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100 Greatest Folk Rock Songs

Definition: Folk Rock is most simply defined as "folk" style songs backed with "rock" instruments. One great example is the Byrds electric cover of Bob Dylans' acoustic "Mr. Tambourine Man". Other attributes of Folk rock are distortion-free instruments and tight vocal harmonies. Originating in the mid '60s as the growing popularity of socially-conscious folk music encountered the newly popular pop/rock sounds, sparked by the British Invasion and stirred in with '60s counter-culture ideals and concerns, the genre later grew to include 'acoustically' played songs performed by rock artists, as long as other elements of Folk Rock were present. Folk Rock as a genre has very blurred and overlapping edges into pure folk, rock, and 'singer-songwriter' styles.

Criteria: This list highlights the best examples of songs that exemplify the original Folk Rock sound, emphasizing influence, impact, plus intitial & lasting popularity.

Last Updated: 2008-10-13
Greatest Folk Rock Songs
  1. Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
  2. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
  3. Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds
  4. California Dreamin' - The Mamas & the Papas
  5. The Sounds Of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
  6. Do You Believe In Magic - The Lovin' Spoonful
  7. Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan
  8. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
  9. Sunshine Superman - Donovan
10. Positively 4th Street - Bob Dylan
11. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
12. I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher
13. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
14. Monday, Monday - The Mamas & the Papas
15. Happy Together - The Turtles
16. Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
17. Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful
18. Just Like a Woman - Bob Dylan
19. In My Life - The Beatles
20. Laugh Laugh - The Beau Brummels
21. Both Sides Now - Judy Collins
22. San Francisco - Scott McKenzie
23. My Back Pages - The Byrds
24. Get Together - The Youngbloods
25. Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire
26. Creeque Alley - The Mamas & the Papas
27. Mellow Yellow- Donovan
28. Daydream - The Lovin' Spoonful
29. Needles and Pins - The Searchers
30. Scarborough Fair - Simon & Garfunkel
31. Maggie May - Rod Stewart
32. You Were on My Mind - We Five
33. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills & Nash
34. So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star - The Byrds
35. I Want You - Bob Dylan
36. Baby Don't Go - Sonny & Cher
37. The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel
38. I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag - Country Joe & the Fish
39. Everybody's Talkin' - Fred Neil
40. Hey Joe - The Leaves
41. Twelve Thirty - The Mamas & the Papas
42. It Ain't Me Babe - The Turtles
43. Tangled Up In Blue - Bob Dylan
44. Let's Live For Today - Grass Roots
45. Along Comes Mary - Association
46. I Saw Her Again - The Mamas & the Papas
47. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan
48. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight - Richard & Linda Thompson
49. You Didn't Have To Be So Nice - The Lovin' Spoonful
50. Homeward Bound - Simon & Garfunkel
51. Marrakesh Express - Crosby, Stills & Nash
52. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - The Byrds
53. You Showed Me - The Turtles
54. The Pied Piper - Crispian St. Peters
55. A Sailor's Life - Fairport Convention
56. Darling Be Home Soon - The Lovin' Spoonful
57. Woodstock - Matthews Southern Comfort
58. Come All Ye - Fairport Convention
59. John Barleycorn Must Die - Traffic
60. Where Were You When I Needed You - Grass Roots
61. We Can Work It Out - The Beatles
62. Travellin' Song - Pentangle
63. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - The Beatles
64. Expecing To Fly - Buffalo Springfield
65. Just a Little - The Beau Brummels
66. Wooden Ships - Crosby, Stills & Nash
67. Early Morning Rain - We Five
68. Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Fairport Convention
69. When You Walk in the Room - The Searchers
70. Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
71. Message To Pretty - Love
72. Listen, Listen - Sandy Denny
73. Gold - John Stewart
74. Time Has Told Me - Nick Drake
75. Once I Had A Sweetheart - Pentangle
76. Yesterday's Rain - Spanky & Our Gang
77. Black Jack Davy - Steeleye Span
78. Motherless Child - Sweetwater
79. Live and Let Live - Love
80. Lady Eleanor - Lindisfarne
81. All Things Are Quite Silent - Steeleye Span
82. The Thoughts of Mary Jane - Nick Drake
83. All Around My Hat - Steeleye Span
84. Meet On The Ledge - Fairport Convention
85. Ballad Of Easy Rider - The Byrds
86. Lay Down - The Strawbs
87. Southbound Train - Crosby & Nash
88. Today - Jefferson Airplane
89. Alone Again Or - Love
90. Goin' Back - The Byrds
91. Echoes - Gene Clark
92. Light Flight - Pentangle
93. Solo - Sandy Denny
94. Nevertheless - Eclection
95. Here Without You - The Byrds
96. Hammer and a Nail - Indigo Girls
97. My Best Friend - Jefferson Airplane
98. Dearg Doom - Horslips
99. 8:05 - Moby Grape
100. Run For Home - Lindisfarne
The Byrds
The Byrds



Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan



The Mamas and the Papas
The Mamas and the Papas



The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful



Donovan
Donovan



Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield









Spotify Folk Rock Songs link image
Folk Song renditions & originals by artists
not geneally regarded as "Folk Rock" artists.
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals / Shawn Mullins
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix / Dave Mason
Whiskey in the Jar - Thin Lizzy / Metallica / U2
Sloop John B - Beach Boys
The Mighty Quinn - Manfred Mann
Lady Jane - Rolling Stones
As Tears Go By - Rolling Stones
Minstrel in the Gallery - Jethro Tull
Mother Goose - Jethro Tull
One Toke Over The Line - Brewer & Shipley
Rise Up (Easy Rider) - Brewer & Shipley
For What It's Worth - The Staple Singers
Long Walk To D.C. - The Staple Singers
Western Union - The Five Americans
I Know They Lie - The Five Americans
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Van Morrison
And the Children Laughing - Bee Gees
Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
Diamonds & Rust - Joan Baez
Splash 1 - The 13th Floor Elevators
Black Sheep - Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
London Town - The Pretty Things
The Universal Soldier - Glen Campbell
Greensleeves - Blackmore's Night
I'll Keep Searching - The Ides of March
Coo Coo - Big Brother & the Holding Company
La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
Catch the Wind - The Blues Project
Dino's Song - Quicksilver Messenger Service
A Few Rare Gems (Recommendations)
May The Road Rise To Meet You - Roger McGuinn
Full Circle - Gene Clark
Laughing - David Crosby
And Me - Matthews Southern Comfort
You Can All Join In - Traffic
In Her Mind - Eclection
The Rocks Remain - Horslips
"Singer-Songwriters" of the '60s & '70s
(and a song in the folk style)





Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Bob Dylan - (Blowin' in the Wind)
Paul Simon - (American Tune)
Joni Mitchell - (Big Yellow Taxi)
James Taylor - (Fire and Rain)
Leonard Cohen - (Suzanne)
Gordon Lightfoot - (If You Could Read My Mind)
Arlo Guthrie - (City of New Orleans)
Neil Young - (Heart of Gold)
Donovan - (Catch The Wind)
Cat Stevens - (Peace Train)
Jim Croce - (Operator)
Tim Buckley - (Wings)
Jackson Browne - (Rock Me On The Water)
Harry Chapin - (Cat's In The Cradle)
Nick Drake - (Pink Moon)
Bruce Cockburn - (Wondering Where the Lions Are)
Dan Fogelberg - (Souvenirs)



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