Released as a surprise during the COVID-19 pandemic, Folklore represented Taylor's most dramatic artistic reinvention. Collaborating with Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver, she crafted a collection of fictional narratives and intimate confessionals rooted in indie folk and alternative rock. It won Album of the Year at the Grammys, making Taylor the first woman to win the award three times.
Deep Dive
Background
Folklore was written and recorded in secret during the first months of COVID-19 lockdown, born from Taylor's long-distance collaboration with Aaron Dessner of The National. With no touring, no promotional cycle, and no commercial pressure, Taylor was free to make the most artistically ambitious album of her career. She announced it less than 24 hours before its release, shocking fans and the industry alike. The album also features contributions from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and co-writing from Jack Antonoff.
Themes
For the first time, Taylor wrote extensively from perspectives other than her own — the album's centerpiece is a fictional love triangle told across 'cardigan,' 'august,' and 'betty,' each from a different character's point of view. Alongside these narratives, tracks like 'my tears ricochet,' 'this is me trying,' and 'peace' offer deeply personal meditations on fame, inadequacy, and the compromises love requires.
Production
Aaron Dessner built the album's sonic world from layered acoustic guitars, piano, and atmospheric textures drawn from indie folk and post-rock. The production is deliberately intimate and unhurried, with space and silence used as effectively as the instruments — a radical departure from the maximalist pop of her previous work.
Legacy
Folklore won Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammys, making Taylor the first woman to win the award three times. The album was credited with legitimizing the surprise-release model for major artists, and its critical reception marked the moment Taylor was embraced by the indie music world that had previously dismissed her.
Best For
For anyone who wants to hear Taylor at her most literary and least commercial — a genuinely beautiful album that rewards close, quiet listening.
Fun Fact
Aaron Dessner has said he sent Taylor instrumental tracks expecting her to take weeks to respond, but she would return fully written songs within hours — sometimes sending back multiple options for the same track overnight.
Tracklist — 17 songs
Featured Artists — 1
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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