The Top Folk Music Bands of 2012
Contents
Looking for a great folk band to check out in 2012? Here are our top picks!
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, and Bob Crawford, who plays the double bass. The Avett Brothers are known for their energetic live shows and their unique blend of folk, rock, country, and bluegrass music.
Band Members
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band originally from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, United States.The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play the guitar and banjo respectively, along with Bob Crawford who plays the double bass. The three founding members started playing together in 2000. Mike Marsh joined in 2001 on drums, Tania Elizabeth in 2008 on fiddle, and Joe Kwon in 2010 on cello.
The Avett Brothers play a unique blend of folk, rock, country and punk that has earned them a large and loyal fan base. They have released eight studio albums, four live albums and one EP. Their most recent album, “The Carpenter,” debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Billboard Folk Albums chart. The Avett Brothers are currently touring in support of “The Carpenter.”
Albums
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The group is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play guitar and banjo respectively, as well as Bob Crawford who plays the double bass. The band first gained national attention with their 2007 major label debut album Emotionalism. Since then, they have released a further seven albums – four studio albums, two live albums and one extended play. In 2012, Paste magazine named them “The Best Folk Band of the Year”.
Singles
The Avett Brothers have been making music since 2000 and have released a total of nine studio albums, four live albums, one compilation album, and eighteen singles. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who both sing and play multiple instruments. Their musical style has been described as bluegrass, country rock, and indie folk.
The Avett Brothers’ first album, Country Was, was released in 2002. The album’s title track was its only single and did not chart. In 2003, the band released their second album, A Carolina Jubilee. The lead single from the album, “Talk on Indolence”, peaked at #49 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. “Geraldine” was the second single from the album and peaked at #51 on the same chart.
In 2004, the band released their third album, Mignonette. The lead single from the album, “Kick Drum Heart”, peaked at #24 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. “Swept Away” was the second single from the album and peaked at #53 on the same chart.
In 2006, the band released their fourth studio album, Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions. The lead single from the album,”Shame”, peaked at #16 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. “The Ballad of Love and Hate” was the second single from the album and peaked at #52 on the same chart.
In 2007, the band released their fifth studio album, Emotionalism. The lead single from the album,”I And Love And You”, peaked at #39 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and is their highest-charting single to date. “Die Die Die” was the second single from Emotionalism and peaked at #48 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart.”
Mumford and Sons
Mumford and Sons is a British folk rock band that formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. Mumford and Sons has released three studio albums, Sigh No More, Babel, and Wilder Mind. The band has won several awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the Brit Award for Best British Group.
Band Members
Mumford & Sons are a four-piece English folk rock band. The members are Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Winston Marshall (banjo, electric guitar, mandolin), Ted Dwane (bass guitar, double bass, upright bass, lining vocals), and Ben Lovett (piano, keyboards, backing vocals). Mumford & Sons have released three studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), and Wilder Mind (2015). The band has also issued two live albums: Live at Shepherds Bush Empire (2011) and The Road to Red Rocks (2012).
Albums
Mumford and Sons are a British rock band formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboard, piano), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, Dobro) and Ted Dwane (bass guitar, double bass, upright bass). 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 (2012) and Live from South Africa: Dust and Thunder (2017).
Mumford and Sons’ musical style has been described as “folk-influenced indie rock”. The band’s lyrics are largely about love, loss and redemption. Mumford and Sons have won several awards, including two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards and a Mercury Prize. In 2012, they were named the British group of the year at the Brit Awards. In 2013, they won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Babel.
Singles
Mumford and Sons is a UK-based folk rock band that formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. 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 Bull Moose (2011), Road to Red Rocks (2011), and Live from South Africa: Dust and Thunder (2017). Mumford and Sons has won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, and an American Music Award.
The band’s first single, “Little Lion Man”, was released in August 2009 and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart. The band’s second single, “The Cave”, was released in November 2010 and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. The band’s third single, “I Will Wait”, was released in August 2012 and peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The Lumineers
Band Members
The Lumineers are an American folk rock band from Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz on guitar and vocals, and Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion. The two later added Neyla Pekarek on cello and piano. The band’s self-titled debut album was released on April 3, 2012 by Dualtone Records.
In June 2012, “Ho Hey” became the band’s first single to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three in January 2013; it has since been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “Stubborn Love” was also a commercial success and peaked within the top ten in several countries including Belgium, France and the Netherlands as well as peaking at number nine in Australia and number eleven in the United Kingdom. Their second album, Cleopatra was released on April 8, 2016.
