The 1

"The 1"
Promotional single by Taylor Swift
from the album Folklore
WrittenJuly 2020
ReleasedOctober 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
Studio
  • Long Pond (Hudson Valley)
Genre
Length3:30
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Aaron Dessner
Lyric video
"The 1" on YouTube

"The 1" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the opening track from her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020). She wrote the song with its producer, Aaron Dessner. A folk and soft rock tune with elements of indie folk, "The 1" sets Swift's conversational vocals over a production consisting of piano and percussion. In its lyrics, the narrator fondly introspects a failed romance and details the time when she found "the one" who never came to be. Republic Records released the song for download in Germany on October 9, 2020.

"The 1" received generally positive reviews from critics, who discussed the song's significance as the album's opening track and praised the songwriting and production. Commercially, the song debuted and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It charted within the top 10 and received certifications in several countries. Swift included "The 1" as part of the concert documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (2020), and the Eras Tour (2023–2024).