Folk rock is a music genre that combines rock music with strong influences from English and American folk music. It developed in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom during the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock began during the folk music revival. Musicians like Bob Dylan and the Byrds—many of whom had previously performed in folk groups—tried to mix rock sounds with their existing folk music. They used electric instruments and drums, which were not commonly used in the U.S. folk community before. The term "folk rock" first appeared in the U.S. music press in June 1965 to describe the Byrds' music.
Although the British rock band the Animals released an electric version of "The House of the Rising Sun" in the U.S. in August 1964—this song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and stayed there for three weeks, selling over a million copies in five weeks, and inspired Dylan to record with an electric band—the commercial success of the Byrds' cover of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and their debut album of the same name, along with Dylan's own recordings that used rock instruments on albums like Bringing It All Back Home (1965), Highway 61 Revisited (1965), and Blonde on Blonde (1966), encouraged other folk musicians, such as Simon & Garfunkel, to use electric instruments in their music. This also led to the formation of groups like Buffalo Springfield. Dylan's performance at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, where he was backed by an electric band, was a key moment in the genre's development.
In the late 1960s, in Britain and Europe, a unique style of British folk rock was created by groups such as Pentangle, Fairport Convention, and Alan Stivell. Inspired by British psychedelic folk and the North American style of folk rock, British folk rock bands began to include traditional British folk music in their songs. This led to other styles, including the clearly English folk rock of the Albion Band and Celtic rock.
Definition and etymology
"Folk rock" is a music style that mixes elements of folk music and rock music. It began in the United States and the United Kingdom in the middle of the 1960s. The Byrds were the first to create this genre. They played traditional folk songs and songs by Bob Dylan using rock instruments, and their style was strongly influenced by the Beatles and other British Invasion bands. Bob Dylan also helped create the genre. His albums Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde used rock instruments to play his music.
With Bob Dylan as an inspiration and the Byrds as followers, folk-rock became a growing part of modern pop music.
The term "folk rock" was created by journalist Eliot Tiegel. He used it in Billboard magazine on June 12, 1965. In his article, "Folkswinging Wave On – Courtesy of Rock Groups," Tiegel used the term mainly to describe the music of the Byrds, who released their first album in the U.S. later that month. In the same article, Tiegel noted that Billy J. Kramer, Jackie DeShannon, and Sonny & Cher had started including "folk-oriented material" in their songs. He also listed Rising Sons, Joe and Eddie, and the Lovin' Spoonful as new folk-rock musicians.
Antecedents
The American folk-music revival began in the 1940s. It grew from the work of protest folk singers like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. This movement became very popular in the mid-1960s, with artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. In 1948, Seeger formed a group called the Weavers. Their music helped make folk music more popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. The Weavers also helped connect folk music with other styles, like popular music and songs about current events. The Weavers’ sound inspired the Kingston Trio, a group that became famous in 1958 with their hit song "Tom Dooley." The Kingston Trio influenced many other folk groups in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
At the same time, another group of folk musicians in cities was influenced by artists like Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Brownie McGhee, and Josh White. These musicians were inspired by old recordings of American folk music from the 1920s and 1930s, especially those released by Folkways Records. Harry Smith’s collection of American folk music, called the Anthology of American Folk Music, was very important. New York City became a center for this movement because of its coffeehouse scene and many folk singers. From this environment, musicians like Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, Phil Ochs, and Peter, Paul and Mary emerged. Many of them later moved into folk rock.
Most urban folk musicians disliked the values of mainstream American culture. This led many to write their own songs about social issues. These protest songs later influenced the lyrics and themes of folk rock songs, such as "Eve of Destruction," "Like a Rolling Stone," "For What It's Worth," and "Let's Live for Today."
