The Best Folk Music Bands

The best folk music bands are those that are able to connect with their audiences on a personal level. These bands are able to evoke feelings of nostalgia and longing, while also providing a sense of comfort and familiarity.

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 band’s lead singers and guitarists. The Avett Brothers are known for their unique sound which combines elements of folk, bluegrass, country, rock, and pop music. The band has released nine studio albums, three live albums, and one extended play.

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. They are joined by Bob Crawford on bass and Mike Marsh on drums.

The Avett Brothers have released nine studio albums since their debut in 2000. their most recent album, True Sadness, was released in 2016. The Avett Brothers are known for their emotional lyrics, catchy melodies, and energetic live performances.

Albums

The Avett Brothers have put out a total of nine studio albums. Seven of these albums have been released on a major label, while two were released independently. The band’s first album, “Country Was,” was released in 2001 and was followed by “A Carolina Jubilee” in 2002. In 2003, the Avett Brothers released their first album with a major label, “Mignonette.” This album was followed by “Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions” in 2006, which featured the band’s first Grammy-nominated song, “The Ballad of Love and Hate.”

The Avett Brothers’ next three albums, “Emotionalism” (2007), “I and Love and You” (2009), and “The Carpenter” (2012), were all released on American Recordings/Universal Republic Records. These three albums brought the band much mainstream success, with “I and Love and You” reaching number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart and “The Carpenter” reaching number 4. The Avett Brothers’ most recent album, true sadness,” was released in 2016 on Republic Records and debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200.

Songs

The Avett Brothers have been making music together since 2000. In that time, they’ve released nine studio albums and a host of live albums, compilations, and EPs. They’re one of the most popular and successful folk bands around, and their songs are some of the best in the genre.

Here are 10 of the best Avett Brothers songs:

“I and Love and You”
“Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise”
“Live and Die”
“Die Die Die”
“Ain’t No Man”
“No Hard Feelings”
“True Sadness”
“At the Beach”
“Satellite”
“I Wish I Was”‘

The Decemberists

The Decemberists are an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, and John Moen. The Decemberists were formed in 2000 by Meloy and Funk, who first met when they were in high school. The band’s name refers to the Decembrist revolt, an unsuccessful uprising against the czar in Imperial Russia in 1825.

Band Members

The Decemberists are an American indie folk band from Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitars, accordion, piano), Chris Funk (guitars, mandolin, lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar, banjo), Jenny Conlee (piano, accordion, keyboards), Nate Query (bass guitar), and John Moen (drums). The band has released seven studio albums, two live albums, one EP, and one DVD on the Capitol Records label. They are perhaps best known for their single ” 16 Military Wives” from their 2005 album Picaresque.

The group formed in 2000 when Colin Meloy left his band Tarkio in Montana and moved to Portland, Oregon. There he met Nate Query, who introduced him to Jenny Conlee and Chris Funk. Meloy began writing songs on his own and the three musicians combined to form The Decemberists. Query and Conlee had both been in other bands prior to meeting Meloy; Conlee was a member of Calobo and Query played with Spooning Victory. The four of them spent the summer and fall of 2001 playing for tips on the Portland waterfront; their first official show was opening for Tarkio at Portland’s Satyricon nightclub on December 1st.

Since then The Decemberists have released seven studio albums: Castaways and Cutouts (2002), Her Majesty the Decemberists (2003), Picaresque (2005), The Crane Wife (2006), The Hazards of Love(2009), What a Terrible World What a Beautiful World (2015) , I’ll Be Your Girl (2018) . The band’s style of music is often described as baroque pop or chamber pop; their music draws heavily from traditional British folk music as well as American country and rock & roll.

Albums

The Decemberists are an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Chris Funk (guitar, multi-instrumentalist), Jenny Conlee (piano, accordion, melodica, harp), Nate Query (bass guitar, back-up vocals), and John Moen (drums, percussion).

The group formed in 2000 and released their debut album, 5 Songs, in 2001. Their second album, Her Majesty the Decemberists, was released in 2003 on the Kill Rock Stars label. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. The band’s third album, Picaresque (2005), achieved Platinum status in the United States. It features the hit single “16Military Wives”, which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 33 on the Canadian Hot 100.

The group’s fourth album,, The Crane Wife was released on October 3, 2006 on Capitol Records. The album peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200 and at number four on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. In 2007,, The Crane Wife was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Alternative Music Album and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package., which won the award for Best Recording Package.

