Best Folk Albums of All Time

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1. 1
   The Freewheelin' Bob DylanBob Dylan

   The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

   Bob Dylan · 1963 · Rock

   The album that established Dylan as the voice of a generation, home to 'Blowin' in the Wind'. Spare and powerful. A folk landmark.

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2. 2
   Bringing It All Back HomeBob Dylan

   Bringing It All Back Home

   Bob Dylan · 1965 · Rock

   Half electric, half acoustic, the record where Dylan reinvented folk and rock at once. Witty, surreal and prophetic. A pivotal moment in 1960s music.

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3. 3
   BlueJoni Mitchell

   Blue

   Joni Mitchell · 1971 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   An intimate, confessional landmark of singer-songwriter craft, spare in arrangement and emotionally fearless. Mitchell's melodies and open tunings are extraordinary throughout. Routinely named one of the greatest albums ever made.

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4. 4
   Sounds of SilenceSimon & Garfunkel

   Sounds of Silence

   Simon & Garfunkel · 1966 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   An early peak built around its hushed, electrified title hit. Tuneful and beloved. A breakthrough.

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5. 5
   Five Leaves LeftNick Drake

   Five Leaves Left

   Nick Drake · 1969 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   A gorgeous, string-laced debut of melancholy English folk, understated and beautifully arranged. A grower that becomes essential. One of the genre's most affecting records.

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6. 6
   Pink MoonNick Drake

   Pink Moon

   Nick Drake · 1972 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   Recorded in two nights with just voice and guitar, it is spare, intimate and quietly devastating. Overlooked in his lifetime and now treasured. Hushed perfection.

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7. 7
   TapestryCarole King

   Tapestry

   Carole King · 1971 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   The album that defined the confessional singer-songwriter era, warm and tuneful from 'It's Too Late' to 'You've Got a Friend'. A massive, enduring seller. Comfort itself.

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8. 8
   Astral WeeksVan Morrison

   Astral Weeks

   Van Morrison · 1968 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   A mystical, free-flowing fusion of folk, jazz and soul, unlike anything before or since. Improvisational and transcendent. Frequently named among the greatest albums ever.

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9. 9
   Liege & LiefFairport Convention

   Liege & Lief

   Fairport Convention · 1969 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

   A landmark that invented British folk-rock. Bold and influential. A genre cornerstone.

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10. 10
    Solid AirJohn Martyn

    Solid Air

    John Martyn · 1973 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    A warm, jazzy folk landmark of slurred vocals and atmosphere. Singular and beloved. His masterpiece.

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11. 11
    Joan BaezJoan Baez

    Joan Baez

    Joan Baez · 1960 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    The debut that announced a voice of startling purity — traditional folk and ballads delivered with disarming directness.

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12. 12
    I Want to See the Bright Lights TonightRichard & Linda Thompson

    I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

    Richard & Linda Thompson · 1974 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    A peak of British folk-rock songcraft and harmony. Beautiful and acclaimed. A genre cornerstone.

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13. 13
    Like an Old Fashioned WaltzSandy Denny

    Like an Old Fashioned Waltz

    Sandy Denny · 1974 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    Her most intimate solo record, built around piano ballads and a voice that could convey more in a held note than most singers manage in a verse.

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14. 14
    Judee SillJudee Sill

    Judee Sill

    Judee Sill · 1971 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    A gorgeous, gospel-tinged folk debut of overlooked genius. Beautiful and acclaimed. A cult treasure.

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15. 15
    Goodbye and HelloTim Buckley

    Goodbye and Hello

    Tim Buckley · 1967 · Folk & Singer-Songwriter

    His second album and first masterwork — folk-rock ambition colliding with his extraordinary vocal range across an ambitious, orchestrated set.

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