Modern Folk Music Bands You Need to Know About

With so many different modern folk music bands out there, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time. Here are some of the best ones that you need to know about!

The Revivalists

The Revivalists are a New Orleans-based rock band formed in 2007. The band consists of eight members: David Shaw (lead vocals, guitar), Zack Feinberg (guitar), George Gekas (bass guitar), Rob Ingraham (saxophone), Michael Girardot (keyboards, trumpet), Andrew Campanelli (drums), Ed Williams (pedal steel guitar, dobro) and Khris Royal (saxophone).

The Revivalists have released three albums: their debut album “Take Good Care” in 2013, “City of Sound” in 2016, and “All My Friends” in 2019. The band has toured extensively, playing festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Coachella, and have headlined their own tours across the United States.

The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band from Seattle, Washington. The band is composed of Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Tyler Williams (drums), and Kenny Hensley (piano).

The band’s self-titled debut album was released on June 7, 2011 on Sub Pop. The album was recorded in a converted barn in rural Ojai, California over the course of two months. The Head and the Heart’s second album, Let’s Be Still, was released on October 15, 2013.

The Lumineers

The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band members are Wesley Schultz on lead vocals and guitar, Jeremiah Fraites on drums and Neyla Pekarek on cello and backing vocals. The Lumineers formed in 2002, and they released their self-titled debut album in 2012. The album peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum in the US, Canada and the UK. The album’s single, “Ho Hey”, peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified double platinum in the US.

Of Monsters and Men

Of Monsters and Men is a five-member group from Iceland that has been making waves in the music industry since their debut album My Head Is an Animal was released in 2011. The band’s sound is a unique blend of indie folk and pop that is sure to appeal to fans of both genres.

Of Monsters and Men got their start when they won a battle of the bands competition in their home country of Iceland. This led to them being invited to perform at the prestigious Iceland Airwaves music festival, where they caught the attention of international media and record labels. The band’s debut album was released shortly thereafter and quickly rose to the top of the charts in several countries.

Since then, Of Monsters and Men has released one more studio album, Beneath the Skin, which was met with critical acclaim and further solidified their place as one of today’s most popular folk bands. If you’re a fan of modern folk music, Of Monsters and Men is definitely a band you need to check out!

Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons is a British folk rock band that formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, electric guitar, banjo, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboard, piano), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro) and Ted Dwane (bass guitar). Mumford & Sons has 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), Live from South Africa: Dust and Thunder (2017) and Mumford & Sons Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (2017).

Mumford & Sons’ first album, Sigh No More, was released in October 2009 and peaked at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 2 on the US Billboard 200. The album was certified platinum in the UK and double platinum in the US. The band’s second album, Babel, was released in September 2012 and debuted at No. 1 on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. Babel was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band’s third album, Wilder Mind, was released in May 2015 and debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 3 on the US Billboard 200.

Mumford & Sons has won multiple awards, including two Grammy Awards for Best Album of the Year (Babel andWilder Mind), seven Brit Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards.

The Avett Brothers

Hailing from North Carolina, The Avett Brothers are a modern folk music band made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett. The band is known for their harmonies, bluegrass instruments, and alternative sensibilities. In addition to Scott and Seth Avett, the band includes Bob Crawford (bass), Joe Kwon (cello), Mike Marsh (drums), and Paul Defiglia (keyboard).

The Avett Brothers got their start playing at clubs in North Carolina before self-producing and releasing their debut album, Country Was, in 2002. They gained a wider audience with the release of their 2007 album Emotionalism, which peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 chart. Since then, the band has released eight additional studio albums, most recently Closer Than Together in 2019.

The Avett Brothers are known for their live shows, which often feature extended jams and impromptu cover songs. In 2011, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars are an Americana duo composed of singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White. Their music is a blend of folk, country, and rock. They have released two albums, the self-titled The Civil Wars and Barton Hollow.

The Civil Wars began as a collaboration between Williams and White in 2009. They released their first album in 2011 to critical acclaim. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album and was nominated for Album of the Year.

The duo went on hiatus in 2012 but reunited in 2013 to release their second album, Barton Hollow. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best Folk Album.

The Civil Wars have toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. In 2014, they won an Emmy Award for their song “From This Valley”, which was used in the soundtrack of the television show Nashville.

Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes is a modern folk music band from Seattle, Washington. The band was formed in 2006 by Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset, who met while attending high school. The band has released three studio albums, with their most recent album Crack-Up debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

Fleet Foxes’ music has been described as “cinematic”, “lengthy” and “acoustic”, with Pecknold’s lyrics focusing on subjects such as love, religion, nature, and loss. The band is known for their close harmonies and complex vocal arrangements. In addition to Pecknold and Skjelset, the band includes bassist Casey Wescott, drummer Morgan Henderson, and beatboxer/multi-instrumentalist Becca Marx.

Bon Iver

Bon Iver is an American indie folk band, formed in 2006 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Justin Vernon, and is named after the French phrase bon hiver, meaning “good winter.”

The band’s debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago (2007), was recorded in a remote cabin in Wisconsin over the course of three months. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards. The band’s second album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011), was also nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The band has released two more albums since then: 22, A Million (2016) and i,i (2019).

Bon Iver’s music is characterized by its use of atmospheric textures and sparse instrumentation. Vernon’s lyrics frequently reference nature and make use of environmental imagery. The band’s sound has been described as “haunting” and “ethereal.”

Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine is an American folk band from Austin, Texas. The band was formed in 2002 by singer-songwriter Sam Beam. The name Iron & Wine is derived from a section in E. B. White’s novel Charlotte’s Web.

The band’s first album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, was released in 2002 to critical acclaim. The album was nominated for the Shortlist Music Prize and ranked number eight on Pitchfork Media’s Top 50 Albums of 2002 list.beam

The band’s second album, Our Endless Numbered Days, was released in 2004 and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

In 2007, the band released The Shepherd’s Dog, which debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics.

The band’s fourth album, Ghost on Ghost, was released in 2013 and received widespread critical acclaim. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 chart.