The Longest Night of the Year, Volume 3 [Hudson Harding Music], a two-disc compilation featuring 26 songs recorded by various artists, was the most-played album on folk radio during December 2020. Topping the monthly songs chart was “Mrs. Claus” by Pennsylvania-based “kaleidoscope folk” singer-songwriter Lisa Jeanette. Phil Ochs, the late American troubadour, was December’s most-played artist. So say charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio.

The December 2020 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 13,906 airplays reported on 451 playlists submitted by 115 different DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.

Folk Alliance International (https://folk.org) is a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion.

Top Albums of December 2020

1. The Longest Night of the Year Vol. 3 by Various Artists (212)
2. Winter Wanderings by Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen (73)
3. Woman in Color by Raye Zaragoza (55)
4. Boots No. 2 the Lost Songs Vol. 1 by Gillian Welch (44)
5. Ghost Tattoo by Kristen Grainger and True North (41)
5. Cabin Fever: Songs From the Quarantine by John McCutcheon (41)
7. Old Friends by Gathering Time (39)
8. Songs Doc Didn’t Sing by Doc and Merle Watson (36)
9. Hudson Harding Happy Holidays Volume 12 by Various Artists (35)
9. Out Under the Sky by Chaise Lounge (35)
11. When I Wait for You by Dirk Powell (34)
12. Mipso by Mipso (31)
12. Jellyfish on the Moon by Lisa Jeanette (31)
14. Chasing Echoes by Phil Henry (29)
15. The Onlies by The Onlies (28)
15. Bet on Love by Pharis and Jason Romero (28)
17. 2020 by Eliza Gilkyson (27)
17. Kitchen Days by Braden Gates (27)
19. The Tide of Winter by Runa (26)
20. Friend of the Sky by Cej (24)
20. Back to the Earth by Adam Hurt (24)
20. World on the Ground by Sarah Jarosz (24)
23. Tryin’ to Get Home by Andy Cohen (23)
24. The Bells of Dublin by The Chieftains (22)
24. Tangle of Souls by Scott Cook (22)
24. A Dark Murmuration of Words by Emily Barker (22)
27. Chasing Rabbits by Terra Spencer (21)
27. Midwinter by Peter Mayer (21)
27. Distance and Time by Becky Buller (21)
27. Bethlehem by Storyhill (21)
31. Tis the Season by Amy Gallatin (20)
31. Another Sky by Kelly’s Lot (20)
31. Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) by Sturgill Simpson
(20)
31. Prairie Christmas by Connie Kaldor (20)
35. Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas by Mary Chapin
Carpenter (19)
35. I Can Still Hear You by Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche (19)
35. There but for Fortune by Phil Ochs (19)
35. Highway Philosophers by Lara Herscovitch (19)
39. I Have Known Women: Songs by Si Kahn Celebrating Women’s Lives and
Struggles by Saro Lynch Thomason and Sam Gleaves (18)
39. Over That Road I’m Bound by Joachim Cooder (18)
39. Commonplaces by Partington and Sweeney (18)
39. More From the Levee by Chris Smither (18)
39. Just a Little Rain by Ray Cardwell (18)
39. Winter’s Grace by Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum (18)
45. The Balladeer by Lori McKenna (17)
45. 100 Summers by James Lee Baker (17)
45. The Dirt and the Stars by Mary Chapin Carpenter (17)
45. Where the Heart Wants to Go by Buffalo Gals Band (17)
45. Diary of a Snowflake by Donal Hinely (17)
45. Live at the Freight by Cry Cry Cry (17)
45. This Too Shall Pass by Chris Wilhelm (17)
45. Just Like Leaving by Bella White (17)
53. Ordinary Love by Ellis Delaney (16)
53. Blue by Joni Mitchell (16)
53. Flyover Country by Susan Werner (16)
53. Besos Kisses by Colleen Kattau (16)
53. Total Freedom by Kathleen Edwards (16)
53. Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) by Joni
Mitchell (16)
59. Spider Tales by Jake Blount (15)
59. Peace Vol. 2 by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (15)
59. Christmas by Bruce Cockburn (15)
59. Christmas Morning by Silent Winters (15)
59. A Very Acoustic Christmas by Various Artists (15)
59. The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury by
Gretchen Peters (15)
65. Love Circles ‘Round by Byrd and Street (14)
65. The Prettiest Bird by Susan Pepper (14)
65. American Noel by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (14)
65. Color Outside the Lines by Jim Stanard (14)
65. The Gift of the Magi (And Other Seasonal Stories) by Darryl Purpose
(14)
65. Pretty Free by Justin Farren (14)
65. John the Revelator by John Fusco and the X-Road Riders (14)
65. Brave the Storm by Last Year’s Man (14)

