A Lunch At Allen’s Christmas – Zuzu’s Petals by the Canadian band Lunch At Allen’s was the top album on folk radio during December 2022, while “Light the Lamp (A Song for Hanukkah)” by Alaska-based singer-songwriter Emily Kurn was the month’s most-played song. Revered folksinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon was the most-played artist for a second consecutive month. 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 2022 Top Albums, Songs and Artists charts are based on 12,371airplays reported on 429 playlists submitted by 116 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.
[Here’s a link to listen to “Zuzu’s Petals,” the title track of Lunch At Allen’s Christmas album that was originally released in 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CVsqRVvMHs.]
Top Albums of December 2022
1. A Lunch At Allen’s Christmas – Zuzu’s Petals by Lunch At Allen’s (59)
2. Wintertide by Brittany Jean (52)
3. Seth Avett Sings Greg Brown by Seth Avett (47)
4. Radio John: Songs of John Hartford by Sam Bush (45)
5. Arsonist Daughter by Aspen Jacobsen (33)
6. The Perfect Gift by Becky Buller (29)
7. Tell ‘Em You Were Gold by Pharis and Jason Romero (28)
8. I’m Just Like You by Emily Kurn (27)
9. Christmas Day on Planet Earth by Lennie Gallant (26)
10. The Longest Night of the Year, Volume 2 by Various Artists (25)
10. Me/and/Dad by Billy Strings (25)
12. Tribute to a Song Poet: Songs of Eric Andersen by Various Artists (23)
12. The Old Man and the C Chord by Chris Coole (23)
12. Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas by Mary Chapin Carpenter (23)
12. Flare by Pat Wictor (23)
12. Ain’t Nobody Worried by Rory Block (23)
17. Leap! by John McCutcheon (22)
18. The Gift of the Magi (And Other Seasonal Stories) by Darryl Purpose
(21)
18. Travelers Rest by The Foreign Landers (21)
20. A Very Blue Rock Christmas by Various Artists (20)
20. Christmas by Bruce Cockburn (20)
22. Book of Life by Brian Blake (19)
23. American Noel by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (18)
23. Christmas Caravan by Sultans of String (18)
25. Pioneering Women of Bluegrass by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard (17)
25. Ramblin’ Soul by Melissa Carper (17)
25. A Holiday Celebration With the New York Choral Society by Peter, Paul and Mary (17)
28. White Trash Revelry by Adeem the Artist (16)
28. The Blues Don’t Lie by Buddy Guy (16)
28. Something Borrowed, Something New: Tribute to John Anderson by Various Artists (16)
28. Very Merry Christmas by Williamson Branch (16)
28. Cazimi by Caitlin Rose (16)
28. Winter Soulstice by Kelley Hunt (16)
28. Still by David Lamotte (16)
28. At the Turning of the Year by Anne Hills, Cindy Mangsen and Priscilla Herdman (16)
36. The Longest Night of the Year, Volume 1 by Various Artists (15)
36. Lift the World by Curtis and Loretta (15)
36. A Parlor Guitar Christmas by Joel Mabus (15)
36. There’s a Bright Side Somewhere by Happy Traum (15)
36. Last Month of the Year – A Celebration of the Solstice by Magpie (15)
36. Mazel by Shelley Posen (15)
36. Second-Hand by James Keelaghan (15)
43. The New Faith by Jake Blount (14)
43. Last Days of Summer by Lucy Kaplansky (14)
45. Winter Solstice by John McCutcheon (13)
45. The Longest Night of the Year, Volume 3 by Various Artists (13)
45. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today? by Kathy Kallick (13)
45. I Walked With You a Ways by Plains (13)
45. Live at Wolf Trap by John McCutcheon (13)
45. Voices of Winter by Priscilla Herdman / Anne Hills / Cindy Mangsen (13)
45. Small Towns by Stillhouse Junkies (13)
45. Much Further Out Than Inevitable by John Showman and Chris Coole (13)
45. Endless Grace by Deidre McCalla (13)
45. Live at Budokan by Willie Nelson (13)
Top Songs of December 2022
[Enjoy listening to “Light The Lamp “ by Emily Kurn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGN4cDowDGM.]
1. “Light the Lamp” by Emily Kurn (27)
2. “Christmas in the Trenches” by John McCutcheon (23)
3. “Rebuild” by Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt (14)
3. “The Day After Christmas” by Abbie Gardner (14)
5. “Old Tin Star” by Lunch At Allen’s (13)
5. “I Want an Old Fashioned Christmas” by Amy Speace (13)
5. “Zuzu’s Petals” by Lunch At Allen’s (13)
8. “A Simple Thing as Love” by Sam Bush (11)
8. “The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams (11)
8. “Light One Candle” by Paul and Mary Peter (11)
8. “River” by Joni Mitchell (11)
8. “Christmas in Paradise” by Mary Gauthier (11)
8. “The Welcome Song” by Jan Aldridge Clark (11)
14. “In Tall Buildings” by Sam Bush (10)
14. “My Gingerbread Man” by The Twangtown Paramours (10)
16. “This Lonely Christmas Night” by Josie Bello (9)
16. “Song for a Winter’s Night” by Brittany Jean (9)
16. “Come Some Winter Morning” by Irene Kelley (9)
16. “Happy New Year” by Ever More Nest (9)
16. “Christmas Day” by Kenny White (9)
16. “Winter Fuel” by Rachel Garlin (9)
16. “Longest Night of the Year” by Joe Jencks (9)
16. “The Poet Game” by Seth Avett (9)
24. “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac (8)
24. “Laughing River” by Seth Avett (8)
24. “When You’re Gone” by The Milk Carton Kids (8)
Top Artists of December 2022
[John McCutcheon performs his classic song “Christmas in the Trenches,” and relates the true story behind it during a performance for the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, MO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIxqJlnH2m8.]
1. John McCutcheon (75)
2. Lunch At Allen’s (60)
3. Brittany Jean (54)
4. Sam Bush (48)
5. Seth Avett (47)
6. Bob Dylan (46)
7. Shelley Posen (41)
8. Becky Buller (37)
9. Phil Ochs (36)
10. Pete Sutherland (33)
10. Aspen Jacobsen (33)
12. Joni Mitchell (32)
12. Emily Kurn (32)
14. Lennie Gallant (30)
14. Pharis and Jason Romero (30)
16. Billy Strings (29)
16. Mary Chapin Carpenter (29)
16. Joel Mabus (29)
19. Willie Nelson (28)
19. Paul and Mary Peter (28)
19. Bruce Cockburn (28)
19. Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (28)
23. Mary Gauthier (27)
24. Chris Coole (26)
24. Joe Jencks (26)
26. Pat Wictor (25)
27. Rory Block (24)
27. Loreena McKennitt (24)
29. Pete Seeger (23)
29. Cosy Sheridan (23)
29. Darryl Purpose (23)
32. The Foreign Landers (22)
32. Emmylou Harris (22)
32. Kate Rusby (22)
32. Tim O’Brien (22)
32. Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard (22)
32. Claudia Schmidt (22)
38. John Hartford (21)
38. Abbie Gardner (21)
38. David Lamotte (21)
38. Dar Williams (21)
38. Chuck Brodsky (21)
38. Magpie (21)
38. Bill Staines (21)
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