Folk Music Box Sets to Add to Your Collection

If you’re looking to add some great folk music box sets to your collection, check out our top picks! From classic artists to contemporary performers, there’s something for everyone.

The Beatles – The Beatles Box Set

The Beatles box set is the perfect way to get all of their albums in one collection. This set includes all of their studio albums, plus a bonus disc of demos and outtakes. The sound quality is excellent, and the packaging is top notch. If you’re a Beatles fan, this is a must-have set.

Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series

The Bootleg Series is a collection of unreleased recordings by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings. The performances included in the series are alternately sourced from broadcast recordings, rehearsals, studio outtakes and live concert recordings.

Vol. 1: 1961–1991 was released in 1991 and consisted of 26 tracks over two discs, including “Like a Rolling Stone” (an outtake from the Highway 61 Revisited sessions), “Masters of War” (a live version from 1963), “I Shall Be Released” (a rehearsal take from 1967) and “All Along the Watchtower” (a live version from 1968).

Vol. 2: Live 1966 – The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert was released in 1998 and consisted of one disc with 13 tracks, all recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in London on May 26, 1966.

Vol. 3: rare & unreleased 1961–1991 was released in 2001 and consisted of 54 tracks over three discs, including demos, live performances, radio ads and outtakes.

Vol. 4: The Original Mono Recordings was released in 2010 and consisted of 192kHz/24-bit stereo and mono remasters of Dylan’s first eight albums, plus bonus mono singles and EP tracks.

Vol. 5: Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Revue was released in 2002 and consisted of two discs with 29 tracks, all recorded during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975–76.

Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964 – Concert at Philharmonic Hall was released in 2004 and consisted of one disc with 14 tracks, all recorded live at New York’s Philharmonic Hall on October 31, 1964. This release won the Grammy Award for Best Historical Album .

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV

This box set contains Led Zeppelin’s fourth studio album, which is often referred to as Led Zeppelin IV or simply IV. The album was released in 1971 and includes some of the band’s most popular songs, including “Stairway to Heaven,” “Black Dog,” and “Rock and Roll.” This box set includes the remastered album, plus bonus tracks and live performances.

The Rolling Stones – Hot Rocks

The Rolling Stones – Hot Rocks is a box set of material by the Rolling Stones spanning the years 1964 to 1971. The set is notable for containing previously unreleased live tracks and outtakes. It was originally released by London Records in December 1971 and has been reissued several times since.

Simon and Garfunkel – The Columbia Studio Recordings

This box set contains Simon and Garfunkel’s entire studio recordings, remastered from the original analog tapes. It includes their five studio albums: Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.; Sounds of Silence; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; Bookends; and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Also included are live performances, outtakes, and alternate versions of classic Simon and Garfunkel songs.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Déjà Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s Déjà Vu is one of the most important and influential albums of the 1970s. Released in 1970, the album featured the hit single “Teach Your Children” and helped to cement the reputation of the group as one of the era’s most important musical forces. The album’s mix of folk, rock, and country influences was both innovative and hugely popular, and it has since been added to the National Recording Registry.

The Grateful Dead – The Golden Road (1965-1973)

The Golden Road (1965-1973) is a massive, 12-disc box set that chronicles the Grateful Dead’s formative years. It contains live performances, studio outtakes, and unreleased tracks from the band’s early years. This is an essential collection for any fan of the Grateful Dead, or anyone interested in folk music from the 1960s and 1970s.

Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland

If you’re a fan of Jimi Hendrix, then you need to add Electric Ladyland to your collection. This box set includes four CDs of live and studio recordings, as well as a DVD of previously unreleased footage. It’s the perfect addition for any Hendrix fan.

Neil Young – Decade

Neil Young – Decade is a 3-disc compilation album by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, released on November 7, 1977, on Reprise Records. It is a retrospective of Young’s work during the first ten years of his recording career, from 1966 to 1976. It peaked at number 43 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The album features thirty-two tracks, including material from Young’s time with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as solo work. The first disc contains material from his early work with Buffalo Springfield and solo material released up to 1970; the second disc contains work from CSNY and solo work up to 1974; while the third disc rounds off with tracks from 1975 to 1976.

Decade was initially met with mixed reviews, but has since come to be regarded as one of Neil Young’s best album compilations. In 2003, the album was ranked number 203 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2006, Pitchfork Media ranked it number 60 on their list of “The Top 100 Albums of the 1970s”. In 2012, Slant Magazine ranked the album at number 14 on its list “Best Music Box Sets”.

Van Morrison – Moondance

This box set contains four CDs of previously unreleased material, including early versions of songs from Moondance, alternate takes, outtakes, live recordings, and more. The set also includes a hardcover book with photos and essays.