The Village Out West: The Lost Tapes of Alan Oakes by various artists (Smithsonian Folkways) was the most-played album on folk radio during October 2021, while Jonathan Edwards’ “Right Where I am” was the top song and John McCutcheon was the month’s most-played artist (as he was in September). 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 October 2021 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 14,784 airplays reported on 502 playlists submitted by 121 different folk DJs. The number of reported spins is shown below in parentheses.
Folk Alliance International (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 October 2021
1. The Village Out West: The Lost Tapes of Alan Oakes by Various Artists (134)
2. Been a Long Time by Si Kahn (121)
3. Bucket List by John McCutcheon (108)
4. Long Time Coming by Sierra Ferrell (87)
5. Be Here for a While by Shane Cook & the Woodchippers (85)
6. Right Where I Am by Jonathan Edwards (83)
7. I’ll Meet You Here by Dar Williams (81)
8. Rewrite the Ending by Ina May Wool (66)
9. Renewal by Billy Strings (62)
9. Beating the Odds by Eric Lambert (62)
11. A Beautiful Sound by Cosy Sheridan (55)
12. Renaissance by Valerie Smith (51)
13. After the Flood by Chris Lavancher (49)
13. We’ll Tell Stories by Mary Lou Fulton (49)
15. Us in the U.S. by Gordonville, U.S.A. (48)
16. Until Now by Carrie Newcomer (40)
16. Be a Better Me by George Ensle (40)
18. Downhill From Everywhere by Jackson Browne (39)
19. My Bluegrass Heart by Bela Fleck (38)
20. Vessel by The Accidentals (36)
20. Come Around by Rob Lutes (36)
22. Then and Now by Debi Smith (33)
22. The Road Ahead by Ray Lambiase (33)
24. Tricks of the Trade by Malcolm Holcombe (32)
25. Day by Day by Norman Blake (31)
25. A Better Day A-Coming by Robin and Linda Williams (31)
27. Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 by
Various Artists (30)
27. Half a Hundred Years by Asleep at the Wheel (30)
27. The Canvas Before Us by Joy Zimmerman (30)
27. Sober Again by Jackson Grimm (30)
27. Uppity by Laura Love (30)
32. That Spell by Andrea Von Kampen (29)
33. The Blues Never End by Elly Wininger (28)
34. Song to a Refugee by Diana Jones (26)
34. Why Wait! by Kate Taylor (26)
36. Family Reunion by Della Mae (25)
36. Bright Side of a Rainy Day by Sloan Wainwright (25)
36. Depreciated by John R. Miller (25)
39. Last of the Better Days Ahead by Charlie Parr (24)
39. In These Silent Days by Brandi Carlile (24)
39. Everyone a Song, Vol. 2 by The Steel Wheels (24)
42. Watchhouse by Watchhouse (23)
42. Blues | Ballads | Cowboy Songs by Peter Keane (23)
42. A World Like This by George Mann (23)
42. Cabin Fever Dream by Sara Trunzo (23)
46. Red, White and American Blues (It Couldn’t Happen Here) by Nathan Bell (22)
46. Tempting Fate by Carolyn Wonderland (22)
46. Mean Old World by Gordie Tentrees (22)
46. Borrowed Time by Joe Troop (22)
46. Dreamers of Atlantis by Margaret McDuffie (22)
51. Down the Old Plank Road by The Chieftains (21)
51. The Tree of Forgiveness by John Prine (21)
53. Ramble in Music City: The Lost Concert by Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers (20)
53. Chimney Swifts by Brad Kolodner (20)
53. Be Ready When I Call You by Guy Davis (20)
