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folklore
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folklore Image
Metascore
88

Universal acclaim - based on 27 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 17537 Ratings

  • Summary: The 16-track surprise release from the pop artist features contributions from Jack Antonoff, Bon Iver, William Bowery, and Aaron Dessner of the National.
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All I know Is everything is not as it's sold But the more I grow the less I know And I have lived so many lives Though I'm not old And the more I... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Jul 24, 2020
    100
    Swift explodes the expectations of anyone preparing to call her music "diaristic," writing songs from different perspectives while putting her already-detailed work under a microscope. ... A content smile of an album on which one of the world's biggest pop stars, charts be damned, forges her own path and dares listeners to come along for the ride.
  2. The Guardian
    Jul 24, 2020
    100
    This strange summer of arrested development is steadily ending. Folklore will endure long beyond it: as fragmented as Swift is across her eighth album – and much as you hope it doesn’t mark the end of her pop ambitions – her emotional acuity has never been more assured.
  3. Uncut
    Aug 13, 2020
    90
    It's a sharp turn to the left for Swift and a fine reminder that she is more than just a gleaming pop phenomenon, but a remarkable songwriter too. [Oct 2020, p.36]
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  4. Paste Magazine
    Jul 24, 2020
    87
    One of her best, most perfectly-produced projects ever. In folklore, she wrote a quieter, more thought-provoking chapter in her constantly shapeshifting story.
  5. PopMatters
    Jul 29, 2020
    80
    The 16 tunes comprising her latest song cycle oscillate gracefully around piano keyboards and introduce a series of portraits of fictional and real-life characters (from a terrified child with a traumatized best friend to a ghost scrutinizing her enemies at her funeral) to complement her reflections on the social distancing of quarantine time.
  6. Spin
    Jul 24, 2020
    80
    While the album tends to lull around its middle, folklore is far less concerned with its individual tracks than the greater, twisting conversation — the sort of hours-long, sanity-affirming chats that have become vital over these last four months.
  7. The New York Times
    Jul 27, 2020
    60
    “Folklore” songs fall into roughly two camps — excellent Swift-penned songs that are sturdy enough to bear the production, and others that end up obscured by murk.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7,081 out of 7707
  2. Mixed: 104 out of 7707
  3. Negative: 522 out of 7707
  1. Stalingrad
    Jul 25, 2020
    10
    In her previous two albums, there was a subtle glimpse of melancholy and introspection - often in the album's best tracks. In folklore, swiftIn her previous two albums, there was a subtle glimpse of melancholy and introspection - often in the album's best tracks. In folklore, swift takes her rare musings that previously only seasoned, and now makes it the base of this new less-pop-more-indie record.… Expand
  2. ValeriaG
    Jul 24, 2020
    10
    this album is a **** masterpiece! She surprised us all with such an enchanted and magic album! Probably her best album so far!
  4. dxvidr13
    Jul 24, 2020
    10
    album of the year. amazing lyrics, amazing production, amazing sounds. taylor swift is the best songwriter of this generation. .
  5. rafsupan
    Jul 28, 2020
    10
    The way Taylor wrote this album is beyond perfection. Nobody can write magical lyrics as Taylor. Plus, the melody of each song is veryThe way Taylor wrote this album is beyond perfection. Nobody can write magical lyrics as Taylor. Plus, the melody of each song is very captivating and enchanting. This probably her best album.… Expand
  6. littlewolf19
    Nov 1, 2020
    10
    Folklore. What to say about it that hasn’t been said before? Taylor really, truly outdid herself this time. No one was expecting a surpriseFolklore. What to say about it that hasn’t been said before? Taylor really, truly outdid herself this time. No one was expecting a surprise drop from Taylor- she usually sticks to one particular rollout schedule that consists of a lead single, one promotional single, and the album a couple of months later in between the months of October and November. By dropping this in the middle of July, without any build up, she made waves. The album in its entirety is beautiful. The lyrics are reminiscent of those found in Red, which is a fan favorite album across the board and considered to be her magnum opus. She showcases the story telling abilities that she fully brought to the table when she wrote Speak Now all by herself at 19. And just like 1989, it has very few to no references of modern pop culture. No new slang, nothing that could date it- making it a timeless masterpiece. Others may say that the often slow tempo makes it boring, but I would argue otherwise. I was captivated by it from the start. That’s what Taylor does best- she takes feelings we all know and turns them into something that really is magical. And by doing all of this, she is cementing herself as more than just a generic pop star- I’m positive that in another ten years, she’ll be considered an icon and a legend. All of the hype and praise Folklore has received has very much been deserved. I consider this to be my new favorite album of hers, and it makes me extremely excited to see what she’ll do next.… Expand
  7. Jainapro
    Jul 24, 2020
    10
    Greatest album ever!! Taylor Swift did is back and better than ever. I’m so proud of her growth. She gave the world what they needed
  8. ChromaticaRare
    Aug 28, 2020
    0
    While folklore marks a much needed departure from Taylor Swift's outdated soft pop sound, she seems to fall short in the alternative genre,While folklore marks a much needed departure from Taylor Swift's outdated soft pop sound, she seems to fall short in the alternative genre, with more than half of the tracks off this album being snoozefests.… Expand

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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best Album of 2020
1
#1 Most Discussed Album of 2020

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