Love Story (2020)

Love Story is a American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released as the lead single from her second studio album, Fearless, on September 15, 2008, by Big Machine Records. Inspired by a boy who was unpopular with her family and friends, Swift wrote the song using William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet as a reference point. The lyrics narrate a troubled romance that ends with a marriage proposal, contrary to Shakespeare’s tragic conclusion. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, the midtempo country pop includes a key change after the bridge and uses acoustic instruments including banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar.

At the time of its release, music critics praised the production but deemed the literary references ineffective. In retrospect, critics have considered it one of Swift’s best singles. “Love Story” peaked atop the chart in Australia, where it was certified ten-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and reached the top five on charts in Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, and the UK. In the U.S., the single peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the first country song to reach number one on the Mainstream Top 40. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it eight-times platinum. “Love Story” has sold over six million copies in the U.S. and 18 million copies worldwide. At the time of its release, music critics praised the production but deemed the literary references ineffective. In retrospect, critics have considered it one of Swift’s best singles. “Love Story” peaked atop the chart in Australia, where it was certified ten-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and reached the top five on charts in Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, and the Love Story UK. In the U.S., the single peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the first country song to reach number one on the Mainstream Top 40. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it eight-times platinum. “Love Story” has sold over six million copies in the U.S. and 18 million copies worldwide.