Folklore (Taylor Swift album)

Folklore (stylized in all lowercase) is the eighth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on July 24, 2020, by Republic Records. Conceived during quarantine in early 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the album explores themes of escapism, nostalgia, and romanticism. Swift recorded her vocals in her Los Angeles home studio and worked virtually with the producers Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, who operated from their studios in the Hudson Valley and New York City.

Using a set of characters and story arcs to depict fictional narratives, the album departs from the autobiographical songwriting that had characterized Swift's past albums. Experimenting with new musical styles, Folklore consists of mellow ballads driven by piano, strings, and muted percussion; music critics classify the genre as a blend of folk, pop, alternative, electronic, and rock subgenres. The album's title was inspired by the lasting legacy of folktales, and its visual aesthetic adopts a cottagecore style.

Folklore was accompanied by the concert documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, featuring Swift's commentary and performances. The album topped the charts in Australasia and various European countries and was certified platinum or higher in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200 and was the best-selling album of 2020. Three songs, "Cardigan", "The 1", and "Exile" featuring Bon Iver, reached the top 10 on international singles charts, with "Cardigan" peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Folklore received widespread critical acclaim for its emotional weight and intricate lyricism; some journalists commented that its introspective tone was timely for the pandemic, and they regarded its sound as a bold reinvention of Swift's artistry. Many publications featured the album on their 2020 year-end rankings, and Rolling Stone included it in their 2023 revision of their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. Folklore won Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making Swift the first woman to win the award three times. The album informed the concept of Swift's next record, Evermore (2020), boosted Dessner's reputation, and has inspired other artists' works.