August 1 most commonly triggers the annual online Taylor Swift “august” trend.
Each year, fans mark the first day of August by streaming the song, posting its lyrics, and creating videos or photo montages using its sound. The practice grew from the track’s title, its late-summer imagery, and its story about a romance that fades as the season slips away.
The tradition is cultural rather than an official holiday or release anniversary. “august” was released on July 24, 2020, but the recurring online activity centers on the beginning of the named month.
The trend is sometimes called the “Salt Air” trend because the song opens with the words “salt air.” Fans also use the track throughout August, but August 1 is the clearest annual kickoff date.