Folk Rock

Folk rock on vinyl: songs plugged in

In short: Folk rock emerged in the mid-sixties, when folk songs were played with electric guitar, bass and drums. The Byrds and Bob Dylan led the way, bands such as Fairport Convention followed in Britain – and songwriters from Nick Drake to Bon Iver carried the style on. The Vinyl Room currently has 140 folk rock records.

What is folk rock?

The song is at the centre: a story, a voice, a melody – carried by a band. In 1965 the Byrds took Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” into the charts with electric guitars, and the same year Dylan himself picked up the electric guitar.

Here Nick Drake shows the quiet British side on “Bryter Layter”, while the Strawbs and Ian Matthews represent seventies British folk rock. From Denmark comes Anne Linnet, from Iceland the band Hinn Íslenzki Þursaflokkur. Bright Eyes, John Grant and Bon Iver stand for the younger generation.

What to look for

Many folk rock classics have been reissued again and again, in the USA, in Britain and across Europe. Which edition you get is noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

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FAQ

What is folk rock? Songs from the folk tradition, played with an electric rock line-up.

How did folk rock begin? In the mid-sixties – in 1965 with The Byrds’ electric version of “Mr. Tambourine Man” and Bob Dylan’s switch to electric guitar.

Is there folk rock from the Nordic countries? Yes – here, for example, the Danish singer Anne Linnet and the Icelandic band Hinn Íslenzki Þursaflokkur.

Who carries the style on today? Among others Bon Iver, Bright Eyes and John Grant.