Lover (Live from Paris)

Last updated

Lover (Live from Paris)
Taylor Swift - Lover (Live from Paris).png
Record sleeve photograph
Live album by
Taylor Swift
ReleasedMay 19, 2020 (2020-05-19)
RecordedSeptember 9, 2019
Venue Olympia, Paris, France
Length30:31
Label Republic
Producer Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift chronology
Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008
(2020)		Lover (Live from Paris)
(2020)		 Folklore
(2020)

Lover (Live from Paris) is the third live album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It consists of live renditions of eight songs from Swift's seventh studio album, Lover (2019), recorded at the City of Lover, a one-day concert at the Olympia theater in Paris on September 9, 2019. The tracks were released individually to streaming services on May 19, 2020, via Republic Records, after an ABC television special of the concert aired.

Contents

The live Lover tracks were compiled into a limited-edition vinyl album, subtitled as Live from Paris, for the 2023 Valentine's Day (February 14, 2023) as a set of two heart-shaped LPs exclusively available on Swift's webstore. The physical stocks sold out, following which the album debuted on record charts in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, topping the US Billboard Vinyl Albums chart. It was reissued on January 7, 2025. Journalists and fans have described Lover (Live from Paris) as a collectable.

Background and release

Swift released her seventh studio album, Lover , on August 23, 2019, via Republic Records. [1] She described Lover as a record exploring all forms of love, acting as a "love letter to love". [2] It received positive reviews from music critics, [3] and enjoyed wide commercial success. [4] To celebrate the album's release, Swift held the City of Lover, a one-off concert, at the Olympia theater in Paris, France, on September 9, 2019. [5] It would become Swift's only concert to support Lover, [5] as her planned sixth concert tour, Lover Fest, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [6]

On May 17, 2020, the concert was aired as a one-hour special, titled Taylor Swift: City of Lover, on ABC, and was eventually made available for on-demand streaming on Hulu and Disney+. [7] [8] Media outlets opined that the TV special was an alternative to the canceled tour. [9] The TV special only included the eight songs from Lover that were performed at the concert, and excluded the songs she had performed from her other albums. [10] Following the special's premiere, the live versions were released as singles on digital music and streaming platforms, [11] except "The Man", which had been previously available for streaming since February 18, 2020. [12] The songs were available together as a streaming album only through SoundCloud. [13]

On February 13, 2023, Lover (Live from Paris) was announced by Swift's official fan account as a limited-edition vinyl album for release on Valentine's Day via Republic Records. [14] Each package contains two heart-shaped LPs—one pink and the other blue—and was made available for purchase on Swift's webstore exclusively. Lover (Live from Paris) is Swift's third live album, following Speak Now World Tour – Live (2011), Live from Clear Channel Stripped 2008 (2020), and preceding Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (From the Disney+ Special) (2020). [15] Billboard reported that a total of 13,000 copies of the album were available for purchase in the US. [16]

The album was re-released on January 7, 2025, on Swift's webstore as a 72-hour limited edition. The re-release also contained two heart-shaped vinyl LPs, but both of them pink-colored with yellow and blue marbling, respectively. It sold out within a few hours of release. [17] [18] On January 16, 2025, the standard edition and three deluxe editions of the album were made available for digital download through Swift's webstore for six hours. The three deluxe editions contained one live bonus track of a song from Lover performed during The Eras Tour: ("False God", "I Think He Knows", or "Paper Rings"). [19]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [20]

Commercial performance

Lover (Live from Paris) was the best-selling vinyl album in the United States for the chart week dated March 4, 2023. It topped the Billboard Vinyl Albums chart as Swift's ninth number-one album on the chart, [21] landed at number five on the Top Album Sales chart by selling 13,000 copies, [16] and debuted at number 58 on the overall Billboard 200. [22] Alongside the live album's entry on the Billboard 200 chart dated March 4, 2023, Swift charted nine other albums, [note 1] becoming the first artist in history to place at least 10 albums on the Billboard 200 simultaneously since American musician Prince in 2016; Swift is the first living soloist to chart 10 albums in a single week since 1963. [16]

Following its vinyl reissue and digital release in 2025, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number two, behind Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos , with 202,500 album-equivalent units, with 161,000 from vinyl sales. [23] It marks the largest vinyl sales week for a live album since Luminate started tracking in 1991, and Swift's 18th top-ten album on the chart. [23]

