Taylor Swift’s latest studio album Folklore has seen all 16 of its tracks debut at the Billboard Hot 100, with three of the album’s songs “Cardigan,” “The 1” and “Exile” arriving at number 1, 4 and 6, respectively. Swift has also become the first artist to debut an album at the top of the Billboard 200 and song at the top of the Hot 100 during the same week.
This album saw Swift collaborate with Bon Iver, who co-wrote and was featured on the song “Exile,” Aaron Dessner of The National who co-wrote 11 of the album’s 16 tracks and Jack Antonoff, who is one of her frequent collaborators. The album also broke streaming records upon its debut, beating out the previous record holder, Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next, by 11 million streams. This album was surprised released without any previous promotion and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also dominated the entirety of Apple’s top 5.
Swift began her country music career at the age of 14, after relocating to Nashville and gradually transitioned into a more pop oriented sound as her career continued. This latest project utilizes a variety of influences from chamber pop, indie folk and alternative rock, that she did not explore on previous releases.
“It truly showcases Swift’s ability to continuously reinvent her sound and is a prime example of why she’s managed to stay at the top of the charts around the globe for over a decade,” mxdwn reviewer Marianna Salcedo explained. “Her grace, heart and immeasurable talent shine through on every note and word of Folklore.”
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