Taylor Swift’s “august” appears on Folklore, her eighth studio album, released in 2020.
Folklore marked a major shift toward fictional storytelling, indie-influenced production, and imagined characters. Swift created many of its narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely with collaborators including Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner. “august” belongs to the album’s connected story about James, Betty, and an unnamed young woman.
The annual August trend grew partly because the song’s atmosphere matches the month’s associations with beaches, fading summer, memory, and romance. Each year, listeners return to the track and creators use it in short seasonal videos.
Some listeners confuse Folklore with Evermore because both albums were released close together and share collaborators and a fictional, literary tone. Folklore came first, in July 2020; Evermore followed in December of the same year. “august” is exclusively a Folklore track.