Media

Publications have described Lover (Live from Paris) as a rare, collectible album. Variety dubbed it as Swift's "rarest vinyl", treated by fans as "fetish item". The outlet reported that the album's original LPs were regularly sold over on eBay for US$1,000. [24] ComingSoon.net described it as a "highly sought-after collector's item". [25] ClutchPoints said "it may be the rarest entry in her discography to get on vinyl." [26]

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Taylor Swift and subtitled "(Live from Paris)". [14]

Side A
  1. "Me!" (Taylor Swift, Joel Little, Brendon Urie) – 3:33
  2. "The Archer" (Swift, Jack Antonoff) – 3:30
Side B
  2. "Death by a Thousand Cuts" (Swift, Antonoff) – 3:19
  3. "Cornelia Street" (Swift) – 4:56
Side C
  2. "The Man" (Swift, Little) – 3:39
  3. "Daylight" (Swift) – 4:22
Side D
  2. "You Need to Calm Down" (Swift, Little) – 3:23
  3. "Lover" (Swift) – 3:49

Personnel

Charts

2023 chart performance for Lover (Live from Paris)
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Australian Vinyl Albums (ARIA) [27] 6
Scottish Albums (OCC) [28] 9
UK Albums (OCC) [29] 90
US Billboard 200 [22] 58
2025 chart performance for Lover (Live from Paris)
Chart (2025)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [23] 2

Release history

Release dates and formats for Lover (Live from Paris)
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
VariousMay 19, 2020 Republic [13] [11]
February 14, 2023 Vinyl LP [14]
January 7, 2025 Vinyl LP (repress) [30]
January 16, 2025 Digital download (Bonus editions) [31]

Notes

  1. ↑ Midnights (2022) – number three, Folklore (2020) – number 28, Lover (2019) – number 41, 1989 (2014) – number 50, Red (Taylor's Version) (2021) – number 56, Reputation (2017) – number 100, Evermore (2020) – number 103, Fearless (Taylor's Version) (2021) – number 172 and Speak Now (2010) – number 192.

Related Research Articles

The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by Billboard magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a recording act is remembered for its "number ones" that outperformed all other albums during at least one week. The chart grew from a weekly top 10 list in 1956 to become a top 200 list in May 1967, acquiring its existing name in March 1992. Its previous names include the Billboard Top LPs (1961–1972), Billboard Top LPs & Tape (1972–1984), Billboard Top 200 Albums (1984–1985), Billboard Top Pop Albums (1985–1991), and Billboard 200 Top Albums (1991–1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Swift</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1989)

Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic reinventions, and cultural impact, Swift is a leading figure in popular music and the subject of widespread media coverage, with a vast fanbase known as Swifties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Swift albums discography</span>

The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has released 11 original studio albums, 4 re-recorded albums, 5 extended plays (EPs), and 4 live albums. She has sold 114 million album-equivalent units worldwide, 57 million of which are certified in the United States. In terms of pure sales, she has tallied 46.6 million albums in the United States and 7 million albums in the United Kingdom. On the US Billboard 200, as of August 2024, she has accumulated 14 number-one albums—seven of which sold one million first-week copies, and 86 weeks at number one—more than any other solo act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back to December</span> 2010 single by Taylor Swift

"Back to December" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Big Machine Records released it as the album's second single on November 15, 2010. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Back to December" is a country pop power ballad that incorporates a string section. Inspired by Swift's relationship with the actor Taylor Lautner, the lyrics are about a remorseful plea for forgiveness from a former lover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Live (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2010 song by Taylor Swift

"Long Live" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "Long Live" is a heartland rock song featuring girl group harmonies and chiming rock guitars. The lyrics are about Swift's gratitude for her fans and bandmates, using high-school and royalty imagery to describe the accomplishments in the narrator's life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2013 single by Taylor Swift

"Red" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fourth studio album, Red (2012). She produced the song with Dann Huff and Nathan Chapman. The lyrics are about a tumultuous relationship that ended: the refrain likens the conflicting emotions evoked from the breakup to various colors, including the titular color red that symbolizes the overall intense feelings. "Red" combines styles of country, pop, and rock. Its arrangement incorporates acoustic banjo and guitars alongside electronic vocal processing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me!</span> 2019 single by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco

"Me!" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of the American band Panic! at the Disco. It was released on April 26, 2019, as the lead single from Swift's seventh studio album, Lover, by Republic Records. Written by Urie, Swift, and Joel Little, and produced by the latter two, "Me!" is an upbeat bubblegum pop and synth-pop track driven by a marching band drumline. It is about embracing one's individuality, self-affirmation, and self-love.

