Taylor Swift: Here’s What Fans And Critics Are Saying About ‘folklore’

Author Brian Ives // Managing Editor, Beasley Media

July 24th, 2020 9:20 AM

Last year, Taylor Swift released a song called “You Need To Calm Down,” and it seems that she’s talking her own advice on her new album. Yesterday, Taylor Swift surprised fans by announcing that she was going to release her latest effort — folklore — at midnight. She gave some details, including that she collaborated once again with Jack Antonoff (with whom she’d worked on past projects, including Reputation and Lover) as well as indie rockers Aaron Dessner of the National and Bon Iver. It was immediately clear that the album wasn’t going to be like her past albums.

And despite Antonoff’s presence (he’s a member of the pop group fun., and has also collaborated with Sia, Troye Sivan, Lorde, Pink, Sara Bareilles and the [former Dixie] Chicks, among others), there aren’t any “bangers” on the album: Variety says that her 2012 album Red “seems like a Chainsmokers album compared to the wholly banger-free folklore, which lives up to the first half of its title by divesting itself of any lingering traces of Max Martin-ized dance-pop and presenting Swift, afresh, as your favorite new indie-electro-folk/chamber-pop balladeer.”

Still, it’s already a huge critical success, just hours after being released: Billboard called it a “tour de force” while Variety said that “Swift has become the first major pop artist to deliver a first-rank album that went from germination to being completely locked down in the midst of a national lockdown.” Indeed, it seems to be an album made during, and for, our times. As Teen Vogue points out, “It’s the album embodiment of sitting with uncomfortable feelings or with months of isolated self-reflection. It deals in sads big and small, but the big ones are treated so close and careful they feel fragile. Some are open wounds, and some are scars, and maybe neither are getting smaller, we’re just getting used to carrying them.” USA Today said that folklore “is the album Taylor Swift was born to make,” and called it “her best ever,” noting that “while plenty of pop luminaries such as Justin Timberlake (Man of the Woods) and Lady Gaga (Joanne) have taken detours into stripped-down folk/soft rock, none have made the transition as seamlessly as Swift, who reminds us once again that she’s the most gifted songwriter in music today.”

But the album isn’t just going over well with critics: here’s what the fans have been saying (and judging by social media response, the sentiment is overwhelmingly positive).

https://twitter.com/JohnnySibilly/status/1286532938440441856

https://twitter.com/astysummer/status/1286523724661956614

GALLERY: Ten Times Taylor Swift Proved She Was A Boss In 2020

• GALLERY: Ten Times Taylor Swift Proved She Was A Boss

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  10. When she spoke out about the importance of removing confederate statues. Taylor said, "As a Tennessean, it makes me sick that there are monuments standing in our state that celebrate racist historical figures who did evil things. Edward Carmack and Nathan Bedford Forrest were DESPICABLE figures in our state history and should be treated as such."

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  9. When she stared in her own documentary on Netflix. Taylor tweeted about 'Miss Americana,' saying, "It's wild to be sharing so much of my life because it's scary to be vulnerable!"

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  8. When she surprised fans with an album - Taylor Swift announced that she wrote and recorded an entire album during quarantine. She described 'Folklore' as "An entire brand new album of songs I've poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into."
• GALLERY: Ten Times Taylor Swift Proved She Was A Boss

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  7. When she secretly gifted fans money at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. One fan expressed gratitude, saying, "I will literally never be able to repay her for the sheer gesture of it— Never-mind the actual amount which is 3 months of rent for me. It's a wonderfully humble example of acknowledging that her small change can really impact someone else. I feel seen. Thanks, Taylor Swift."

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  6. When she gave her employees off for Juneteenth. She wrote on Twitter, "Personally, I've made the decision to give all of my employees June 19th off in honor of Freedom Day from now on, and to continue to educate myself on the history that brought us to this present moment."

• GALLERY: Ten Times Taylor Swift Proved She Was A Boss

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  5. When she directed and starred in the video for "The Man."
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  4. When she called out Trump. Taylor didn't hold back either when she tweeted directly to the president. She said, "After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? 'When the looting starts the shooting starts'??? We will vote you out in November."

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  3. When she supported the Black Lives Matter movement. On Twitter, Taylor wrote, "Racial injustice has been ingrained deeply into local and state governments, and changes MUST be made there. In order for policies to change, we need to elect people who will fight against police brutality and racism of any kind. #BlackLivesMatter."

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  2. When she praised the Supreme Court for confirming that a 1964 civil rights law protects L.G.B.T. workers from discrimination. She said, "YES!! Thank you to the Supreme Court Justices who voted in favor and all the advocates who have fought so hard for this! We still have a long way to go to reach equality, but this is a beautiful step forward."
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  1. When she donated $1 million to Nashville tornado relief. On social media, she wrote, "Nashville is my home and the fact that so many people have lost their homes and so much more in Middle Tennessee is devastating to me."

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Author Brian Ives // Managing Editor, Beasley Media

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Taylor Swift