Taylor Swift released “august” on July 24, 2020, as part of Folklore.
The song arrived on the same day as Folklore, which Swift announced only hours before its release. The surprise launch took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Swift was isolating and developing a more fictional, atmospheric songwriting style.
Although the title refers to a month, the track was released near the end of July. That timing has sometimes caused listeners to associate its release date with August 1, the point when the song’s annual seasonal resurgence becomes especially noticeable.
“august” was not originally promoted as a traditional standalone single. Nevertheless, its summer setting, wistful lyrics, and connection to Folklore’s love-triangle narrative helped it become a recurring streaming and social-media favorite.