Millennials Can’t Get Enough of These Popular Folk Music Artists

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Folk music is experiencing a surge in popularity among Millennials, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Younger listeners also enjoy actively creating their own folk music.
• These 10 folk music artists are the most popular among the Millennial generation.
• Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

Folk music — once the exclusive domain of the Boomer generation — is experiencing an unexpected resurgence among Millennials, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. An energetic musical genre, folk music acts as a bridge between different cultures, communities, and generations, reflecting the independent spirit of the 1960s folk movement. Its influence is evident in the growing number of younger listeners who not only enjoy listening to folk music but also actively create their own. (These are the most popular rap and hip hop artists according to Millennials.)

As music genres fade in and out of popularity, the most successful and interesting artists and albums often influence the tastes and styles of future music. So, when it comes to folk music in the United States, who have been the most popular artists, and what impact have they had on the musical landscape? (These are the most popular Classic Rock artists according to Millennials.)

To find out, 24/7 Wall Street analyzed surveys on YouGov, in which members of the Millennial generation were asked who their favorite folk artists are. The artists are listed according to their popularity with millennials.

Why Are We Talking About This?

Music is more than just a hobby or distraction, it is the whole point of being alive.

The music industry is not only enormous, but it is incredibly complex. Whether you are an aspiring musician, historian, or simply a music lover, there is an endless wealth of knowledge and rich history to explore. No musical genre exists independently of any other; each is interconnected with others and with the outside culture. Understanding the history of popular music genres helps us comprehend the present state of music and where it might be headed. It also offers insights into the cultures that both created it and enjoy it today. 

#10 David Crosby

David Crosby performing.

• Life: 1941–2023
• Number of Albums Sold: Over 2 million
• Popular Songs: Triad, Almost Cut My Hair, Lady Friend, Laughing, Long Time Gone

David Van Cortlandt Crosby was born on August 14, 1941, in Los Angeles. He was born to cinematographer, Floyd Crosby, and started playing guitar when he was 16. He started his music career by co-founding The Byrds in 1963. After artistic and personality differences, he was pushed out of The Byrds in 1967. He then teamed up with Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash and formed the folk group, Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

They released their classic folk-rock album “Crosby, Stills, and Nash” in 1969 and were launched into stardom. They added Neil Young before releasing their next album, “Déjà Vu” and performed at Woodstock in 1969.

The group didn’t want to be known as a band but instead as artistic individuals. So, they changed their group name to CSN&Y (Crosby, Stills Nash & Young).

The group often reunited and dissolved with periods of estrangement. During one of the periods, all four members released solo albums. Crosby’s album was titled, “If I Could Only Remember My Name,” in 1971.

Crosby was known for opposing the War in Vietnam, promoting progressive causes, experimenting with psychedelics, and often infusing politics into his performances and music. 

David Crosby (continued)

A close-up of David Crosby.

• Crosby landed himself in jail in 1985 due to drug possession, hit-and-run drunk driving, and concealed weapons possession.
• Once he was released from prison, he became sober.
• Crosby formed a band after reuniting with his son in the 1990s, called CPR (Crosby, Raymond, and Pevar).
• He’s a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee for both The Byrds and CSN&Y.
• Crosby died at the age of 81.

About his life, Crosby said, “I was tremendously lucky, surviving injury, illness, and stupidity. As for the music, I was blessed early and often, from the Byrds to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, singing with Graham, meeting my son and creating CPR, and exploring the wonderful, exploratory forward motion of new music.” 

#9 Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett performing.

• Life: 1946–2023
• Number of Albums Sold: 20 million
• Popular Songs: Margaritaville, Cheeseburger in Paradise

Jimmy William Buffett was born in December 1964 in Mississippi, but most of his childhood was spent in Alabama. He released his first album in 1970 after attending the University of Southern Mississippi where he learned to play the guitar. Later in 1970, he transitioned to the folk genre and released his first folk-country debut album.

After moving to Key West, Florida, he signed a contract with ABC-Dunhill and released his 1973 album, White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean. He soon started to gain fans who referred to themselves as “Parrotheads” who wore Hawaiian shirts and loyally followed him as he toured. In 1977, his sixth album, Changes in Latitudes, launched him into the mainstream with his hit single, “Margaritaville.” He finished the song in one day and performed it at a concert later that night. This song was his only hit to chart in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Buffet capitalized on the success of “Margaritaville” in 1985 by opening a store and multiple restaurants under the same name. In the 1990s, he launched more restaurants, a tequila brand, a beer brand, an apparel line, a footwear line, casinos, a cruise ship, a radio station, a musical, 30 branded resorts and hotels, and even retirement communities. Buffett also started his own record labels, Margaritaville Records and Mailboat Records, in 1992 and 1999.)

Jimmy Buffett (continued)

Jimmy Buffett in a live show.

