:Folklore (Taylor Swift album)

In April 2020, Taylor Swift was set to embark on Lover Fest, a concert tour in support of her seventh studio album Lover (2019), which was cancelled following the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 23, 2020, nine photos were uploaded to Swift's Instagram account, all without captions, forming a black and white image of her standing alone in a forest. Subsequently, Swift made another post across all her social media accounts, announcing that her eighth studio album would be released at midnight; Swift stated: "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". She confirmed the image as the album's cover artwork and revealed the track list.{{cite news|last=O'Kane|first=Caitlin|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift announces surprise album, recorded 'in isolation'|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-folklore-new-album-surprise-recorded-isolation/|url-status=live|access-date=September 3, 2020|publisher=CBS News|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802193701/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-swift-folklore-new-album-surprise-recorded-isolation/}} The Wall Street Journal opined that the surprise announcement "caught fans and the music business off-guard".{{Cite news|last=Shah|first=Neil|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's New Album Folklore Is Making a Surprise Debut|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore-is-making-a-surprise-debut-11595538735|url-status=live|access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=September 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909231822/https://www.wsj.com/articles/taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore-is-making-a-surprise-debut-11595538735}} Billboard stated that it "blindsided the pop music world", arriving as "exciting news" during lockdown.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/9494859/best-albums-2020-top-50/|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020: Staff Picks|magazine=Billboard|date=December 7, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207193345/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/9494859/best-albums-2020-top-50/|url-status=live}} Folklore was released eleven months after Lover—the fastest turnaround for a Swift studio album at the time, beating the one year and nine months gap between Reputation (2017) and Lover. In another post, Swift announced that the music video for the track "Cardigan" would release at the same time as the album.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-to-release-surprise-eighth-album-folklore-tonight-2713735|title=Taylor Swift to release surprise eighth album Folklore tonight|last=Reilly|first=Nick|magazine=NME|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806100753/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-to-release-surprise-eighth-album-folklore-tonight-2713735|url-status=live}}

During the YouTube premiere countdown to the "Cardigan" music video, Swift hinted 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 songs explore a love triangle from all three people's perspectives at different times in their lives". 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",{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1173463/taylor-swift-s-folklore-album-lyrics-decoded-love-loss-and-a-quot-mad-woman-quot|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Album Lyrics Decoded: Love, Loss and a 'Mad Woman'|last=Cohen|first=Jess|publisher=E!|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724190454/https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1173463/taylor-swift-s-folklore-album-lyrics-decoded-love-loss-and-a-quot-mad-woman-quot|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} described "Cardigan" as a song that explores "lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently in our memories,"{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/listen-to-new-taylor-swift-song-cardigan-watch.html|title=Wrap Yourself Up in Taylor Swift's 'Cardigan' Music Video|last=Kircher|first=Madison Malone|website=Vulture|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726035706/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/listen-to-new-taylor-swift-song-cardigan-watch.html|archive-date=July 26, 2020|url-status=live}} and identified the self-written track, "My Tears Ricochet", as the first song she wrote for the album. Uproxx narrated, "on Thursday night, that hand-drawn 'T' and 'S' could be seen up and down the timeline. Music fans and critics across genres unveiled hot takes, quoted lyrics like Myspace teens writing on the back of textbooks or crafting the perfect AIM away message, and debated Folklore{{'s}} place in the unimpeachable Taylor Swift canon."{{cite web|last=Cosores|first=Philip|date=July 27, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Burns Bright in Dark Times|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-review/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132326/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-review/|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=September 3, 2020|website=Uproxx}}

Swift did not expect to create an album in early 2020. After the cancellation of Lover Fest,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9423659/taylor-swift-folklore-review-first-listen|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore: There's Nothing Quiet About This Songwriting Tour De Force|last=Lipshutz|first=Jason|magazine=Billboard|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724042030/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9423659/taylor-swift-folklore-review-first-listen|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} Swift quarantined herself, during which she watched numerous films and shows, such as Rear Window (1954), L.A. Confidential (1997), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Jane Eyre (2011), Marriage Story (2019), and The Last Dance (2020),{{Cite magazine|last=Warner|first=Denise|date=November 25, 2020|title=11 Things We Learned From Taylor Swift's Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9490082/folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions-taylor-swift-things-learned-taylor-swift|access-date=December 3, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126015900/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9490082/folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions-taylor-swift-things-learned-taylor-swift|url-status=live}} and read more books than she ever did, books that "dealt with times past, a world that doesn't exist anymore", such as Rebecca (1938) by Daphne du Maurier.{{Cite magazine|last=Doyle|first=Patrick|date=November 13, 2020|title=Musicians on Musicians: Taylor Swift & Paul McCartney|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-taylor-swift-musicians-on-musicians-1089058/|access-date=November 13, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130060712/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-taylor-swift-musicians-on-musicians-1089058/|url-status=live}} The fictions inspired Swift to venture beyond her usual autobiographical style of songwriting, and experiment with different narrative standpoints. In isolation during the lockdown, she let her imagination "run wild", ensuing in a set of imageries and visuals that consequently became Folklore.

{{Quote box|bgcolor=#f0f0f0|align=right|width=40%|salign=right|quote=It started with imagery. Visuals that popped into my mind and piqued my curiosity. Stars drawn around scars. A cardigan that still bears the scent of loss twenty years later. Battleships sinking into the ocean, down, down, down. The tree swing in the woods of my childhood. Hushed tones of "let's run away" and never doing it. The sun drenched month of August, sipped away like a bottle of wine. A mirrored disco ball hovering above a dance floor. A whiskey bottle beckoning. Hands held through plastic. A single thread that, for better or for worse, ties you to your fate. Pretty soon these images in my head grew faces or names and became characters. I found myself not only writing my own stories, but also writing about or from the perspective of people I've never met, people I've known, or those I wish I hadn't.|author= – Swift on developing Folklore|title=|source=Billboard}}

Some of the imageries the singer developed include: "An exiled man walking the bluffs of a land that isn't his own, wondering how it all went so terribly, terribly wrong. An embittered tormentor showing up at the funeral of his fallen object of obsession. A seventeen-year-old standing on a porch, learning to apologize. Lovestruck kids wandering up and down the evergreen High Line. My grandfather, Dean, landing at Guadalcanal in 1942. A misfit widow getting gleeful revenge on the town that cast her out".{{cite magazine|date=July 24, 2020|title='It Started With Imagery': Read Taylor Swift's Primer For Folklore|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9423740/read-taylor-swift-primer-folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724184421/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9423740/read-taylor-swift-primer-folklore|archive-date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} Swift "poured all of [her] whims, dreams, fears, and musings" into the songs, and reached out to her "musical heroes" to collaborate with.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9423029/how-taylor-swift-wrote-folklore-songs-in-hours|title=Taylor Swift Folklore Collaborator Reveals How They Wrote Songs in Just Hours|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|magazine=Billboard|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132326/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9423029/how-taylor-swift-wrote-folklore-songs-in-hours|url-status=live}} She initially planned to release Folklore in early 2021, but it "ended up being done" sooner, and released in July 2020 without giving it second thoughts. She approached the album's creation without subjecting herself to any rules, and explained that she "used to put all these parameters on [herself], like, "How will this song sound in a stadium? How will this song sound on radio?" If you take away all the parameters, what do you make? And I guess the answer is Folklore."

Swift's songwriting drifted towards escapism and romanticism for Folklore. She enlisted two producers to achieve her desired sound—her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, who worked with her on 1989 (2014), Reputation, and Lover, and first-time collaborator Aaron Dessner, guitarist of American indie rock band the National. Due to COVID-19 concerns, Swift, Antonoff and Dessner quarantined remotely, separate from each other, creating Folklore by continually exchanging digital files of instrumentals and vocals.{{cite magazine|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=November 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift to Release New Folklore Film, The Long Pond Studio Sessions|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-movie-long-pond-studio-sessions-1094615/|access-date=November 24, 2020|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124135743/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-movie-long-pond-studio-sessions-1094615/|url-status=live}} The album ensued from a DIY process,{{Cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift unveils William Bowery's identity, and more revelations from Folklore concert film|url=https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-folklore-concert-film-revelations/|access-date=December 26, 2020|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-date=August 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806120124/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-folklore-concert-film-revelations/|url-status=live}} mixed and engineered by personnel scattered across the US.

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Swift had previously met the National on a Saturday Night Live episode in 2014, and attended one of their concerts in 2019, where she talked to Dessner and his twin brother Bryce.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-nationals-aaron-dessner-talks-taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore/|title=The National's Aaron Dessner Talks Taylor Swift's New Album Folklore|last=Sodomsky|first=Sam|website=Pitchfork|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020|archive-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725001630/https://pitchfork.com/news/the-nationals-aaron-dessner-talks-taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore/|url-status=live}} She asked Aaron Dessner about his songwriting technique, because it is her "favorite thing to ask people who I'm a fan of", and he replied his band members live in different parts of the world, and that he would make instrumental tracks and send them to the lead singer, Matt Berninger, who would write the lyrics—this ignited Swift's idea to create music in quarantine.

Due to the pandemic, all recording studios were closed, so Swift built a home studio at her Los Angeles residence, named Kitty Committee, with help from engineer Laura Sisk. Antonoff, with whom Swift worked on five songs from the album, operated from New York City while Sisk recorded Swift's vocals in Los Angeles. "My Tears Ricochet" was the first song written for Folklore. Swift wrote it about her ties with Scott Borchetta, founder of her old record label, coming to an abrupt end. Antonoff compared the writing process of "Mirrorball" and "August" to that of "Out of the Woods" (2016).{{cite web|title=jack antonoff on Instagram: "folklore:: working with taylor is a full connection to all of the wonder of making music. knowing her and making work with her gives me..."|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CDB0Gz3pIeY/|access-date=August 4, 2020|publisher=Instagram|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132326/https://www.instagram.com/p/CDB0Gz3pIeY/|url-status=live}} Swift wrote "Mirrorball" following the cancellation of Lover Fest, as an ode to fans who find solace in her music and concerts.{{Cite magazine|last=Hess|first=Liam|date=November 27, 2020|title=5 Things We Learned Watching Taylor Swift's Surprise New Folklore Documentary|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/folklore-documentary-takeaways|access-date=November 30, 2020|magazine=British Vogue|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202065626/https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/folklore-documentary-takeaways|url-status=live}} She wrote "August" about a fictitious mistress, and "This Is Me Trying" based on multiple narratives, such as dealing with addiction, and her own mental health in 2016–2017 when she felt she was "worth absolutely nothing."

In late April, Swift approached Dessner to co-write some songs remotely. He worked on eleven of the album's 16 tracks over the next few months.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9422960/taylor-swift-releasing-surprise-eighth-album-folklore|title=Taylor Swift Was Bummed About Her Summer Plans Not Panning Out, So She's Releasing a New Album... Tonight|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|magazine=Billboard|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723132414/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9422960/taylor-swift-releasing-surprise-eighth-album-folklore|archive-date=July 23, 2020|url-status=live}} Dessner "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 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."{{cite web|last=Gerber|first=Brady|date=July 27, 2020|title=The Story Behind Every Song on Taylor Swift's Folklore|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-aaron-dessner-breaks-down-every-song.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728234347/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-aaron-dessner-breaks-down-every-song.html|archive-date=July 28, 2020|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Vulture}} Swift and Dessner "were pretty much in touch daily for three or four months by text and phone calls." He would mail her folders of instrumentals, and she would write the "entire top line"—melody and lyrics, and "he wouldn't know what the song would be about, what it was going to be called, where [she] was going to put the chorus." The first song the duo wrote was "Cardigan", which is based on one of Dessner's sketches called "Maple". "Cardigan" was followed by "Seven" and "Peace".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/aaron-dessner-taylor-swift-interview-folklore-1033870/|title=How Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift Stripped Down Her Sound on Folklore|last=Blistein|first=Jon|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020|archive-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729093538/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/aaron-dessner-taylor-swift-interview-folklore-1033870/|url-status=live}} Upon hearing the composition of "Peace", Swift felt an "immediate sense of serenity" that roused the feeling of being peaceful, but felt it would be "too on-the-nose" to sing about finding peace; she instead wrote about complex "conflicted" feelings contrasting the track's calming sound, and recorded it in one vocal take.File:Rebekah Harkness publicity photo.jpg, the former owner of Swift's Rhode Island house, is the muse behind the third track "The Last Great American Dynasty".|alt=|250x250px]]A few weeks later, when Swift and Dessner had written "six or seven" songs, she explained him her concept of Folklore. She told him about the work she had done earlier with Antonoff, concluding that both of her works resonate as an album. Swift and Dessner also wrote "The Last Great American Dynasty", "Mad Woman", and "Epiphany", the first of which has an array of electric guitars inspired by Radiohead's 2007 surprise album In Rainbows. The lyrics document American socialite Rebekah Harkness, whom Swift had been wanting to write about ever since she bought the Holiday House in 2013. Dessner composed the piano melody for "Mad Woman" with his earlier work on "Cardigan" and "Seven" in mind. On "Epiphany", he slowed down and reversed the sounds of different instruments to create a "giant stack of harmony", and added piano for a cinematic trope. Swift wrote the song based on the experiences of her veteran grandfather, and healthcare workers in the pandemic.

Swift wrote two songs, "Exile" and "Betty", with her then boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn. She developed "Exile" as a duet, and Dessner recorded a draft of her singing both the male and female parts. Swift and Dessner ran through candidates for the male partner, and Swift liked the voice of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, who is one half of the American indie rock band Big Red Machine along with Dessner. Dessner sent the song to Vernon, who liked the song, added his own lyrics and sang his part. "Betty" is the only song on the album produced by both Dessner and Antonoff; Swift was influenced by Bob Dylan's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963) and John Wesley Harding (1967) for its composition. Alwyn used the pseudonym William Bowery for his credits. Upon the album's release, mainstream media and fans pointed out Bowery's lack of online presence,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-new-album-folklore-release-date-1032962/|title=Hear Taylor Swift's New Album Folklore|last=Blistein|first=Jon|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 29, 2020|archive-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725062452/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-new-album-folklore-release-date-1032962/|url-status=live}} and presumed that it was actually a pseudonym for Alwyn, which was later ultimately confirmed by Swift.{{Cite magazine|last=Bailey|first=Alyssa|date=July 24, 2020|title=Is Taylor Swift's Boyfriend Joe Alwyn Credited as William Bowery on Folklore?|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a33405200/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-william-bowery-folklore-songwriter-theory/|access-date=October 28, 2020|magazine=Elle|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031043203/https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a33405200/taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-william-bowery-folklore-songwriter-theory/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|date=July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift fans are trying to work out who the mysterious William Bowery is|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-william-bowery-exile-betty-a9635711.html|access-date=October 28, 2020|work=The Independent|archive-date=October 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031165542/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-william-bowery-exile-betty-a9635711.html|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-confirms-the-identity-of-folklore-song-co-writer-william-bowery-2825041|title=Taylor Swift confirms the identity of Folklore song co-writer William Bowery|first=Elizabeth|last=Aubrey|magazine=NME|date=November 25, 2020|access-date=November 25, 2020|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117010559/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-confirms-the-identity-of-folklore-song-co-writer-william-bowery-2825041|url-status=live}} Swift added that he also penned the chorus of "Betty", and the piano line and first verse in "Exile".{{Cite news|date=November 25, 2020|title=Taylor Swift confirms boyfriend Joe Alwyn is mystery Folklore co-writer|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55076602|access-date=November 26, 2020|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125170335/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55076602|url-status=live}} The last two songs written were "The 1" and "Hoax", the first and last songs on the album respectively; Swift wrote both in a span of few hours. Speaking about his collaboration with her, Dessner 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."{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swfit-folklore-national-who-is-aaron-dessner-1234714584/|title=Who Is Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift's Main Collaborator on Folklore?|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|magazine=Variety|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132327/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-national-who-is-aaron-dessner-1234714584/|url-status=live}}

In a November 2020 Rolling Stone interview with Paul McCartney, Swift stated she began using words in the album's lyrics that she always wanted to use, not worrying about whether it would suit radio. She used "bigger, flowerier, prettier" words such as "epiphany", "elegies" and "divorcée", just because they "sound beautiful". Swift disclosed that she maintains lists of such words, and recalled using one such, "kaleidoscope", in "Welcome to New York" (2014). In a December 2020 Entertainment Weekly interview, Swift said the lyrics, melodies, and production of Folklore are the way she wanted them, without subjecting to others' expectations.

