Folklore is Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, released as a surprise on July 24, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic through Republic Records. Departing from the polished pop of her previous albums, it was recorded entirely in isolation in collaboration with The National's Aaron Dessner and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, with additional contributions from William Bowery and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). Folklore won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making Swift the first artist to win that award four times. The album is a lyrical and sonic reinvention: trading chart ambitions for indie-folk intimacy, it unfolds as a series of interconnected fictional narratives ('the 1,' 'august,' 'betty' tell three perspectives of a love triangle) alongside deeply personal reflections. 'cardigan' debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Swift the first artist to debut at number one on both the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 simultaneously. The collaboration with Bon Iver on 'exile' became one of the most-streamed duets of the year.
Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | the 1 | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 2 | cardigan | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 3 | the last great american dynasty | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 4 | exile | Taylor Swift, William Bowery, Justin Vernon | Taylor Swift, William Bowery, Justin Vernon | William Bowery, Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner |
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| 5 | my tears ricochet | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, William Bowery |
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| 6 | mirrorball | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift |
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| 7 | seven | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 8 | august | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, William Bowery |
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| 9 | this is me trying | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, William Bowery |
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| 10 | illicit affairs | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff | Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, William Bowery |
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| 11 | invisible string | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 12 | mad woman | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 13 | epiphany | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 14 | betty | Taylor Swift, William Bowery | Taylor Swift, William Bowery | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, William Bowery |
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| 15 | peace | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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| 16 | hoax | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner | Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift |
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