• Jimmy has teamed up with country artists like Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, and George Strait.
• He continued producing records and playing concerts with his Coral Reefer Band every year until his death in 2023.
• He was an avid sailor, pilot, and environmental activist.
• Buffet has a crustacean named after him in the Florida Keys, Gnathia jimmybuffetti.
• Buffet was diagnosed with Merkel Cell skin cancer in 2019. He passed away at the age of 76 peacefully at his home on Long Island on September 1, 2023.

#8 Art Garfunkel

• Active Dates: 1962–1993
• Number of Albums Sold: 2.9 million
• Popular Songs: All I Know, I Only Have Eyes For You, Bright Eyes, Beat Love

Although famously known as one half of the “Simon and Garfunkel” duo, Art Garfunkel also led his own successful solo career. Born in Forest Hills, New York, on November 5, 1941, Garfunkel attended high school with Paul Simon. He credits his dad for instilling in him a love of music. His father was a traveling salesman, and when Garfunkel was four years old, he bought him a wire recorder. As a child, Garfunkel was known for performing in plays, constantly being surrounded by girls, and belting songs down the hallways.

Art Garfunkel met Paul Simon when they both performed in their 6th-grade production of Alice in Wonderland. The two continued to sing in school talent shows and spent long hours practicing in garages and basements. The two initially decided to perform under the names Tom Landis and Jerry Graph because they feared their names sounded “too Jewish” and might hamper their success.

They released their first album while still in high school. Their single, “Hey Schoolgirl,” landed them a contract with Big Records and an appearance on American Bandstand. The pair split up after high school but later came back together to form Simon and Garfunkel in 1962.

Art Garfunkel (continued)

Art Garfunkel with Simon.

• During college at Columbia University, Garfunkel released solo tracks using the name Artie Garr.
• Garfunkel’s solo career included Angel Care (1973), Watermark (1977), Scissors Cut (1981), and Up ‘Til Now (1993).
• He is also known for starring in movies and TV shows.
• Garfunkel walked across the United States over 12 months.

#7 James Taylor

James Taylor performing live.

• Active Dates: 1970–2015
• Number of Albums Sold: 1 million
• Popular Songs: Wichita Lineman, Golden Moments, Up on the Roof, Carolina in My Mind

James Taylor was born on March 12, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is credited for bringing confessional poetry to folk rock, and for being one of the greatest troubadours of the 1970s. He released his first album in 1968 in England, which went largely unnoticed. It was his next album, Sweet Baby Jesus, that caused his career to really take off in 1970. Over his career, Taylor has produced 17 albums, the last of which was released in 2015. He won several Grammys, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

James Taylor (continued)

James Taylor performing.

• James Taylor is known for songs that are about his life and the life passages of the Baby Boomer generation.
• He was married and divorced to Carly Simon.
• Some of his greatest inspirations were Hank Williams and Appalachian Folk Music.

#6 Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel performing live.

• Active dates: 1962-1970
• Number of Albums Sold: 37,820 million
• Popular Songs: Bridge over Troubled Water, The Sound of Silence, The Boxer, Mrs. Robinson, Homeward Bound

The pair first started performing in high school under the name, “Tom & Jerry” and released their first single, “Hey, Schoolgirl,” which made it to #49 on the pop chart. The two separated for a time and then reunited in 1964 and released, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. Producer Tom Wilson re-mastered their song, “The Sound of Silence”, which became a #1 hit in 1966. This launched the pair into stardom.

Simon and Garfunkel (continued)

Simon and Garfunkel performing.

• Other albums released include Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, Sounds of Silence, Bookends, the soundtrack to the hit movie The Graduate, Mrs. Robinson, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Greatest Hits Album, and The Concert in Central Park Live Album.
• Simon and Garfunkel earned six Grammy awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• The pair last performed together at the New Orleans Jazz Fest in 2010.

#5 Paul Simon

Paul Simon with his guitar.

• Active Since: 1957
• Number of Albums Sold: Over 28 million
• Popular Songs: Kodachrome, Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, Still Crazy After All These Years

Like Art Garfunkel, Paul Frederic Simon also led his own successful solo career. Born on October 31, 1949, in New Jersey, Simon recorded his first album in high school with his school friend, Art Garfunkel. They got back together in 1964 and recorded Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. and then broke up again. Paul Simon then went to England to break into the folk scene as a solo artist. Back in the U.S., Tom Wilson, the producer of their joined album, added drums, electric guitar, and bass to the previously all-acoustic song, “Sound of Silence.” This launched Simon and Garfunkel into popularity and the duo got back together in 1966. The two created two more albums together before Simon returned to his solo career in the 70s. He produced five more solo albums and then wrote and starred in the 1980 movie, One-Trick Pony. He is still releasing music today. His most recent album, Seven Palms, was released in 2023.

Paul Simon (continued)

Paul Simon performing.

• Paul Simon married Peggy Harper in 1970 and then divorced in 1975 after having one child.
• He married Carrie Fisher in 1983 and divorced in 1984. The two continued to date post-divorce until 1991.
• He is currently married to Edie Brickell since 1992 and the couple has had 3 children together.
• One of Simon’s most famous quotes is, “Look at what we did to the planet. We ruined the planet. Take away the human beings and all their inventions and all the stuff we’ve made and the mess we make and you’ve got a much cleaner planet. It would be a lot healthier than it is right now. Would life be better for a zebra without mankind? Absolutely. Would it be better for the trees? Absolutely.”