In 2009,, The Hazards of Love was released and reached number three on the Billboard 200., making it their highest-charting album to date. The Hazards of Love debuted at number one on both theTop Heatseekers chart and theTop Hard Rock Albums chart., making it their first album to reach either of those charts., as well as their first appearance inthe top ten ofthe Billboard 200 chart

Songs

The Decemberists are an American indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy (lead vocals, guitar, mandolin), Chris Funk (guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, violin), Jenny Conlee (piano, accordion, keyboard), Nate Query (bass guitar), and John Moen (drums). The band’s debut EP, 5 Songs, was self-released in 2001. In 2003, the band released their full-length album Castaways and Cutouts on Kill Rock Stars to critical acclaim; it has since sold more than 200,000 copies. Their fourth album, The Crane Wife, was released on October 3, 2006 and features a more elaborate sound than previous albums; it peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and has sold almost 400,000 copies. The Hazards of Love was released in 2009 as a concept album about a woman named Margaret who is deceived by a shape-shifting animal. The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.

The Decemberists have toured internationally and have supported such acts as Neil Young and Paul Simon. They have performed on Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with Craig Ferguson numerous times; Conan O’Brien has also had the band as one of his guests both when he hosted Late Night and when he briefly hosted The Tonight Show in 2010. On February 26 2009 they played “16 Military Wives” live on NME’s website from their office in Portland as part of Daytrotter’s series of live webcasts.

Fleet Foxes

Hailing from Seattle, Fleet Foxes formed in 2006 and released their debut album in 2008. The album was an instant hit, thanks to its original sound and the band’s unique take on the folk genre. Since then, Fleet Foxes have released two more albums, with their most recent one being 2016’s Crack-Up. The band is currently on hiatus, but their music continues to be enjoyed by folk fans all over the world.

Band Members

Fleet Foxes is an American indie folk band formed in Seattle, Washington in 2006. The band is composed of Robin Pecknold (vocals, guitar), Skyler Skjelset (guitar, mandolin), Casey Wescott (keyboards, guitar), Christian Wargo (bass, vocals), and Morgan Henderson (multi-instrumentalist). Pecknold and Skjelset met in high school and began playing music together. The band released their debut album in 2008 to critical acclaim and commercial success.

The band’s second album, Helplessness Blues, was released in 2011 to similar acclaim. Their third album, Crack-Up, was released in 2017 after a six-year hiatus. In January 2018, the band released the first single from Crack-Up, “Third of May / Ōdaigahara”.

Robin Pecknold – lead vocals, guitar
Skyler Skjelset – guitar
Casey Wescott – keyboards
Christian Wargo – bass, vocals
Morgan Henderson – multi-instrumentalist

Albums

The Fleet Foxes have released three studio albums, with a fourth album expected in 2020. The band’s self-titled debut album was released in 2008 to critical acclaim, helping to catapult them to indie folk stardom. The group followed up their debut with the 2011 album Helplessness Blues, which was also met with critical acclaim. In 2017, the band returned after a six-year hiatus with their third album Crack-Up. All three of the Fleet Foxes’ albums have been nominated for Grammy Awards.

The Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut album was released on Sun Giant EP in 2008. The album included the singles “White Winter Hymnal” and “Ragged Wood”, both of which received significant airplay on independent and college radio stations. The album was met with positive reviews from music critics, who praised its intricate harmonies and nostalgic lyrics. The Fleet Foxes won the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize for the album in 2009.

The group’s sophomore album Helplessness Blues was released in 2011 to even greater acclaim than their debut. The lead single “Grown Ocean” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance, and the album itself was nominated for Best Recording Package at the same ceremony. Helplessness Blues debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the highest charting folk album since Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge over Troubled Water in 1970.

After a six-year hiatus, the Fleet Foxes returned in 2017 with their third studio album Crack-Up. The album was once again met with positive reviews from critics, who praised its ambitious songwriting and musicality. Crack-Up debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the highest charting folk album since Bob Dylan’s Desire in 1976.

Songs

Fleet Foxes have released three studio albums, with their most recent, Crack-Up, being released in 2017. The band is known for their intricate vocal harmonies and beautiful melodies, often accompanied by acoustic instrumentation. Some of their most popular songs include “White Winter Hymnal,” “Ragged Wood,” and “He Doesn’t Know Why.”

Mumford and Sons

Hailing from London, Mumford and Sons are a folk rock band that formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwayne. Mumford and Sons have released four studio albums, with their most recent album, Delta, being released in 2018. The band has won several awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year.

Band Members

Mumford & Sons are a British rock band formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, guitar, banjo, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboard, piano), Winston Marshall (vocals, guitar, mandolin) 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 issued two live albums: Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire (2011) and The Road to Red Rocks (2016).

In 2010, the band won the Brit Award for Best British Album for Sigh No More. In 2012 they received six Grammy nominations including Best New Artist and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year with Babel. Babel was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2012. The band have headlined at the Glastonbury Festival twice: in 2013 and 2015. They also won outstanding contribution to music at the Ivor Novello Awards in 2016.

