Raise the Roof by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss was the most-played album on folk radio during December 2021, while “The Turning Year: A New Year’s Toast” by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra was the month’s most-played song. Bill Staines, the New Hampshire-based traveling troubadour and prolific songwriter who died last month, was December’s top 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 2021 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 13,672 airplays reported on 461 playlists submitted by 122 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.

[Click on the link below to listen to “The Turning Year: A New Year’s Toast”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZASAyzSaxA.]

Top Albums of December 2021

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raise the Roof1. Raise the Roof by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (73)
2. A Very Blue Rock Christmas, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (65)
3. The Turning Year by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra (57)
4. Chinook Waltz by Over the Moon (48)
4. On This Christmas Day by Joe Newberry and April Verch (48)
6. Awake by Mala Oreen (47)
7. Bucket List by John McCutcheon (41)
7. Renewal by Billy Strings (41)
9. Day by Day by Norman Blake (38)
10. Blues | Ballads | Cowboy Songs by Peter Keane (33)
11. The Whistle of the Jay by Bill Staines (32)
12. Stops Time by Brooksie Wells (31)
13. Settler by Malcolm Macwatt (30)
14. Until Now by Carrie Newcomer (29)
14. Winter’s Grace by Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum (29)
14. Long Time Coming by Sierra Ferrell (29)
17. Beneath Some Lucky Star by Bill Staines (28)
17. Turning Over Stones by Bett Padgett (28)
17. The Other Side by Kristi Flagg (28)
17. All That Is True by Scott Alarik (28)
21. I’ll Meet You Here by Dar Williams (27)
22. Be Here for a While by Shane Cook and the Woodchippers (26)
23. My Bluegrass Heart by Bela Fleck (24)
23. Peace: A Christmas Collection by Jesse Terry (24)
25. Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas by Mary Chapin
Carpenter (23)
25. The Longest Night of the Year, Vol. 1 by Various Artists (23)
27. American Noel by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (22)
27. Greatest Hits 1970-2020 by Bruce Cockburn (22)
29. Blue by Joni Mitchell (21)
29. Christmas by Bruce Cockburn (21)
29. Going to the West by Bill Staines (21)
29. Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 by
Various Artists (21)
29. Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration by Various Artists (21)
34. Been a Long Time by Si Kahn (20)
34. Frame by Frame by T. Buckley (20)
34. Insurrection Blues by Corey Harris (20)
34. The Next Mountain by Rick Faris (20)
38. You Get It All by Hayes Carll (19)
38. Downhill From Everywhere by Jackson Browne (19)
38. Christmas Day on Planet Earth by Lennie Gallant (19)
41. A Better Day a-Coming by Robin and Linda Williams (18)
41. Eden and Her Borderlands by Anya Hinkle (18)
41. Folk Songs Old and New by Scott Alarik (18)
41. The Empress by The McDades (18)
41. Declining With Thanks by Ian Robb and James Stephens (18)
41. Sober Again by Jackson Grimm (18)
41. Song to a Refugee by Diana Jones (18)
41. Midwinter by Peter Mayer (18)
41. Grit and Polish by Mark Schatz and Bryan McDowell (18)
50. Old Dogs by Bill Staines (17)
50. Bridges by Bill Staines (17)
50. Right Where I Am by Jonathan Edwards (17)
50. One Fair Summer Evening by Nanci Griffith (17)
50. Just Play One Tune More by Bill Staines (17)
50. Putumayo Presents Jazz Christmas by Various Artists (17)
50. Christmas Caravan by Sultans of String (17)
50. The Longest Night of the Year, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (17)
50. He Walked On by Tim O’Brien (17)
59. The Bells of Dublin by The Chieftains (16)
59. December Songs by Mark Dvorak (16)
59. Borrowed Time by Joe Troop (16)
59. On Solid Ground by Reggie Harris (16)
59. The Tightening of the Screws by Gurf Morlix (16)
59. There Used to Be Horses Here by Amy Speace and the Orphan Brigade (16)
65. Christmas Is Right Here by Lori McKenna (15)
65. The First Christmas Gift by Robin and Linda Williams (15)
65. I Dream of Christmas by Norah Jones (15)
65. The Gift of the Magi (And Other Seasonal Stories) by Darryl Purpose
(15)
65. Changemakers by Crys Matthews (15)
65. Buffalo Nichols by Buffalo Nichols (15)
65. Pins and Needles by Natalie Hemby (15)

