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Best Folk Songs of All Time

From 60s protest to modern indie-folk — twelve essential songs, each from an album in the catalogue.

  1. 1
    BD

    Blowin' in the Wind

    Bob Dylan · from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)

    The question-song that became an anthem.

  2. 2
    S&

    The Boxer

    Simon & Garfunkel · from Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)

    A storytelling masterpiece with a roaring refrain.

  3. 3
    ND

    Pink Moon

    Nick Drake · from Pink Moon (1972)

    Two minutes of hushed, fragile beauty.

  4. 4
    JM

    A Case of You

    Joni Mitchell · from Blue (1971)

    Confessional songwriting at its peak.

  5. 5
    NY

    Heart of Gold

    Neil Young · from Harvest (1972)

    His only US number one, warm and searching.

  6. 6
    LC

    Suzanne

    Leonard Cohen · from Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)

    Poetic, image-rich folk that opened his career.

  7. 7
    CS

    Father and Son

    Cat Stevens · from Tea for the Tillerman (1970)

    A generational dialogue in song.

  8. 8
    JT

    Fire and Rain

    James Taylor · from Sweet Baby James (1970)

    Gentle, devastating singer-songwriter craft.

  9. 9
    JB

    Hallelujah

    Jeff Buckley · from Grace (1994)

    The definitive reading of Cohen's hymn.

  10. 10
    FF

    White Winter Hymnal

    Fleet Foxes · from Fleet Foxes (2008)

    A circular, harmony-drenched round.

  11. 11
    BI

    Skinny Love

    Bon Iver · from For Emma, Forever Ago (2007)

    Raw falsetto heartbreak from a winter cabin.

  12. 12
    TC

    Fast Car

    Tracy Chapman · from Tracy Chapman (1988)

    A vivid story-song of escape and hope.

Tap the artwork or "Listen" to find the track on Amazon Music; "Watch" opens a YouTube search; the song title opens its album page. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases and sign-ups.