Albums

Mumford and Sons are a British band formed in 2007. The group 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, backing vocals). Mumford and Sons have released three studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012) and Wilder Mind (2015). The band have 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).

The band’s debut album Sigh No More was released in 2009. The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. Sigh No More was an commercial success in the United States, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album’s lead single “Little Lion Man” peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. “The Cave” was released as the second single from the album in February 2010. The single peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart andnumber five on the Billboard Hot 100. “Roll Away Your Stone” was released as the third single from Sigh No More in May 2010. The single peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chartandnumber 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mumford and Sons’ second studio album Babel was released in September 2012. The album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart andthe Billboard 200 chart. Babel was nominated for Album of the Year at boththe 2013 Grammy Awardsandthe 2013 Brit Awards. It won Best British Album at the Brit Awards. “I Will Wait” was released as the lead single from Babel in August 2012.”I Will Wait” peaked at number three on boththe UK Singles Chartandthe Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Lover of the Light” was released as thesecondsingle from Babel in November 2012.”Lover of The Light” peakedatnumber 15on boththe UK Singles Chartandnumber 41on
the BillboardHot 100 chart.”Whispers in the Dark”wasreleasedasathirdsinglefromBabelinFebruary2013.”WhispersintheDark”didnot enter eitherchart but peakedatnumber fiveonthe USAlternative Songs chart.”Babel”wasreleasedas fourthsinglefrom Babelin May 2013,”Babel”peakedatnumber 10on boththeUKSinglesChartandBillboardHot100chart.”Hopeless Wanderer”wasreleasedasa fifthandfinal singlefrom BabelinAugust2013.”HopelessWanderer” peakedatnumber19ontheUKSinglesChartandnumber92onBillboardHot100chart.”Believe”wasreleasedasa promotional singlafromBabelin March 2013,”Believe” peaketdumbertwoontheUKChristian& GospelSinglesChart; italsoappearedonDreamersEP(releasedin2015).”GhostthatHaunts Me”wasalsoreleasedasa promotional singlafromBabelin April 2013; itappearedonTheWolf EP(released
September 2014).”Lover s Eyes”(Live From Shepherds Bush Empire)was releasedasa promotional singlafromBabelin May 2013,”Lover’sEyes”(LiveFromShepherdsBushEmpire)didnotentertheUKSinglesChartbutpeaketdumber 17ontheUSAlternativeSongschart..

Songs

1. “The Cave”
2. “Winter Winds”
3. “Roll Away Your Stone”
4. “White Blank Page”
5. “I Will Wait”
6. “Babel”
7. “Whispers in the Dark”
8. “Lover of the Light”
9. “Ghosts That We Knew”
10. “Ditmas”
11. “Tompkins Square Park”
12. “@yoursongisgoodbro – Mumford and Sons cover”
13. “The Wolf – Mumford and Sons (Lyrics)”

The Lumineers

The Lumineers are an American folk rock band from Denver, Colorado. The band’s signature instrument is the celesta. The band members are Wesley Schultz on lead vocals and guitar, Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion, and Neyla Pekarek on cello and vocals. The Lumineers have released three studio albums, the self-titled album The Lumineers in 2012,Cleopatra in 2016, and III in 2019.

Band Members

The Lumineers are an American folk rock band from Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz on lead vocals and guitar and Jeremiah Fraites on drums. Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek joined the band in 2010, and keyboardist Stelth Ulvang and bassist Benjamin Wittman became official touring members in 2016.
The Lumineers have released three studio albums: the self-titled album The Lumineers (2012), Cleopatra (2016), and III (2019). All three albums have been certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The band has also received two Grammy Award nominations, one for Best Americana Album for The Lumineers (2013) and one for Best Folk Album forIII.

Albums

The Lumineers is an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band’s debut album, The Lumineers, was released on April 3, 2012. The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified platinum in the United States and Ireland.

The Lumineers’ second album, Cleopatra, was released on April 8, 2016. The album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified double platinum in the United States and Ireland.

The band has released two live albums: Live from the Artists Den (2013) and Live from Red Rocks (2017).

Songs

The Lumineers are an American folk rock band from Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites. The band’s debut album, The Lumineers, was released on April 3, 2012 and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.

“Ho Hey” is the debut single by the Lumineers. It was released on June 4, 2012 as a digital download and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

“Stubborn Love” is a song by the Lumineers from their self-titled debut album. The song peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

“Ophelia” is a song by the Lumineers from their self-titled album. It was released as a single on February 5, 2016 and peaked at number 22 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Songs chart.