Top Songs of December 2021

Jennifer Cutting's Ocean Orchestra had the most-played song on folk radio. (Photo: Erica Ginsberg)

Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra had the most-played song on folk radio. (Photo: Erica Ginsberg)


1. “The Turning Year: A New Year’s Toast” by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean
Orchestra (31)
2. “River” by Bill Staines (24)
3. “Roseville Fair” by Nanci Griffith (22)
4. “River” by Joni Mitchell (21)
5. “A Place in the Choir” by Bill Staines (16)
6. “The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams (15)
6. “Christmas in the Trenches” by John McCutcheon (15)
8. “Sacred Spaces” by Eric Bannan and Chris Rosser (14)
8. “My Gingerbread Man” by The Twangtown Paramours (14)
10. “Someday Soon” by Over the Moon (12)
10. “A Bell, a Bird, a Star” by Jubilant Bridge (12)
10. “A Zeesn Christmas” by Emma’s Revolution (12)
10. “Can’t Let Go” by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (12)
14. “Longest Night of the Year” by Joe Jencks (11)
14. “Watching Rudolph” by Mark Stepakoff (11)
14. “The Birth of Robin Hood” by Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra (11)
17. “American Noel” by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (10)
17. “There but for Fortune” by Sloan Wainwright (10)
17. “Planxty Drew / Planxty Wilkinson / Wreath the Bowl” by Jennifer
Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra (10)
17. “Soldier On” by Mala Oreen (10)
17. “If I Come to Need an Angel” by Bill Staines (10)
22. “The Roseville Fair” by Bill Staines (9)
22. “Jeremiah” by Sierra Ferrell (9)
22. “That Time of the Year Again” by Max Ferguson (9)
22. “You Led Me to the Wrong” by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (9)
22. “Know It All” by Billy Strings (9)
22. “Christmas in Paradise” by Mary Gauthier (9)
22. “When Winter Comes to Call” by Bett Padgett (9)
22. “The Night the Reindeer Fly” by Cosy Sheridan (9)
22. “I’m a Believer” by Brooksie Wells (9)

Top Artists of December 2021

1. Bill Staines (238)
2. John McCutcheon (81)
3. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (75)
4. Scott Alarik (69)
5. Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra (66)
6. Nanci Griffith (56)
7. Bruce Cockburn (51)
8. Norman Blake (50)
9. Joe Newberry and April Verch (48)
9. Dar Williams (48)
9. Over the Moon (48)
12. Mary Chapin Carpenter (47)
12. Mala Oreen (47)
12. Bob Dylan (47)
15. Billy Strings (44)
16. Phil Ochs (43)
17. Robin and Linda Williams (39)
18. Tim O’Brien (38)
19. Sierra Ferrell (37)
20. Carrie Newcomer (36)
20. Bett Padgett (36)
22. Joni Mitchell (34)
23. Peter Keane (33)
23. Cosy Sheridan (33)
23. John Prine (33)
26. Brooksie Wells (31)
27. Malcolm Macwatt (30)
28. Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum (29)
28. Judy Collins (29)
28. Sloan Wainwright (29)
28. Jackson Browne (29)
28. Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (29)
28. Joel Mabus (29)
34. Kristi Flagg (28)
34. Jesse Terry (28)
36. Lennie Gallant (27)
36. Michael Nesmith (27)
36. Hayes Carll (27)
39. Shane Cook and the Woodchippers (26)
39. Kate Rusby (26)