Taylor Swift’s song “august” appears on her 2020 studio album Folklore.
Folklore was Swift’s eighth studio album and was released as a surprise project on July 24, 2020. Unlike several of her earlier pop-focused albums, it emphasizes indie folk, alternative rock, and atmospheric songwriting.
“august” is one of the album’s narrative songs. It forms part of a fictional teenage love triangle alongside “Cardigan” and “Betty.” The three tracks present related events from different perspectives, although the characters and story were created as imaginative fiction rather than autobiography.
The album’s surprise release helped “august” gain attention without initially being issued as a conventional single. Its recurring popularity every August has also made the track one of Folklore’s most recognizable songs.