{{Blockquote|text=Taylor has opened the door for artists to not feel pressure to have "the bop". To make the record that she made, while running against what is programmed in radio at the highest levels of pop music—she has kind of made an anti-pop record.|author=Dessner on Swift's new sonic direction in Folklore|source=Billboard{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9449110/aaron-dessner-taylor-swift-folklore-grammys|title='There Were Fireworks, Musically': Aaron Dessner Opens Up About Making Folklore With Taylor Swift|last=Havens|first=Lyndsey|date=September 17, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 19, 2020|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919183723/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9449110/aaron-dessner-taylor-swift-folklore-grammys|url-status=live}}}}

Folklore was written and recorded in secrecy. Swift, her boyfriend, family, management team, Antonoff, and Dessner were aware of the album's creation; she did not disclose the news or play the album to her friends as she did with her previous works. Near the end of Folklore{{'s}} recording process, Dessner reached out to his regular collaborators, including the National bandmates, to provide instrumentation remotely. Bryce orchestrated several songs, while Bryan Devendorf performed the drums in "Seven". Dessner kept Swift's involvement confidential from his family and colleagues until announcement.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/aaron-dessner-says-he-kept-taylor-swift-collaboration-secret-from-8-year-old-daughter-2715178|title=Aaron Dessner says he kept Taylor Swift collaboration secret from 8-year-old daughter|last=Richard|first=Will|magazine=NME|date=July 26, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020|archive-date=August 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801045723/https://www.nme.com/news/music/aaron-dessner-says-he-kept-taylor-swift-collaboration-secret-from-8-year-old-daughter-2715178|url-status=live}} While filming the "Cardigan" music video, Swift wore an earpiece and lip-synced to the song to prevent it from leaking.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-rodrigo-prieto-folklore-1037586/|title=Taylor Swift's Cinematographer: How We Shot Folklore Video During a Pandemic|last=Shaffer|first=Claire|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 31, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802035644/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-rodrigo-prieto-folklore-1037586/|url-status=live}} Dessner stated that Swift's label, Republic Records, was unaware of the album until hours before its launch.

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| quote = 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.

| author = – Swift on the concept of Folklore

| source = Instagram{{cite news|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CDAsU8BDzLt/|title=Taylor Swift on Instagram|date=July 24, 2020|publisher=Instagram|access-date=August 20, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132347/https://www.instagram.com/p/CDAsU8BDzLt/|url-status=live}}

}}

The standard edition of Folklore is about an hour and three minutes long, consisting of 16 tracks, while the deluxe edition adds a bonus song, "The Lakes", as the seventeenth track. Bon Iver is featured on "Exile", the fourth track. Folklore was written and produced by Swift, Dessner, Antonoff, and Alwyn, with additional writing credit to Vernon, the lead vocalist of Bon Iver, on "Exile".{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/taylor-swift-releases-new-album-folklore-listen-and-read-the-full-credits/|title=Taylor Swift Releases New Album Folklore: Listen and Read the Full Credits|last1=Strauss|first1=Matthew|last2=Minsker|first2=Evan|website=Pitchfork|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132536/https://pitchfork.com/news/taylor-swift-releases-new-album-folklore-listen-and-read-the-full-credits/|url-status=live}} It is Swift's first album to carry an explicit content label.{{Cite magazine|last=Urbanek|first=Sydney|date=November 26, 2020|title=Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions review – A triumphant debut from Taylor Swift|url=https://lwlies.com/reviews/folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions/|access-date=November 29, 2020|magazine=Little White Lies|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127222816/https://lwlies.com/reviews/folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions/|url-status=live}}

Critics mostly categorize Folklore as an alternative, indie folk, and electro-folk album departing from the pop maximalism and synth-driven sound of Swift's previous works.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9429444/grammys-taylor-swift-folklore-pop-or-alternative|title=Will the Grammys Classify Taylor Swift's Folklore as Pop or Alternative?|first=Paul|last=Grein|date=August 4, 2020|access-date=November 23, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125051611/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9429444/grammys-taylor-swift-folklore-pop-or-alternative/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5915313/best-albums-2020/|title=The 10 best albums of 2020|last1=Bruner|first1=Raisa|first2=Andrew R.|last2=Chow|magazine=Time|date=November 27, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128223940/https://time.com/5915313/best-albums-2020/|url-status=live}} It also incorporates indie rock,{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Ellen|date=July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Morphs Her Sound Yet Again on the Stunning Folklore|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/taylor-swift/folklore-album-review/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725181901/https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/taylor-swift/folklore-album-review/|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|magazine=Paste}} electronica, dream pop,{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/taylor-swift-s-new-album-is-a-fever-dream-you-won-t-want-to-wake-up-from-20200724-p55f4s.html|title=Taylor Swift's new album is a fever dream you won't want to wake up from|access-date=July 24, 2020|last=Nguyen|first=Giselle Au-Nhien|date=July 24, 2020|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724073328/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/taylor-swift-s-new-album-is-a-fever-dream-you-won-t-want-to-wake-up-from-20200724-p55f4s.html|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} country, and folk rock elements.{{Cite magazine|last=Winograd|first=Jeremy|date=August 23, 2021|title=Review: Big Red Machine's How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? Is a Group Effort|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/big-red-machine-how-long-do-you-think-its-gonna-last-album-review/|access-date=August 25, 2021|magazine=Slant Magazine|archive-date=August 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825205250/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/big-red-machine-how-long-do-you-think-its-gonna-last-album-review/|url-status=live}} NME{{'s}} Hannah Mylrea wrote the album "dives headfirst into the world of folk, alternative rock and indie", while the same magazine's Gary Ryan classified it as indietronica and chamber pop.{{Cite magazine|last=Ryan|first=Gary|date=March 9, 2021|title=The best lockdown albums – ranked on order of greatness|url=https://www.nme.com/features/the-best-lockdown-albums-ranked-folklore-nick-cave-carnage-2896069|access-date=March 9, 2021|magazine=NME|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309194010/https://www.nme.com/features/the-best-lockdown-albums-ranked-folklore-nick-cave-carnage-2896069|url-status=live}} Kaelen Bell of Exclaim! said Folklore is a laid-back pop record,{{cite magazine|last=Bell|first=Kaelen|date=July 27, 2020|title=Despite Her Best Efforts, Taylor Swift's Folklore Is Still a Pop Album|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/taylor_swift_folklore_album_review|access-date=February 21, 2021|magazine=Exclaim!|archive-date=March 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306080815/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/taylor_swift_folklore_album_review|url-status=live}} Variety{{'s}} Chris Willman and Pitchfork{{'s}} Jillian Mapes specified it as chamber pop, Michael Sumsion of PopMatters described it as a blend of chamber-pop and alt-folk,{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/best-albums-of-2020-2649094823.html|title=The 60 Best Albums of 2020|website=PopMatters|date=December 7, 2020|access-date=December 7, 2020|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207164123/https://www.popmatters.com/best-albums-of-2020-2649094823.html|url-status=live}} and Raisa Bruner of Time deemed it "alternative pop-folk". Music journalist Amanda Petrusich, reviewing for The New Yorker, felt Folklore is a "genre-less" record that drifts toward atmospheric pop rather than folk.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore|title=Taylor Swift's Intimate 'Indie' Album, Folklore|first=Amanda|last=Petrusich|author-link=Amanda Petrusich|magazine=The New Yorker|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=November 23, 2020|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129174031/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore|url-status=live}} In disagreement, The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica called it an atmospheric rock album abandoning pop. Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic said the album "swims through intricate classical and folk instrumentation" held together by electronic music.

Devoid of radio-friendly pop songs,{{cite magazine|last=Keefe|first=Jonathan|date=July 27, 2020|title=Review: With Folklore, Taylor Swift Mines Pathos from a Widening Worldview|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132417/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-with-folklore-taylor-swift-mines-pathos-from-a-widening-worldview/|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|magazine=Slant Magazine}} Folklore eschews the mainstream sound of Swift's older works. It consists of mellow, cinematic, slow-paced ballads, with a minimal, lo-fi production,{{Cite news|last=Brown|first=Helen|date=December 11, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's new album Evermore is full of haunting tales – review|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-review-evermore-b1769916.html|access-date=September 24, 2021|work=The Independent|archive-date=December 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212001529/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-review-evermore-b1769916.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Young|first=Alex|date=November 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift announces Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions concert film|url=https://consequence.net/2020/11/taylor-swift-folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions-film/|access-date=November 24, 2020|website=Consequence|archive-date=April 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415060254/https://consequence.net/2020/11/taylor-swift-folklore-the-long-pond-studio-sessions-film/|url-status=live}} and elegant melodies, together lending a modern spin on traditional songwriting. It is built around soft, sparse and sonorous pianos, moody, picked and burbling guitars, glitchy and fractured electronic elements, subliminal, throbbing percussions, mellow programmed drums, Mellotron, sweeping orchestrations with ethereal strings and meditative horns.{{cite news|last=McKenna|first=Lyndsey|date=July 24, 2020|title=Stream Taylor Swift's New Album, Folklore|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/24/894861412/stream-taylor-swift-new-album-folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724154304/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/24/894861412/stream-taylor-swift-new-album-folklore|archive-date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|publisher=NPR}} The album does not fully avoid plush synths and programmed beats characteristic of Swift's pop music, but instead dials them down to a subtle texture, delivering an electro-acoustic soundscape,{{cite web|last=Sumsion|first=Michael|date=July 29, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Abandons Stadium-Pop for a New Tonal Approach on Folklore|url=https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-2646821264.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731005457/https://www.popmatters.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-2646821264.html|archive-date=July 31, 2020|access-date=August 13, 2020|website=PopMatters}} which highlights Swift's voice and lyrics.{{cite magazine|last=Campbell|first=Caleb|date=July 29, 2020|title=Folklore|url=http://undertheradarmag.com/reviews/taylor_swift_folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809205350/http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/taylor_swift_folklore/|archive-date=August 9, 2020|access-date=August 13, 2020|magazine=Under The Radar}} Rolling Stone stated the album's tone resembles "Safe & Sound", Swift's 2012 single for The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond. The Ringer noted that Antonoff confers a synth-based style to the record, while Dessner contributes a piano-leaning sound, and linked Folklore to two songs on Lover—"The Archer" and "It's Nice to Have a Friend"—as Swift's albums "usually have a couple tracks that harken back to the previous album or wind up connecting them to the next".{{Cite web|last=Princiotti|first=Nora|date=July 24, 2020|title=The Folklore FAQ|url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/7/24/21337262/taylor-swift-folklore-explained-joe-alwyn-bon-iver|access-date=November 7, 2020|website=The Ringer|archive-date=October 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017235459/https://www.theringer.com/music/2020/7/24/21337262/taylor-swift-folklore-explained-joe-alwyn-bon-iver|url-status=live}}

Folklore consists of songs exploring points of view that diverge from Swift's life, including third-person narratives written from perspectives of characters that interweave across the tracks. Its songwriting style combines balladeering with autobiographical experiences and character-driven storytelling,{{cite web |last=Weatherby |first=Taylor |date=March 10, 2021 |title=Taylor Swift's Road To Folklore |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/taylor-swift-folklore-2021-grammys |access-date=November 24, 2021 |publisher=Grammy.com |archive-date=November 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125232010/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/taylor-swift-folklore-2021-grammys |url-status=live }} and is primarily distinguished by themes of wistfulness, escapism,{{Cite news|last=McRedmond|first=Finn|date=July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift: Folklore review – A triumph of wistful, escapist melancholy|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review-a-triumph-of-wistful-escapist-melancholy-1.4312625|access-date=September 24, 2021|newspaper=The Irish Times|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230090909/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review-a-triumph-of-wistful-escapist-melancholy-1.4312625|url-status=live}} nostalgia, contemplation,{{Cite news|last=Bromwich|first=Kathryn|date=December 8, 2020|title=The 50 best albums of 2020, No 9: Taylor Swift – Folklore|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/dec/08/the-best-albums-of-2020-no-9-taylor-swift-folklore|access-date=December 30, 2020|work=The Guardian|archive-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721115636/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/dec/08/the-best-albums-of-2020-no-9-taylor-swift-folklore|url-status=live}} and empathy. Although Swift opted for a new sound, the album retains stylistic aspects of her trademark songwriting, such as mournful delivery and bildungsroman passion.

Compared to much of her older discography, Folklore reflected Swift's deepening self-awareness, introspection, and vivid storytelling that showed a higher degree of fictionalization and fewer self-references, culminating in an outward-looking approach. The lyricism is both personal and fictional, and a blend of both at times.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2020/|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020|website=Pitchfork|date=December 8, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208145103/http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2020/|url-status=live}} The emotional and narrative range of Folklore is widened by expanding the focus from Swift's personal stories to imagined characters and personifications.

The narratives described in Folklore include a ghost finding its murderer at its funeral, a seven-year-old girl with a traumatized friend, an old widow spurned by her town, recovering alcoholics, and a love triangle between the fictional characters Betty, James, and an unnamed woman,{{NoteTag|Though not mentioned in the album, Swift refers to the unnamed narrator of "August" as Augustine or Augusta.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-movie-disney-1095464/|title=The Thanksgiving Miracle of Taylor Swift's Acoustic Folklore Session|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 25, 2020|access-date=September 23, 2021|first=Rob|last=Sheffield|author-link=Rob Sheffield|archive-date=February 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217214326/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-movie-disney-1095464/|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|last=Lipshutz|first=Jason|date=July 24, 2021|title=Taylor Swift Releases 'The Lakes (Original Version)' on Folklore One-Year Anniversary: Listen Now|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9605979/taylor-swift-the-lakes-original-version-folklore-one-year-anniversary/|access-date=September 23, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724150145/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9605979/taylor-swift-the-lakes-original-version-folklore-one-year-anniversary/|url-status=live}}}} as depicted in the tracks "Cardigan", "Betty" and "August", with each of the three songs written from each of the character's perspective in different times in their lives. NPR's Ann Powers defined Folklore as a "body constructed of memory, a shared sense of the world, built of myths, heard stories", based on the idea that "we each have our own folklore", with the album being Swift's folklore.{{cite news|date=July 28, 2020|title=Let's Talk About Taylor Swift's Folklore|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896193188/taylor-swift-folklore-critics-roundtable|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730020352/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896193188/taylor-swift-folklore-critics-roundtable|archive-date=July 30, 2020|access-date=July 30, 2020|publisher=NPR}} Many songs on the album exude a cinematic quality in their lyrics,{{cite web|last=Ahlgrim|first=Callie|date=July 30, 2020|title=Every detail and Easter egg you may have missed on Taylor Swift's new album Folklore|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-easter-eggs-2020-7|access-date=August 5, 2020|website=Insider|archive-date=December 2, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211202000344/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-easter-eggs-2020-7|url-status=live}} and reference objects and phenomena in nature, such as a solar eclipse, Saturn, auroras, purple-pink skies, salt air, weeds, and Wisteria.{{Cite news|last=Opperman|first=Jeff|date=March 12, 2021|title=Taylor Swift Is Bringing Us Back to Nature|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/opinion/taylor-swift-grammys-nature-lyrics.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/opinion/taylor-swift-grammys-nature-lyrics.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=March 12, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

"The 1", the opening track, is a soft rock tune{{Cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=January 1, 2021|title=Year in Review: The Best Songs of 2020|url=https://variety.com/lists/best-songs-2020-year-review/|access-date=January 1, 2021|magazine=Variety|archive-date=January 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101212954/https://variety.com/lists/best-songs-2020-year-review/|url-status=live}} driven by a bouncy arrangement of piano, minimal percussion, and electronic accents. In the perspective of Swift's friend, "The 1" describes a new-found positive approach to life and past love, wishing they could have been soulmates. The slow-burning "Cardigan" is a folk{{cite web|last1=Ahlgrim|first1=Callie|last2=Larocca|first2=Courteney|date=July 25, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore might be the best album of her entire career|url=https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-tracklist-breakdown-2020-7|access-date=July 27, 2020|website=Insider|archive-date=December 2, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211202000949/https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-tracklist-breakdown-2020-7|url-status=live}} ballad driven by moody, stripped-down instrumentals consisting of drums and tender piano;{{cite web|last=Ivie|first=Devon|date=August 8, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Doesn't See 'Betty' As Queer Canon|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/08/taylor-swift-confirms-folklore-theories-about-betty.html|access-date=September 16, 2021|website=Vulture|archive-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916040148/https://www.vulture.com/2020/08/taylor-swift-confirms-folklore-theories-about-betty.html|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|date=July 24, 2020|title=Folklore Is Taylor Swift's Smoldering Pop Rebellion – Finally|url=https://www.spin.com/2020/07/folklore-is-taylor-swifts-smoldering-pop-rebellion-finally/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726204709/https://www.spin.com/2020/07/folklore-is-taylor-swifts-smoldering-pop-rebellion-finally/|archive-date=July 26, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|magazine=Spin}} Swift sings from the perspective of a fictional character named Betty, who recalls the separation and enduring optimism of a relationship with a boy named James.

