The Best Folk Artists Of 2019, Ranked
Ranked By
564 votes
139 voters
Voting Rules
Only artists who released music in 2019.
- Michael Jason Isbell (born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell has won four Grammy Awards.
- The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek (cello) joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018. The Lumineers emerged as one of the most popular folk-rock/Americana artists during the revival of those genres, their popularity growing in the 2010s. The band's stripped back raw sound draws heavily from artists that influenced Schultz and Fraites such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. They are known for their energetic live shows and several international hit singles including "Ho Hey", "Stubborn Love", "Ophelia" "Angela" and "Cleopatra." The band has become one of the top touring bands in the United States and is also popular in other countries.
- Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known as Hozier (born March 17, 1990), is an Irish musician and singer-songwriter from Bray, County Wicklow. In 2013, he released his debut EP, featuring the hit single "Take Me to Church", and his second EP From Eden in 2014. His debut studio album, Hozier, was released in Ireland in September 2014 and globally in October 2014.
- Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky, until moving to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2001 to pursue a career in music writing songs. Subsequently, Stapleton signed a contract with Sea Gayle Music to write and publish his music.As of 2018, Stapleton has amassed credits writing and co-writing over 170 songs. He has co-written six number-one country songs including Kenny Chesney's five-week number-one "Never Wanted Nothing More", George Strait's "Love's Gonna Make It Alright", and Luke Bryan's "Drink a Beer". His songs have appeared on many artists albums including Adele, Brad Paisley, and Dierks Bentley. He has co-written with several artists as well including Vince Gill, Peter Frampton, Sheryl Crow and Ed Sheeran. Stapleton has been recognized with several awards including five Grammy Awards, seven Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, and ten Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. As a vocalist, Stapleton sang lead in two bands before he started recording as a solo artist including a bluegrass ensemble from 2008 to 2010 called The SteelDrivers. After that, he released his solo debut: the critically acclaimed studio album titled Traveller (2015), which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second studio album From A Room: Volume 1 was released in May 2017, and earned him a second CMA Award for Album of the Year and also a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. From A Room: Volume 2 was released in December 2017.
- Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977) is an American musician. She is a founding member of the country, blues and old-time music band Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she is the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player. Giddens is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, an alumna of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, and a 2000 graduate of Oberlin Conservatory at Oberlin College, where she studied opera. In addition to her work with the Grammy-winning Chocolate Drops, Giddens has released two solo albums: Tomorrow Is My Turn (2015) and Freedom Highway (2017). Her 2019 and 2021 albums, There Is No Other and They're Calling Me Home are collaborations with Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi. She appears in the Smithsonian Folkways collection documenting Mike Seeger's final trip through Appalachia in 2009, Just Around The Bend: Survival and Revival in Southern Banjo Styles – Mike Seeger’s Last Documentary (2019).
- Damien Jurado is an American singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington, United States. Over the years, he has released albums on Sub Pop, Secretly Canadian and currently on Mama Bird Recording Co. and Loose.
- Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, is an iconic figure in American music history. Known for his distinctive voice and thought-provoking lyrics, Dylan's influence extends beyond the realm of music, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture. Raised in a tight-knit Jewish community, he developed an interest in music at a young age, deriving inspiration from the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. His love for music propelled him to drop out of the University of Minnesota in 1960, after which he moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. In the early years of his career, Dylan was recognized as a prominent figure in the folk music scene. His debut album, Bob Dylan, was released in 1962, followed by The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963, which included the iconic track "Blowin' in the Wind." The song became an anthem for civil rights and anti-war movements, solidifying Dylan's reputation as a songwriter who could encapsulate societal issues with profound lyricism. However, his decision to go electric with the album Bringing It All Back Home in 1965 sparked controversy among his folk purist fans but also broadened his appeal to a wider audience. Throughout his decades-long career, Dylan has been known for his versatility and innovation. He has explored various genres including rock, country, gospel, and blues, demonstrating his ability to reinvent himself and remain relevant. His exceptional songwriting skills earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, making him the first musician to receive this prestigious award. His legacy continues to inspire generations of artists across different genres, solidifying his status as one of the most influential figures in music history.
- Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 15 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing music, indie rock, and folk music. He is primarily known for his unique style of violin playing, accompanied by loop and effect pedals, whistling, and voice. In the '90s, he appeared in several jazz ensembles, including Squirrel Nut Zippers and Kevin O'Donnell's Quality Six, before starting Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, which released three albums between 1998 and 2001. Weather Systems (2003) was his first solo album upon leaving the Bowl of Fire to feature his use of loop-pedal, and to have a stronger emphasis on folk and indie music. Beyond his own record releases, he has collaborated with various artists, including The Handsome Family, Dosh, and Nora O'Connor. He appeared as "Dr. Stringz" in a 2007 episode of Jack's Big Music Show, wrote and performed "The Whistling Caruso" for The Muppets movie in 2011, and composed the score for the television series Baskets, released in 2016. He has also appeared on a TED Talk in 2010 performing his music.
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Steve Gunn
Steve Gunn is an American, Brooklyn-based, singer-songwriter. Gunn was formerly a guitarist in Kurt Vile's backing band, The Violators. Gunn has stated that his musical influences include Michael Chapman, La Monte Young, Indian music, John Fahey, Jack Rose, Robbie Basho, and Sandy Bull. - Lucy Rose Parton, known as Lucy Rose, is an English singer-songwriter from Warwickshire, England. Her debut album, Like I Used To was released in September 2012.
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James Yorkston
James Yorkston (born James Patrick Yorkston Wright, 21 December 1971) is a Scottish folk musician, singer-songwriter and author. - 12
Mandolin Orange
Mandolin Orange is an Americana/folk duo based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group was formed in 2009 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and consists of the group's songwriter Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar). Mandolin Orange has produced five albums of Marlin's original works of American roots music. In the last three years, the group has toured throughout the U.S and Europe, including appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Rooster Walk, and MerleFest. - 13
I'm With Her
I'm with Her is an American band consisting of singer-songwriter–multi-instrumentalists Sara Watkins (violin and guitar), Sarah Jarosz (banjo, mandolin and guitar), and Aoife O'Donovan (keyboard and guitar). Watkins, Jarosz and O'Donovan started collaborating at a workshop at the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival, where they had been asked to sing together. They performed for the first time at the January 2015 Celtic Connections festival in Scotland, and continued to tour in Europe. The group covered John Hiatt's "Crossing Muddy Waters" in 2015, and released the single "Little Lies" in 2017, touring the US later that year. They recorded their debut album See You Around at Real World Studios in Bath, Somerset, England, three weeks after they had written it. The album was co-produced by Ethan Johns and released on February 16, 2018. American singer-songwriter Gillian Welch wrote the album's last track "Hundred Miles"; the trio is credited with writing all other songs on the album. - David Gray (born 13 June 1968) is a British singer-songwriter. Gray released his first album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later. It was the first of three UK chart-toppers in six years for Gray, of which the latter two also made the Top 17 in the United States. White Ladder became the fifth best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK. Gray has been nominated for four Brit Awards – twice for Best British Male.
- 15Yolanda Claire Quartey (born July 31, 1983), known professionally as Yola, is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Yola received four nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020, including the all-genre Best New Artist category. In February 2020, Variety announced that she had been cast to portray Sister Rosetta Tharpe — "dubbed the Godmother of rock and roll" — in director Baz Luhrmann's film Elvis on the life of Elvis Presley set for release in 2022. In December 2020, she was featured in Ringo Starr's single and video "Here's To The Nights", from his 2021 Zoom In EP. In July 2021, Yola released her latest album titled Stand for Myself. To celebrate the launch of the album, Yola will commence her 2022 Stand For Myself Tour in Boston in February 2022, with opening performances by Jac Ross and Nick Connors; and in Nashville by Devon Gilfillian and Allison Russell. On October 8th, 2021, Yola played a sold out show Madison Square Garden when she opened for Chris Stapleton.
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Anna Tivel
- Cass McCombs (born 1977 in Concord, California) is an American musician. He has released one EP and 9 albums since 2002.
- J.S. Ondara is a Kenyan singer-songwriter living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, born August 1992. He released his debut album "Tales of America" in 2019.
- Better Oblivion Community Center is an American indie rock duo composed of musicians Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers. The duo released their eponymous debut album on January 24, 2019, through Dead Oceans.
- The Mountain Goats are an American indie folk rock band formed in Claremont, California by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle despite the plural moniker. Although he remains the core member of the band, he has gradually worked with a variety of collaborators who have included bassist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster, singer-songwriter Franklin Bruno, bassist and vocalist Rachel Ware, singer-songwriter/producer John Vanderslice, guitarist Kaki King and Annie Clark. Throughout the 1990s, the Mountain Goats were known for producing low-fidelity home recordings and releasing recordings in cassette or vinyl 7" formats. Since 2002, the Mountain Goats have adopted a more polished approach, recording studio albums with a full band.