#4 Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band

Bruce Springsteen performing live.

• Active Since: 1997
• Number of Albums Sold: Over 700,000
• Popular Songs: The Ghost of Tom Joad, Old Dan Tucker, Atlantic City, Further On

Bruce Springsteen has been intermittently performing with The Sessions Band (sometimes called The Seeger Sessions Band) since 1997. “Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band” usually consists of 20 to 22 members. The core members include Bruce Springsteen, Frank Bruno, Jeremy Chatzky, Larry Eagle, Charles Giordano, Sam Bardfeld, Soozie Tyrell, Mark Clifford, Eddie Manion, Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg, Patti Scialfa, Mark Pender, Lisa Lowell, Art Baron, Greg Liszt, Clark Gayton, Curt Ramm, Marty Rifkin, Marc Anthony Thompson, Curtis King, Jr., and Cindy Mizelle.

Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band (continued)

Bruce Springsteen during a performance.

• After recording together on the album, Where Have All The Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger, the group disbanded in 2004.
• Together, they released some recordings done in 1997 along with new material released in 2005 as The Second Seeger Session.
• They released a final album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, in 2006.

#3 Weird Al Yankovic

Photo of Weird Al Yankovic.

• Active Since: 1976
• Number of Albums Sold: 12 million
• Popular Songs: White and Nerdy, Word Crimes, Amish Paradise, Smells Like Nirvana

Alfred Matthew Yankovic was born in Los Angeles on October 23, 1959. His father was Yugoslavian and his mother was Italian. His parents were big fans of polka king, Frankie Yankovic. They bought him his first accordion from an accordion salesman soliciting business for a music school. After graduating from high school as the valedictorian, Yankovic attended the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo for architecture. While there, he became known as “Weird Al” while hosting a radio show. His first song, “My Bologna”, was recorded in a men’s bathroom. It was wildly successful.

Weird Al Yankovic (continued)

Weird Al Yankovic is known for his accordion playing.

• Weird Al has 14 albums under his belt.
• He is also an actor, producer, and writer, and has created a line of edible underwear.
• In 1989 he produced the hit film UHF and had his own CBS series called The Weird Al Show in the late 1990s.
• He has made appearances on shows such as Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Simpsons, 30 Rock, Galavant, The Goldbergs, Adventure Time, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Uncle Grandpa, and Bojak Horseman.
• His 2011 book, When I Grow Up, and 2013 book, My New Teacher and Me!, made Yankovic a New York Times Best-Selling Author.

#2 Bob Dylan

A photo of Bob Dylan.

• Active Since:1959
• Number of Albums Sold: 125 million
• Popular Songs: Blowin’ In The Wind, Like A Rolling Stone, The Times They Are A-Changin’, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Robert Allen Zimmerman was born on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota. As a teen, he taught himself to play the piano and guitar. He began performing as Bob Dylan in 1959 when he attended the University of Minnesota. In 1960, he moved to New York and started performing in folk clubs in Greenwich Village. He was discovered in 1961 and signed on with Colombia.

Bob Dylan (continued)

Bob Dylan performing live.

• Dylan is credited for creating the “folk-rock” genre with his 1965 album, Bringing It All Back Home.
• He is also credited for introducing The Beatles to pot-smoking in 1964.
• Dylan’s discography includes 40 albums that span multiple genres including folk, country, and Fundamentalist Christian.
• His latest album, Shadow Kingdom, was released in 2023.

#1 Jewel

A photo of Jewel performing.

• Active Since: 1995
• Number of Albums Sold: Over 27 million
• Popular Songs: Who Will Save Your Soul, You Were Meant for Me, Foolish Games, Hands

Jewel Kilcher was born on May 23, 1974, in Payson, UT.  She grew up in a traditional Mormon family in Alaska and began joining her parents on stage during their performances when she was six years old. When she was eight, her parents divorced. She has explained that after that happened, her father turned into an alcoholic and was physically abusive towards her. She continued to perform with her father.

Jewel (continued)

Jewel performing live.

• When Jewel was 15, she won a vocal scholarship to Interlochen and started performing as a solo artist.
• After leaving Interlochen, she moved in with her mom in San Diego to make her way into the music industry.
• Jewel was discovered at a coffeehouse in San Diego and signed with Atlantic Records in 1994.
• Her first album, Pieces of You, came out in 1996 and sold over 11 million copies.
• In 1996 she also toured as the opening act for Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
• Her discography includes albums, Spirit, This Way, 0304, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, Perfectly Clear, Lullaby, Sweet and Wild, The Merry Goes ‘Round, and Picking up the Pieces.
• Jewel established the Higher Ground for Humanity Foundation in 1998, launched Project Clean Water in 1997, and is currently the spokesperson for the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation. 

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