Taylor Swift announced the album containing “august,” folklore, about 16 hours before its release.
On July 23, 2020, Swift posted that her eighth studio album would arrive at midnight. The short notice was a deliberate break from the lengthy promotional campaigns commonly used for major pop albums.
The surprise release happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Swift’s planned Lover Fest tour had been canceled. She had developed folklore during quarantine and worked remotely with collaborators including Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff.
The announcement timing is often remembered as part of folklore’s identity, but the album itself was released on July 24, not July 23. Swift revealed the track list and cover around the announcement, allowing fans only a limited period to anticipate the record before hearing “august” and the other songs.