Taylor Swift surprise-released Folklore, the album containing “august,” on July 24, 2020. She announced the project shortly before its arrival, making the release a major surprise during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The album was created in a period when Swift’s planned activities were disrupted by lockdowns. She worked remotely with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, while recording her own vocals in a home studio in Los Angeles.
Folklore’s release date is sometimes confused with the later dates of individual singles. “cardigan” was released as a single on July 27, “exile” on August 3, and “betty” on August 17. Those dates do not represent the album’s original release.
The timing also explains why “august” arrived before the month named in its title. Its recurring August trend developed after release, when fans began returning to the song each year as the calendar reached August.