"The Last Great American Dynasty" is an alternative indie pop tune with classical instruments like slide guitar, viola, violins, drums and glitchy production elements.{{cite magazine|last=Ovenden|first=Olivia|date=August 3, 2020|title=Dance Away The Bad News with the Best Albums Of 2020 (So Far)|url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a30427570/best-albums-2020/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527233331/https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a30427570/best-albums-2020/|archive-date=May 27, 2020|access-date=September 19, 2020|magazine=Esquire (UK)}} The satirical song tells the story of Rebekah Harkness, the founder of Harkness Ballet, when she resided in Swift's Rhode Island mansion. It details how Harkness married into an upper-class family, was hated by the town, and blamed for the death of her then-husband and heir to Standard Oil, William Harkness (referred to in the song as Bill), and the fall of his family's name, and draws parallels with Swift's life.{{cite magazine|last=Mamo|first=Heran|date=July 27, 2020|title=6 Things to Know About Rebekah Harkness, the Muse Behind Taylor Swift's 'The Last Great American Dynasty'|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9425348/6-things-to-know-rebekah-harkness-taylor-swift-the-last-great-american-dynasty|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730090259/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9425348/6-things-to-know-rebekah-harkness-taylor-swift-the-last-great-american-dynasty|archive-date=July 30, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}{{cite news|last=Bruner|first=Raisa|date=July 24, 2020|title=Let's Break Down Taylor Swift's Tender New Album Folklore|url=https://time.com/5871159/taylor-swift-folklore-explained/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731135229/https://time.com/5871159/taylor-swift-folklore-explained/|archive-date=July 31, 2020|access-date=August 4, 2020|magazine=Time}} "Exile" is a gospel-influenced, indie folk{{cite web|last=Curto|first=Justin|date=July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift and Bon Iver Find Perfect Harmony on 'Exile'|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-exile-bon-iver-song-review.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725004440/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-exile-bon-iver-song-review.html|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|website=Vulture}} duet with Bon Iver, fusing Swift's soft vocals with Vernon's growling baritone,{{cite magazine|last=Mamo|first=Heran|date=July 24, 2020|title=What's Your Favorite Song on Taylor Swift's Folklore? Vote!|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9424164/favorite-folklore-song-taylor-swift-poll|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726054241/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9424164/favorite-folklore-song-taylor-swift-poll|archive-date=July 26, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} serving as an unspoken, argumentative conversation between two former lovers. It begins with a plodding piano and reaches a dramatic climax accompanied by strings, synths{{cite web|last=Nilles|first=Billy|date=July 25, 2020|title=The MixtapE! Presents Taylor Swift, Brandy and More New Music Musts|url=https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1173607/the-mixtape-presents-taylor-swift-brandy-and-more-new-music-musts|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725151952/https://www.eonline.com/ap/news/1173607/the-mixtape-presents-taylor-swift-brandy-and-more-new-music-musts|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|publisher=E!}} and harmonies.

{{listen

| type = Music

| filename = Mirrorball by Taylor Swift.ogg

| title = "Mirrorball"

| description = The instrumentation of "Mirrorball", the sixth track, is characterized by its jangle, tambourine,{{Cite news|last=Kornhaber|first=Spencer|date=July 28, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Is No Longer Living in the Present|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-review-power-storytelling/614698/|access-date=October 3, 2020|work=The Atlantic|archive-date=October 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004103310/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-review-power-storytelling/614698/|url-status=live}} and "nervous dance-floor" sensibility.

| filename2 = Seven by Taylor Swift (music sample).ogg

| title2 = "Seven"

| description2 = The seventh track, "Seven", opens with Swift's "lustrous" upper register.

}}

Sung from the perspective of a deceased lover's ghost, "My Tears Ricochet" is an icy arena-goth song{{cite news|last=Wood|first=Mikael|date=July 26, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore: All 16 songs, ranked|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-26/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked|access-date=September 24, 2020|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|archive-date=March 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329230604/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-26/taylor-swift-folklore-songs-ranked|url-status=live}} that reflects on the tensions following the end of a marital relationship, using funereal imagery—a metaphor for Scott Borchetta and his sale of the masters of Swift's older catalogue.{{Cite magazine|last=Suskind|first=Alex|date=December 9, 2020|title=Taylor Swift broke all her rules with Folklore – and gave herself a much-needed escape|url=https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-entertainers-of-the-year-2020/|access-date=December 8, 2020|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-date=March 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312063543/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swift-entertainers-of-the-year-2020/|url-status=live}} It encompasses a music box, backing choir, reverbed ad-libs in the bridge, and reaches a tumultuous climax over shuddering drums.{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Jody|date=July 24, 2020|title=Review: Taylor Swift's radically intimate Folklore is the perfect quar album|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-24/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review|access-date=August 13, 2020|work=Los Angeles Times|archive-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811075211/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-24/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review|url-status=live}} "Mirrorball" is a folk-tinged dream pop song, driven by pedal steel and twanging guitars.{{cite magazine |last=Kaplan |first=Ilana |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Is at Her Most Emotionally Raw On Surprise New Album Folklore |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/taylor-swift-folklore |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725223013/https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/taylor-swift-folklore |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |access-date=July 27, 2020 |magazine=British Vogue}} Its lyrics portray Swift as a disco ball, pertaining to the reflective quality, describing her ability to entertain people with her music by making herself vulnerable and sensitive.{{cite web |last=Gutowitz |first=Jill |date=July 24, 2020 |title=What Is Every Song on Taylor Swift's Folklore Actually About? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-every-folklore-song-explained.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730194750/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-every-folklore-song-explained.html |archive-date=July 30, 2020 |access-date=August 4, 2020 |website=Vulture}}

In "Seven", Swift sings in an innocent tone, reminiscing about an abused friend from her childhood in Pennsylvania, whom she cannot fully remember but still has fond memories of, over a resonant arrangement consisting of flurrying strings and piano. "August" is a gloomy dream-pop song that captures the summer affair between two young lovers—a naive girl who is seen holding on to a boy that "wasn't hers to lose"; the boy is revealed to be James, later in the album. The song depicts the girl grieve and yearn over her love, using Swift's light and breezy delivery, "yo-yoing" vocal yelps, and a grandiose production driven by acoustic guitar, glistening vocal reverb, and key changes.

The ninth track, "This Is Me Trying", is an orchestral pop song detailing the accountability and regret of an alcoholic who admits feeling inadequate. It contains Swift's "ghostly", reverberated vocals and a gradually growing, dense production. Over an acoustic arrangement of finger-plucked strings and soft horns, "Illicit Affairs" unfolds the infidelity of a disloyal narrator, and highlights the measures they carry out to keep the affair a secret. "Invisible String" is a folk song that provides a glimpse into Swift's love life with Alwyn, recounting the "invisible" connection between them that they were not aware of until they met, alluding to an East Asian folk myth called the Red Thread of Fate. It comprises an acoustic riff, thumping vocal backbeats, a distinct passive writing style, and references her older songs.

File:Lake Windermere on a misty morning.JPG", Swift sings about her vacation with her lover to Windermere, the largest lake in England.|alt=|left|250x250px]]

"Mad Woman" tackles the taboo linked with female anger, using sarcastic remarks at sexism, as Folklore{{'s}} moment of vituperation. It metaphorically describes Swift's dispute with Borchetta and Scooter Braun, painting the story of a deviant widow getting revenge, with references to witch hunts. "Epiphany" is an ambient hymn. It depicts the devastation of the pandemic, paying homage to healthcare workers, with whom she empathizes, comparing them to traumatized military soldiers, such as her veteran grandfather, Dean, who fought at the Battle of Guadalcanal (1942). The song is carried by a glacial piano, and a howling brass.

The fourteenth track, "Betty", is a country and folk rock song with prominent harmonica. It describes the relationship narrated in "Cardigan", but in the perspective of the cheating boyfriend James, who had a summer fling with the female narrator of "August". James apologizes for his past actions but does not fully own up to them, citing excuses. Its characters (Betty, James, and Inez) are named after the daughters of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.{{Cite magazine|last=Huff|first=Lauren|date=July 29, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's teenage love triangle songs on Folklore explained|url=https://ew.com/music/taylor-swifts-teenage-love-triangle-songs-folklore-explained/|access-date=August 12, 2021|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216183726/https://ew.com/music/taylor-swifts-teenage-love-triangle-songs-folklore-explained/|url-status=live}} The R&B-inclining "Peace" features jazzy vocals with a complex vocal melody. over a pulse juxtaposed with three lushly harmonized basslines, complemented by minimal synths and a drizzling piano. Lyrically, "Peace" is an ode to Swift's lover, dissects the effects of hectic stardom on her relationship and warns the subject of future challenges.{{cite magazine|last=Gardner |first=Abby |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Taylor Swift Folklore Album Review: Breaking Down All the References and Easter Eggs |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806063805/https://www.glamour.com/story/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |access-date=August 4, 2020 |magazine=Glamour}}

The standard edition of the album closes with "Hoax", a slow piano ballad with emotionally raw lyrics that detail a flawed but everlasting relationship, ending the album on a despondent note of sadness.{{cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=August 8, 2020|title=Taylor Swift, Prince, Bon Iver and More in Fri 5, the Best Songs of the Week|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-lakes-prince-cosmic-day-bon-iver-omar-apollo-alexander-23-best-songs-1234729122/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808011012/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-lakes-prince-cosmic-day-bon-iver-omar-apollo-alexander-23-best-songs-1234729122/|archive-date=August 8, 2020|access-date=August 8, 2020|magazine=Variety}} The deluxe bonus track, "The Lakes", is a string-laden midtempo song that introspects on Swift's semi-retirement in England's Lake District; the location is also mentioned in "Invisible String". Imagining a red rose growing out of tundra "with no one around to tweet it", Swift fantasizes about a social-media-free utopia, referencing William Wordsworth, an English poet known for his Romantic writings.

{{Blockquote|text=From the very beginning, Taylor had a clear idea of what she wanted for the album's visuals. We looked at Surrealist work, imagery that toyed with human scale in nature. We also looked at early autochromes, ambrotypes, and photo storybooks from the 1940s.|title=Meet the photographer behind Taylor Swift's Folklore artwork|source=i-D{{cite news|url=https://i-d.co/article/beth-garrabrant-photographer-behind-taylor-swift-folklore-artwork/|title=Meet the photographer behind Taylor Swift's Folklore artwork|last=Whitfield|first=Zoe|date=September 24, 2020|magazine=i-D|access-date=October 16, 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904153719/https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/z3ed8e/beth-garrabrant-photographer-behind-taylor-swift-folklore-artwork|url-status=live}}|author=Beth Garrabrant}}

Folklore{{'s}} album art, packaging, and lyric videos were created through a DIY approach. Swift collaborated with photographer Beth Garrabrant for the artworks, without a technical team due to COVID-19 concerns. The photoshoot marked a change from Swift's older shoots, where she would have "100 people on set, commanding alongside other people in a very committee fashion." She styled herself, including hair, makeup and wardrobe, and prescribed Garrabrant a specific moodboard. The photographs are characterized by a grayscale, black and white filter.{{cite web|last=Frank|first=Allegra|date=July 24, 2020|title=The 6 songs that explain Taylor Swift's new album, Folklore|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/7/24/21337105/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-best-songs-rebekah-harkness|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725095618/https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/7/24/21337105/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-best-songs-rebekah-harkness|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=August 3, 2020|website=Vox}}

The standard cover art depicts Swift as a 19th-century pioneer sleepwalking in a nightgown. She is seen standing alone in a misty forest covered by morning fog, wearing a long, double-breasted plaid coat over a white prairie dress, gazing at the height of the trees.{{cite web|last=Wohlmacher|first=John|date=July 27, 2020|title=Album Review: Taylor Swift – Folklore|url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728162240/https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/|archive-date=July 28, 2020|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=Beats Per Minute}} On the backside cover, she stands turned away from the camera, wearing a slouchy flannel-lined denim jacket slumped around her arms, and a white lace frock, with two loose braided buns low over her nape, similar to American Girl doll Kirsten Larson.{{cite web|last=Huber|first=Eliza|date=July 24, 2020|title=Will Prairie & Cottagecore Fashion Define Taylor Swift's Folklore Era?|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/07/9931460/taylor-swift-folklore-fashion-clothing-trend|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132415/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/07/9931460/taylor-swift-folklore-fashion-clothing-trend|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|publisher=Refinery29}}{{cite web|last=Decker|first=Megan|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Did Her Own Hair For Her Folklore Drop|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/07/9929546/taylor-swift-buns-hair-folklore-album-release|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132423/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/07/9929546/taylor-swift-buns-hair-folklore-album-release|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|publisher=Refinery29}} The album title is written in an italicized roman font reminiscent of "a Chronicles of Narnia scrawl".{{cite magazine|last=Spellings|first=Sarah|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Unveils a Surprisingly Moody Look for Her New Album|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/taylor-swift-unveils-a-new-look-for-her-album-folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728100710/https://www.vogue.com/article/taylor-swift-unveils-a-new-look-for-her-album-folklore|archive-date=July 28, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020|magazine=Vogue}}{{cite magazine|date=July 28, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Appears to Alter Folklore Album Merch After The Folklore Calls Her Out|url=https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/taylor-swift-folklore-merch-rip-off-the-folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809141922/https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/taylor-swift-folklore-merch-rip-off-the-folklore|archive-date=August 9, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020|magazine=InStyle}} The photos were shot at Swift's friend's house in Lewisboro, New York.{{Cite web |last=Ezzo |first=Keira |date=September 4, 2023 |title=Name that Place: Iconic Album Cover Art Shot in the Great Outdoors |url=https://outdoors.com/album-cover-shot-outdoors/ |access-date=July 26, 2024 |website=Outdoors |language=en-US |archive-date=July 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727160438/https://outdoors.com/album-cover-shot-outdoors/ |url-status=live }} "So, I called my friend who has some woods behind her house and was like 'Can I take some pictures in your forest.' She said yes," Swift said. "I ordered all these night gowns online and brought them and did my own hair and makeup and just was like, 'I guess I'll braid it, I don't know.'"{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Michelle |date=July 26, 2024 |title=Taylor Swift Reveals She Did Her Own Hair, Makeup and Styling for the 'Folklore' Album Cover |url=https://people.com/taylor-swift-reveals-she-did-her-own-hair-makeup-styling-for-folklore-album-cover-8684394 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |website=People |language=en |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726204317/https://people.com/taylor-swift-reveals-she-did-her-own-hair-makeup-styling-for-folklore-album-cover-8684394 |url-status=live }}

File:TS folklore Wordmark.svg

In December 2020, Jimmy Kimmel interviewed Swift about the presence of the word "Woodvale" on the cover of "Hide and Seek" edition of Folklore, which some suspected to be the title of a new album after Evermore; Swift denied it and said she did not reveal Folklore{{'s}} title to anyone until just before its release and used "Woodvale" as a code name, which was included in an artwork for reference, but was accidentally printed in the final products.{{cite news|last=Carras|first=Christi|date=December 15, 2020|title=Another new Taylor Swift album in 2020? 'This takes a bit of explanation', she says|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-12-15/taylor-swift-evermore-jimmy-kimmel-woodvale-rumors|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216015355/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-12-15/taylor-swift-evermore-jimmy-kimmel-woodvale-rumors|url-status=live}}

Reflecting its lyrical motifs of escapism,{{cite news|last=Bowman|first=Emma|date=August 9, 2020|title=The Escapist Land Of 'Cottagecore', From Marie Antoinette To Taylor Swift|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/09/900498227/the-escapist-land-of-cottagecore-from-marie-antoinette-to-taylor-swift|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831041449/https://www.npr.org/2020/08/09/900498227/the-escapist-land-of-cottagecore-from-marie-antoinette-to-taylor-swift|archive-date=August 31, 2020|publisher=NPR}} Folklore sees Swift embracing a rustic, nature-focused, cottagecore{{cite magazine|last=Valentine|first=Claire|date=July 24, 2020|title=18 Folklore Lyrics For Your Next Cottagecore Post|url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/folklore-lyrics-to-caption-your-next-cottagecore-post|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132427/https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/folklore-lyrics-to-caption-your-next-cottagecore-post|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|magazine=Nylon}} aesthetic for the project, moving away from the "technicolor carnival" of its predecessor, Lover.{{cite web|last=Handler|first=Rachel|date=July 28, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Freaky Folklore Movie Mood Board|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swifts-freaky-folklore-movie-mood-board.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801001508/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swifts-freaky-folklore-movie-mood-board.html|archive-date=August 1, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020|website=Vulture}} The music video for "Cardigan" expands on cottagecore, and starts with her sitting at a vintage piano in a cozy cabin in the woods. The video features a moss-covered forest and a waterfall-producing piano. On her website, Swift sold replicas of the "folklore cardigan" she wore in the video—a cream colored cable knit, with silver embroidered stars on the sleeves' chunky elbows, and navy blue piping and buttons.