Albums
The Lumineers is an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band’s debut self-titled album was released on Dualtone Records on April 3, 2012 and produced by Ryan Hadlock. The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified platinum in the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Singles
The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band’s debut self-titled album was released on April 3, 2012 by Dualtone Records in the United States and Canada, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on both the US Top Rock Albums and Folk Albums charts. In 2013, The Lumineers were nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Best Americana Album.
The lead single from The Lumineers’ self-titled debut album, “Ho Hey”, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 2012. A second single from the album, “Stubborn Love”, peaked at number 2 on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart in February 2013.
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon. The band was formed in 2000 by Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, and Nate Query. The band’s debut album, 5 Songs, was released in 2001. The Decemberists have released a total of six studio albums, two EPs, and one live album.
Band Members
The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, main songwriter), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Conlee (piano, hammond organ, accordion, melodica, glockenspiel), Nate Query (bass guitar, string bass, upright bass), and John Moen (drums, percussion).
The members of the band met in college while studying music together. Meloy and Conlee were the first to form the Decemberists in 2001. Shortly after they were joined by Funk and Query. The four of them recorded a demo EP that they self-released that year. In 2002 they added Moen to the lineup and released their debut full-length album Castaways and Cutouts on the Hush Record label.
Albums
“The King Is Dead” – The Decemberists
“I and Love and You” – The Avett Brothers
“The Harrow & the Harvest” – Gillian Welch
“Townes” – Steve Earle
“Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars
Singles
The Hazards of Love – The Decemberists
The Rake’s Song
The Queen’s Rebuke / The Crossing
Annan Water
The Crane Wife 1 & 2 – The Decemberists
The Island
Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
O Valencia!
Iron and Wine
Formed in 2002, Iron and Wine is a musical project by singer-songwriter Sam Beam. The name Iron & Wine is derived from a dietary supplement named Iron Wine. Beam was originally a film professor before he quit his job and started making music full-time. He released his debut album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, in 2002. The album was met with critical acclaim and earned him a cult following.
Band Members
Iron and Wine is an American folk rock band led by singer-songwriter Sam Beam. The band’s name comes from a scene in the 1974 film The Second Coming of Suzanne, in which a metaphysical being (played by Beam’s then-future wife, Cindy) explains to a young man that “we are iron and wine” – meaning that we are both strong and fragile.
Beam was raised in Chapin, South Carolina. He attended Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, for a year before enrolling at Virginia Commonwealth University. He transferred to Florida State University, where he met his future wife. After graduating with a degree in art from FSU, Beam worked as an art teacher before moving to Atlanta to pursue a career in music. In Atlanta, he began performing under the name “Iron and Wine”, after the film scene mentioned above.
Iron and Wine’s first release was The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002), an album of home recordings which was nominated for the Shortlist Music Prize. This was followed by 2004’s Our Endless Numbered Days, which entered the Billboard 200 at #16 and received widespread critical acclaim. In 2007, the band released The Shepherd’s Dog; this album debuted at #13 on the Billboard 200 and won Best Folk Album at the 50th Grammy Awards. 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean debuted at #2 on Billboard 200; it also won Best Folk Album at 54th Grammy Awards. In 2013, Iron and Wine released Ghost on Ghost; this album entered Billboard 200 at #17.
The band has released seven studio albums: The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002), Our Endless Numbered Days (2004), The Shepherd’s Dog (2007), Kiss Each Other Clean (2011), Ghost on Ghost (2013), Beast Epic (2017) and Weed Garden (2018).
Albums
Iron and Wine’s fourth and most recent album is Kiss Each Other Clean. It was released in early 2011 to critical acclaim, with some reviewers calling it the band’s best album to date. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 106,000 copies in its first week.
Kiss Each Other Clean is a departure from the band’s earlier folk sound, incorporating more pop and R&B influences. The album’s first single, “Boy with a Coin”, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana song.
Singles
“Burn That Broken Bed” and “Tree by the River” are two of Iron and Wine’s most popular singles. “Burn That Broken Bed” was released in 2012 and peaked at #2 on the Folk charts, while “Tree by the River” was released in 2011 and peaked at #6. Other popular singles include “Woman King” (2005), “Boy with a Coin” (2007), and “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” (2007).