In the UK during the 1950s and early 1960s, a similar folk revival happened. It was called the second British folk revival and was led by Ewan MacColl and Bert Lloyd. They saw British folk music as a way to share political ideas and challenge American-dominated music. However, the movement became popular in 1956 with the rise of skiffle, a style of music that brought folk music back into the mainstream. Skiffle led to the progressive folk movement and the creation of folk clubs in Britain. Important musicians in this movement included Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, who later formed the folk rock band Pentangle. Other artists influenced by this scene were Donovan, Al Stewart, John Martyn, and Paul Simon.
These musicians created music that was different from what others were doing. Their use of unusual chords and harmonies made their music stand out. They needed to work with other musicians to achieve this. This inspired many others to think about collaboration.
From 1964 to 1966, British rock bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Dave Clark Five, Gerry & the Pacemakers, the Kinks, and Herman's Hermits became very popular in the United States. These groups were influenced by American rock 'n' roll, blues, and R&B, which they learned from British rock musicians, American records, and the skiffle craze. Together, these bands formed the British Invasion, which introduced American youth to the creative possibilities of rock and pop music.
The Beatles, in particular, had a strong influence on folk rock. Songs like "I'll Be Back," "Things We Said Today," and "I'm a Loser" showed folk influences, with the last song inspired by Bob Dylan. Roger McGuinn of the Byrds said the Beatles helped start folk rock as early as 1963. He pointed to "She Loves You" as an example of the Beatles using folk-style chords in rock music. These songs showed how folk elements could be combined with pop music. This blending became clearer in 1965 with the Beatles’ song "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," which had lyrics and a style influenced by Dylan.
The music of British bands, especially the Beatles, quickly changed American youth culture. Many young Americans stopped listening to folk music and instead focused on British rock bands. This shift affected both the collegiate folk and urban folk communities, as many musicians lost interest in folk music and turned to the rock styles of the British Invasion. The Beatles’ influence led to the decline of the American folk music revival.
Besides the Beatles, two other British bands, the Animals and the Searchers, were very important for folk rock. The Animals released a rock version of the traditional folk song "The House of the Rising Sun" in 1964. The song became number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over a million copies in the U.S. This version of the song, which changed the original acoustic folk style into electric rock, influenced many folk rock musicians, including Bob Dylan, who said it helped him decide to use electric instruments in 1965.
The Searchers helped popularize the sound of the electric twelve-string guitar. Many musicians in the folk movement already knew about acoustic twelve-string guitars from artists like Lead Belly. However, the Searchers’ use of amplified twelve-strings showed how folk elements could be used in rock music to create new sounds. The Beatles’ guitarist, George Harrison, also used a Rickenbacker twelve-string guitar in the mid-1960s, helping to spread this style in folk rock.
1960s
The moment when different musical influences that helped create folk rock came together as a clear style was when the Byrds released their recording of Bob Dylan's song "Mr. Tambourine Man." The term "folk rock" was first used by American music reporters in June 1965, around the same time "Mr. Tambourine Man" reached the top of the Billboard chart. Within three months, the song became the first major folk rock hit, reaching number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Its success started the folk rock movement of 1965 and 1966, during which many bands influenced by the Byrds appeared on American and British charts. These bands included the Lovin' Spoonful, Barry McGuire, the Mamas & the Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Jefferson Airplane, the Turtles, We Five, Love, and Sonny & Cher.
During rehearsals at World Pacific, the Byrds began blending folk music with a style similar to the Beatles. This mix did not happen on purpose; it developed naturally from the band members' own folk music backgrounds and their desire to copy the Beatles. The band's folk influences, limited experience with rock music, and use of instruments like those in the Beatles shaped both their original songs and their covers of folk songs. The band realized their music was unique and, with encouragement from Dickson, tried to connect folk and rock styles.
"Mr. Tambourine Man" combined unusual lyrics, folk-inspired melodies, complex harmonies, jangly guitar sounds from a 12-string Rickenbacker, and a beat style influenced by the Beatles. This mix created the folk rock subgenre. The song's lyrics were especially important because they showed how intellectual and literary words could be paired with rock music for the first time by a popular group.