<i>Lover</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Taylor Swift

Lover is the seventh studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on August 23, 2019, by Republic Records. It is her first album after her departure from Big Machine Records, which caused a public dispute over the ownership of Swift's past albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Archer (song)</span> 2019 song by Taylor Swift

"The Archer" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). She wrote and produced the track with Jack Antonoff, and Republic Records released it as a promotional single on July 23, 2019. The song has a 1980s-influenced minimalist, midtempo production and is a synth-pop ballad incorporating dense, echoing synthesizers and insistent kick drums. Music critics also identified elements of synthwave and dream pop. The lyrics are about Swift's acknowledgement of her past mistakes and contemplation of her identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lover (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2019 single by Taylor Swift

"Lover" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). She conceived it as a timeless love song meant for a wedding reception: the lyrics are about an committed romantic relationship, and the bridge draws on the bridal rhyme "Something old". Produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "Lover" is a country, indie folk, and rock ballad set to a waltz. Its reverbed production is driven by acoustic guitar and consists of snare drums, piano, and pizzicato strings. Republic Records released the song for download and streaming on August 16, 2019, and to US radio the next month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Man (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2020 single by Taylor Swift

"The Man" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). Swift wrote and produced the song with Joel Little. "The Man" is an uptempo synth-pop and electropop song with flashy harmonies, murky synths, and rumbling beats. In the lyrics, Swift imagines how she would be treated if she were a man. The song received a positive reception from critics, who praised its feminist message for the greater good.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruel Summer (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2023 single by Taylor Swift

"Cruel Summer" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). Swift and Jack Antonoff produced the song, and they wrote it with St. Vincent. "Cruel Summer" is a synth-pop, industrial pop, and electropop song composed of synths, wobbling beats, and vocoder-manipulated vocals. The lyrics are about an intense romance during a painful summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelia Street</span> 2019 song by Taylor Swift

"Cornelia Street" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). She produced it with Jack Antonoff. The title of the song refers to a street in the New York neighborhood Greenwich Village, where Swift had rented a townhouse. One of the most personal tracks on Lover, "Cornelia Street" sees Swift pleading to never let her lover go, after having shared the ups and downs during the course of their relationship. The song is instrumented by a keyboard line, a delicate piano, and fluttering synthesizers.

<i>City of Lover</i> 2019 concert by Taylor Swift

City of Lover was a one-off concert by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift held at the Olympia in Paris, France, on September 9, 2019. It happened slightly over two weeks after the release of Swift's seventh studio album, Lover (2019).

"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.

<i>Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions</i> 2020 American documentary concert film and live album

Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions is a 2020 American documentary concert film directed and produced by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on Disney+ on November 25, 2020. The documentary is set at Long Pond Studio, an isolated recording studio in a forested area in the Hudson Valley, New York; Swift performs all of the 17 tracks of her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020), whilst discussing the creative process behind the songs with her collaborators Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff. Swift made her debut as a film director with the documentary, which is her fourth film to be released on a streaming service, following the releases of The 1989 World Tour Live (2015), Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), and Miss Americana (2020).

<i>Evermore</i> 2020 studio album by Taylor Swift

Evermore is the ninth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was surprise-released on December 11, 2020, by Republic Records, less than five months after her previous studio album Folklore. Evermore was a spontaneous product of Swift's extended collaboration with her Folklore collaborator Aaron Dessner, mainly recorded at his Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley.

<i>Midnights</i> 2022 studio album by Taylor Swift

Midnights is the tenth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on October 21, 2022, by Republic Records. She conceived it as a concept album about nocturnal ruminations inspired by her sleepless nights. The confessional lyrics explore emotions such as regret, self-criticism, fantasies, heartbreak and infatuation, with allusions to her personal life and public image.