W regarded the cardigan the "pièce de résistance" of the aesthetic, and thought the eight cover artworks of Folklore have Swift "frolicking through the woods like a cottagecore queen".{{cite magazine|last=Munzenrieder|first=Kyle|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Has Discovered Cottagecore|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/taylor-swift-cottagecore-folklore/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823120510/https://www.wmagazine.com/story/taylor-swift-cottagecore-folklore/|archive-date=August 23, 2020|magazine=W}} Irish Independent wrote that she became a "rural tunesmith communing with the birds and the trees", dressed up in a bulky "Clancy Brothers-style" Aran sweater.{{Cite web|last=Power|first=Ed|date=July 28, 2020|title=The arrival of Taylor Swift's Folklore is proof folk music is having a moment – but she's late to the shindig|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/the-arrival-of-taylor-swifts-folklore-is-proof-folk-music-is-having-a-moment-but-shes-late-to-the-shindig-39403153.html|access-date=November 3, 2020|website=Irish Independent|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810030003/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/the-arrival-of-taylor-swifts-folklore-is-proof-folk-music-is-having-a-moment-but-shes-late-to-the-shindig-39403153.html|url-status=live}} RTÉ thanked Swift for putting cardigans "back on the map once more".{{Cite news|date=July 27, 2020|title=A brief history of the cardigan, from Coco Chanel to Taylor Swift|url=https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/fashion/2020/0727/1155783-a-brief-history-of-the-cardigan-from-coco-chanel-to-taylor-swift/|access-date=November 13, 2020|publisher=RTÉ|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119184344/https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/fashion/2020/0727/1155783-a-brief-history-of-the-cardigan-from-coco-chanel-to-taylor-swift/|url-status=live}} Noting that her album eras have been defined by their own color scheme, fashion and cultural motifs, Teen Vogue described Folklore as simple, neutral-toned wear, with the cardigan helping in understanding the sentimental role clothing plays.{{Cite magazine|last=Haran|first=Samantha|date=October 21, 2020|title=On Taylor Swift's 'Cardigan' and the Importance of Sentimental Value to Clothing|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/taylor-swift-cardigan-sentimental-value-clothing|access-date=October 26, 2020|magazine=Teen Vogue|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028210818/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/taylor-swift-cardigan-sentimental-value-clothing|url-status=live}} Cottagecore faced resurgence on the internet after Swift used the aesthetic,{{cite magazine|last=Clark|first=Lucie|date=July 27, 2020|title=What is cottagecore? The phenomenon made popular by Taylor Swift|url=https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/lifestyle/what-is-cottagecore-the-phenomenon-made-popular-by-taylor-swift/news-story/6f4f501ffaee50c73f394d64f1ada174|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132434/https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/lifestyle/what-is-cottagecore-the-phenomenon-made-popular-by-taylor-swift/news-story/6f4f501ffaee50c73f394d64f1ada174|archive-date=September 10, 2020|magazine=Vogue Australia}} with a sales surge of hand-knitted Aran sweaters in Ireland and the US.{{Cite news|last=Corr|first=Julieanne|date=January 17, 2021|title=Taylor photo sparks Swift sales jump for Aran sweaters|work=The Times|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/taylor-photo-sparks-swift-sales-jump-for-aran-sweaters-s75xckv7k|access-date=January 17, 2021|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117114424/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/taylor-photo-sparks-swift-sales-jump-for-aran-sweaters-s75xckv7k|url-status=live}}

Comparing it with her past albums, The Guardian characterized 1989 as sleek and suave, Reputation as gothic and dangerous, and Lover as jovial and pastel-hued, whereas Folklore is the monochrome tale of a songwriter returning to folksy roots. Refinery29 dubbed the aesthetic as Swift's return to her "truest self", and compared her new look to that of a "classic English Rose".{{Cite web|last=Midkiff|first=Sarah|date=October 22, 2020|title=The Coziest Costume Of 2020 Is Taylor Swift-Inspired, Duh|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/10/10063653/taylor-swift-folklore-halloween-costume-ideas|access-date=October 26, 2020|publisher=Refinery29|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027121203/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/10/10063653/taylor-swift-folklore-halloween-costume-ideas|url-status=live}} Vogue found Swift opting for a pastoral palette, and drew parallels to the music video of her 2012 single "Safe & Sound". Beats Per Minute deemed the aesthetic reminiscent of works by painters Grant Wood, Andrew Wyeth, and Lionel Walden, especially Wood's American Gothic. Vulture defined Folklore as "an eerie black-and-white indie period horror film" that pays homage to various cult classic films, especially A24 horror films, with its songs evoking cinematic visuals. The album's aesthetic has been compared to the visuals in multiple films, including Ivan's Childhood (1962), Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), The Babadook (2014), The Witch (2015), The Beguiled (2017), Woodshock (2017), The Lighthouse (2019), Midsommar (2019) and Little Women (2019).{{cite magazine|last=Aquilina|first=Tyler|date=July 25, 2020|title=Nicole Kidman shouts out Taylor Swift's Folklore fashion in Instagram post|url=https://ew.com/music/nicole-kidman-shouts-out-taylor-swifts-folklore-fashion-in-instagram-post/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132432/https://ew.com/music/nicole-kidman-shouts-out-taylor-swifts-folklore-fashion-in-instagram-post/|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}

Folklore was a surprise album. It marked the first time Swift abandoned her traditional album rollout, opting to release suddenly due to intuition; she stated, "If you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world." She unveiled the album via her social media on July 23, 2020, 16 hours prior to its release to digital music platforms at midnight.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-folklore-surprise-album-1033102/|title=Taylor Swift Finally Abandoned the Traditional Album Rollout|last=Leight|first=Elias|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 23, 2020|archive-date=August 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828191217/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-folklore-surprise-album-1033102/|url-status=live}} Swift informed Republic Records about the new album only a few hours before its release, thus it was not widely and immediately available at retail. Deluxe CDs and vinyl LPs with seven other alternate covers were sold exclusively on Swift's website.{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-8-deluxe-album-covers.html |title=Which of Taylor Swift's 8 Folklore Covers Are You? |last=Haylock |first=Zoe |date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=July 25, 2020 |website=Vulture |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724185513/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-folklore-8-deluxe-album-covers.html |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |url-status=live }} The standard edition "In the Trees" CDs of Folklore were released to retail on August 7, 2020,{{Cite news|last=Fekadu|first=Mesfin|date=August 3, 2020|title=Lucky No.7: Taylor Swift nabs 7th No.1 album with Folklore|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/lucky-no7-taylor-swift-nabs-7th-no1-album-with-folklore/2020/08/03/88bb1638-d592-11ea-a788-2ce86ce81129_story.html|access-date=November 7, 2020|archive-date=July 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705233009/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/lucky-no7-taylor-swift-nabs-7th-no1-album-with-folklore/2020/08/03/88bb1638-d592-11ea-a788-2ce86ce81129_story.html|url-status=live}} while "Meet Me Behind the Mall" CDs were made exclusive to Target.{{cite web|title=Taylor Swift – Folklore (Target Exclusive, CD)|url=https://www.target.com/p/taylor-swift-folklore-target-exclusive-cd/-/A-80914995|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906163425/https://www.target.com/p/taylor-swift-folklore-target-exclusive-cd/-/A-80914995|archive-date=September 6, 2020|access-date=August 22, 2020|publisher=Target}} In the United Kingdom, CDs were made available on August 4, 2020, by EMI Records.{{cite web |title=Taylor Swift's Folklore gets early CD release in the UK |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swifts-folklore-gets-early-cd-release-in-the-uk__30691/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132515/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swifts-folklore-gets-early-cd-release-in-the-uk__30691/ |archive-date=September 10, 2020 |access-date=August 6, 2020 |publisher=Official Charts Company}} The formerly physically exclusive Folklore deluxe, featuring the bonus track "The Lakes", was released to digital platforms on August 18, 2020.{{cite magazine|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|date=August 18, 2020|title=Listen to a Delightful Bonus Song From the Deluxe Edition of Taylor Swift's Folklore|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9435934/taylor-swift-the-lakes|access-date=August 18, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=August 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819073419/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9435934/taylor-swift-the-lakes|url-status=live}}

Starting on August 20, 2020, a limited number of autographed Folklore CDs were delivered to various indie record shops in the US and Scotland to support small businesses in the pandemic.{{cite magazine|last=Hissong|first=Samantha|date=August 20, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Starts Frenzy at Indie Record Stores With Surprise Signed Folklore CDs|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-signed-cds-indie-stores-1047417/|access-date=August 21, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822065811/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-signed-cds-indie-stores-1047417/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|last=Lavin|first=Will|date=September 19, 2020|title=Taylor Swift sends 40 signed copies of Folklore to Edinburgh record store|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-sends-40-signed-copies-of-folklore-to-edinburgh-record-store-2756909|access-date=September 20, 2020|magazine=NME|archive-date=September 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927232032/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-sends-40-signed-copies-of-folklore-to-edinburgh-record-store-2756909|url-status=live}} Swift mailed her Folklore cardigans to celebrity friends and well-wishers.{{cite magazine|last=Tannenbaum|first=Emily|date=August 1, 2020|title=All the Celebrities Who Received a Folklore Cardigan From Taylor Swift|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/taylor-swift-sent-folklore-cardigans-to-a-ton-of-celebrities|access-date=September 20, 2020|magazine=Glamour|archive-date=October 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001192349/https://www.glamour.com/story/taylor-swift-sent-folklore-cardigans-to-a-ton-of-celebrities|url-status=live}} Four six-song compilations of Folklore tracks were released to streaming, based on the thematic cohesion between them; The Escapism Chapter, The Sleepless Nights Chapter, The Saltbox House Chapter and The Yeah I Showed Up at Your Party Chapter were released in August–September 2020.{{cite magazine|last=Rowley|first=Glenn|date=September 21, 2020|title=Here are All of Taylor Swift's Folklore Chapters (So Far) in One Place|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9452986/all-of-taylor-swifts-folklore-chapters-so-far|access-date=September 23, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030180307/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9452986/all-of-taylor-swifts-folklore-chapters-so-far/|url-status=live}} Swift's ninth studio album, Evermore, is a sequel to Folklore. She dubbed them "sister albums".{{Cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift to release surprise ninth album Evermore tonight|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-to-release-surprise-ninth-album-evermore-tonight-2835851|access-date=December 10, 2020|magazine=NME|date=December 10, 2020|archive-date=December 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210131229/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-to-release-surprise-ninth-album-evermore-tonight-2835851|url-status=live}}

{{listen

| filename = Cardigan_by_Taylor_Swift.ogg

| pos = right

| title="Cardigan"

| description="Cardigan" is a folk ballad with Swift's vocals over stripped down piano, drums, a buoyant riff and escalating strings.

}}

"Cardigan" serves as the lead single of Folklore.{{cite web|last=McHenry|first=Jackson|date=July 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Wants to Sell You a 'Cardigan' Cardigan|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-merch-store-cardigan-album-bundle.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723145415/https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/taylor-swift-merch-store-cardigan-album-bundle.html|archive-date=July 23, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|website=Vulture}} It was accompanied by a music video posted to YouTube, directed by Swift and produced by Jil Hardin. Both were released on July 24, 2020, alongside the album. It was serviced to US pop and adult pop radio formats on July 27.{{cite web|title=Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases|url=https://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases|publisher=All Access|access-date=July 25, 2020|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724190900/https://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases|archive-date=July 24, 2020}}{{cite web|title=Top 40/M Future Releases|url=https://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases |publisher=All Access|access-date=July 25, 2020|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724190928/https://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases |archive-date=July 24, 2020}} The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Swift's sixth chart-topper and second number-one debut.{{cite magazine|date=August 3, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100 With 'Cardigan', Is 1st Artist to Open Atop Hot 100 & Billboard 200 in Same Week|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428548/taylor-swift-cardigan-folklore-debut-number-one|access-date=August 3, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803195201/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428548/taylor-swift-cardigan-folklore-debut-number-one|url-status=live}} Billboard noted a unique radio roll-out for Folklore, where few of its tracks were simultaneously promoted to multiple radio formats. While "Cardigan" impacted pop and adult contemporary,{{Cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=January 28, 2021|title=Taylor Swift's 'Coney Island' and 'No Body, No Crime' Debut on Airplay Charts, Joining 'Willow'|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9517376/taylor-swift-evermore-radio-rollout|access-date=January 30, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130012714/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9517376/taylor-swift-evermore-radio-rollout/|url-status=live}} "Exile" was sent to adult alternative radio on August 3, 2020, which had initially peaked at number six on the Hot 100,{{cite web|title=Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases|url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|access-date=July 27, 2020|publisher=All Access|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911212740/https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|archive-date=September 11, 2017|url-status=dead}} whereas "Betty" was sent to country radio on August 17,{{cite web|title=Future Releases for Country Radio Stations|url=https://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases|access-date=July 30, 2020|publisher=All Access|archive-date=July 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730185551/https://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases|url-status=dead}} after arriving at number six on the Hot Country Songs chart.{{cite journal|last=Asker|first=Jim|date=August 3, 2020|title=Janson's Work Is 'Done' With Country Airplay Coronation; Swift, Shelton & Stefani Debut in Hot Country Songs Top 10|url=https://bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_0803.pdf|journal=Billboard Country Update|page=4|access-date=October 3, 2020|archive-date=October 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008015529/https://bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_0803.pdf|url-status=dead}} "The 1" was released as a promotional single in Germany on October 9, 2020;{{cite web|url=https://www.universal-music.de/taylorswift/news/the-1-taylor-swift-veroeffentlicht-neue-single-aus-rekord-album-folklore-260420|title='The 1' – Taylor Swift veröffentlicht neue Single aus Rekord-Album Folklore|language=de|date=October 9, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020|publisher=Universal Music Group|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423192423/https://www.universal-music.de/taylorswift/news/the-1-taylor-swift-veroeffentlicht-neue-single-aus-rekord-album-folklore-260420|url-status=live}} "The 1" had previously reached number four on the Hot 100. On July 24, 2021, the first anniversary of Folklore, the original orchestral version of "The Lakes" was also released as a promotional single.{{Cite magazine|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|date=July 24, 2021|title=Taylor Swift Shares Orchestral Version of 'The Lakes' on Folklore Anniversary|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-orchestral-version-the-lakes-folklore-anniversary-1201754/|access-date=July 24, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724154621/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-orchestral-version-the-lakes-folklore-anniversary-1201754/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions|l1=Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions}}