Dylan's songs provided much of the material that inspired the folk rock movement in both the U.S. and the UK. Many pop and rock bands covered his songs in a style similar to the Byrds. Their version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and the Animals' rock version of "The House of the Rising Sun" (which was based on Dylan's earlier recording) encouraged Dylan to start recording with an electric band.
As the 1970s began, folk rock changed from the jangly sound the Byrds created, but their influence remained in bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle. The Byrds continued to have success with their folk rock style in 1965, especially with their number 1 single "Turn! Turn! Turn!" However, by early 1966, the group began moving toward psychedelic rock. The Byrds' folk rock sound has influenced many bands over the years, including Big Star, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, R.E.M., the Long Ryders, the Smiths, the Bangles, the Stone Roses, and Teenage Fanclub.
Five days before the Byrds recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man" at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, Bob Dylan finished recording his fifth album, Bringing It All Back Home. Of the eleven songs on the album, seven featured Dylan with a full electric rock band, unlike his earlier acoustic folk albums. Dylan's decision to use an electric band was influenced by the Beatles' mix of folk-style chords and beat music, the Byrds' rock version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" (which Dylan heard at a Byrds rehearsal in late 1964), and the Animals' hit cover of "The House of the Rising Sun."
Bringing It All Back Home was released on March 22, 1965, and reached number 6 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 1 on the UK Album Chart. The album combined rhythm and blues-style rock with poetic lyrics, showing that thoughtful words could be paired with rock music. Dylan's songs on the album moved him far away from folk music. Even his acoustic songs had sharp, dramatic, and often humorous lyrics that went beyond what was common in folk music at the time.
On July 20, 1965, Dylan released "Like a Rolling Stone," a six-minute song that criticized a wealthy woman who had fallen from grace. The song, which featured Dylan with an electric band, was released when the Byrds' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" was number 1 in the U.S. It helped define the folk rock scene and made Dylan a rock star instead of just a folk singer. "Like a Rolling Stone" reached the Top 5 in both the U.S. and the UK. Five days later, on July 25, 1965, Dylan performed at the Newport Folk Festival with a full band. He was booed by fans who preferred traditional folk music, but his performance is now seen as a key moment in blending folk and rock.
Dylan followed "Like a Rolling Stone" with the electric album Highway 61 Revisited and the non-album single "Positively 4th Street," which many believe was a response to fans who opposed his shift to electric music. Songs like "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "Like a Rolling Stone," "Positively 4th Street," and "I Want You," along with the albums Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde, greatly influenced the popularity of folk rock. Even though Dylan's move to electric music upset many of his original fans, his new style attracted many new listeners in the mid-1960s. The success of the Byrds and Dylan's mix of folk and rock music led to a wave of bands that became known as the folk rock boom.
Although Tom Wilson started as a jazz musician, he became known as the "midwife of folk-rock" for his work behind the scenes. As Dylan's producer during the albums The Times They Are A-Changin, Another Side of Bob Dylan, and Bringing It All Back Home, he helped shape Dylan's electric sound. He is also famous for discovering Simon & Garfunkel and turning them into folk-rock stars by reworking their song "The Sound of Silence" into a rock hit that reached number 1 on the Billboard chart.
Music critic Richie Unterberger noted that the success of the Byrds' version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Dylan's albums Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde led to many other bands copying their style. This success inspired Tom Wilson to add electric guitar, bass, and drums to "The
Related movements
British folk rock began in Britain during the mid to late 1960s, created by bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle. This style uses traditional British music and songs written by the musicians themselves. It combines traditional instruments, such as fiddles and harps, with rock instruments like guitars and drums. The use of traditional British music gives this style a unique British sound. British folk rock developed from the psychedelic folk rock of bands like Donovan, the Incredible String Band, and Tyrannosaurus Rex. It was also influenced by American folk rock bands such as the Byrds, Love, and Buffalo Springfield. This style was most popular in the late 1960s and 1970s, with other bands like Steeleye Span and the Albion Band joining Fairport Convention and Pentangle.
