Today’s Folk Music Artists You Need to Know
Today’s folk music artists are creating some of the most innovative and exciting music out there. Here are a few you need to know about.
The Revivalists
From their humble beginnings in 2007 as a New Orleans street band, The Revivalists have gone on to become one of the most successful folk rock bands in recent years. Comprised of eight members who all bring their own unique musical influences to the table, The Revivalists have managed to create a sound that is both timeless and modern.
Their 2016 album, “Take Good Care”, was a critical and commercial success, reaching #1 on the US Folk charts and #9 on the Billboard 200. The album’s lead single, “Wish I Knew You”, was also a huge success, reaching #1 on the US Adult Alternative charts and #5 on the US Rock charts.
The Revivalists show no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and they are undoubtedly one of the biggest names in today’s folk music scene.
The Head and the Heart
The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band. The group’s self-titled debut album was released in 2011 and immediately topped Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart. The band is composed of Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion), Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Tyler Williams (drums), and Matt Gervais (keyboards).
The Head and the Heart’s music has been featured on television shows such as One Tree Hill, Parenthood, and Grey’s Anatomy. The band has also performed on late-night talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan.
The Lumineers
The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The band’s self-titled debut album was released on April 3, 2012 and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart and number 1 on the UK Folk Chart. The album was certified platinum in both the United States and Canada. The Lumineers have released two additional studio albums – Cleopatra (2016) and III (2019) – and have sold over 16 million records worldwide.
The band’s primary songwriters are band members Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion). In addition to writing original songs, the duo has also been known to cover popular folk songs such as “The Weight” by The Band, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, and “Needle and the Damage Done” by Neil Young.
The Lumineers’ music has been featured in a number of popular television shows and movies including Orange is the New Black, Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, Carrie Pilby, and Pokémon Detective Pikachu.
Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons is a British folk rock band from London, formed in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane. Mumford & Sons have released three studio albums: Sigh No More (2010), 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 Eddie’s Attic (2016).
Mumford & Sons’ music is characterised by its use of acoustic instruments, particularly the banjo, as well as its dobro, upright bass and drums. Their sound has been described as “folk-influenced indie rock”. The band also uses a variety of other instruments including the piano, mandolin, violin, French horn, accordion and accordina.
The band has been nominated for numerous awards including five Grammy Awards and two Brit Awards. They have won one Grammy Award for Best Album for Babel and one Brit Award for British Group.
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina, fronted by brothers Scott Avett and Seth Avett. The Avetts blend bluegrass, country, pop and rock with words of love, loss and redemption. They have released eight studio albums since their debut album in 2002.
Today, The Avett Brothers are still making music that speaks to the human condition. They remind us that no matter how dark the days may seem, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