Top Songs of December 2020

[Here’s a link to listen to Lisa Jeanette singing “Mrs. Claus,” the month’s top song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89ApgL0JR_8]

Lisa Jeanette Mrs. Claus1. “Mrs. Claus” by Lisa Jeanette (31)
2. “It’s That Time of Year” by Ellis Delaney (19)
2. “Christmas in the Trenches” by John McCutcheon (19)
4. “Gone” by Tim Grimm (16)
4. “Santa Claus Ain’t Comin’ to Town” by Mark Stepakoff (16)
6. “Rebuild” by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (15)
6. “They Say” by Raye Zaragoza (15)
6. “Let’s Build That Lovin’ Land” by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer (15)
6. “River” by Joni Mitchell (15)
10. “The December Letter” by Aoife Scott (14)
10. “Song for a Winter’s Night” by Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen (14)
12. “Keep the River on Your Right” by Kristen Grainger and True North (13)
12. “Solstice Dreams” by Amelia Krinke (13)
14. “Hanerot Halalu” by Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen (12)
14. “Trimmin’ the Tree” by Chaise Lounge (12)
16. “I Remember Everything” by John Prine (11)
16. “The Night That John Prine Died” by John McCutcheon (11)
16. “Thank God the Liquor Stores Are Open on Christmas Eve” by Jon Shain
and Fj Ventre (11)
19. “The Christmas Waltz” by Abbie Gardner and Matt Nakoa (10)
19. “Dreaming of a Safer Christmas” by Skinner and T’witch (10)
19. “Lucy She Rises (Theme)” by Nicolas and the Iceni (10)
19. “Christmas in Paradise” by Mary Gauthier (10)
19. “Hometown” by Sarah Jarosz (10)
24. “A Dram to the Holidays” by Andrew McKnight (9)
24. “When I’m Gone” by Phil Ochs (9)
24. “The Longest Night” by Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen (9)
24. “We Teach Them How” by Emily Kurn (9)
24. “Christmas Day on Planet Earth” by Lennie Gallant (9)

Top Artists of December 2020

1. Phil Ochs (122)
2. John McCutcheon (98)
3. Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen (75)
4. Raye Zaragoza (59)
5. Gathering Time (57)
6. Gillian Welch (56)
7. John Prine (54)
8. Joni Mitchell (46)
9. Mary Chapin Carpenter (43)
9. Dirk Powell (43)
11. Bob Dylan (42)
11. Joel Mabus (42)
13. Kristen Grainger and True North (41)
14. Charley Pride (40)
15. Doc and Merle Watson (37)
16. Eliza Gilkyson (36)
16. Chaise Lounge (36)
16. Lisa Jeanette (36)
19. Ellis Delaney (35)
20. Skinner and T’witch (34)
21. Sarah Jarosz (33)
21. Mipso (33)
21. Phil Henry (33)
24. Runa (32)
24. Tony Rice (32)
26. Jerry Jeff Walker (31)
26. Pharis and Jason Romero (31)
26. Peter Mayer (31)
29. Darrell Scott (30)
29. Pete Seeger (30)
29. Christine Lavin (30)
29. Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum (30)
33. Kate Rusby (29)
33. The Onlies (29)
35. The Chieftains (28)
35. Braden Gates (28)
35. Gordon Lightfoot (28)
38. Andy and Judy (27)
38. Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (27)
40. Scott Cook (26)
40. Cej (26)
40. Sofia Talvik (26)
40. Mark Stepakoff (26)
40. Ray Cardwell (26)
40. Tim Grimm (26)