Steeleye Span was formed by Ashley Hutchings, a bass player from Fairport Convention. The band included musicians who wanted to mix traditional folk music with electric instruments and later rock elements. This led to the creation of the English folk rock style by the Albion Band, which also included Hutchings. In Brittany, Alan Stivell began blending his Breton, Irish, and Scottish musical roots with rock music. Later, French bands like Malicorne developed folk rock in the region. During the same time, folk rock was also adopted by Celtic cultures in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and Cornwall, leading to the creation of Celtic rock and its related styles.
A subgenre of folk rock began in the early 1960s, influenced by singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and Bobby Bare, as well as groups like the Kingston Trio. In the late 1960s, artists such as Dylan, Ian and Sylvia, and the Byrds added more country music elements to their work, inspired by musicians like Hank Williams and Merle Haggard. This mix of country, folk, and rock styles led to the creation of country rock. In the 1970s, artists like John Denver and Neil Young made music that combined folk and country styles. Country folk music often feels softer and more relaxed than most country music, with lyrics that focus on personal thoughts, keeping its folk roots. Since the 1970s, artists like John Prine, Nanci Griffith, and Mary Chapin Carpenter have continued this style.
Celtic rock is a subgenre of folk rock that uses traditional Celtic instruments, such as fiddles and pipes, with rock rhythms. It began in the late 1960s with bands like Horslips, who blended Gaelic stories, Irish music, and rock. The British singer-songwriter Donovan also helped develop Celtic rock with albums like Open Road, which included a song titled "Celtic Rock." In 1973, the band Thin Lizzy made the song "Whiskey in the Jar," a traditional Irish song played in a rock style, popularizing Celtic rock. Throughout the 1970s, Celtic rock stayed connected to its folk roots, using traditional music and vocal styles but with rock band sounds. In the 1980s and later, bands like the Pogues, the Waterboys, and Runrig kept Celtic rock alive. A modern English band, the BibleCode Sundays, and Spanish bands like Celtas Cortos also continue this style.
Medieval folk rock began in the 1970s as a subgenre of electric folk, with musicians in England, Germany, and Brittany using medieval and Renaissance music instead of older ballads. This style was influenced by bands like Steeleye Span, as seen in their 1972 album Below the Salt. Other bands in this area included Gryphon, Gentle Giant, and Third Ear Band. In Germany, the band Ougenweide focused on medieval German music after becoming electric. In Brittany, bands like Ripaille and Saga de Ragnar Lodbrock explored medieval music as part of the Celtic rock movement. By the late 1970s, many of these bands either stopped performing or moved into progressive rock. In the 1990s, new medieval folk rock bands like Blackmore's Night, In Extremo, and Circulus emerged as folk music became popular again.
In Britain, some progressive folk musicians, like Tyrannosaurus Rex, transitioned to rock by using electric instruments. Others, inspired by Fairport Convention's electric folk, focused more on traditional music. Bands like Dando Shaft, Amazing Blondel, and Jack the Lad, a group linked to Lindisfarne, became popular. Some bands, like Comus and Renaissance, stayed between progressive folk and progressive rock, blending folk, rock, and classical music.
Folk metal is a mix of heavy metal and traditional folk music that began in Europe during the 1990s. It uses folk instruments and sometimes traditional singing styles, such as those used by Dutch, Danish, and Spanish bands. Some folk metal bands also use soft rock sounds. The first folk metal bands were Skyclad from England, Cruachan from Ireland, and Mago de Oz from Spain. Skyclad's 1991 album The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth was a thrash metal album with some folk influences, while Cruachan focused more on folk elements. Other early bands like Subway to Sally from Germany helped create a subgenre called medieval metal. Folk metal was not widely known in the 1990s but became popular in the 2000s, especially in Finland with bands like Finntroll, Ensiferum, and Korpiklaani.
Folk metal music is very diverse, with bands using many different styles of metal and folk music. Many bands use six or more members to play a wide range of folk instruments. Some use keyboards to mimic folk sounds. Lyrics in folk metal often focus on fantasy, mythology, history, and nature.