Greatest Folk Music Artists

[Lew]

Criteria: These Folk Music artists were chosen and ranked based on thier impact, influence, lasting popularity, and songwriting creativity in Traditional and Contemporary Folk music.

Edited By: Chris F., Lew
Last Updated: 2017-04-29

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best ... -folk.html

1. Woody Guthrie
2. The Weavers
3. Bob Dylan
4. Odetta
5. Peter, Paul and Mary
6. Pete Seeger
7. Joni Mitchell
8. Kingston Trio
9. Joan Baez
10. Leadbelly
11. Ewan McColl
12. Phil Ochs
13. Leonard Cohen
14. Simon & Garfunkel
15. Judy Collins
16. The Byrds
17. Donovan
18. Gordon Lightfoot
19. Fairport Convention
20. Doc Watson
21. Frankie Armstrong
22. Ramblin' Jack Elliott
23. Steve Goodman
24. Tom Rush
25. Crosby, Stills & Nash
26. John Fahey
27. Arlo Guthrie
28. Tom Paxton
29. Sweet Honey In The Rock
30. The Limeliters
31. Buffy-Saint Marie
32. Loudon Wainwright III
33. Elizabeth Cotten
34. The New Lost City Ramblers
35. The Chad Mitchell Trio
36. Steeleye Span
37. Utah Phillips
38. Josh White
39. John Prine
40. John "Spider John" Koerner
41. Kate & Ann McGarrigle
42. James Taylor
43. Ralph McTell
44. The Highwaymen
45. A.L. Lloyd
46. Townes Van Zandt
47. The Dubliners
48. John Denver
49. Harry Chapin
50. Oscar Brand
51. Ian & Sylvia
52. Rory McEwen
53. The New Christy Minstrels
54. Hazel Dickens
55. Harry Belafonte
56. Cisco Houston
57. Bob Gibson
58. Mike Seeger
59. Almanac Singers
60. Loreena McKennitt
61. June Tabor
62. Jesse Fuller
63. Dave Van Ronk
64. Dock Boggs
65. Fred Neil
66. Suzanne Vega
67. Buell Kazee
68. The Rooftop Singers
69. The Clancy Brothers
70. Sandy Denny
71. Gillian Welch
72. Eva Cassidy
73. Iris Dement
74. Joan Armatrading
75. Jerry Jeff Walker
76. Maddie Prior
77. The Roches
78. Alice Gerrard
79. Folksmen
80. Anita Carter
81. Richard Thompson
82. Christine Lavin
83. Eric Andersen
84. Anne Hills
85. Shel Silverstein
86. The Chieftains
87. Pentangle
88. Tracy Chapman
89. John Renbourn
90. The Brothers Four
91. Tim Buckley
92. David Bromberg
93. The Mama's & The Papa's
94. The Seekers
95. Burl Ives
96. Emmylou Harris
97. The Serendipity Singers
98. Cat Stevens
99. Village Stompers
100. Judy Henske

Honerable Mentions

Ani DiFranco
Si Kahn
Nanci Griffith
Christy Moore
John Kirkpatrick
Melanie
Michelle Shocked
Nick Drake
Bill Morrisey
Sandpipers
Smothers Brothers
The Incredible String Band
Victoria Williams
Roger McGuinn
Neil Young
Shawn Colvin
Janis Ian
Leo Kottke
Rod McKuen
Hamilton Camp
Gram Parsons
Peggy Seeger
Trini Lopez
Glenn Yarbourough
Bradley Kinkaid
Phoebe Snow
Flaco Jiminez
Roy Harper
Devendra Banhart
Lyle Lovett
Atwater-Donnelly
Noah Gundersen
The Chenille Sisters
The Tarriers
The Brandywine Singers
Ricki Lee Jones
Robin & Linda Williams
Katty Moffatt
Terry Callier
Mike Cross
Carolyn Hester
Richard & Mimi Farina
Ellis Paul
Artie Traum
Stu Larsen
Luka Bloom
Bert Jansch
Happy Traum
The Jolly Rogers
Bad Haggis
Gregory Alan Isakov
Cheryl Wheeler
Burns Sisters
Shakey Graves
Schooner Faire
Patrick Sky

Important Non Performers:

Alan Lomax (folklorist, musicologist)
John A. Lomax (folklorist, musicologist)
Francis James Child (educationist, folklorist)
Harry Smith (ethnomusicologist, archivist)
Albert Grossman (manager)
Milt Okun (arranger, record producer)
Ruth Crawford Seeger (modernist composer)
Charles Louis Seeger (musicologist, composer)