Surprise! Taylor Swift to drop her 8th studio album Folklore at midnight
“Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening,” said Taylor Swift, parroting nearly every person on the planet who has been impacted in even the slightest way by the pandemic. Some of us have been utilizing this unexpected bit of downtime to pick up a new skill while others apparently have the resources to write, record, and drop a brand new album with less than a day’s notice. But we promise, conquering needlepoint is still an excellent feat and we’re very proud of you.
Anyway, Swift took to her social media to announce the surprise arrival of her eighth studio album Folklore, which she plans to drop tonight. “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,” the “Blank Space” artist announced. “I wrote and recorded this music in isolation but got to collaborate with some musical heroes of mine.” Those heroes Swift speaks of include Aaron Dessner (who, as she notes, co-wrote the bulk of the album), Bon Iver, William Bowery, and producer extraordinaire Jack Antonoff, who recently worked with The Chicks’ for their newest album, Gaslighter.
The announcement of Swift’s eighth studio album arrives exactly nine months after the release of her critically acclaimed collection Lover, which A.V. Club contributor Annie Zaleski called in her reverent review “one of her strongest, most relatable albums to date.” Check out the track list below, per Billboard.
Folklore track list
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”