"Maroon" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her tenth original studio album, Midnights (2022). Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff. The lyrics use different shades of red such as maroon, burgundy, and scarlet to describe the haunting memories of a long-gone romance in New York. Musically, "Maroon" is a ballad combining dream pop, synth-pop, electropop, and trip hop. It has an ambient production consisting of reverbed layered vocals, trap beats, and an oscillating electric guitar that creates a sustained note throughout the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death by a Thousand Cuts (song)</span> 2019 song by Taylor Swift

"Death by a Thousand Cuts" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her seventh studio album Lover released on August 23, 2019, through Republic Records. Written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, it serves as the tenth track of the album. It is a pop torch song with an upbeat production. Unlike the singer's previous break-up songs which were diaristic in the nature, "Death by a Thousand Cuts" was influenced by splits of her friends, as well as of fictional characters. Swift cited 2019 romantic comedy film Someone Great as a key inspiration. The lyrics are based on character dynamics from the film, as they portray the protagonist's attempts to overcome the painful remnants of a failed relationship.

References

  1. ↑ Collins, Katie. "Taylor Swift's Lover: How to stream and buy the album now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon". CNET. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (August 8, 2019). "Taylor Swift Calls Lover Album Her 'Love Letter to Love,' Details 2 Unreleased Tracks". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ Moniuszko, Sara (August 23, 2019). "Taylor Swift Lover reviews: Critics are enamored by the 'earnest,' 'romantic' new album". USA Today . Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ "australian-charts.com – Taylor Swift – Lover". australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Mylrea, Hannah (September 10, 2019). "Taylor Swift's The City of Lover concert: an intimate celebration of her fans and career". NME . Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  6. ↑ Blisco, Elise (February 27, 2021). "Taylor Swift officially cancels Lover Fest tour because of 'unprecedented pandemic'". USA Today . Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  7. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (May 8, 2020). "ABC To Air Taylor Swift 'City of Lover' Concert Special". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  8. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (May 17, 2020). "Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert: Best Moments". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  9. ↑ Lanza, Alexis (May 26, 2020). "Taylor Swift: City of Lover review". North by Northwestern . Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  10. ↑ DeLuca, Dan (May 18, 2020). "Taylor Swift's 'City of Lover' concert special was brief and bittersweet. Remember live music?". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  11. 1 2 Lipshutz, Jason (May 17, 2020). "Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert: Best Moments". Billboard . Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Taylor Swift Releases 'The Man – Live from Paris' Song and Video... and it's Glorious: Stream It Now". Billboard . February 18, 2020. Archived from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Taylor Swift - Live From Paris". SoundCloud. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 Bowenbank, Starr (February 14, 2023). "Taylor Swift Drops Heart-Shaped 'Lover (Live From Paris)' Vinyl Just in Time for Valentine's Day". Billboard . Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  15. ↑ Skinner, Tom (February 15, 2023). "Taylor Swift announces heart-shaped 'Lover (Live From Paris)' vinyl for Valentine's Day". NME . Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 Zellner, Xander (February 28, 2023). "Taylor Swift Extends Record Run Atop Artist 100, P!nk Jumps to No. 2". Billboard . Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  18. ↑ Willman, Chris (January 7, 2025). "Taylor Swift's Rarest Album, 'Lover (Live From Paris),' Finally Gets a Wider Vinyl Release — but Still Sells Out in an Hour". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  19. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (January 19, 2025). "Bad Bunny's 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos' Climbs to No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  20. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lover Live from Paris Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic . Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  21. ↑ @billboardcharts (February 27, 2023). "@taylorswift13's Lover: Live From Paris debuts at No. 1 on this week's #VinylAlbums chart" (Tweet). Retrieved February 28, 2023– via Twitter.
  22. 1 2 "Taylor Swift Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  23. 1 2 3 Caufield, Keith (January 19, 2025). "Bad Bunny's 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos' Climbs to No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  24. ↑ Willman, Chris (January 7, 2025). "Taylor Swift's Rarest Album, Lover (Live From Paris), Finally Gets a Wider Vinyl Release — but Still Sells Out in an Hour". Variety . Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  25. ↑ Maheshwari, Disheeta (January 8, 2025). "Taylor Swift's Lover Heart Vinyl Sells Out Under an Hour". ComingSoon.net . Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  26. ↑ Korpan, Andrew (January 8, 2025). "Rare Taylor Swift Album Sells Out In Shocking Time". ClutchPoints . Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Top 20 Vinyl Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Lover (Live from Paris) Heart-Shaped Vinyl" . Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Lover (Live from Paris) Digital Albums" . Retrieved January 16, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.