Evermore

Evermore (stylized in all lowercase) is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on December 11, 2020, through Republic Records. Swift conceived Evermore as a "sister record" to its predecessor, Folklore, which had been released in July. She recorded Evermore mainly with Aaron Dessner at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley. Evermore expands on Folklore's escapist fantasy songwriting with fictional narratives and delves into the imaginary world Swift had ideated while self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lyrics depict uneasy emotions like longing, grief, nostalgia, and regret, which stem from unhappy endings caused by complications like forbidden love, divorce, and infidelity. Evermore features an acoustic and atmospheric alternative pop, chamber rock, folk-pop, indie folk, and indie rock soundscape. Its spare arrangements and orchestrations consist of fingerpicked guitars, pianos, strings, subtle synths, and programmed drums. Haim, the National, and Bon Iver appear as featured artists. Evermore was supported by three singles, each released to a different radio format in the United States. "Willow", released to contemporary hit radio, peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while "No Body, No Crime" and "Coney Island" were released to country and alternative radio. Evermore reached number one and was certified multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was Swift's eighth consecutive number-one debut on the Billboard 200 chart and was the best-selling alternative album of 2021, being certified four-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Music critics opined that Evermore was musically bold and experimental while expanding on the styles of Folklore. Many reviews lauded Swift's songwriting, deeming the character studies intricate and the narratives well-constructed. Some were more reserved in their praise and considered the album less groundbreaking than its predecessor. Evermore appeared in various...