- Joshua Michael Tillman (born May 3, 1981), better known by his stage name Father John Misty, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He has also performed and released studio albums under the name J. Tillman. Maintaining a steady output of solo recordings since 2004, Tillman had been a member of or toured with Demon Hunter, Saxon Shore, Fleet Foxes, Jeffertitti's Nile, Pearly Gate Music, Siberian, Har Mar Superstar, Poor Moon, Low Hums, Jonathan Wilson, and has toured extensively with Pacific Northwest artists Damien Jurado, Jesse Sykes, and David Bazan. He has also made contributions to albums by popular artists, including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kid Cudi, and Post Malone, and he has produced one album for Matthew Daniel Siskin, known as Gambles.
- Valerie June Hockett, known as Valerie June, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Her sound encompasses a mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, country, Appalachian and bluegrass. She is signed to Sunday Best label in the UK/Europe and Concord Music Group in North America.
- 23Beirut is an American band which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe native Zach Condon. Beirut's music combines elements of indie-rock and world music. The band's first performance was in New York, in May 2006, to support its debut album, Gulag Orkestar.Condon named the band after Lebanon's capital, because of the city's history of conflict and as a place where cultures collide. Beirut performed in Lebanon for the first time in 2014, at the Byblos International Festival.
- David Michael Portner (born April 24, 1979), also known by his moniker Avey Tare, is a musician and songwriter who co-founded the American experimental pop band Animal Collective. He has released three solo albums, as well as three collaborative albums with Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) which were later retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography.
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Kishi Bashi
K. Ishibashi was a member of the musical group Of Montreal. - 26
Julia Jacklin
Julia Jacklin (born 1990) is an Australian singer/songwriter based in Sydney, Australia. She formed the band Salta together with Liz Hughes in 2012. Jacklin gained an audience and significant critical acclaim through her first two singles 'Pool Party' and 'Coming of Age' which both received radio airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music. - Jake Bugg is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. His self-titled debut album, largely co-written with songwriter Iain Archer, was released in October 2012 and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. His second album, Shangri La, was released in November 2013. His main influences are Don McLean, Donovan, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, and the Everly Brothers.
- James Michael Bay (born 4 September 1990) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. In 2014, he released his single "Hold Back the River", which has been certified platinum, before releasing his debut studio album Chaos and the Calm (2015). The album went to number one in the UK and number 15 in the US. In February 2015, Bay received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award. At the 2016 Brit Awards he received the award for Best British Male Solo Artist. Bay also received three nominations at the 2016 Grammy Awards, for Best New Artist, Best Rock Album, and Best Rock Song.
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Kevin Morby
Kevin Robert Morby is an American musician. He is best known as the former bassist of Woods, and the songwriter and guitarist of The Babies. He released his debut solo album Harlem River in 2013, and his second album Still Life in October 2014. - Michael Chapman may refer to: Mike Chapman (born 1947), Australian record producer and songwriter Michael Chapman (bassoonist) (1934–2005), British classical bassoonist and reed-maker Michael Chapman (cinematographer) (born 1935), American cinematographer Michael Chapman (singer) (born 1941), English singer-songwriter and guitarist Michael Chapman (lawyer), American lawyer Michael Chapman (Missouri politician), Director of Homeland Security for the State of Missouri Mike Chapman (born 1973), American animator, part of The Brothers Chaps Michael Chapman (Australian politician) (1822–1906), member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Michael Chapman (priest) (born 1939), Archdeacon of Northampton Michael Chapman, founder of Cortus
- Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970) is an Irish songwriter, actor, vocalist and guitarist for the Irish group The Frames, and one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season. He is also known for his acting, having appeared in the BAFTA-winning film The Commitments, as well as starring in the film Once, which earned him a number of major awards, including an Academy Award for Best Song.
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William Tyler
William Armistead Tyler (born December 25, 1979) is an American musician and guitarist who plays folk, indie folk, and pop rock. He is a member of Lambchop and Silver Jews. His debut studio album, Behold the Spirit, was released on November 22, 2010. Adam Bednarik produced the album with Tyler on Tompkins Square Records. He has since released three additional solo albums. - 33
Laura Stevenson
Laura Anne Stevenson (born April 25, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter from Long Island, New York, and formerly a keyboard player for the musical collective Bomb the Music Industry! - Stella Donnelly is a Welsh-Australian musician born in Perth, Australia. She spent some childhood years living in Morriston, Wales before moving back to Perth, Australia with her family.
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Maya de Vitry
Maya de Vitry is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She released her debut album, Adaptations, in January 2019. Maya de Vitry was formerly a member of folk trio the Stray Birds, which disbanded in 2018.
