There’s plenty of acoustic music on the radio and streaming online these days – if you know where to find it. This recurring column will help point you to it, while also noting upcoming in-studio guests and live or recorded concerts and performances.
Together Again, the second collaborative recording by iconic folksinger-songwriters Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon, was the top album on folk radio during January 2026, while “The Future,” its opening track, was the month’s most-played song, and the two were the most-played artists. 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.
[Click on the headline or link to continue reading this article and to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Vi Wickam, a Colorado-based champion fiddler and singer, had the top album (The Thanksgiving Album) and the second most-played song (“Another Fine Day for Thanksgiving”) on folk radio during November 2025, while Delaware-based singer-songwriter John Flynn’s “The Victim Tree” was the top song and Archie Fisher, a notable Scottish folk singer and songwriter who died on Nov. 1 -- one week after turning 86, was the month’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.
[Click on he headline to view the top albums, songs, and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Two-time Juno Award-winning Quebecois folk group Le Vent Du Nord had the top album (Voisinages), its 13th full-length release, on folk radio in October 2025 and was the month’s most-played artist/group. Upstate New York husband & wife contemporary folk duo The Whispering Tree’s “Bones of Better Days,” the title track of its #2 album (its first in seven years), was the month’s most-played song. 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.
Long Journey Home: A Century After the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention by various artists was the top album on folk radio during September 2025, while Molly Tuttle’s rendition of “I’ve Always Been a Rambler” from the album was the month’s top song. Canadian singer-songwriter Connie Kaldor was the most played artist 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.
[Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view the top albums, songs and artists charts tat are posted monthly with permission.]
The Accidentals had the top album (Time Out 3) and was the most-played artist folk radio during July 2025, while the instrumental “Sommer” from Ponyfolk’s #2 album The Woods Have Shown Us was the month’s top song. So…
Tim Grimm had the top album and was the most-played artists on folk radio during April 2025.
Tim Grimm had the top album (Bones of Trees), was the most-played artist, and had five of the top 10 songs on folk radio during April 2025. “Ain’t That the Way“ by Rees Shad was the month’s top song. 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.
[Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Alice Howe and Freebo had the top album (Live) and four of the month’s most-played songs on folk radio during February 2025, while Alison Krauss and Union Station’s “Looks Like the End of the Road” edged them out for top song and 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.
Click on the headline to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.
The 2025 International Folk Music Awards were presented on the opening night of the 37th annual Folk Alliance International Conference at Le Sheraton Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada last month. These included member-voted Best Album, Song and Artist of the Year (2024), as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards, Spirit of Folk Awards, the Clearwater Award, the People’s Voice Award, and the Rising Tide Award, in addition to inductions into the Folk Radio Hall of Fame.
[Click on the headline to continue reading this article, which also includes information about the conference, and to view a couple of videos.]
Nashville-based husband-and-wife duo The Twangtown Paramours had the most-played album (The Wind Will Change Again) and 10 of the month’s most-played songs on folk radio during January 2025, while revered, Georgia-based folksinger-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon had the most-played song (“Field of Stars”) and edged them out as the month’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.
[Click on the headline to continue reading this article and to view the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms were the most-played artists and had the top album (Gold in Your Pocket) on folk radio during December 2024, while the late Tom Prasada-Rao had the month’s most-played song (“Christmas in the Ashram”). 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.
[Click on the headline to continue reading this short article, view a couple of videos, and see the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Willie Nelson was the most-played artist and had the top album (Last leaf on the Tree) on folk radio during November 2024, while the album’s title track tied with Joe Crookston’s “Oh Mercy, Where Are You Now? “ as the month’s most-played song. 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.
[Click on the headline to view top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
Nashville-based contemporary folk and Americana singer-songwriter Amy Speace’s The American Dream was the top album, while its title track was the most-played song and she was the second most-played artist on folk radio during October 2024. Kris Kristofferson, a singer-songwriter and pioneer of the 1970s outlaw country movement, who died on Sept. 28, was the month’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.
[Click on the headline to see the top albums, songs and artists charts that are posted monthly with permission.]
