Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays, a compilation CD distributed by radio promoter Erik Balkey, was the most-played album on folk radio during December 2016. Dar Williams’ “Christians and the Pagans” tied with John McCutcheon’s classic “Christmas in the Trenches” as the month’s most-played song. So say charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in all folk-based music on the radio.

The December 2016 FOLKDJ-L charts are based on 14,397 airplays from 141 different DJs. Label and release date appear in brackets below, while the number of reported spins is shown in parentheses. The top albums and songs charts are posted on AcousticMusicScene.com, with permission.

Top Albums of December 2016

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1: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, new] (95)
2: Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg, Gillian Welch [Acony, 11/16] (84)
3: Christmas On The Lam And Other Songs From The Season, Various Artists [Red House, 10/16] (53)
4: Wonderful World Outside, The Piedmont Melody Makers [Vigortone, 11/16] (42)
5: Fall Away Blues, Red Tail Ring [redtailring.com, 8/16] (35)
5: Know The Mountain, Hannah Shira Naiman [Merriweather, 10/16] (35)
7: A Bell A Bird A Star, Jubilant Bridge [jubilantbridge.net, new] (33)
8: For Better, Or Worse, John Prine [Oh Boy, 9/16] (32)
9: Wintersong, Rani Arbo And Daisy Mayhem [Signature, 11/16] (29)
10: Magic Fire, The Stray Birds [Yep Roc, 8/16] (28)
11: Just One Angel, Christine Lavin And Friends [Yellow Tail, 2010] (27)
12: Borderland, Joe K. Walsh [Skinny Elephant, 9/16] (26)
12: White Christmas Blue, Loretta Lynn [Legacy, 10/16] (26)
14: Come Darkness, Come Light, Mary Chapin Carpenter [Zoe, 2008] (25)
14: Playing It Forward, The Savage Hearts [thesavagehearts.com, 9/16] (25)
16: Gift Of The Magi, Darryl Purpose [darrylpurpose.com, 2002] (24)
16: Patch Of Sky, Larry Murante [Weeping Wood, 10/16] (24)
16: Voices Of Winter, Herdman, Hills And Mangsen [Gadfly, 1997] (24)
16: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 10: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 12/15] (24)
20: Frailing To Succeed, Daniel Koulack [Little Giant, 5/16] (23)
20: Innocent Road, Caleb Klauder And Reeb Willms [West Sound, 9/16] (23)
20: Midwinter, Peter Mayer [Blue Boat, 2005] (23)
20: Christine Lavin Presents: Just One Angel v2.0, Various Artists [Yellow Tail, 2013] (23)
24: The Life And Songs Of Emmylou Harris, Various Artists [Rounder, 11/16] (22)
24: Penny’s Farm, Jim Kweskin And Geoff Muldaur [Kingswood, 9/16] (22)
24: The Ultimate Guide To English Folk, Various Artists [Arc, 10/16] (22)
27: The Seven Suns, John McSherry [Compass, 11/16] (21)
27: Holiday Snowflakes (Sampler 6), Various Artists [Azalea City, 11/16] (21)
27: Keepsake, Gathering Time [Treble-G, 3/16] (21)
27: Mountain Voodoo, Balsam Range [Mountain Home, 11/16] (21)
27: A Very Blue Rock Christmas, Various Artists [Blue Rock, 2013] (21)
27: Winter’s Grace, Laurie Lewis And Tom Rozum [Signature, 1999] (21)
33: Undercurrent, Sarah Jarosz [Sugar Hill, 6/16] (20)
34: Love Is Love, Paul Sachs [paulsachs.com, 7/16] (19)
34: Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration, Various Artists [Signature, 2001] (19)
36: Empty Train, David Francey [Laker, 2/16] (18)
36: The First Christmas Gift, Robin And Linda Williams [Red House, 2005] (18)
36: Long List Of Priors, Kenny White [MVP, 9/16] (18)
36: You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen [Columbia, 10/16] (18)
40: All These Years, Solas [THL, 2/16] (17)
40: And It Was Good, The Andrew Collins Trio [andrewcollinstrio.com, 10/16] (17)
40: Beneath Still Waters, Courtney Granger [Valcour, 10/16] (17)
40: Fryd, Sver [Folkhall, 8/16] (17)
40: The Long Unbroken Line, The Good Intentions [Tres Pescadores, 11/16] (17)
40: The Other Way Around, David Lamotte [DPI, 8/16] (17)
40: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 8: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 2013] (17)
40: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 4: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 2009] (17)
40: Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 2: Happy Holidays, Various Artists [Hudson Harding, 2007] (17)
49: Nine Pin, Kaia Kater [Kingswood, 5/16] (16)
49: American Noel, Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer [Signature, 2007] (16)
49: At The Turning Of The Year, Herdman, Hills And Mangsen [Hand And Heart, 2000] (16)
49: Blindfaller, Mandolin Orange [Yep Roc, 9/16] (16)
49: Blue Mountain, Bob Weir [Columbia, 9/16] (16)
49: The Blues, The Whole Blues And Nothing But The Blues, David Bromberg Band [Red House, 10/16] (16)
49: Celebration, David Mallett [North Road, 2/16] (16)
49: Greenland, Ben Plotnick [Self, 9/16] (16)
49: Honest Life, Courtney Marie Andrews [Mama Bird, 8/16] (16)
49: Pete, Woody & Me – Volume I: Keep The Flame Alive, Spook Handy [Akashic, 6/16] (16)
49: Live, Runa [runamusic.com, 7/16] (16)
49: National Parks Centennial Songs EP, Gigi Love [Self, 6/16] (16)
49: O Christmas Tree, Various Artists [Rounder, 2002] (16)
49: Trail Of Tales, The Bills [Borealis, 3/16] (16)
49: Where Will You Be Christmas Day?, Various Artists [Dust-To-Digital, 2004] (16)
64: The Boston States, Katie McNally [katiemcnally.com, 10/16] (15)
64: Lift, Dave Gunning [Wee House, 7/15] (15)
64: Midwest Side Stories, Chicago Farmer [chicagofarmer.com, 9/16] (15)
64: Night Sky, Dick Weissman [Longest Bridge, 5/16] (15)
68: Beyond The Ash And Steel, Judy Kass [judykassmusic.com, 1/16] (14)
68: All The Way To Bethlehem, Donna Ulisse [Hadley, 2012] (14)
68: An Americana Christmas, Various Artists [New West, 2014] (14)
68: The Beautiful Not Yet, Carrie Newcomer [Available Light, 9/16] (14)
68: Dori Freeman, Dori Freeman [Free Dirt, 2/16] (14)
68: More Than A Little, Adrian And Meredith [Vertigo, 11/16] (14)
68: North By South, Claire Lynch [Compass, 9/16] (14)
68: Original Traditional, Blue Highway [Rounder, 9/16] (14)
68: Play The Swamp Pop Classics Vol. 2, The Revelers [Self, new] (14)
68: Sons Of Pitches, Sons Of Pitches [Self, new] (14)
68: Storyman, Sam Bush [Sugar Hill, 6/16] (14)
68: Sugar Plums, Various Artists [Sugar Hill, 1993] (14)

