The Best Folk Music of 2018

Looking for the best folk music of 2018? Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of the top folk albums of the year, so you can enjoy the best the genre has to offer.

The Revivalists- All My Friends

The Revivalists are an American rock band formed in 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] The band comprises Ed Williams (guitar), George Gekas (bass), David Shaw (lead vocals), Zack Feinberg (guitar), Rob Ingraham (saxophone), Michael Girardot (trumpet), Andrew Campanelli (drums) and PJ Morton (keyboard).[2][3] Since their formation, they have released five studio albums and three EPs. Their most recent album, Take Good Care, was released on October 19, 2018.[4] The first single from the album, “All My Friends”, peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in November 2018.

The Lone Bellow- Time’s Always Leaving

The Brooklyn-based trio The Lone Bellow released their third album, Walk Into a Storm, in September of 2017. The album’s lead single, “Time’s Always Leaving,” is a tender ballad about the fragility of time and how we can never get it back once it’s gone. The song features the band’s trademark harmonies and is sure to tug at your heartstrings.

The Head and the Heart- All We Ever Knew

The Head and the Heart’s 2016 album Signs of Light was a breakthrough moment for the band. The Washington state sextet had been toiling in obscurity for years, but suddenly they were playing shows to packed houses around the world and landing prime slots on late-night TV. For their follow-up LP, Dancing in the Dark, out this past summer, The Head and the Heart decided to take a different tack. “All We Ever Knew,” the first single from the album, is a raucous ode to defying expectations and staying true to oneself. “We’re not going to be what you want us to be/ we’re never gonna be what you want us to be,” go the defiant lyrics. It’s an anthemic track that’s sure to get audiences on their feet at The Head and the Heart’s shows this fall.

The Decemberists- Down by the Water

The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, principal songwriter), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Conlee (piano, keyboard, accordion, melodica), Nate Query (bass guitar), and John Moen (drums).

The band’’s eighth studio album I’ll Be Your Girl was released on March 16, 2018. The album peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 and received generally positive reviews from critics.

“Down by the Water” is a song by the Decemberists from their album I’ll Be Your Girl. The song peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart.

Lake Street Dive- Good Kisser

“Good Kisser” is a song recorded by American band Lake Street Dive for their fifth studio album Free Yourself Up (2018). It was written by the band’s members, Michael “McDuck” Olson, Bridget Kearney and Rachel Price, with production handled by Dave Cobb. The song was released to radio on April 16, 2018 as the album’s lead single.

Musically, “Good Kisser” is a soul and R&B song with retro influences. Lyrically, it singer Rachael Price whispering sweet nothings to a romantic partner. The song received critical acclaim from music critics, with many praising its catchy hook and smooth production.

The Wood Brothers- The Muse

Thethird album from North Carolina’s The Wood Brothers, The Muse, is a collection of twelve songs about “the things that inspire creativity: love, death, hope, and loss.” The album features the band’s trademark Americana sound, with a mix of folk, rock, and blues. Lead vocalist and guitarist Oliver Wood’s soulful voice is supported by his brother Chris on bass and Jano Rix on drums and percussion.

The first single from the album, “Happiness Jones,” is a upbeat folk-rock song about finding contentment in the simple things in life. The second single, “River Takes the Town,” is a slower, more reflective song about the devastating floods that swept through North Carolina in 2016.

The Wood Brothers have been making music together for over fifteen years, and The Muse is their most accomplished work to date. If you are a fan of Americana music, or just looking for some good tunes to relax to, this album is definitely worth a listen.