The Best Irish Folk Music to Listen to Right Now

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

It’s no secret that Irish folk music is some of the best in the world. But what are the best Irish folk songs to listen to right now? We’ve got a list of the top tunes for you to enjoy.

Irish Music History

Ireland has a long and storied musical history, with the Irish folk music scene being particularly noteworthy. Celtic music has experienced something of a resurgence in recent years, and there are a number of great Irish folk bands making music today. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best Irish folk bands you can listen to right now.

Celtic music

Celtic music is a genre of folk music that developed in Atlantic Canada, the Celtic nations and the United States. It is used to describe music that is influenced by the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany. Celtic music can be either instrumental or vocal. It can be performed on many different types of instruments, including the fiddle, accordion, penny whistle, bodhran (a type of drum), harp and bagpipe.

The history of Celtic music can be traced back to the 10th century. The first recorded mention of Celtic music comes from an Irish monk named Dicuil who wrote about hearing Scottish and Irish musicians playing their instruments at a feast in Rome in 926 A.D. In the centuries that followed, there were many other references to Celtic music, particularly from Irish and Scottish writers.

The 18th century saw a significant increase in the popularity of Celtic music, with many individuals beginning to collect and publish traditional songs from across the Celtic nations. One of the most important figures in this movement was Francis James Child, an American professor who published The English and Scottish Popular Ballads between 1882 and 1898. This collection contained more than 300 traditional songs from Ireland, Scotland and England.

In the early 20th century, there was a renewed interest in Celtic music, particularly in Ireland itself. This was largely due to the work of two figures: Sean O’Riada and Planxty. O’Riada was an Irish composer who is credited with revitalizing traditional Irish music; he did this by arranging older songs for concert orchestra and by writing new pieces based on traditional melodies. Planxty was a band formed in 1972 that helped popularize Irish folk music; they combined traditional tunes with elements of rock and roll and blues.

Celtic music has continued to evolve in the years since O’Riada and Planxty; today it encompasses a wide range of styles and genres including folk rock, new age andpop. It has also been successfully blended with other genres such as hip hop, electronic dance music and even classical music.

Irish traditional music

Irish traditional music is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. It encompasses a wide range of styles, including folk ballads, jigs, reels, and polkas. Irish traditional music is also known as Celtic music or Irish Celtic music. The term “Celtic music” is sometimes used to describe all folk genres from Ireland and Scotland, regardless of style or era.

Irish traditional music has its roots in the medieval era. The first written mention of Irish music dates back to the 12th century, when an Irishman named Dallán Forgaill wrote a song called “Aislinge Meic Con Glinne” (“The Vision of Mac Conglinne”). In the centuries that followed, Irish music underwent a series of changes, absorbing influences from other countries and cultures. By the 17th century, instrumental music was becoming increasingly popular in Ireland. This new style of music was influenced by the Continental European tradition of courtly dance music known as the baroque.

The 18th century saw further changes to Irish traditional music. The rise of British nationalism led to a resurgence of interest in local folk traditions, including Gaelic songs and dances. This “Celtic Revival” coincided with the early years of the Industrial Revolution, when many rural people left their homes to work in cities such as Belfast and Dublin. The resulting cultural mix led to a rich variety of new musical styles, including jigs, reels, hornpipes, and slip jigs.

The 19th century was a golden age for Irish traditional music. With the advent of sound recording technology in the early 20th century, musicians such as James Ennis (1881–1952) and Michael Coleman (1891–1945) helped to bring Irish traditional music to a global audience. In more recent years, artists such as Planxty, The Chieftains, Altan, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, Clannad, Enya, and Damien Rice have continued to popularize Irish traditional music around the world.

The Best Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. It is one of the oldest and most influential genres of folk music. In Ireland, folk music has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. The genre has undergone a revival in recent years, with a new generation of Irish musicians carrying on the tradition.

The Dubliners

The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962. The band’s current lineup consists of Sean Cannon, Ezio Bosso, John Sheahan, and Matt Kelleghan. The Dubliners rose to prominence in the 1960s with their distinctive sound, which blended elements of traditional Irish music with contemporary folk and pop. They became one of the most popular bands of the decade and released a string of successful albums, including their 1967 self-titled debut and 1968’s ‘Seven Drunken Nights’. The Dubliners continued to tour and record throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but their popularity began to wane in the 1990s. They returned to the public eye in the 2000s with a series of high-profile reunion concerts and new albums.

The Dubliners are widely considered to be one of the greatest Irish folk bands of all time. They have influenced numerous other artists, including Bob Dylan, who once described them as “the best folk group in the world”.

The Pogues

The Pogues are one of the most internationally known Irish folk bands. They formed in London in 1982, and their music is a mix of traditional Irish folk and punk rock. They are best known for their hit song “Fairytale of New York,” which is often played during the Christmas season.

The Clancy Brothers

The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk music singing group, popular in the 1960s and 1970s, best known for their work with Tommy Makem. The group consisted of five brothers from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary: Tom (1915–1990), Pat (1918–1998), Liam (1922–1973), Louis (1926–1998) and Paddy Clancy (1927–1998).

Where to Find the Best Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music is some of the most beautiful and mournful sounding music in the world. The music often tells stories of loss and love, and of a people’s history. Irish folk music is the perfect music to listen to when you need to relax, or if you want to get in touch with your heritage. There are many great Irish folk musicians out there, and in this article, we will discuss some of the best.

Spotify

If you’re looking for the best Irish folk music to listen to right now, look no further than Spotify. The streaming service has a wide variety of Irish folk artists and bands in its extensive catalog, from established acts like The Dubliners and The Chieftains to up-and-coming names like Dermot Kennedy and Pillow Queens. Whether you want to hear traditional Irish ballads or contemporary takes on the genre, Spotify has something for everyone.

To help you get started, we’ve rounded up some of the best Irish folk music on Spotify right now. So put on your dancing shoes, pour yourself a pint of Guinness, and check out our list below.

YouTube

If you’re looking for some great Irish folk music, YouTube is a great place to start. There are a number of channels that feature traditional Irish music, as well as modern interpretations of the genre.

Some of our favorite Irish folk music YouTube channels include:

-The Irish Rovers: This channel features a wide variety of traditional Irish folk songs, performed by the legendary Irish band of the same name.

-Fiddler’s Green: This channel features a mix of traditional and contemporary Irish folk music, performed by some of the genre’s most popular artists.

-Celtic Woman: This channel features beautiful renditions of traditional Celtic songs, performed by the all-female group Celtic Woman.

-The Dubliners: This channel features a wide variety of traditional Irish folk songs, performed by the legendary Irish band of the same name.

Pandora

If you’re looking for the best Irish folk music to listen to right now, Pandora is a great place to start. With a wide variety of artists and styles to choose from, Pandora has something for everyone.

Whether you’re in the mood for traditional Irish tunes or something a little more modern, Pandora has you covered. Check out some of our favorite Irish folk artists and bands below, and be sure to give them a listen on Pandora today.

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