A concert documentary, titled Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, was released on November 25, 2020, to Disney+. It was directed and produced by Swift, seeing her perform all the tracks of Folklore in an intimate setting at Long Pond Studio, and sharing the stories behind the songs, with Antonoff and Dessner. Alongside the film's premiere, Swift's third live album, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (From the Disney+ Special), containing the acoustic versions from the film, was released to streaming platforms.{{Cite magazine|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=November 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Folklore Concert Film to Debut on Disney Plus|url=https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/taylor-swift-folklore-disney-plus-1234838930/|access-date=November 25, 2020|magazine=Variety|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124234221/https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/taylor-swift-folklore-disney-plus-1234838930/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Apple Music – Taylor Swift – Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (From the Disney+ Special) [Deluxe Edition]|date=November 25, 2020|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/folklore-long-pond-studio-sessions-from-disney-special/1541904688|access-date=November 25, 2020|publisher=Apple Music|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125081136/https://music.apple.com/us/album/folklore-long-pond-studio-sessions-from-disney-special/1541904688|url-status=live}}

{{Music ratings

| title = Folklore ratings

| ADM = 8.5/10{{cite web|url=http://anydecentmusic.com/review/12499/Taylor-Swift-Folklore.aspx|title=Folklore by Taylor Swift reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724143507/http://anydecentmusic.com/review/12499/Taylor-Swift-Folklore.aspx|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}}

| MC = 88/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/folklore/taylor-swift|title=Folklore by Taylor Swift Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132453/https://www.metacritic.com/music/folklore/taylor-swift|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/folklore-mw0003408614|title=Folklore – Taylor Swift|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=July 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729190244/https://www.allmusic.com/album/folklore-mw0003408614|archive-date=July 29, 2020|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/taylor-swift-folklore-review-exquisite-empathetic-lockdown-triumph/|title=Taylor Swift, Folklore review: an exquisite, empathetic lockdown triumph|last=McCormick|first=Neil|author-link=Neil McCormick|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132440/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/taylor-swift-folklore-review-exquisite-empathetic-lockdown-triumph/|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev3score = A{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-review/|title=Taylor Swift forges her own path on the confident Folklore: Review|last=Johnston|first=Maura|author-link=Maura Johnston|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724213311/https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-review/|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/24/taylor-swift-folklore-review-bombastic-pop-makes-way-for-emotional-acuity|title=Taylor Swift: Folklore review – bombastic pop makes way for emotional acuity|website=The Guardian|last=Snapes|first=Laura|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724053655/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/24/taylor-swift-folklore-review-bombastic-pop-makes-way-for-emotional-acuity|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}}

| rev5 = The Independent

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev6 = The Irish Times

| rev6score = {{rating|5|5}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-2714285|title=Taylor Swift – Folklore review: pop superstar undergoes an extraordinary indie-folk makeover|last=Mylrea|first=Hannah|magazine=NME|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=August 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828191216/https://www.nme.com/en_au/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-2714285|url-status=live}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8score = 8.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore/|title=Taylor Swift: Folklore|website=Pitchfork|last=Mapes|first=Jillian|date=July 27, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|archive-date=August 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828191233/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/taylor-swift-folklore/|url-status=live}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-leaves-her-comfort-zones-behind-on-the-head-spinning-heart-breaking-folklore-1033533/|title=Taylor Swift Leaves Her Comfort Zones Behind on the Head-Spinning, Heartbreaking Folklore|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724155901/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-leaves-her-comfort-zones-behind-on-the-head-spinning-heart-breaking-folklore-1033533/|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}}

| rev10 = The Sydney Morning Herald

| rev10score = {{Rating|5|5}}

}}

Folklore was met with widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its emotional weight and introspective songwriting,{{cite web|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=July 26, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Folklore songs to dominate Official Singles Chart|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-set-to-dominate-official-singles-chart-with-songs-from-her-new-album-folklore__30325/|access-date=September 11, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922075309/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-set-to-dominate-official-singles-chart-with-songs-from-her-new-album-folklore__30325/|url-status=live}} calling it Swift's most subdued and sophisticated body of work yet.{{cite news|last=Levine|first=Nick|date=July 26, 2020|title=The Last Great American Dynasty: how Taylor Swift found her spirit animal in the eccentric heiress Rebekah Harkness|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/rebekah-harkness-has-taylor-swift-written-song-folklore/|url-status=live|access-date=September 9, 2020|work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727034939/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/rebekah-harkness-has-taylor-swift-written-song-folklore/}} At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 88, based on 27 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone lauded Swift's songwriting abilities that brought out her "deepest wit, compassion, and empathy", making Folklore her most intimate album so far. Also noting the album's vivid storytelling filled with imagination and imagery, Pitchfork{{'s}} Jillian Mapes considered Folklore a mature step in Swift's artistry while retaining her core as a celebrated songwriter. Mark Savage of BBC classified Folklore as an indie record dealing with nostalgia and mistakes that resonate with the times.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53518044|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore sees the singer go indie|last=Savage|first=Mark|publisher=BBC News|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132443/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53518044|url-status=live}} Katie Moulton from Consequence appreciated Swift's maturity, particularly the employment of third-person perspectives that had been uncommon on her previous works.{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/07/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Dismantles Her Own Self-Mythologizing: Review|last=Moulton|first=Katie|website=Consequence|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724185604/https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/07/album-review-taylor-swift-folklore/|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} Complimenting the album's writing, The Daily Telegraph{{'s}} Neil McCormick, i{{'}}s Sarah Carson,{{cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review-dazzling-timeless-surprise-new-eighth-album-folk-cardigan-lyrics-561733|title=Taylor Swift, Folklore, review: a dazzling, timeless surprise album|last=Carson|first=Sarah|work=i|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724041853/https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review-dazzling-timeless-surprise-new-eighth-album-folk-cardigan-lyrics-561733|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} and The Sydney Morning Herald's Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, gave the album full-score ratings. Describing Folklore as a bold attempt, Hannah Mylrea of NME praised Swift's ability to evoke vivid imagery, but said that the 16-song run can "sometimes drag slightly".

Several critics welcomed Swift's new musical direction. Chris Willman of Variety considered Folklore to be a "first-rank album", and its change of a musical style a "serious act of sonic palette cleansing" for Swift.{{cite magazine|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=July 24, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore: Album Review|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-1234715520/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724065836/https://variety.com/2020/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-album-review-1234715520/|archive-date=July 24, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020|magazine=Variety}} Laura Snapes of The Guardian considered it to be the most cohesive and the most experimental among Swift's releases. Entertainment Weekly{{'}}s Maura Johnston deemed the album a bold move for a pop star like Swift to challenge its audience. Roisin O'Connor of The Independent praised the album's "exquisite, piano-based poetry" which she found unconventional for Swift's catalog.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-review-lyrics-album-stream-jack-antonoff-aaron-dessner-a9635496.html|title=Taylor Swift, Folklore review: New album is exquisite, piano-based poetry|last=O'Connor|first=Roisin|work=The Independent|access-date=July 24, 2020|date=July 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724070730/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-review-lyrics-album-stream-jack-antonoff-aaron-dessner-a9635496.html|archive-date=July 24, 2020|url-status=live}} AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine was positive towards the album but felt its musical styles are not "precisely new tricks" for Swift. In agreement, Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club deemed the album not completely experimental, but still a new aspect of Swift's artistry.{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/taylor-swift-writes-her-own-version-of-history-on-folkl-1844498450|title=Taylor Swift writes her own version of history on Folklore|first=Annie|last=Zaleski|author-link=Annie Zaleski|website=The A.V. Club|date=July 4, 2020|access-date=July 30, 2020|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727053604/https://music.avclub.com/taylor-swift-writes-her-own-version-of-history-on-folkl-1844498450|url-status=live}} In his "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau was most moved by the youth-themed "Seven" and "Betty" than the more adult songs, which he summarized as "melodically fetching, lyrically deft pop songs that are fine as far as they go". He singled out "The Last Great American Dynasty" as the only intolerable song for how it reminds him of "Taylor Swift the showbiz plutocrat".{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=September 9, 2020|url=https://robertchristgau.substack.com/p/consumer-guide-september-2020|title=Consumer Guide: September, 2020|work=And It Don't Stop|access-date=September 13, 2020|url-access=subscription|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425071645/https://robertchristgau.substack.com/p/consumer-guide-september-2020|url-status=live}} In a mixed review, The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica praised Swift's songwriting but felt the album is burdened by "desolate" and "overcomposed" indie rock.{{cite news|first=Jon|last=Caramanica|author-link=Jon Caramanica|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/arts/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review.html|title=Taylor Swift, a Pop Star Done With Pop|date=July 26, 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 28, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132513/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/arts/music/taylor-swift-folklore-review.html|url-status=live}}

A multitude of publications listed Folklore in their lists of best albums of 2020, including number-one placements from Billboard, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Insider,{{cite web|first=Callie|last=Ahlgrim|url=https://www.insider.com/best-albums-released-this-year-2020-4|title=The 20 Best Albums of 2020, Ranked|website=Insider|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=December 8, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201208224047/https://www.insider.com/best-albums-released-this-year-2020-4|url-status=live}} NJ.com,{{cite web|first=Bobby|last=Olivier|title=The 50 Albums That Saved Us From 2020|url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2020/12/the-50-albums-that-saved-us-from-2020.html|publisher=NJ.com|date=December 20, 2020|access-date=December 22, 2020|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222181946/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2020/12/the-50-albums-that-saved-us-from-2020.html|url-status=live}} South China Morning Post,{{cite news|date=January 15, 2021|access-date=February 6, 2021|url=https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/music/article/3117943/best-albums-2020-taylor-swift-bts-and-dua-lipa|title=The best albums of 2020, from Taylor Swift to BTS and Dua Lipa|work=South China Morning Post|archive-date=February 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203022932/https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/music/article/3117943/best-albums-2020-taylor-swift-bts-and-dua-lipa|url-status=live}} Uproxx,{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/best-albums-2020-list/|title=The Best Albums of 2020|website=Uproxx|date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 1, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201224443/https://uproxx.com/music/best-albums-2020-list/|url-status=live}} USA Today,{{Cite news|last=Ryan|first=Patrick|date=December 14, 2020|title=The 10 best albums of 2020, including Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Ariana Grande|url=https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/entertainment/music/2020/12/14/10-best-albums-2020-list-ranked-taylor-swift-folklore-evermore-ariana-grande-positions/3856183001/|access-date=December 14, 2020|work=USA Today|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214225548/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/entertainment/music/2020/12/14/10-best-albums-2020-list-ranked-taylor-swift-folklore-evermore-ariana-grande-positions/3856183001/|url-status=live}} Us Weekly,{{cite magazine|title=10 Best Albums of 2020: Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan, The Weeknd and More|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/10-best-albums-of-2020-taylor-swift-bob-dylan-the-weeknd-more/|magazine=Us Weekly|date=December 24, 2020|access-date=December 24, 2020|archive-date=December 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224135011/https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/10-best-albums-of-2020-taylor-swift-bob-dylan-the-weeknd-more/|url-status=live}} Variety,{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/lists/best-albums-2020-taylor-swift-dua-lipa-weeknd-phoebe-bridgers/10-roc-marciano-mt-marci/|title=The Best Albums of 2020|magazine=Variety|date=December 14, 2020|access-date=December 14, 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216023222/https://variety.com/lists/best-albums-2020-taylor-swift-dua-lipa-weeknd-phoebe-bridgers/10-roc-marciano-mt-marci|url-status=live}} and Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.{{Cite news|date=December 31, 2020|title=Walla Walla record store owner rates Taylor Swift's new album top of Top-10 for 2020|url=https://www.union-bulletin.com/arts_entertainment/walla-walla-record-store-owner-rates-taylor-swifts-new-album-top-of-top-10-for/article_ad59ee0f-f600-566a-a83a-02e3002f05c0.html|access-date=January 1, 2021|work=Walla Walla Union-Bulletin|archive-date=January 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101000853/https://www.union-bulletin.com/arts_entertainment/walla-walla-record-store-owner-rates-taylor-swifts-new-album-top-of-top-10-for/article_ad59ee0f-f600-566a-a83a-02e3002f05c0.html|url-status=live}} Folklore placed third on Metacritic's ranking of the most mentioned albums in 2020 year-end lists.{{cite web|last=Dietz|first=Jason|title=Best of 2020: Music Critic Top Ten Lists|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critics-pick-top-10-best-albums-of-2020?ftag=twtrsoshares|access-date=December 29, 2020|publisher=Metacritic|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222022330/https://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critics-pick-top-10-best-albums-of-2020?ftag=twtrsoshares|url-status=dead}}

The biggest first day on Spotify for a 2020 album, Folklore opened with over 80.6 million global streams on the platform and earned the Guinness World Record for the most opening-day streams for an album by a female artist.{{cite web|last=Stephenson|first=Kristen|date=July 29, 2020|title=Taylor Swift breaks 24-hour streaming record on Spotify for 8th album Folklore|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/7/taylor-swift-breaks-24-hour-streaming-record-on-spotify-for-8th-album-folklore-625253|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729234802/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2020/7/taylor-swift-breaks-24-hour-streaming-record-on-spotify-for-8th-album-folklore-625253|archive-date=July 29, 2020|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Guinness World Records}} The album broke the Apple Music record for the most-streamed pop album in a day, and the Amazon Music indie/alternative record.{{cite magazine|date=July 25, 2020|title=Taylor Swift breaks first day streaming records with Folklore|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-breaks-first-day-streaming-records-with-folklore-2715127|access-date=August 25, 2020|magazine=NME|archive-date=August 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807125648/https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-breaks-first-day-streaming-records-with-folklore-2715127|url-status=live}} Republic Records reported that Folklore sold over 1.3 million units worldwide on its first day and two million units in its first week.{{Cite magazine|last=Aswad|first=Jem|date=July 25, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Sells 1.3 Million Copies in 24 Hours|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-million-sold-24-hours-1234716578/|url-status=live|magazine=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725200759/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-million-sold-24-hours-1234716578/|archive-date=July 25, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020}}{{cite magazine|last=Countryman|first=Eli|date=July 31, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Sells Over 2 Million Copies in First Week|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-first-week-sales-worldwide-1234722530/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731230649/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-folklore-first-week-sales-worldwide-1234722530/|archive-date=July 31, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020|magazine=Variety}} By the end of 2020, Folklore sold 2 million pure copies globally. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry named it the year's best-selling album by a woman,{{Cite magazine|last=Brandle|first=Lars|date=March 11, 2021|title=BTS Bag 'Unprecedented' 1-2 on IFPI's Global Album Sales Chart For 2020|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9538406/bts-top-ifpi-global-album-sales-chart-2020|url-status=live|access-date=March 11, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311150717/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9538406/bts-top-ifpi-global-album-sales-chart-2020/}} and Swift the best-selling solo act of 2020.{{Cite magazine|date=March 4, 2021|title=BTS Crowned IFPI Global Recording Artist of 2020|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bts/9534672/bts-ifpi-global-recording-artist-2020/|access-date=March 4, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304153307/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bts/9534672/bts-ifpi-global-recording-artist-2020/|url-status=live}}

