The Best 1970s Folk Music Songs

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Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

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A list of the best folk songs from the 1970s. These are the songs that defined the decade and continue to be popular today.

The Top Ten Folk Songs of the 1970s

The 1970s were a hugely important decade for folk music, with artists like Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, and Joan Baez helping to bring the genre to a whole new audience. But there were also plenty of great folk songs that didn’t achieve the same level of mainstream success. Here are ten of the best deep cuts from the 1970s folk scene.

1. “The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dylan
2. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
3. “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel
4. “The Weight” by The Band
5. ” Cocaine Blues” by Luke Kirby
6. “Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dylan
7. “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan
8. “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams
9. “The Streets of Philadelphia” by Bruce Springsteen
10. “Wild World” by Cat Stevens

The Best Folk Songs of the 1970s

The 1970s was a great decade for folk music. Many of the best folk songs of the decade were released by some of the most popular folk artists of all time, including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen.

Some of the best-known and most popular folk songs of the 1970s include “The Times They Are A-Changin'” by Bob Dylan, “The Weight” by The Band, “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez, and “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. While these are some of the most well-known folk songs of the decade, there are many other great songs that deserve to be mentioned.

Other great folk songs of the 1970s include “Early Morning Rain” by Gordon Lightfoot, “Boomtown” by John Prine, and “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson. These are just a few examples of the great folk music that was released in the 1970s.

The Greatest Folk Songs of the 1970s

The 1970s was a great decade for folk music. Singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Carole King found massive success with their confessional songwriting style, while innovators like Bob Dylan and Neil Young continued to push the boundaries of the genre. Electric folk bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle helped to introduce a new generation to traditional music, while groups like Steeleye Span and The Byrds brought a rock & roll edge to the scene. Here are 10 of the best folk songs of the 1970s.

The 1970s were a turning point for folk music. At the beginning of the decade, folk was still dominated by the likes of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, who had emerged in the early 1960s. But by the end of the 1970s, a new breed of folk artists had emerged, led by such artists as James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and John Prine. These artists took the traditional sounds of folk music and infused them with elements of pop, rock, and country to create a new sound that would come to be known as “country-folk” or “folk-rock.” The following is a list of the 10 most popular folk songs of the 1970s.

1. “Fire and Rain” – James Taylor
2. “Desperado” – Eagles
3. “The Times They Are A-Changin'” – Bob Dylan
4. “Wild World” – Cat Stevens
5. “American Pie” – Don McLean
6. “Danny’s Song” – Anne Murray
7. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – Gordon Lightfoot
8. “Baker Street” – Gerry Rafferty
9. “Peace Train” – Cat Stevens
10. “Love The One You’re With” – Crosby, Stills & Nash

The Most Influential Folk Songs of the 1970s

The 1970s was a decade that saw the height of the folk music revival in the United States. A new generation of singer-songwriters and Folk rock bands arose, led by acts like Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Gordon Lightfoot, and James Taylor. These artists brought folk music to a whole new audience and helped to make it one of the most popular genres of the decade. Here are ten of the most influential folk songs of the 1970s.

“The Times They Are A-Changin'” – Bob Dylan
“The Weight” – The Band
“Mr. Tambourine Man” – The Byrds
“Turn! Turn! Turn!” – The Byrds
“Teach Your Children” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
“Woodstock” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
“Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
“The Boxer” – Simon & Garfunkel
“Cat’s in the Cradle” – Harry Chapin
“City of New Orleans” – Arlo Guthrie

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