Why You Can Trust CNET How to listen to Taylor Swift's surprise album, Folklore
When coronavirus ruins your summer, shake it off with Swift's hot new album.
Taylor Swift wraps up warm in the video for Cardigan, made in a coronavirus-safe fashion.
Taylor Swift just dropped a surprise album Thursday night. It's called Folklore, and the Reputation superstar previewed it with a socially distanced music video. (Let's just hope the cast and crew kept plenty of blank space between them.) Her eighth studio album is now available for streaming.
In addition to Apple Music and Spotify, you can get your hands on Folklore in all the usual places:
- Listen at Amazon Music
- Listen at Pandora
- Listen at YouTube Music
- Listen at Soundcloud
- Listen at Tidal
- Listen at Deezer
- Listen at Google Play
If you prefer to not go the subscription route, it'll cost about $9 at Amazon to get the 16 MP3 tracks. Runtime is a bit over an hour.
According to Swift's announcement on Twitter and Instagram, the album wasn't planned before the coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic left her with nothing to do. So she decided to shake it off and make a new record, which dropped at midnight the day of the announcement and is available now.
Surprise 🤗 Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my 8th studio album, folklore; an entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into. Pre-order at https://t.co/zSHpnhUlLb pic.twitter.com/4ZVGy4l23b
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 23, 2020
Swift also directed the first music video, entitled Cardigan. The singer did her own hair and makeup for the clip, while the crew wore masks and medical staff kept an eye on things.
Aaron Dessner of The National co-wrote or produced 11 of the 16 tracks on Folklore, which earns bonus indie points, thanks to an appearance by Bon Iver.
Swift released her most recent album, Lover, just over a year ago, and for her most recent music video, titled The Man and released in February, she tapped various TikTok stars. While you're waiting for the new album, you can catch up with Swift in the revealing Netflix documentary Miss Americana, streaming now. Or you could watch Cats.