The album's on-demand first-day streams were 72 million in the US.{{cite magazine|last=Hissong|first=Samantha|date=July 27, 2020|title=Folklore Is Already Bigger Than Lover By Streams|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/folklore-versus-lover-first-day-streams-taylor-swift-1034406/|access-date=July 27, 2020|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132444/https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/folklore-versus-lover-first-day-streams-taylor-swift-1034406/|url-status=live}} Folklore sold over 500,000 units, including 400,000 sales, in its first three days, becoming the first album to do so since Swift's own Lover.{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=July 27, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Off to Fast Start, Over Half-Million Units Earned in U.S. in First Three Days|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9425264/taylor-swift-folklore-half-million-units-first-three-days|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132446/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9425264/taylor-swift-folklore-half-million-units-first-three-days|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=July 27, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} Folklore debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and topped it for eight weeks, becoming the longest-reigning number-one album of 2020. Opening with 846,000 units, consisting of 615,000 pure sales and 289.85 million streams, it marked the largest sales and streaming weeks of 2020. Its first-week sales alone were enough to make it the year's best-selling album. Swift became the first woman with seven Billboard 200 number-one debuts and tied Janet Jackson for the third-most number-ones. Eclipsing Eminem, she was the first act in Nielsen SoundScan history to have seven albums each sell 500,000 copies or more in a week,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428290/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-number-1|title=Taylor Swift Achieves Seventh No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart & Biggest Week of 2020 With Folklore|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|magazine=Billboard|date=August 2, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802203649/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428290/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-number-1|url-status=live}} and the first woman since Barbra Streisand to have six albums spend multiple weeks at number one.{{cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift & Barbra Streisand Are the Only Women to Achieve This Billboard 200 Chart Feat|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9432399/taylor-swift-barbra-streisand-billboard-200-chart-feat|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132450/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9432399/taylor-swift-barbra-streisand-billboard-200-chart-feat|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=August 12, 2020|magazine=Billboard|date=August 11, 2020}} Folklore gave Swift her first entry on Alternative Albums, with the biggest debut ever on the chart.{{cite magazine|date=August 3, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Debuts at No. 1 on Alternative Albums, 'Cardigan' Starts Atop Hot Rock & Alternative Songs|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428748/taylor-swift-folklore-alternative-albums-cardigan-hot-rock-alternative-songs|access-date=August 4, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803225245/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428748/taylor-swift-folklore-alternative-albums-cardigan-hot-rock-alternative-songs|url-status=live}}

It was 2020's fastest album to move a million units,{{Cite news|last=Constantino|first=George|date=August 14, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore is now fastest selling album of 2020|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/8/14/taylor-swifts-folklore-is-now-fastest-selling-album-of-2020.html|access-date=November 7, 2020|publisher=ABC News Radio|archive-date=November 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105214808/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/8/14/taylor-swifts-folklore-is-now-fastest-selling-album-of-2020.html|url-status=dead}} the longest-running number-one album by a woman on the Billboard 200 since Reputation,{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=August 16, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Makes It a Third Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9435154/taylor-swift-folklore-third-week-no-1-billboard-200-chart|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200817043805/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9435154/taylor-swift-folklore-third-week-no-1-billboard-200-chart|archive-date=August 17, 2020|access-date=August 17, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} and the first to spend its first four weeks at the top since Adele's 25 (2015);{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=August 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Rules for Fourth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9438746/taylor-swift-folklore-no-1-fourth-week-billboard-200-albums-chart|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824053217/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9438746/taylor-swift-folklore-no-1-fourth-week-billboard-200-albums-chart|archive-date=August 24, 2020|access-date=August 23, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} Swift became the first 21st-century act to have six albums each spend four weeks atop,{{cite magazine|last=Grein|first=Paul|date=August 25, 2020|title=Folklore Is Taylor Swift's Sixth Album to Top the Billboard 200 For Four Weeks: Just Four Other Artists Have Done That|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9439752/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-four-weeks-four-other-artist|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200829231144/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9439752/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-four-weeks-four-other-artist|archive-date=August 29, 2020|access-date=August 26, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} and the first solo/female artist (after the Beatles) to have five albums each top the chart for six weeks or more.{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=August 30, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Ties for Most Weeks at No. 1 in 2020 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9442253/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-albums-chart-most-weeks-no-1-tie|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831000217/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9442253/taylor-swift-folklore-billboard-200-albums-chart-most-weeks-no-1-tie|archive-date=August 31, 2020|access-date=August 31, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=September 6, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Ties Whitney Houston for Most Weeks at No. 1 Among Women in Billboard 200's History|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9445521/taylor-swift-ties-whitney-houston-folklore-tops-billboard-200-sixth-week|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906192953/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9445521/taylor-swift-ties-whitney-houston-folklore-tops-billboard-200-sixth-week|archive-date=September 6, 2020|access-date=September 6, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} By May 2024, the album had spent 200 weeks on the chart.{{Cite magazine |last=McIntyre |first=Hugh |date=May 31, 2024 |title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Is Celebrating An Anniversary This Week |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2024/05/31/taylor-swifts-folklore-is-celebrating-an-anniversary-this-week/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616133903/https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2024/05/31/taylor-swifts-folklore-is-celebrating-an-anniversary-this-week/ |archive-date=June 16, 2024 |access-date=June 24, 2024 |magazine=Forbes}} Billboard attributed the album's success to its timing, pandemic-suited songs and Swift's ability to connect with listeners.{{cite magazine|last=Unterberger|first=Andrew|date=September 11, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Surprise Set Folklore Had 2020's Biggest Debut – Here's How It's Still on Top Five Weeks Later|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9446657/taylor-swift-folklore-still-number-one|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913150305/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9446657/taylor-swift-folklore-still-number-one|archive-date=September 13, 2020|magazine=Billboard|url-status=live}} She also surpassed Whitney Houston as the woman with the most weeks atop Billboard 200 (47 weeks).{{Cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=September 27, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Surpasses Whitney Houston for Most Weeks at No. 1 Among Women in Billboard 200's History|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9455925/taylor-swift-folklore-number-1-seven-weeks-billboard-200-passes-whitney-houston|url-status=live|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201212944/https://www.billboard.com/pro/taylor-swift-folklore-number-1-seven-weeks-billboard-200-passes-whitney-houston/|archive-date=December 1, 2021|access-date=September 28, 2020}} Folklore sold a million pure copies in the US by October 2022, becoming the only 2020 album to do so and Swift's ninth project to reach the mark.{{Cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Back at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart for Eighth Week|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9472619/taylor-swift-folklore-returns-billboard-200-number-one-eighth-week/|access-date=October 26, 2020|magazine=Billboard|date=October 25, 2020|archive-date=March 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322094517/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9472619/taylor-swift-folklore-returns-billboard-200-number-one-eighth-week/|url-status=live}} When Evermore topped the Billboard 200 later that year, Folklore rose to number three, making Swift the first woman ever to chart two simultaneous albums in the top three.{{Cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift's Evermore Arrives at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9503234/taylor-swift-evermore-tops-billboard-200-albums-chart|access-date=December 20, 2020|magazine=Billboard|date=December 20, 2020|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222181903/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9503234/taylor-swift-evermore-tops-billboard-200-albums-chart|url-status=live}}

All of its 16 tracks debuted simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100, giving three top-10 and five top-20 entries. Swift became the first act to debut atop both Billboard 200 and Hot 100 in the same week, with the number-one debut of "Cardigan". She also was the first act to debut two songs in the top-four and three songs in the top-six simultaneously, as "The 1" entered at number four and "Exile" at number six.{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=August 3, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100 With 'Cardigan', Is 1st Artist to Open Atop Hot 100 & Billboard 200 in Same Week|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428548/taylor-swift-cardigan-folklore-debut-number-one|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803195201/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428548/taylor-swift-cardigan-folklore-debut-number-one|archive-date=August 3, 2020|access-date=August 10, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} Swift extended her record for the most concurrent Hot 100 debuts among women (16).{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=August 3, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Charts 16 Songs From Folklore on Billboard Hot 100|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428702/taylor-swift-charts-16-songs-from-folklore-on-hot-100|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803210736/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428702/taylor-swift-charts-16-songs-from-folklore-on-hot-100|archive-date=August 3, 2020|access-date=August 4, 2020|magazine=Billboard}} 11 tracks charted on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, of which a record eight entries were in the top 10. The best-selling album of 2020, Folklore earned 2.3 million units, including 1.276 million sales.{{cite magazine|last=Blake|first=Emily|date=January 5, 2021|title=Folklore Is Officially the Biggest Album of 2020|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-2020-biggest-album-1102709/|access-date=January 6, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105234714/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-folklore-2020-biggest-album-1102709/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|title=MRC Data Year-End Report U.S. 2020|url=https://static.billboard.com/files/2020/12/MRC_Billboard_YEAR_END_2020_US-Final-1609966398.pdf|pages=46, 47|access-date=January 30, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=January 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107163802/https://static.billboard.com/files/2020/12/MRC_Billboard_YEAR_END_2020_US-Final-1609966398.pdf|url-status=live}} It made Swift the first act to have the best-selling album of a calendar year five times, following Fearless (2009), 1989, Reputation, and Lover.{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=January 8, 2021|title=Taylor Swift Has the Top-Selling Album of the Year in U.S. for Historic Fifth Time|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9509005/taylor-swift-top-selling-album-year-fifth-time-folklore/|access-date=January 7, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117224950/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9509005/taylor-swift-top-selling-album-year-fifth-time-folklore/|url-status=live}} Folklore was the eighth best-selling album of 2021 with 304,000 copies sold.{{Cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=January 6, 2022|title=Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Is Most-Streamed Song of 2021 In U.S., Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album Is MRC Data's Top Album|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/dua-lipa-morgan-wallen-us-2021-mrc-data-1235016079/|access-date=January 17, 2022|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106155545/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/dua-lipa-morgan-wallen-us-2021-mrc-data-1235016079/|url-status=live}}

Folklore opened at number-one on the Billboard Canadian Albums as Swift's seventh consecutive number-one, spending four weeks atop. All of its 16 tracks debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 chart together, with "Cardigan", "Exile", and "The 1" in the top-10.{{cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift – Canadian Hot 100 History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/taylor-swift/chart-history/can/|access-date=September 26, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301101212/https://www.billboard.com/music/taylor-swift/chart-history/CAN|url-status=live}} Folklore landed ninth on the 2020 Top Canadian Albums year-end list.{{Cite magazine |title=2020 Year-End Billboard charts |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518163433/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end |archive-date=May 18, 2019 |access-date=December 3, 2020 |magazine=Billboard}}

In the UK, Folklore debuted atop the Official Albums Chart with 37,000 copies. It became Swift's fifth consecutive chart-topper, making her the first woman to debut five albums at number one in the 21st century.{{cite web|last=White|first=Jack|date=July 31, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore debuts at UK Albums Number 1|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-s-folklore-debuts-at-number-1-on-the-official-albums-chart__30661/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802092649/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-s-folklore-debuts-at-number-1-on-the-official-albums-chart__30661/|archive-date=August 2, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}}{{Cite magazine|title=Inside Taylor Swift's all-conquering debut week for Folklore|url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/inside-taylor-swift-s-all-conquering-debut-week-for-folklore/080631|access-date=August 5, 2020|magazine=Music Week|last=Sutherland|first=Mark|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803081701/https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/inside-taylor-swift-s-all-conquering-debut-week-for-folklore/080631|url-status=live}} Becoming Swift's first album to spend multiple weeks atop the chart, Folklore remained at number one for three consecutive weeks.{{cite web|last=Ainsley|first=Helen|date=August 14, 2020|title=Taylor Swift holds for a third week at Number 1 with Folklore|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-holds-for-a-third-week-as-official-albums-chart-number-1-with-folklore__30763/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815193406/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-holds-for-a-third-week-as-official-albums-chart-number-1-with-folklore__30763/|archive-date=August 15, 2020|access-date=August 14, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}} On the UK Singles Chart, "Cardigan", "Exile", and "The 1" opened at numbers six, eight and 10, making her the first woman in UK history to concurrently debut three songs in the top-10.{{cite web|title=Joel Corry & MNEK hold on to Number 1 with Head & Heart|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/joel-corry-and-mnek-hold-on-to-number-1-with-head-and-heart-on-the-official-singles-chart__30659/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801215452/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/joel-corry-and-mnek-hold-on-to-number-1-with-head-and-heart-on-the-official-singles-chart__30659/|archive-date=August 1, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}} The album arrived at number one on the Irish Albums Chart, scoring Ireland's biggest opening week of 2020. Swift became the first solo female act with five Irish number-one albums in the 21st century. Folklore stayed atop for four weeks, yielding Swift's longest-running Irish number-one album.{{cite web|last=White|first=Jack|date=July 31, 2020|title=Taylor Swift breaks Irish Albums Chart record with Folklore|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-becomes-the-female-artist-with-the-most-irish-number-1-albums-this-millennium__30653/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801035325/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-becomes-the-female-artist-with-the-most-irish-number-1-albums-this-millennium__30653/|archive-date=August 1, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}}{{cite web|last=White|first=Jack|date=August 21, 2020|title=Taylor Swift sees off Biffy Clyro to retain Ireland's Number 1 album|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-sees-off-biffy-clyro-to-retain-number-1-on-the-official-irish-albums-chart-with-folklore__30808/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822144830/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-sees-off-biffy-clyro-to-retain-number-1-on-the-official-irish-albums-chart-with-folklore__30808/|archive-date=August 22, 2020|access-date=August 21, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}}{{cite web|date=September 4, 2020|title=Taylor Swift denies Metallica Irish Number 1|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-denies-metallica-the-number-1-spot-on-the-official-irish-albums-chart__30914/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907101618/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/taylor-swift-denies-metallica-the-number-1-spot-on-the-official-irish-albums-chart__30914/|archive-date=September 7, 2020|access-date=September 4, 2020|publisher=Official Charts Company}} It reached number one in Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Norway, and Switzerland.

In China, the album sold more than 200,000 copies in its first six hours and around 740,000 copies in its first week, instantly becoming the best-selling and fastest-selling album of 2020 by a western act.{{Cite web|date=July 28, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Is Now Popular in China, QQ music is becoming this Euramerican star's first choice|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/taylor-swifts-folklore-is-now-popular-in-china-qq-music-is-becoming-this-euramerican-stars-first-choice-2020-07-28|access-date=October 11, 2020|publisher=MarketWatch}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite magazine|last=Homewood|first=Ben|date=August 3, 2020|title=Taylor Swift breaks US & global records with Folklore|url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/taylor-swift-breaks-us-global-records-with-folklore/080637|access-date=October 11, 2020|magazine=Music Week|archive-date=October 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001155247/https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/taylor-swift-breaks-us-global-records-with-folklore/080637|url-status=live}} Folklore was the best selling foreign album of 2020 in Japan.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaj.or.jp/f/pdf/issue/industry/RIAJ2021E.pdf|title=Statistics Trends – RIAJ Year Book 2021|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan|access-date=November 5, 2021|archive-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721090928/https://www.riaj.or.jp/f/pdf/issue/industry/RIAJ2021E.pdf|url-status=live}} In Australia, Folklore topped the ARIA Albums Chart as Swift's sixth album to do so, giving her more chart-toppers in the country in 2010–2020 than any other artist.{{cite web|date=August 1, 2020|title=Taylor Swift claims sixth #1 album with Folklore|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/taylor-swift-claims-sixth-1-album-with-folklore|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806100021/https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/taylor-swift-claims-sixth-1-album-with-folklore|archive-date=August 6, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association}} Its 16 tracks entered the top 50 of the ARIA Singles Chart together, breaking the all-time record for the most debuts in one week. "Cardigan" became Swift's sixth number-one song, while "Exile", "The 1", "The Last Great American Dynasty" and "My Tears Ricochet" reached top-10; Swift became the act with the most Australian top-ten hits of 2020.{{cite web|date=August 1, 2020|title=Cardigan lands Taylor Swift sixth #1 single|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/cardigan-lands-taylor-swift-sixth-1-single|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132508/https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/cardigan-lands-taylor-swift-sixth-1-single|archive-date=September 10, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association}} Folklore topped the chart for four consecutive weeks, becoming the only 2020 album to top the chart for more than two weeks,{{cite web|date=August 15, 2020|title=Folklore gives Taylor Swift third week at #1|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/folklore-gives-taylor-swift-third-week-at-1|url-status=live|access-date=August 15, 2020|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|archive-date=August 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824080629/https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/folklore-gives-taylor-swift-third-week-at-1}}{{cite web|date=August 22, 2020|title=Fourth week at #1 for Taylor Swift's Folklore|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/fourth-week-at-1-for-taylor-swift-s-folklore|url-status=live|access-date=August 22, 2020|publisher=ARIA Charts|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132454/https://www.ariacharts.com.au/news/2020/fourth-week-at-1-for-taylor-swift-s-folklore}} and the country's best selling album by a woman in 2020.

