Folk Music Full Albums You Need to Hear

Here are 10 full albums of folk music that you need to hear. These are albums that are essential to any folk music collection.

The Weavers- At Carnegie Hall

The Weavers were one of the most influential folk music groups of the 20th century. Formed in 1948, the group helped to bring folk music to a wider audience through their performances and recordings. Their biggest hit was “Goodnight, Irene”, which topped the charts in 1950. The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy era, but continued to perform and record together until 1963.

At Carnegie Hall is a live album by the Weavers, released in 1957. The album features performances of well-known folk songs such as “This Land Is Your Land”, “On Top of Old Smokey”, and “Kisses Sweeter than Wine”. The album was a commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard charts, and won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording.

Woody Guthrie- Dust Bowl Ballads

Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads is a classic folk album, and for good reason. Released in 1940, the album contains some of Guthrie’s most well-known songs, including “Hard Travelin'”, “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You”, and “Dust Pneumonia Blues”. The album paints a vivid picture of life in the Dust Bowl region during the 1930s, and is considered one of the most important folk albums of all time. If you’re a fan of folk music, this is one album you need to hear.

The Kingston Trio- At Large

The Kingston Trio’s second album, released in 1959, reached #2 on Billboard’s “Top LPs” chart (staying there for 61 weeks) and launched three hit singles: “They Call the Wind Maria,” “M.T.A.,” and “Tom Dooley.” It was the first album by a folk group to achieve such high commercial success and signaled the beginning of the folk music boom of the late ’50s and early ’60s.

Joan Baez- Joan Baez

This album, Joan Baez’s self-titled debut, was released in 1960 on Vanguard Records. It reached number 15 on the Billboard charts and featured the hit single “House of the Rising Sun”. The album was recorded in just two days and features a mix of traditional folk songs and original material. Joan Baez would go on to become one of the most influential folk singers of her generation.

Peter, Paul and Mary- In the Wind

Peter, Paul and Mary- In the Wind is an album that was released in 1963 by the American folk music trio of the same name. The album was a huge commercial success, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling more than two million copies. It remains one of the group’s most popular albums, and contains some of their best-known songs, including “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”

The Byrds- Mr. Tambourine Man

The Byrds’ debut album is among the most influential works in the history of rock & roll. Seeing the possibilities of combining country music with the burgeoning folk-rock sound, the band – Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, and Chris Hillman – recorded an extraordinary collection of original songs (most written by Clark and McGuinn) that were both reflective and highly accessible, making them an immediate sensation upon its release in 1965.

Simon and Garfunkel- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Simon and Garfunkel’s third album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, was released in October 1966. The title is a reference to the foursome of herbs mentioned in the opening track, “Scarborough Fair/Canticle.” The album includes the two hit singles “The Dangling Conversation” and “Homeward Bound,” as well as three other tracks that would later be released as singles: “Leaves That Are Green,” “Cloudy,” and “A Hazy Shade of Winter.”

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young- Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s second studio album, “Deja Vu” was released in early 1970. The album featured the hit single “Teach Your Children” and became the band’s best selling album, peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. “Deja Vu” showcased the group’s harmonies and songwriting prowess, cementing their place as one of the most successful folk rock groups of all time.

America- America

There may be no more quintessentially American genre of music than folk. Emerging from the country’s oral tradition of storytelling, folk songs often deal with the themes of love, loss, and despair, as well as more lighthearted topics like drinking and dancing. Folk music underwent a major revival in the 1960s led by artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and has continued to be popular ever since.

If you’re looking for a Starting Point:
The Best Albums of 2017
The Best Albums of 2018
The Best Albums of 2019

Folk Music You Need to Hear:
1) America – America
2) Simon & Garfunkel – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
3) Crosby, Stills & Nash – Crosby, Stills & Nash
4) Joni Mitchell – Blue
5) James Taylor – Sweet Baby James
6) Neil Young – After the Gold Rush
7) Van Morrison – Tupelo Honey
8) Carole King – Tapestry
9) Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball
10) Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks