The Top 10 Folk Music Bands You Need to Know

The folk music scene has been exploding in recent years, with a new wave of incredibly talented bands bringing the genre to new heights. If you’re looking to get into folk music, or just want to expand your horizons, here are 10 bands you need to know.

The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band originally from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott and Seth Avett, who both play guitar and sing. The Avett Brothers are known for their unique blend of folk, bluegrass, country, and pop music. They have released nine studio albums, four live albums, and one compilation album. Their most recent album, True Sadness, was released in 2016 and debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The Lumineers

The Lumineers are a Folk rock band which formed in Denver, Colorado, United States in 2002. The band members are Wesley Schultz (vocals, guitar), Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion) and Neyla Pekarek (piano, cello, mandolin). The Lumineers honed their craft by touring relentlessly and released their self-titled debut album on Dualtone Records in April 2012. The album’s first single, “Ho Hey”, peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Mumford & Sons

Formed in 2007, Mumford & Sons is a folk rock band from London, England that consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. The band name originates from the fact that all four members have the surname Mumford. Drawing influence from artists such as Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, Mumford & Sons create a unique style of music that has helped them become one of the most popular folk bands in recent years.

The band released their debut album ‘Sigh No More’ in 2009 and it quickly became a commercial and critical success. The album peaked at number two in the UK charts and has since been certified platinum in both the UK and US. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year at the 53rd annual ceremony.

Mumford & Sons’ second album ‘Babel’ was released in 2012 and topped charts around the world, becoming the fastest selling rock album of all time in Australia. The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making Mumford & Sons only the second British band to win the prestigious award.

The band released their third album ‘Wilder Mind’ in 2015, which saw them move away from their folk roots and adopt a more rock sound. The album was another critical and commercial success, reaching number one in multiple countries including the UK, US and Australia.

Mumford & Sons are currently working on their fourth studio album, which is due for release later this year. With legions of fans worldwide and three hugely successful albums under their belt, Mumford & Sons are undoubtedly one of the biggest folk bands around today.

The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart are an American indie folk band from Seattle, Washington. The group’s self-titled debut album was released in 2011 on Sub Pop. The album was preceded by the singles “Lost in My Mind” and “Down in the Valley”, both of which received significant airplay on alternative and triple-A radio. The Head and the Heart have toured extensively in support of their debut album, including performances at Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Osheaga Festival, Glastonbury Festival, and Firefly Music Festival

The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars were an American musical duo composed of Joy Williams and John Paul White. They released three studio albums, one live album and seven singles. Their first two albums, Barton Hollow (2011) and self-titled album (2013), were both certified platinum in the United States, and Williams and White won four Grammy Awards. They abruptly disbanded in 2014, but later expressed a desire to reunite.

The Civil Wars began in 2008, when White contacted Williams through MySpace after she had added one of his songs to her page, complimenting her work. After they began exchanging messages, they met at a writers’ night in Nashville’s 12th & Porter venue in February 2009. Initially reluctant to start a musical relationship, they wrote together for a few weeks before revealing their collaboration to the public; their first song, “Poison & Wine”, was featured on Grey’s Anatomy in the fall of 2009.

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth is the stage name of Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson. He is known for his sparse arrangements and intimate lyrics. His voice has been compared to that of Bob Dylan. He has released four full-length albums and several EPs. His most recent album, Dark Bird Is Home, was released in 2015 to critical acclaim.

The Decemberists

The Decemberists are a folk rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band was formed in 2000 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Colin Meloy, who is the only official member of the band. The Decemberists have released seven studio albums, one live album, three extended plays, nineteen singles, four video albums and twelve music videos. Their seventh studio album, I’ll Be Your Girl, was released on March 16, 2018.

The Decemberists’ musical style has been described as “literary”, “quirky”, “indie pop”, and “baroque pop”. Meloy has stated that he attempts to write songs that are “narratives” or “mini-epics”, as he is influenced by authors such as Jonathan Swift, Vladimir Nabokov, Michael Chabon, Bret Easton Ellis, and Neil Gaiman. Frequently employing historical and literary allusions, Meloy has songwriting subjects including French Empress Eugénie de Montijo (wife of Napoleon III), Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky; 19th century hedgehog expert Anna Mary Howitt; Melvin Udall (the character played by Jack Nicholson in the film As Good as It Gets); Joanna tabloid news story of a woman who had plastic surgery to look like a Barbie doll (as told to Meloy by his father); Charles Dickens’ serial novel Bleak House; John Keats’ poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci; Lord Byron’s poem “The Destruction of Sennacherib”; Herman Melville’s novel Moby-Dick; Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Sylvia Plath’s poem “Lady Lazarus”; C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series of books; Gary Paulson’s Hatchet series of books; and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Fleet Foxes

Hailing from Seattle, Fleet Foxes formed in 2006 and released their self-titled debut album in 2008 to much acclaim. The band is known for their lush, harmonies and guitar-based sound, which draws influence from acts like The Beach Boys,Simon & Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan. Fleet Foxes’ critically acclaimed follow-up album,’Helplessness Blues,’ was released in 2011.

Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine is an American folk rock band from Austin, Texas led by singer-songwriter Sam Beam. The name Iron & Wine is derived from a dietary supplement named “Beef, Iron, and Wine” that Beam found in an antique store. The supplement was originally intended to help children recover from tuberculosis.

Iron & Wine’s first release was The Creek Drank the Cradle, which was met with critical acclaim and earned them a spot on Pitchfork Media’s Top 50 Albums of 2002. Their follow-up, Our Endless Numbered Days, debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and won them a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

The band has released five additional albums: The Shepherd’s Dog (2007), Kiss Each Other Clean (2011), Ghost on Ghost (2013), Beast Epic (2017), and Weed Garden (2018). They have also released a number of EPs and singles, as well as a live album entitled Around the Well (2009).

Bon Iver

Bon Iver is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. The band is known for their unique sound, which combines elements of indie rock, folk, and hip-hop. Bon Iver’s music has been featured in a number of films and TV shows, including The Walking Dead and Friday Night Lights. The band has released three studio albums, the most recent of which, 22, A Million, was released in 2016.