Folklore and its songs received five Grammy Award nominations at the 63rd ceremony, winning the Album of the Year. Swift became the first woman in history to win Album of the Year thrice,{{NoteTag|Her second studio album, Fearless (2008), won the Album of the Year in 2010, followed by her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014), winning the award in 2016.}} and the fourth artist overall, tied with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon.{{Cite magazine|title=Taylor Swift Wins Album of the Year For Folklore at 2021 Grammy Awards|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9540496/taylor-swift-wins-album-of-the-year-2021-grammy-awards-folklore/|access-date=March 15, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315034026/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9540496/taylor-swift-wins-album-of-the-year-2021-grammy-awards-folklore/|url-status=live}} The album was also a candidate for Best Pop Vocal Album, while "Cardigan" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year, making Swift the most nominated female artist ever in the latter category with five nods. "Exile" contended for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Jevon |date=November 24, 2020 |title=Here's the complete list of the 2021 Grammy nominees |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-11-24/2021-grammy-nominations-complete-list |access-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129060716/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-11-24/2021-grammy-nominations-complete-list |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|last=Montgomery|first=Daniel|date=January 9, 2021|title=Taylor Swift's 'Cardigan' is Grammys front-runner for Song of the Year, but here's why that would be an unlikely feat|url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2021/taylor-swift-cardigan-grammys-song-of-the-year/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=Gold Derby|archive-date=January 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112191516/https://www.goldderby.com/article/2021/taylor-swift-cardigan-grammys-song-of-the-year/|url-status=live}} At the 2020 American Music Awards, Swift scored four nominations: Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favorite Music Video for "Cardigan" and Favorite Pop/Rock Album for Folklore, and won the first three,{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/american-music-awards-2020-full-winners-list-1234837726/|title=American Music Awards 2020: The Full Winners List|last=Shafer|first=Ellise|date=November 22, 2020|magazine=Variety|access-date=November 23, 2020|archive-date=November 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123143540/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/american-music-awards-2020-full-winners-list-1234837726/|url-status=live}} extending her record as the most awarded artist in the show's history with 32 American Music Awards.{{Cite news|last=France|first=Lisa Respers|date=November 23, 2020|title=Taylor Swift broke her own AMAs record and explained why she couldn't be there|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/entertainment/taylor-swift-amas/index.html|access-date=November 26, 2020|publisher=CNN|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126073106/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/entertainment/taylor-swift-amas/index.html|url-status=live}} It also marked the third consecutive year Swift was crowned the Artist of the Year, and sixth overall—the first and only artist to achieve it.{{Cite news|date=November 23, 2020|title=Swift wins top prize at AMAs, says she's re-recording music|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/taylor-swift-wins-top-prize-american-music-awards-n1248581|access-date=November 26, 2020|publisher=NBC News|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126091005/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/taylor-swift-wins-top-prize-american-music-awards-n1248581|url-status=live}}

File:Taylor Swift Eras Tour - Arlington, TX - Folklore act 2.jpg (2023)]]

Folklore{{'s}} release ignited widespread interest in the term "folklore" on the internet. In response to this mainstream attention, the American Folklore Society launched a website titled "What is Folklore?" and engaged in an online campaign to educate the public about folklore studies. Folklorists were recruited to promote the academic field to the general public via social media.{{Cite news|last=Sanchez|first=Alexandra|date=July 24, 2021|title=AFS Explains "What is Folklore?" in Response to Taylor Swift's New Album Release|work=American Folklore Society|url=https://www.afsnet.org/news/518785/AFS-Explains-What-is-Folklore-in-Response-to-Taylor-Swifts-New-Album-Release.htm|access-date=May 25, 2021|archive-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709101203/https://www.afsnet.org/news/518785/AFS-Explains-What-is-Folklore-in-Response-to-Taylor-Swifts-New-Album-Release.htm|url-status=live}} Metacritic's traffic skyrocketed by roughly half a million views upon Folklore{{'s}} release. The site's founder Marc Doyle stated, "There's nothing quite like Taylor Swift", whose albums supply "a great deal of traffic and user participation" to the site whenever they are released.{{Cite news |last=Madden |first=Emma |date=October 19, 2022 |title=A New Taylor Swift LP? Metacritic Crunches the Reviews, as Fans Watch. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/19/arts/music/metacritic-music-reviews-taylor-swift.html |access-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019171047/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/19/arts/music/metacritic-music-reviews-taylor-swift.html |url-status=live }}

The album has been contextualized as a lockdown project by commentators,{{Cite web|last=Hyden|first=Steven|date=December 14, 2020|title=How Taylor Swift Reinvented Herself With Folklore And Now Evermore|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-evermore-album-review/|access-date=December 22, 2020|website=Uproxx|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411065319/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-evermore-album-review/|url-status=live}} and earned a reputation as the archetypal quarantine album.{{Cite web|last=Fagen|first=Lucas|date=September 19, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Quarantine Folktales|url=https://hyperallergic.com/588670/taylor-swift-folklore/|access-date=December 6, 2020|website=Hyperallergic|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227134324/https://hyperallergic.com/588670/taylor-swift-folklore/|url-status=live}} The Guardian opined that Folklore was a respite from chaotic events. The Daily Telegraph called it "an exquisite, empathetic lockdown triumph". NME wrote the album will be remembered as "the quintessential lockdown album" that "felt like the perfect accompaniment for the weird loneliness" of 2020.{{Cite magazine|last=Richards|first=Will|date=November 27, 2020|title=Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions review: secrets, songs and self-isolation with Taylor Swift|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/reviews/film-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-the-long-pond-sessions-film-review-2827515|access-date=December 6, 2020|magazine=NME|archive-date=July 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713185255/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/reviews/film-reviews/taylor-swift-folklore-the-long-pond-sessions-film-review-2827515|url-status=live}} Insider stated that Folklore would be known as "lockdown's one true masterpiece". Rolling Stone said the album may go down in history as "the definitive quarantine album" for providing comfort and catharsis "just when we needed it most". Billboard proclaimed that Folklore would be cherished as one of Swift's most influential albums. Uproxx noted how Folklore changed the tone of music in 2020,{{Cite web|last=White|first=Caitlin|date=December 8, 2020|title=Taylor Swift's Folklore Changed The Tone Of Pop in 2020|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-album-of-the-year/|access-date=December 22, 2020|website=Uproxx|archive-date=April 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412172805/https://uproxx.com/pop/taylor-swift-folklore-album-of-the-year/|url-status=live}} and its impact on the year's cultural landscape "can't be measured".

In a list awarding the most creative works that shaped quarantine, Vulture labeled Folklore as 2020's "Best Breakdown in Musical Form" for addressing topics of loneliness.{{Cite web|date=December 7, 2020|title=The First (And Hopefully Last) Quarries in which we award the most scrappy, absurd, ingenious works that shaped our year in quarantine.|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-quarantine-culture-quarries-2020.html|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=Vulture|archive-date=August 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804104447/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-quarantine-culture-quarries-2020.html|url-status=live}} Vogue listed the album amongst the best moments of lockdown culture.{{Cite magazine|last=Maitland|first=Hayley|date=September 1, 2020|title=The Best, Worst & Downright Ugliest Moments Of Lockdown Culture|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/lockdown-culture|access-date=December 8, 2020|magazine=Vogue|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132447/https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/lockdown-culture|url-status=live}} The Week called it "the first great pandemic art" for setting "a high bar" for future pandemic-inspired projects.{{Cite magazine|last=Lange|first=Jeva|date=July 25, 2020|title=Taylor Swift has made the first great pandemic art|url=https://theweek.com/articles/927296/taylor-swift-made-first-great-pandemic-art|access-date=January 2, 2021|magazine=The Week|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724163142/https://theweek.com/articles/927296/taylor-swift-made-first-great-pandemic-art|url-status=live}} Financial Times called it "the first great lockdown album",{{Cite news|date=December 6, 2020|title=Who have been the most influential women of 2020? FT readers respond|url=https://www.ft.com/content/469df412-7ed8-416e-99c3-2fabf0996ad6|access-date=December 6, 2020|work=Financial Times|archive-date=October 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029165441/https://www.ft.com/content/469df412-7ed8-416e-99c3-2fabf0996ad6|url-status=live}} while Hot Press termed it "the first great album of the lockdown era".{{Cite magazine|date=December 30, 2020|title=Hot Press Albums of 2020: The Top 10|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/hot-press-albums-of-2020-the-top-10-22836912|access-date=December 30, 2020|magazine=Hot Press|archive-date=May 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525160554/https://www.hotpress.com/music/hot-press-albums-of-2020-the-top-10-22836912|url-status=live}} Judging from its acclaim and commercial success, critic Tom Hull concluded that Swift "caught the spirit of the times" with Folklore.{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=July 27, 2020|title=Music Week|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2869-Music-Week.html|access-date=July 31, 2020|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|archive-date=September 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910132451/http://tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2869-Music-Week.html|url-status=live}} Billboard named Folklore and Evermore as the best examples of innovative albums from artists who amended their creative process during the pandemic,{{Cite magazine|last=Havens|first=Lyndsey|date=December 29, 2020|title=Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and More Innovated in the Pandemic – But What Strategies Will Stick?|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9501019/taylor-swift-dua-lipa-pandemic-strategies-2020/|access-date=December 29, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222153059/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9501019/taylor-swift-dua-lipa-pandemic-strategies-2020/|url-status=live}} and in a list titled "The 25 Musical Moments That Defined the First Quarter of the 2020s", called the album a "commercial smash" that stands as "one of the quintessential quarantine full-lengths".{{Cite magazine|date=July 5, 2022|title=The 25 Musical Moments That Defined the First Quarter of the 2020s|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/biggest-music-moments-2020s/|access-date=July 5, 2022|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=July 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705164710/https://www.billboard.com/pro/biggest-music-moments-2020s/|url-status=live}} In 2023, The New York Times named Folklore as one of the "17 pop culture moments that define the COVID era".{{Cite news |date=April 8, 2023 |title=Opinion {{!}} 17 Pop Culture Moments That Define The Covid Era |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/08/opinion/covid-culture-tiktok-bo-burnham.html |access-date=April 8, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408101004/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/08/opinion/covid-culture-tiktok-bo-burnham.html |url-status=live }} Rolling Stone ranked the album at No. 170 on its 2023 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/taylor-swift-folklore-3-1234935144/ |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 31, 2023 |access-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-date=January 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101141212/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/taylor-swift-folklore-3-1234935144/ |url-status=live }}

{{Blockquote|text=My world felt opened up creatively. There was a point that I got to as a writer who only wrote very diaristic songs that I felt it was unsustainable for my future moving forward. So what I felt after we put out Folklore was like "oh wow, people are into this too, this thing that feels really good for my life and feels really good for my creativity... it feels good for them too?"|author=Swift on how Folklore changed her creative process moving forward|title=|source=Apple Music 1{{cite web|last=Countryman|first=Eli|date=December 16, 2020|title=Taylor Swift Opens Up About the Creation of 'Evermore'|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-evermore-apple-music-1234853026/|url-status=live|access-date=December 20, 2020|work=Variety|archive-date=December 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222181838/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/taylor-swift-evermore-apple-music-1234853026/}}}}

The making of and rave reception to Folklore encouraged Swift to release Evermore. Swift herself has credited Folklore for ushering a new mindset of songwriting in her repertoire, which in turn influenced her subsequent releases. Folklore was the most popular album of 2020 on Genius,{{Cite web|date=December 30, 2020|title=Genius Year in Lyrics: The Top Albums Of 2020|url=https://genius.com/a/genius-year-in-lyrics-the-top-albums-of-2020|access-date=January 4, 2020|publisher=Genius|archive-date=December 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228094149/https://genius.com/a/genius-year-in-lyrics-the-top-albums-of-2020|url-status=live}} and Swift was the top searched act.{{Cite web|title=Genius Year in Lyrics: The Top Artists Of 2020|url=https://genius.com/a/genius-year-in-lyrics-the-top-artists-of-2020|access-date=December 31, 2020|publisher=Genius|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019042814/https://genius.com/a/genius-year-in-lyrics-the-top-artists-of-2020|url-status=live}} She was also the world's highest-paid solo musician of 2020,{{Cite magazine|last=Christman|first=Ed|date=July 19, 2021|title=Billboard's 2020 Global Money Makers: The 5 Top Highest Paid Musicians|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/money-makers/9602829/musician-global-money-makers-highest-paid-2020-report|access-date=July 19, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723130805/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/money-makers/9602829/musician-global-money-makers-highest-paid-2020-report/|url-status=live}} and the highest paid in the US, solely due to her incomes from the 2020 albums.{{Cite magazine|last=Christman|first=Ed|date=July 19, 2021|title=Billboard's U.S. Money Makers: The Top Paid Musicians of 2020|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9602078/musician-us-money-makers-highest-paid-2020/|access-date=July 19, 2021|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724153507/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9602078/musician-us-money-makers-highest-paid-2020|url-status=live}} In 2023, Swift embarked on the Eras Tour, which included an act dedicated to Folklore.{{Cite web |last=Ruggieri |first=Melissa |date=March 18, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift rewards fans with 44 songs at Eras Tour opener: Inside her triumphant return |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/03/18/taylor-swift-kicks-off-eras-tour-arizona-44-song-set/11490795002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318175202/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/03/18/taylor-swift-kicks-off-eras-tour-arizona-44-song-set/11490795002/ |archive-date=March 18, 2023 |access-date=March 18, 2023 |website=USA Today}}

