Me' 7) 'Breathe' featuring Colbie Caillat 8) 'Tell Me Why' 9) 'You're Not Sorry' 10) 'The Way I Loved You' 11) 'Forever & Always' 12) 'The Best Day' 13) 'Change' 14) 'Jump Then Fall' 15) 'Untouchable' 16) 'Forever & Always' (piano version) 17) 'Come In With The Rain' 18) 'Superstar' 19) 'The Other Side of the Door' 21) 'You All Over Me' featuring Maren Morris 22) 'Mr. Perfectly Fine' 23) 'We Were Happy' 24) 'That's When featuring Keith Urban 25) 'Don't You' 26) 'Bye Bye Baby'
Sales: Certified Gold in the UK with 100,000 sales, certified by BPI.
Charts: The album peaked at Number 1 on the UK Chart. It spent three weeks in the Top 10.
Personnel: Taylor worked with producers Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Christopher Rowe and Elvira Anderfjärd on this album.
'Red (Taylor's Version)'
The album is a re-recording of Taylor's fourth studio album, Red, and is the second album of Taylor's to be re-recorded following a dispute over the ownership of the master recordings of Taylor's first six albums. When the album was released, Taylor described it as a 'fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end'.
Release date: 12th November 2021.
Track list: 1) 'State of Grace' 2) 'Red' 3) 'Treacherous' 4) 'I Knew You Were Trouble' 5) 'All Too Well' 6) '22' 7) 'I Almost Do' 8) 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' 9) 'Stay Stay Stay' 10) 'The Last Time' (featuring Gary Lightbody) 11) 'Holy Ground' 12) 'Sad Beautiful Tragic' 13) 'The Lucky One' 14) 'Everything Has Changed' (featuring Ed Sheeran) 15) 'Starlight' 16) 'Begin Again' 17) 'The Moment I Knew' 18) 'Come Back...Be Here' 19) 'Girl at Home' 20) 'State of Grace' (acoustic version) 21) 'Ronan' 22) 'Better Man' 23) 'Nothing New' (featuring Phoebe Bridgers) 24) 'Babe' 25) 'Message in a Bottle' 26) 'I Bet You Think About Me' (featuring Chris Stapleton) 27) 'Forever Winter' 28) 'Run' (featuring Ed Sheeran) 29) 'The Very First Night' 30) 'All Too Well (10 Minute Version)'
Sales: Certified Gold in the UK with 100,000 sales.
Charts: The album reached Number 1 on the UK Chart. It spent three weeks in the Top 10.
Personnel: Taylor worked with people including Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner on the album.
'Midnights'
The album 'Midnights' was announced at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. On social media, Taylor revealed that it tells the stories of '13 sleepless nights' throughout her life. In July 2023, the track 'Anti-Hero' reached over a billion streams on Spotify. 'Midnights' won the Album of the Year award at the 2023 Video Music Awards.
Release date: 21st October 2022.
Track list: 1) 'Lavender Haze' 2) 'Maroon' 3) 'Anti-Hero' 4) 'Snow on the Beach' (featuring Lana Del Rey) 5) 'You're on Your Own, Kid' 6) 'Midnight Rain' 7) 'Question...?' 8 'Vigilante S---' 9) 'Bejeweled' 10) 'Labyrinth' 11) 'Karma' 12) 'Sweet Nothing' 13) 'Mastermind'
Sales: Certified 3x Platinum in the UK by BPI with over 900k sales.
Charts: 'Midnights' reached Number 1 on the UK Chart. The album spent five weeks at Number 1.
Personnel: Taylor wrote and produced 'Midnights' alongside long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff.
'Speak Now' (Taylor's Version)
'Speak Now' (Taylor's Version) was the third of Taylor's albums to be re-released following her rights dispute with producer Scooter Braun. The album includes six previously unreleased 'From the Vault' tracks and is a re-recording of Taylor's 2010 album 'Speak Now.'
Release date: 7th July 2023.
Track list: 1) 'Mine' 2) 'Sparks Fly' 3) 'Back To December' 4) 'Speak Now' 5) 'Dear John' 6) 'Mean' 7) 'The Story of Us' 8) 'Never Grow Up' 9) 'Enchanted' 10) 'Better than Revenge' 11) 'Innocent' 12) 'Haunted' 13) 'Last Kiss' 4) 'Long Live' 15) 'Ours' 16) 'Superman' 17) 'Electric Touch' (featuring Fall Out Boy) 18) 'When Emma Falls In Love' 19) 'I Can See You' 20) 'Castles Crumbling' 21) 'Foolish One' 22) Timeless'
Personnel: Taylor and Christopher Rowe produced the majority of the album, with input from Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff on the vault tracks.
'1989' (Taylor's Version)
'1989' (Taylor's Version) was the fourth of Taylor's albums to be re-released. It is a re-recording of her 2014 album '1989' and features five previously unreleased 'From The Vault' tracks.
Release date: 27th October 2023.
Track list: 1) 'Welcome To New York' 2) 'Blank Space' 3) 'Style' 4) 'Out of the Woods' 5) 'All You Had To Do Was Stay' 6) 'Shake It Off' 7) 'I Wish You Would' 8) 'Bad Blood' 9) 'Wildest Dreams' 10) 'How You Get The Girl' 11) 'This Love' 12) 'I Know Places' 13) 'Clean' 14) 'Wonderland' 15) 'You Are in Love' 16) 'New Romantics' 17) 'Slut!' 18) 'Say Don't Go' 19) 'Now That We Don't Talk' 20) 'Suburban Legends' 21) 'Is It Over Now?'
Personnel: The majority of the album was produced by Jack Antonoff and Christopher Rowe. Original contributors Ryan Tedder, Noel Zancanella and Imogen Heap returned again.
'The Tortured Poets Department'
Not only did Taylor make history at the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony as she picked up her fourth Album of the Year award, but she delighted fans across the world as she also announced her 11th studio album 'The Tortured Poets Department'. The record was certified Gold by the BPI one week after its release, translating to over 100,000 sales - and was certified Platinum just one week later - meaning a whopping 300,000 sales in the UK. As of August, it was certified 2x Platinum in the UK. Just two hours after the albums release, Taylor surprised fans by announcing that it was in face a double album - with the second part subtitled 'The Anthology' and containing 15 more tracks.
Release date: 19th April 2024.
Track list: (Side A) 'Fortnight' (feat. Post Malone), 'The Tortured Poets Department', 'My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys', 'Down Bad', (Side B) 'So Long, London', 'But Daddy I Love Him', 'Fresh Out the Slammer', 'Florida!!!' (with Florence + the Machine), (Side C) 'Guilty as Sin?', 'Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?', 'I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)', 'loml', (Side D) 'I Can Do It With a Broken Heart', 'The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived', 'The Alchemy', 'Clara Bow'. 'The Anthology': 'The Black Dog', 'Imgonnagetyouback', 'The Albatross', 'Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus', 'How Did It End?', 'So High School', 'I Hate It Here', 'Thank You Aimee', 'I Look in People's Windows', 'The Prophecy', 'Cassandra', 'Peter', 'The Bolter', 'Robin', 'The Manuscript'.
You can hear songs by Taylor Swift on Hits Radio.
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