56. The State That We Are In by Rachel Garlin (19)
57. Small Town Dreamer by Daryl Mosley (18)
58. First Bird to Sing by Bruce T. Carroll (17)
58. He Walked On by Tim O’Brien (17)
58. Home in This World: Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads by Various
Artists (17)
58. An Honest Effort by Matt Patershuk (17)
58. The St. Buryan Sessions by Sarah McQuaid (17)
58. We Just Need Love by Efrat (17)
58. The Next Mountain by Rick Faris (17)
65. Wild Beat the Wings by John Flynn (16)
65. Changemakers by Crys Matthews (16)
65. Screaming Into the Void by Ellaharp (16)
65. Long Haul by John Wort Hannam (16)
69. Moxie and Mettle by Balsam Range (15)
69. Don’t You Marry No Railroad Man by J. P. Harris’ Dreadful Wind andRain (15)
69. On Solid Ground by Reggie Harris (15)
Top Songs OF October 2021
[Click on the link to listen to “Right Where I Am” by Jonathan Edwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUZKVVh8p5U]
Jonathan Edwards
2. “The Great Divide” by Jud Caswell (23)
3. “Gulf Coast Highway” by Naomi Sommers and Joe Crookston (20)
3. “Across the Great Divide” by Lisa Bastoni (20)
5. “The Little Contortionist” by Shane Cook & the Woodchippers (17)
5. “Autumn” by Jack Hardy (17)
5. “Dancing With the Johnson Boys” by Si Kahn (17)
8. “The Sea” by Sierra Ferrell (15)
8. “Going Down to the Old Home Place” by Si Kahn (15)
8. “Love at the Five and Dime” by Lyn Koonce (15)
8. “Moonshiner” by John McCutcheon (15)
12. “Medicine Game” by John McCutcheon (14)
12. “Been a Long Time” by Si Kahn (14)
12. “Wildfire” by The Accidentals (14)
12. “Be a Better Me” by George Ensle (14)
12. “Jeremiah” by Sierra Ferrell (14)
12. “Beating the Odds” by Eric Lambert (14)
12. “I’m Still Standing” by Janis Ian (14)
12. “Going Through the Pictures” by Ina May Wool (14)
20. “Time, Be My Friend” by Dar Williams (13)
20. “Trade It All for Love” by Chris Lavancher (13)
20. “Us in the U.S.” by Gordonville, U.S.A. (13)
20. “It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go” by Tom Prasada-Rao (13)
20. “50 Years” by Jonathan Edwards (13)
20. “Beaumont Rag” by Hank Bradley and Rick Shubb (13)
Top Artists of October 2021
John McCutcheon (Photo: Irene Young)
1. John McCutcheon (141)
2. Si Kahn (130)
3. The Chieftains (112)
4. Dar Williams (100)
5. John Prine (88)
6. Jonathan Edwards (87)
6. Sierra Ferrell (87)
8. Shane Cook & the Woodchippers (85)
9. Billy Strings (68)
10. Cosy Sheridan (66)
10. Ina May Wool (66)
12. Eric Lambert (63)
13. Jackson Browne (61)
14. Carrie Newcomer (55)
15. Valerie Smith (52)
16. Chris Lavancher (51)
16. The Accidentals (51)
18. Mary Lou Fulton (49)
19. Gordonville, U.S.A. (48)
20. Nanci Griffith (46)
21. Bela Fleck (44)
22. Bob Dylan (41)
22. Robin and Linda Williams (41)
24. Sloan Wainwright (40)
24. George Ensle (40)
26. Laura Love (38)
27. Tim O’Brien (37)
27. Norman Blake (37)
29. Asleep at the Wheel (36)
29. Rob Lutes (36)
29. Ray Lambiase (36)
32. Tim Grimm (35)
33. Joy Zimmerman (34)
33. Brandi Carlile (34)
35. Malcolm Holcombe (33)
35. Debi Smith (33)
37. Jackson Grimm (31)
38. Andrea Von Kampen (30)
39. Doc Watson (29)
40. Diana Jones (28)
40. Kate Taylor (28)
40. Elly Wininger (28)
40. Cheryl Wheeler (28)
40. Della Mae (28)
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