Folklore influenced other artists' works. Those who cited Folklore as an influence for their music include Hayley Williams for her 2021 album Flowers for Vases / Descansos,{{Cite magazine|date=February 5, 2021|title=Hayley Williams is releasing Flowers for Vases / Descansos tomorrow|url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/hayley-williams-is-releasing-flowers-for-vases-descansos-tomorrow-2872499|access-date=February 5, 2021|magazine=NME|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516010408/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/hayley-williams-is-releasing-flowers-for-vases-descansos-tomorrow-2872499|url-status=live}} Mia Dimšić for her Eurovision 2022 song "Guilty Pleasure",{{Cite web|last=Balen|first=Ida|date=February 20, 2022|title=Mia Dimšić za RTL nakon plasmana na Eurosong: 'Nisam plagirala Taylor Swift, ali njena pjesma mi je bila inspiracija'|url=https://www.rtl.hr/vijesti-hr/novosti/hrvatska/4196134/mia-dimsic-za-rtl-nakon-plasmana-na-eurosong-nisam-plagirala-taylor-swift-ali-njena-pjesma-mi-je-bila-inspiracija/|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=Vijesti.hr|language=hr|archive-date=March 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329171651/https://www.rtl.hr/vijesti-hr/novosti/hrvatska/4196134/mia-dimsic-za-rtl-nakon-plasmana-na-eurosong-nisam-plagirala-taylor-swift-ali-njena-pjesma-mi-je-bila-inspiracija/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last1=Cindrić|first1=Marija|last2=Paponja|first2=Tea|date=February 20, 2022|title=Mia Dimšić o kritikama: 'Meni svaka usporedba s Taylor Swift može bit samo kompliment'|url=https://www.24sata.hr/show/mia-dimsic-o-kritikama-meni-svaka-usporedba-s-taylor-swift-moze-bit-samo-kompliment-816813|access-date=February 22, 2022|website=24sata|language=hr|archive-date=April 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405062010/https://www.24sata.hr/show/mia-dimsic-o-kritikama-meni-svaka-usporedba-s-taylor-swift-moze-bit-samo-kompliment-816813|url-status=live}} Rina Sawayama for her 2022 Hold the Girl,{{Cite magazine |last=Irvin |first=Jack |date=May 31, 2022 |title=Rina Sawayama Says the 'Fake Stories' of Taylor Swift's Folklore Inspired Her New Album Hold the Girl |url=https://people.com/music/rina-sawayama-says-taylor-swift-folklore-inspired-her-new-album-hold-the-girl/ |access-date=June 3, 2022 |magazine=People |archive-date=June 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603064543/https://people.com/music/rina-sawayama-says-taylor-swift-folklore-inspired-her-new-album-hold-the-girl/ |url-status=live }} and Maya Hawke for her 2022 album Moss.{{Cite web |last=Krueger |first=Jonah |date=July 20, 2022 |title=Maya Hawke on Being Inspired by Taylor Swift's Folklore, Finding Confidence, and Stranger Things |url=https://consequence.net/2022/07/maya-hawke-moss-stranger-things-kyle-meredith/ |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=Consequence |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004114132/https://consequence.net/2022/07/maya-hawke-moss-stranger-things-kyle-meredith/ |url-status=live }} Christina Perri and Sabrina Carpenter credited Folklore with encouraging them to be emotionally honest in their songs without worrying about external expectations,{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2022 |title=Christina Perri on New Single 'Evergone' and the Influence of Taylor Swift's Folklore and Evermore |url=https://consequence.net/2022/03/christina-perri-evergone-kyle-meredith-with/ |access-date=March 26, 2022 |website=Consequence |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511002215/https://consequence.net/2022/03/christina-perri-evergone-kyle-meredith-with/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2020 |title=Sabrina Carpenter on 'Let Me Move You': The Travel Millis Show |url=https://music.apple.com/us/post/1527127369 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |publisher=Apple Music |language=en-US |archive-date=October 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005010021/https://music.apple.com/us/post/1527127369 |url-status=live }} and Zahara credited Folklore for encouraging her to compose music again following months of isolation.{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/espanol/entretenimiento/sns-es-zahara-tyalor-swift-disco-cancion-muerte-salvacion-20210312-4aexz2vcqjg2zpzrocusud4a34-story.html|title=Zahara dedica a Taylor Swift el adelanto de su próximo disco|trans-title=Zahara dedicates the advancement of her next album to Taylor Swift|language=Spanish|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 12, 2021|access-date=March 22, 2021|archive-date=June 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622132057/https://www.chicagotribune.com/espanol/entretenimiento/sns-es-zahara-tyalor-swift-disco-cancion-muerte-salvacion-20210312-4aexz2vcqjg2zpzrocusud4a34-story.html|url-status=live}} The success of Folklore prompted artists such as Hawke,{{Cite news |last1=Robert |first1=Moran |last2=Shand |first2=John |last3=Au-Nhien Nguyen |first3=Giselle |last4=Ross |first4=Annabel |date=September 28, 2022 |title=What to listen to this month: A worthwhile album from a nepo baby? Stranger things happen |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/what-to-listen-to-next-sun-still-shines-on-sydney-s-jangle-pop-masters-20220830-p5bdwz.html |access-date=October 3, 2022 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003163442/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/what-to-listen-to-next-sun-still-shines-on-sydney-s-jangle-pop-masters-20220830-p5bdwz.html |url-status=live }} Gracie Abrams,{{Cite magazine |last=Shafer |first=Ellise |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Gracie Abrams on How Songwriting Is 'Like Breathing', Touring With Friend Olivia Rodrigo and Making New Music With Aaron Dessner |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/gracie-abrams-olivia-rodrigo-tour-aaron-dessner-1235221886/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408000653/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/gracie-abrams-olivia-rodrigo-tour-aaron-dessner-1235221886/ |url-status=live }} Ed Sheeran,{{Cite web |last=Curto |first=Justin |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Ed Sheeran Is Working on His Folklore |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/03/ed-sheeran-wrote-songs-folklore-aaron-dessner.html |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Vulture |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004193818/https://www.vulture.com/2022/03/ed-sheeran-wrote-songs-folklore-aaron-dessner.html |url-status=live }} King Princess,{{Cite magazine |date=October 10, 2022 |title=Recording's Great Escapes: Inside The World's Most Scenic, State-of-the-Art Studios |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-recording-studios-music-global-photos/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=October 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010160101/https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-recording-studios-music-global-photos/ |url-status=live }} and Girl in Red{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Finlay |date=October 3, 2022 |title=Girl in Red has announced that a new single, 'October Passed Me By', is due next week |url=https://readdork.com/news/girl-in-red-new-single-october-passed-me-by/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=Dork |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003113004/https://readdork.com/news/girl-in-red-new-single-october-passed-me-by/ |url-status=live }} to collaborate with Dessner and record songs at his Long Pond Studio. Noah Kahan acknowledged Folklore for bringing a "new generation to folk and folk-pop" and helping his music become more mainstream.{{Cite magazine |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date=January 25, 2024 |title=How Noah Kahan Turned 'Stick Season' Into The Gift That Keeps On Giving |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/features/noah-kahan-stick-season-breakthrough-snl-tour-grammy-preview-1235588318/ |access-date=March 20, 2024 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |quote= |archive-date=January 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128044956/https://www.billboard.com/music/features/noah-kahan-stick-season-breakthrough-snl-tour-grammy-preview-1235588318/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date=December 15, 2023 |title=Billboard's Greatest Pop Stars of 2023: No. 1 — Taylor Swift |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-greatest-pop-star-2023-eras-tour-all-time-1235558902/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215225151/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/taylor-swift-greatest-pop-star-2023-eras-tour-all-time-1235558902/ |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |access-date=December 16, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |quote=Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan [has] acknowledged that the pandemic-era acclaim for her {{em|Folklore}} and {{em|Evermore}} albums helped open a mainstream lane for his brand of alt-folk.}} American comics writer Sina Grace was inspired by the aesthetic and themes of Folklore to create the story, characters, and art style of the upcoming DC Comics graphic novel Superman: The Harvests of Youth.{{Cite web |last=Connolly |first=Spencer |date=August 31, 2023 |title=DC's New Superman Was Inspired by a Taylor Swift Album |url=https://screenrant.com/dc-new-superman-inspired-by-taylor-swift-album/ |access-date=August 31, 2023 |website=Screen Rant |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831173842/https://screenrant.com/dc-new-superman-inspired-by-taylor-swift-album/ |url-status=live }} Folklore is also the subject of multiple academic papers, mostly literary.{{Cite journal |last1=Harrison |first1=Chloe |last2=Ringrow |first2=Helen |date=November 6, 2022 |title=Disnarration and the performance of storytelling in Taylor Swift's folklore and evermore |url=https://journals.linguistik.de/ijll/article/view/140 |journal=International Journal of Literary Linguistics |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |doi=10.15462/ijll.v11i1.140 |issn=2194-5594}}{{Cite journal |last1=Frida |first1=Keazia Yasmina |last2=Zuraida |first2=Ida |date=December 26, 2022 |title=Metaphor in The Folklore Album by Taylor Swift: A Semantics Study |url=https://ethicallingua.org/25409190/article/view/473 |journal=Ethical Lingua: Journal of Language Teaching and Literature |language=en |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=610–618 |doi=10.30605/25409190.473 |doi-broken-date=November 1, 2024 |issn=2540-9190 |archive-date=November 27, 2023 |access-date=March 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127082345/https://ethicallingua.org/25409190/article/view/473 |url-status=live }}{{Cite journal |last=Max |first=Jonathan Irene Sartika Dewi |date=April 29, 2022 |title=Three speakers' perspectives on experience in Taylor Swift's selected lyrics from Folklore album |url=https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/rainbow/article/view/50485 |journal=Rainbow: Journal of Literature, Linguistics and Culture Studies |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=11–18 |doi=10.15294/rainbow.v11i1.50485 |issn=2721-4540|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Dajches |first1=Leah |last2=Stevens Aubrey |first2=Jennifer |date=2023 |title=Queer folklore: Examining the influence of fandom on sexual identity development and fluidity acceptance among Taylor Swift fans. |url=https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/ppm0000408 |journal=Psychology of Popular Media |language=en |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=255–267 |doi=10.1037/ppm0000408 |issn=2689-6575}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Folklore standard edition track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 63:29

| title1 = The 1

| writer1 = {{hlist|Taylor Swift|Aaron Dessner}}

| extra1 = Dessner

| length1 = 3:30

| title2 = Cardigan

| writer2 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra2 = Dessner

| length2 = 3:59

| title3 = The Last Great American Dynasty

| writer3 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra3 = Dessner

| length3 = 3:51

| title4 = Exile

| note4 = featuring Bon Iver

| writer4 = {{hlist|Swift|William Bowery|Justin Vernon}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Dessner|Joe Alwyn}}

| length4 = 4:45

| title5 = My Tears Ricochet

| writer5 = Swift

| extra5 = {{hlist|Swift|Jack Antonoff|Alwyn}}

| length5 = 4:15

| title6 = Mirrorball

| writer6 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| length6 = 3:29

| title7 = Seven

| writer7 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra7 = Dessner

| length7 = 3:28

| title8 = August

| writer8 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff|Alwyn}}

| length8 = 4:21

| title9 = This Is Me Trying

| writer9 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff|Alwyn}}

| length9 = 3:15

| title10 = Illicit Affairs

| writer10 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff|Alwyn}}

| length10 = 3:10

| title11 = Invisible String

| writer11 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra11 = Dessner

| length11 = 4:12

| title12 = Mad Woman

| writer12 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra12 = Dessner

| length12 = 3:57

| title13 = Epiphany

| writer13 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra13 = Dessner

| length13 = 4:49

| title14 = Betty

| writer14 = {{hlist|Swift|Bowery}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner|Antonoff|Alwyn}}

| length14 = 4:54

| title15 = Peace

| writer15 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra15 = Dessner

| length15 = 3:54

| title16 = Hoax

| writer16 = {{hlist|Swift|Dessner}}

| extra16 = Dessner

| length16 = 3:40

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition bonus track

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 67:00

| title17 = The Lakes

| writer17 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Swift|Antonoff}}

| length17 = 3:31

}}

{{div col}}

• Taylor Swift – lead vocals, songwriting, production (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17)
• Aaron Dessner –  production (1–4, 7, 11–16), songwriting (1–3, 7, 11–13, 15, 16), 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){{efn|name=Credits|This performer is also credited with recording their instrumentation.}}
• Jason Treuting – percussion (1){{efn|name=Credits}}
• 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){{efn|name=Credits}}
• James McAlister – drum programming (2, 11), beat programming (12), synthesizers (12), hand percussion (12), drums (12){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Clarice Jensen – cello (2, 7, 11–13){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Rob Moose – orchestration (3, 16), violin (3, 4, 16), viola (3, 4, 16){{efn|name=Credits}}
• JT Bates – drums (3, 7, 13){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Justin Vernon – lead vocals (4), songwriting (4), pulse (15){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Joe Alwyn –  production (4, 5, 8–10, 14), songwriting (4, 14)
• Jack Antonoff –  production (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17), songwriting (6, 8–10, 17), live drums (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17), percussion (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17), programming (5, 6, 8–10, 17), electric guitars (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17), keyboards (5, 6, 8–10, 17), piano (5, 17), bass (5, 8–10, 14), background vocals (5, 6, 9, 10, 17), acoustic guitars (6, 8, 14), B3 (6, 14), organ (9), Mellotron (14)
• Evan Smith – saxophones (5, 8–10, 14, 17), keyboards (5, 8–10, 17), programming (5), flute (8, 17), electric guitar (8, 10), accordion (10), background vocals (10), clarinet (14, 17), bass (17)
• Bobby Hawk – strings (5, 8, 9, 17)
• Bryan Devendorf – drum programming (7){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Jonathan Low – synth bass (8){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Mikey Freedom Hart – pedal steel (10, 14), Mellotron (14), Wurlitzer (14), harpsichord (14), vibraphone (14), electric guitar (14)
• Kyle Resnick – trumpet (13){{efn|name=Credits}}
• Josh Kaufman – harmonica (14), electric guitar (14), lap steel (14){{efn|name=Credits}}

{{div col end}}

Additional instrument recording{{efn|Several performers are also credited with recording their own instrumentation, as noted in the 'Musicians' section.}}

{{div col}}

• Kyle Resnick – viola (1, 2, 7, 11–13), violin (1, 2, 7, 11–13)
• Bella Blasko – modular synth (2)
• Lorenzo Wolff – strings (5, 9)
• Mike Williams – strings (8, 17)
• Jon Gautier – strings (8, 17)
• Benjamin Lanz – trombone (13)

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• Taylor Swift – executive producer
• Jonathan Low – recording (1–4, 7, 11–16), mixing (1–4, 7, 8, 11, 15–17)
• Aaron Dessner – recording (1–4, 7, 11–16), additional recording (2, 11)
• Laura Sisk – recording (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17), vocal recording (1–3; Swift on 4; 13, 15, 16)
• Jack Antonoff – recording (5, 6, 8–10, 14, 17)
• 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)
• Şerban Ghenea – mixing (5, 6, 9, 10, 12–14)
• John Hanes – mix engineering (5, 6, 9, 10, 12–14)
• Randy Merrill – mastering

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• Taylor Swift – wardrobe styling, hair and makeup, packaging creative and art direction
• Beth Garrabrant – photography
• 13 Management – packaging design, project support and coordination
• Republic Records – project support and coordination

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Folklore, with pure sales where available}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=3|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2025|access-date=March 13, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|type=album|title=Folklore|artist=Taylor Swift|award=Platinum|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=May 29, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|relyear=2020|certyear=2022|access-date=August 30, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|type=album|award=Platinum|number=6|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=February 28, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|award=Platinum|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|relyear=2020|certyear=2021|id=10535|access-date=September 7, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=album|award=Platinum|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=December 23, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|access-date=December 23, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=album|award=Platinum|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|id=12291|access-date=March 25, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|relyear=2020|id=2024-05-10|source=newchart|access-date=November 20, 2024|certyear=2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2021|access-date=November 19, 2021|refname="NorwayCert"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=December 18, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2024|certyear=2024|id=file_2024-06-12-13-45-28.pdf|access-date=June 27, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Singapore|title=|artist=|type=album|award=Gold|certyear=2021|access-date=January 23, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=2020|certyear=2022|date=March 2022|id=taylor-swift-Folklore|access-date=March 22, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|artist=Taylor Swift|title=Folklore|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=April 15, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Folklore|type=album|artist=Taylor Swift|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|award=Platinum|number=2|id=2329-1598-2|access-date=December 8, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Folklore|type=album|artist=Taylor Swift|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2022|relyear=2020|access-date=October 19, 2022|salesamount=2,289,000|salesref={{efn|US sales for Folklore as of January 2024{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-1989-taylors-version-2-million-sales-1235584599/ |title=Taylor Swift's '1989 (Taylor's Version)' Surpasses 2 Million in U.S. Sales |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |magazine=Billboard |date=January 18, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024}}}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2020
• List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2020s
• List of UK Album Downloads Chart number ones of the 2020s
• List of number-one albums of 2020 (Canada)
• List of number-one albums of 2020 (Australia)
• List of number-one albums of 2020 (Ireland)
• List of number-one albums from the 2020s (New Zealand)
• List of number-one albums in Norway
• List of number-one albums of 2020 (Belgium)
• List of best-selling albums in China

{{notelist}}

{{NoteFoot}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|1777815|name=Folklore}}

{{Taylor Swift}}

{{Grammy Award for Album of the Year}}

{{authority control}}

Category:2020 albums

Category:Taylor Swift albums

Category:Albums produced by Taylor Swift

Category:Albums produced by Jack Antonoff

Category:Albums produced by Aaron Dessner

Category:Alternative rock albums by American artists

Category:Chamber pop albums

Category:2020s concept albums

Category:Folktronica albums

Category:Albums impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Category:Indie folk albums by American artists

Category:Indietronica albums by American artists

Category:Republic Records albums

Category:Surprise albums

Category:Grammy Award for Album of the Year

Category:Albums recorded at Electric Lady Studios