August (song)

"August" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). Swift and Jack Antonoff wrote the song, and the two produced it with Joe Alwyn.^[b]

"August" is a ballad that combines dream pop, guitar pop, and soft rock. It features a dense reverb and an orchestration of strings and keyboards. The lyrics are told from the perspective of an unnamed female character, who yearns for the 17-year-old boy James; he abandons her after a brief summer romance and reconciles with his former lover Betty. The narrative of "August" forms a love triangle depicted in three Folklore tracks, the other two being "Cardigan" (from Betty's perspective) and "Betty" (from James's perspective).

Music critics lauded the cinematic production and storytelling of "August", with some deeming it a highlight of Folklore and Swift's discography. A seasonal success that resurges in popularity around August each year, the track peaked at number 46 on the Billboard Global 200 and in the top 40 of the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, and Singapore, and the United States. Swift performed "August" live at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021 and on her sixth concert tour, the Eras Tour, in 2023–2024.

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