Described by Taylor as Folklore's sister record, Evermore arrived just five months later and deepened her exploration of storytelling and fictional characters. With tracks like Champagne Problems and Tolerate It, the album showcased some of her most devastating lyrical work, while No Body No Crime offered a murder-mystery narrative featuring HAIM.
Deep Dive
Background
Evermore arrived just five months after folklore, released in December 2020 as its companion album. Taylor described the two records as a single creative statement — where folklore was 'the escapism of a dreamlike state,' evermore was 'the questions and conclusions drawn from that state.' The same core collaborators returned (Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff, Justin Vernon), joined by new voices including HAIM, the National's full band, and Marcus Mumford.
Themes
Evermore pushes further into narrative storytelling than folklore, with more fictional characters and more genre experimentation. 'Champagne problems' delivers one of Taylor's most devastating rejection scenes, 'tolerate it' explores a marriage slowly dying from indifference, ''tis the damn season' is a holiday hometown hookup story, and 'no body, no crime' is a full murder ballad featuring HAIM.
Production
Aaron Dessner's production expands on folklore's foundation with more country and Americana influences — banjos, pedal steel, and full-band arrangements appear alongside the atmospheric textures of the previous album. The sonic palette is warmer and more varied than folklore's, reflecting the album's wider emotional and narrative range.
Legacy
Though initially overshadowed by folklore's cultural moment, evermore has been steadily reappraised as its equal or even its superior by many fans and critics. 'Champagne problems' is now considered one of Taylor's finest songs, and the album demonstrated that folklore was not a one-off experiment but a genuine expansion of her artistic identity.
Best For
For anyone who loved folklore and wants to go deeper — evermore trades dreaminess for specificity and rewards listeners who pay attention to the stories.
Fun Fact
Taylor has said 'champagne problems' was inspired by Cleopatra's legend of dissolving a pearl in a glass of wine to prove her wealth, reimagined as a woman rejecting a proposal and watching her partner's world dissolve in a single moment.
Tracklist — 17 songs
Featured Artists — 3
Sample Map — 1 source
Era — Indie Folk (2020)
In the quiet of the pandemic, Taylor created her most critically acclaimed work. Folklore and Evermore, crafted with Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver, represented a stunning pivot to indie folk storytelling. Fictional characters, literary narratives, and atmospheric production earned her a record-breaking third Album of the Year Grammy.
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