The Best 60s Folk Music Artists
Contents
While the 1960s saw the rise of many different genres of music, one of the most popular was folk. Here are some of the best folk music artists of the 60s.
The Best 60s Folk Music Artists
The 1960s was a decade of change, and that was certainly reflected in the music of the time. One of the most popular genres of the decade was folk music, which was influenced by the civil rights movement and the counterculture of the time. Here are some of the best folk music artists of the 1960s.
Joan Baez
Joan Baez is one of the most famous and influential folk music artists of the 20th century. Born in New York City in 1941, Baez began her musical career in the late 1950s, performing at various clubs and coffeehouses in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1960, she released her self-titled debut album, which featured the now-classic song “House of the Rising Sun.” Baez’s clear voice and intelligent lyrics quickly earned her a large following among folk music fans, and she soon became one of the most popular performers in the genre.
During the 1960s, Baez was an active participant in the Civil Rights and anti-war movements, using her music as a platform to express her political beliefs. She also became romantically involved with fellow folk singer Bob Dylan during this period; their relationship inspired some of Dylan’s most famous songs, including “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and “Forever Young.”
Baez continued to release successful albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including 1974’s Grammy-winning Diamonds & Rust. In recent years, she has toured extensively throughout the world and released several live albums.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is one of the most influential folk musicians of all time. His songs have been covered by hundreds of artists and his lyrics have been studied by scholars. He is a true icon of the genre.
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first taste of success with the minor hit “Hey, Schoolgirl”. As Simon and Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, inspired by Brill Building songwriting, with their pop hits such as “The Sound of Silence”, “I Am a Rock”, “Homeward Bound”, “Blessed”, and “The Boxer”.
The Best 60s Folk Music Albums
The best 60s folk music artists created some of the most timeless albums in the genre. Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Byrds are just a few of the artists that released classic folk albums in the 1960s. In this article, we’ll countdown the best 60s folk albums and explore what made them so special.
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 27, 1963 by Columbia Records.
The album features personal compositions about issues such as racism, poverty, and social change; it established Dylan as “an icon of the American folk music revival.” Its controversial lyrical content made some radio stations hesitant to play the album’s tracks, despite their popularity with listeners. The editorial staff at Billboard magazine selected it as their top pick for Album of the Year in 1963.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Bring It All Back Home
In the early 1960s, coffeehouses became popular gathering places for young people who were interested in music, poetry and political discussion. The coffeehouse culture gave birth to the folk music scene, which produced some of the most iconic and influential musicians of the 20th century.
The 1960s was a golden age for folk music, with artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Simon and Garfunkel producing some of the most celebrated albums of all time. If you’re a fan of folk music, or just looking to expand your musical horizons, these are the albums you need to hear.
Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on August 30, 1965 by Columbia Records. Produced by Tom Wilson, the album marked Dylan’s transition from an acoustic folk music artist to an electric rock and roll sound.
Therecord features several of Dylan’s most famous songs, including “Like a Rolling Stone”, “Desolation Row”, and “Ballad of a Thin Man”. The album peaked at No. 3 in the US Billboard 200 and has been ranked at No. 4 in several greatest albums lists, including Robert Christgau’s Dean’s List and Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The Best 60s Folk Music Songs
Folk music in the 1960s was a HUGE deal. It was the soundtrack to the Civil Rights movement and the anti-war protests. Young people were rebelling against the status quo and looking for a way to express themselves. Folk music was the perfect outlet. Here are some of the best folk songs from the 1960s.
“The Times They Are A-Changin'”
“The Times They Are A-Changin'” is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album of the same name. Dylan wrote the song as an attempt to capture the spirit of social and political upheaval that he witnessed as the 1960s progressed. Although it has been interpreted as a call to action for the American youth of the time, some critics believe that “The Times They Are A-Changin'” is more reflective of Dylan’s personal experiences than a finger-pointing social commentary.
The song was first recorded by Dylan in 1963 and released as a single in January 1964. The single was not a commercial success, but “The Times They Are A-Changin'” became one of Dylan’s most popular and iconic songs after it was included on his album The Times They Are A-Changin’. The song has been covered by many artists, including Peter, Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi.
“Like a Rolling Stone”
Written by Bob Dylan and released in 1965, “Like a Rolling Stone” is one of the most influential and important folk songs of the 20th century. The song features Dylan’s distinctive style of singing and songwriting, as well as his unique chord progressions and arrangements. “Like a Rolling Stone” has been covered by numerous artists, including Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen.
“The Sound of Silence”
“The Sound of Silence” is a song by Simon & Garfunkel, released in 1964 on their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.. The song was written by Paul Simon in February 1963.
“The Sound of Silence” is a haunting ballad about the terror of modern life and the disconnection that we all feel. The lyrics are full of images of a cold and heartless world, and the music is ethereal and emotive. The song became a massive hit in 1965, reaching #1 on the Billboard charts, and it has been covered by dozens of artists over the years.
The Best 60s Folk Music Songs
