70’s Folk Music: The Best of the Decade

Looking for the best of what the 70’s had to offer in folk music? Then check out this blog post for a roundup of some of the decade’s top tunes!

The Best of the Decade

The 70’s was a great decade for Folk music. So many great artists emerged and produced some amazing music. Thisdecade saw the rise of artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Jim Croce. If you’re a fan of Folk music, then you need to check out the best of the decade. In this article, we’ll be counting down the top 10 Folk songs of the 70’s.

The Best Folk Albums of the 1970s

The 1970s was a great decade for folk music. A new generation of artists emerged, bringing fresh perspectives and sounds to the genre. From Bob Dylan to James Taylor, these are the best folk albums of the 1970s.

-Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks
-Neil Young – Harvest
-Joni Mitchell – Blue
-Carole King – Tapestry
-Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water
-James Taylor – Mud Slide Slim
-Don McLean – American Pie

The Best Folk Songs of the 1970s

The folk music of the 1970s was some of the best of the decade. This was a time when many different genres were explored and experimented with. Folk music was no exception. Many different artists tried their hand at folk music, and the results were fantastic.

Some of the best folk songs of the 1970s include:

“The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dylan
“American Pie” by Don McLean
“Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver
“The Wanderer” by Dion
“Jolene” by Dolly Parton
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
“Fire and Rain” by James Taylor
“The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel
These are just a few of the great folk songs that were released in the 1970s. If you are a fan of folk music, then you should definitely check out some of these tunes.

The Evolution of Folk Music in the 1970s

The 1970s was a decade of change, and that was reflected in the music of the time. Folk music underwent a renaissance, with artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell leading the way. This new wave of folk music was more personal and introspective than the music of the past, and it resonated with the young people of the time.

The Rise of Political Folk Music

In the early 1970s, the folk music scene was largely defined by socially conscious artists who sought to use their music as a platform for political activism. One of the most popular and influential of these artists was Bob Dylan, who released a series of highlysuccessful protest songs in the early 1960s. Other notable political folk musicians included Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, and Joan Baez.

The rise of political folk music coincided with the growth of the countercultural movement in the United States. As young people began to challenge traditional social norms, they also began to develop new musical genres that reflected their values and worldview. Folk music became increasingly popular among young people in the 1960s and 1970s, as it offered a way to express their dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Political folk music was particularly effective in promoting civil rights and anti-war activism. Songs like Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin'” captured the zeitgeist of the era and inspired many young people to get involved in social change. The genre also helped to spread awareness of important issues like racism, poverty, and pollution. In addition to Dylan, other political folk artists who had a significant impact on American culture include John Lennon, Woody Guthrie, Paul Simon, and James Taylor.

The popularity of political folk music declined in the late 1970s as disco and other genres became more popular. However, the genre has continued to influence subsequent generations of musicians, and many modern artists continue to draw on its energy and idealism.

The Rise of Singer-Songwriters

In the 1970s, the American folk music scene underwent a significant transformation with the rise of the singer-songwriter. The term “singer-songwriter” is used to describe a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own songs. This type of artist was relatively rare in the 1960s, but they became much more prevalent in the following decade.

The singer-songwriter movement was spearheaded by artists such as Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne. These artists wrote personal and introspective songs that often addressed social and political issues. Their music was highly confessional, and their lyrics were often very personal.

The singer-songwriter style of folk music was very different from the traditional style that had been popular in earlier decades. Traditional folk music was often anonymous and was passed down from generation to generation. The lyrics were often about historical events or about the lives of famous people. In contrast, the lyrics of singer-songwriters were often about personal experiences or feelings.

The popularity of singer-songwriters led to a decline in the popularity of traditional folk music. However, there was still a strong demand for folk music, and many artists continued to perform traditional folk songs. Additionally, some traditional folk musicians began to incorporate elements of the singer-songwriter style into their own music.

The Folk Revival

During the 1970s, there was a major revival of interest in traditional and folk music. This was in part due to the success of performers such as Bob Dylan, who popularized the genre with his unique brand of folk-rock. The popularity of Dylan and other folk musicians led to a renewed interest in the music of the past, and many people began to experiment with traditional forms such as blues and country.

The folk revival also had a political dimension, as many performers used their music to express their support for the civil rights movement and other liberal causes. Folk music became an important part of the counterculture of the 1960s, and it remained popular throughout the decade.

The Legacy of 1970s Folk Music

The 1970s were a decade of change—and thatchange was reflected in the music of the time. Folk music, whichhad been popular in the 1960s, continued to evolve in the 1970s.New artists like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan emerged, and olderartists like Joan Baez and Leonard Cohen continued to producerelevant and innovative music. The 1970s were a great decade forfolk music, and the genre has continued to influence music inthe decades since.

The Influence of 1970s Folk Music on Contemporary Music

Much of the music that is popular today can trace its roots back to the folk music of the 1970s. This was a decade when artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor were creating music that would change the sound of popular music forever. These artists took traditional folk songs and infused them with a new sensibility that was reflective of the times. The result was a sound that was fresh and exciting, and which has had a lasting impact on the way we listen to music today.

The Influence of 1970s Folk Music on Popular Culture

The 1970s were a decade of tremendous change, and that was reflected in the music of the time. Folk music underwent a revival, and new genres like disco and punk rock emerged. But the biggest change of all was the way that music was consumed. With the advent of the cassette tape and the Sony Walkman, people could take their music with them wherever they went.

As a result, music became more personal and intimate. It was no longer something that you just listened to passively; it was something that you could take with you and listen to whenever you wanted.

This change had a profound effect on folk music. Suddenly, people were interested in songs that were personal and reflective, rather than political or social. This led to a wave of singer-songwriters who wrote about their own lives and experiences.

The legacy of 1970s folk music can still be seen today in the work of contemporary artists like Sufjan Stevens and Iron & Wine. These artists would not exist without the trailblazers of the 1970s, who took folk music in a new direction and made it their own.