Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album, Folklore, it’s here. And once again has conquered the world. As his dedicated fans (known as Swifties) celebrate, he has also gained new listeners. Find out why this release is making comparisons to one of their previous albums.
Taylor Swift’s new album ‘Folklore’
Less than a year after their seventh album, Lover, fell, Swift announced Folklore. It did so without any press or discussion surrounding it, and announced it less than 24 hours before launch. She wrote on social media: “Tonight, at midnight, I will release my entire new album of songs in which I have poured all my whims, dreams, fears and reflections.”
Folklore, along with a music video for her first single, “Cardigan,” was released on July 24, 2020. Swift regarded the album as “a collection of songs and stories that flowed as a stream of consciousness.” There are 16 tracks on the standard album (plus one on the deluxe edition), all written in the past few months.
It has a more independent sound than its previous records.
RELATED: Why Do Fans and Critics Think ‘Folklore’ Is Taylor Swift’s Best Album?
In addition to frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, Swift worked with a new “musical hero”, Aaron Dessner, of indie rock band The National. Dessner wrote on Instagram that he was “excited and honored” to work with her. She also cited the contributions of another bandmate: her brother, Bryce Dessner, and her “beautiful orchestration.”
The group’s work on the album has received comment from the masses. A Twitter user, political pundit Kevin Madden, wrote: “It’s okay to admit that Taylor Swift’s new album is really good, right? Mixing with the sound of The National works totally. Does anyone else hear the influence?
Ryan Adams covered his first pop album, ‘1989’
As fans and critics categorize this latest work, remember when Swift changed gender in the past. Her 2015 Grammy Winning Release 1989 It was the first to be officially classified as “pop” after its previous country. Then independent rock artist Ryan Adams released a full album cover, which drew more attention, although not everything was positive.
“Even with the intention of celebrating it, Ryan Adams has made it possible for dozens of music journalists to explain Swift’s album to him,” wrote Anna Leszkiewicz for the New Statesmen in an article that shared examples of those who praised the cover album. comparing it to the original.
Why do fans have a problem with the comparison?
With Folklore exploring the genre, listeners began to reference 1989 and the Adams cover. Variety’s Chris Williams wrote, “At least this one won’t require a new Ryan Adams version of the album to convince anyone that there’s composition there.” He, like others, partly attributed the change to the influence of the national.
But Swifties is convinced that the artist had it on her all along. Remember when Ryan Adams heard 1989 and I literally thought ‘could I do better’ and re-recorded everything? I like to think of folklore like Taylor Swift waiting like 5 years and saying ‘no’, ”wrote a Twitter user.
