Folk Music Bands That Will Make You a Pop Fan
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If you’re not a fan of pop music, these folk music bands may just make you a convert. From The Lumineers to Of Monsters and Men, check out our list of folk music bands that are taking over the airwaves.
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who are the lead singers and guitarists. The Avett Brothers have been making music together since 2000 and have released nine studio albums. Their most recent album, True Sadness, was released in 2016.
Band Members
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play guitar and banjo, respectively. The Avett Brothers also include Bob Crawford on double bass and Joe Kwon on cello. The band tour extensively and have released nine studio albums since their debut in 2000.
Music Style
The Avett Brothers’ music style has been defined by three main elements: punk, pop, and folk. While the band’s earlier work was more firmly grounded in the first two genres, their later material has increasingly incorporated folk influence. This is most evident on their album The Carpenter, which Rolling Stone praised for its “rootsy charm.” The Avett Brothers’ music is also known for its emotionally resonant lyrics, which often focus on themes of loss, love, and family.
Notable Songs
Mumford and Sons
Mumford and Sons is a band that has been on the rise in recent years. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Winston Marshall, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane. The band is known for their unique sound which is a mix of folk, rock, and country. They have released three studio albums, Sigh No More, Babel, and Wilder Mind. The band has won numerous awards including Grammy Awards, Brit Awards, and American Music Awards.
Band Members
Mumford & Sons is a British folk rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. Mumford and Sons were formed in December 2007, after friends Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett flew home to London from America after college.
Their debut album, Sign No More, was released in the UK in February 2009 and reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. The album was issued in the United States in May 2010 and debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200. Sigh No More has been certified multi-platinum in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 2012, Mumford & Sons won a Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year with Babel.
The band’s third studio album, Wilder Mind, was released on 4 May 2015. The album reached number one in both the UK and the US – their first album to do so – and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
Mumford & Sons have toured extensively throughout their career. In addition to headlining their own shows and tours, they have also performed as supporting acts for various artists including Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Arcade Fire.
Music Style
Mumford & Sons is a folk rock band from London, England. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboard, piano), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, electric guitar) and Ted Dwane (bass guitar, double bass, vocals). Mumford & Sons have released three studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012) and Wilder Mind (2015). The band has also released two live albums: Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire (2011) and The Road to Red Rocks (2012).
Notable Songs
Mumford and Sons is a London-based band formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Winston Marshall (banjo, electric guitar, backing vocals), Ben Lovett (piano, keyboards, backing vocals), and Ted Dwane (bass guitar, double bass, backing vocals). Mumford and Sons have released three studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), and Wilder Mind (2015). The band has also released three live albums: Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire (2011), The Road to Red Rocks (2011), and Live from South Africa: Dust and Thunder (2017).
Notable songs by Mumford and Sons include “Little Lion Man” from Sigh No More, “I Will Wait” from Babel, “Believe” from Wilder Mind, and “The Cave” from Sigh No More.
The Lumineers
The Lumineers are a folk rock band that formed in Colorado in 2005. The band members are Wesley Schultz on lead vocals and guitar, Neyla Pekarek on cello and vocals, and Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion. The Lumineers released their self-titled debut album in 2012 and their follow-up album, Cleopatra, in 2016. The band’s music is characterized by its use of acoustic instruments, simple melodies, and lyrical themes of love and loss.
Band Members
The Lumineers are an American rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band members are Wesley Schultz on lead vocals and guitar, Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion, Neyla Pekarek on cello, piano and backing vocals, Stelth Ulvang on piano and backing vocals, and Byron Isaacs on bass guitar and backing vocals. The band’s debut self-titled album was released on April 3, 2012.
The Lumineers have been described as folk rock, americana, alternative rock and indie folk. Their music is based around the theme of love and loss.
Music Style
The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites. The Lumineers formed in 2005, and released their self-titled debut album in 2012.
The Lumineers’ music has been described as folk rock, Americana, and alternative rock. Their lyrics are often about love, loss, and heartbreak, as well as hope and redemption. The Lumineers have been compared to other folk rock bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers.
Notable Songs
The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The two main members are Wesley Schultz on guitar and lead vocals, and Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion. The band’s debut self-titled album was released on April 3, 2012, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.
Their song “Ho Hey” became a crossover hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2013. This was followed by their second single “Stubborn Love”, which peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100 chart. Their song “Ophelia” reached number 2 on the Alternative Songs chart in 2016.
Of Monsters and Men
Of Monsters and Men is an Icelandic indie folk band that formed in 2010. The band consists of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Brynjar Leifsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, and Kristján Páll Kristjánsson. The band rose to prominence in 2011 with the release of their debut album My Head Is an Animal, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and topped the charts in Iceland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Band Members
Of Monsters and Men is a six-piece indie folk-pop band from Iceland. The band members are Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir (vocals, guitar), Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson (vocals, guitar), Brynjar Leifsson (guitar), Arnar Rónnquist (drums), Kristján Páll Kristjánsson (bass) and Árni Guðjónsson (piano, accordion).
Music Style
Folk pop is a music genre that combines elements of folk music and pop music. Folk pop artists often use acoustic instruments and harmonies to create a light, easy-listening sound. The genre first became popular in the 1960s with artists such as Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & the Papas, and The Byrds.
Folk pop bands Of Monsters and Men are a prime example of the genre’s popularity in the 21st century. The Icelandic group’s 2011 debut album My Head Is an Animal was a commercial and critical success, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and being certified platinum in several countries. The band’s track “Little Talks” was particularly successful, reaching No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.
Notable Songs
Formed in 2010, Of Monsters and Men is a six-piece indie folk pop band from Iceland. The group is best known for their debut album, “My Head Is an Animal,” which was released in 2011 and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s lead single, “Little Talks,” was a smash hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and selling more than 5 million copies worldwide. Other popular songs by Of Monsters and Men include “Mountain Sound,” “Dirty Paws,” and “Human.”
The Head and the Heart
The Head and the Heart is a indie folk-pop band from Seattle, Washington, USA, formed in the summer of 2009. The band consists of Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, piano), Charity Rose Thielen (vocals, violin, guitar), Chris Zasche (bass), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar), Tyler Williams (drums), and Kenny Hensley (multi-instrumentalist). The group self-released its debut album, The Head and the Heart, in 2011.
Band Members
The Head and the Heart is an indie folk band that originated in Seattle, Washington, in 2009. The band members are Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion), Matthew Logan Vasquez (drums), and Tyler Williams (keyboards).
Music Style
The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band from Seattle, Washington. The group’s musical style has been compared to that of Arcade Fire and Fleet Foxes.
The Head and the Heart rose to prominence in 2011 with the release of their self-titled debut album, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in October 2016. In September 2014, the band released their second album, Let’s Be Still. The album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in October 2016. In January 2017, the band released its third album, Signs of Light, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Head and the Heart has won various awards, including a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance for “All We Ever Knew” in 2017.
Notable Songs
The Head and the Heart’s music has been described as indie folk, Americana, and pop. The band’s self-titled debut album was released in 2011 and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Notable songs from the album include “Lost in My Mind”, “Down in the Valley”, and “Rivers and Roads”. Following the release of their debut album, The Head and the Heart toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. In 2013, the band released their second album, Let’s Be Still. The album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and included the singles “Shake”, “Another Story”, and “Springtime”.
