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.
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 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
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)
Disclaimer: There is nothing 'Official' about these lists. They are compiled by the 'editor' using the
stated criteria, and revised considering the competent suggestions of visitors to this website only.
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