Top Songs of December 2016

1. “Christians And The Pagans” (16)
by Dar Williams
from Mortal City
1. “Christmas In The Trenches” (16)
by John McCutcheon
from Winter Solstice
also Live At Wolf Trap
3. “Leonard Cohen Christmas” (13)
by Mark Stepakoff
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays
4. “Ready For The Dark” (12)
by Larry Murante
from Patch Of Sky
also Just One Angel
4. “Song For A Winter’s Night” (12)
by Pines
from Christmas On The Lam And Other Songs From The Season
6. “A Bell A Bird A Star” (11)
by Jubilant Bridge
from A Bell A Bird A Star
6. “Light The Lamp” (11)
by Emily Kurn
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 2: Happy Holidays
also I’m Just Like You
6. “Red Clay Halo” (11)
by Gillian Welch
from Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg
9. “American Noel” (10)
by Dave Carter And Tracy Grammer
from American Noel
also Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration
9. “Merry Christmas From The Family” (10)
by Robert Earl Keen
from Live At The Ryman
also Live Dinner Reunion
9. “River” (10)
by Joni Mitchell
from Blue
12. “On Christmas I Got Nothing” (9)
by Chuck Brodsky
from Radio
13. “And It Was Good” (8)
by The Andrew Collins Trio
from And It Was Good
13. “Answer The Knock At The Door” (8)
by Zoe Mulford
from Holiday Snowflakes (Sampler 6)
13. “Christmas Time At Home” (8)
by Rhonda Vincent
from Christmas Time
13. “Country Christmas” (8)
by Loretta Lynn
from White Christmas Blue
13. “Dry Town” (8)
by Gillian Welch
from Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg
13. “Fall Away Blues” (8)
by Red Tail Ring
from Fall Away Blues
13. “Getting Ready For Christmas Day” (8)
by Paul Simon
from So Beautiful Or So What
13. “How Like The Holly” (8)
by Joel Mabus
from How Like The Holly
13. “If We Make It Through December” (8)
by Laurie Lewis And Tom Rozum
from Winter’s Grace
13. “Light In The Darkness” (8)
by Gathering Time
from Keepsake
13. “Maybe This Christmas” (8)
by Rani Arbo And Daisy Mayhem
from Wintersong
13. “Orphan Girl” (8)
by Gillian Welch
from Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg
13. “River” (8)
by Robert Bobby Duo
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays
13. “Solstice Sky” (8)
by Sharon Goldman
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays
13. “To Heck With Ole Santa Claus” (8)
by Loretta Lynn
from White Christmas Blue
13. “Together All Alone” (8)
by Robin And Linda Williams
from Christmas On The Lam And Other Songs From The Season
also The First Christmas Gift
13. “When It Rains On Christmas Day” (8)
by Sofia Talvik
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays
13. “Winterclear” (8)
by David Lamotte
from Hudson Harding Sampler, Vol. 11: Happy Holidays