2011 was in my opinion a strong year for folk music, and also dream pop. I don't know about rock or other genres the last 12 months, I really couldn't say. The list below is unfinished. I’ll add more later, if I find some good songs, or if you tell me in the comments what I missed!
Glorious - The Pierces
Jesus Fever - Kurt Vile
Chains (live) - Abigail Washburn
The Fifth Horseman Of The Apocalypse - The Nightwatchman / Tom Morello
Come Around – Sarah Jarosz
I'm Losing Myself - Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) feat. Ed Droste
Evening Song - Hymns From Nineveh
Moon in The Water - Dawes
Natural Rhapsody - Jonathan Wilson
Don't ask me why - Laura Marling
More folk music (or near enough) from 2011 not to be missed:
The Sun Always Reminds Me Of You - Marissa Nadler
Runner Ups - Kurt Vile
Your Own Spell - King Creosote and Jon Hopkins
Apple Like a Wrecking Ball - Hoots & Hellmouth
Silk Tilts - Butcher The Bar
The Tide Pulls From The Moon - William Fitzsimmons
Gone Kerouac - W. Travis
Used to be a cop – Drive by truckers
Face In The Crowd - Joseph Arthur
To Go and Return - Jeffrey Lewis
To Begin (Live) - Alela Diane
In Your Lair, Bear - Marissa Nadler
Spain - Arborea
Kentish Town Waltz - Imelda May
Field Song - William Elliott Whitmore
Bonny Bunch of Roses (cover) - June Tabor & Oysterband
That Was My Veil (PJ Harvey cover) - June Tabor & Oysterband
Gentle Spirit - Jonathan Wilson
Blood Never Lies - Thurston Moore
In Silver Rain With A Paper Key - Thurston Moore
County Line - Cass Mccombs
The Way It Will Be - Gillian Welch
Why Should I - Luisa Sobral
You Folded up our Blanket Like We Used to be Lovers - Case Studies
Wapusk - Kathleen Edwards (feat. Bon Iver)
Deep Water - The Middle East
Face to the Highway – Tom Waits
100 Acres of Sycamore - Fionn Regan
Black Captain - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
No match - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Noble Aim - Sleeping At Last
Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
The Shrine An Argument - Fleet Foxes
American - Sean Rowe
Surprise - Sean Rowe
Girl in a Coat - Blitzen Trapper
Stranger in a strange land - Blitzen Trapper
Night after night (Live at WFUV/The Alternate Side) - Laura Marling
Rest in the dark - Laura Marling
Lucky Now - Ryan Adams
Tree by the river – Iron & Wine
Lil Norge feat. Jens Lekman - Danielson
Hey Joe - Liz Green
Ballad Of The Bastard - Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat
Today, I Feel Like I'm Evolving - River City Extension
Waiting In The Airport - River City Extension
Ninth Ave Reverie - The Middle East
Eastwood (Feat. Clint Eastwood) - Brad Paisley
Universal Applicant - Bill Callahan
Riding For The Feeling - Bill Callahan
Drover - Bill Callahan
Infamous Love Song - Over The Rhine
Baby’s Arms - Kurt Vile
Fall Away - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
The Heron and the Fox (live) - Little Scream
My Way Back Home (Live at WFUV) - Dawes
St. Petersburg - The Wilderness Of Manitoba (from their 2011 album)
Baby Jeans - The Wooden Birds
The Afterlife - Paul Simon
Hymn For The Lover - Hymns From Nineveh
Keep Me Young - Trent Dabbs
Leave To See - Trent Dabbs
Paper Airplane - Alison Krauss & Union Station
Lay My Burden Down - Alison Krauss [Get Low Soundtrack Version]
For What It's Worth - Stevie Nicks
Country Dumb (Piano Version) - Josh T. Pearson
On a Spree - Richmond Fontaine
Inventory - Richmond Fontaine
Apothecary Love - The Low Anthem
Marcy's Song (Jackson C. Frank Cover) - John Hawkes
Part Time Believer - Boy & Bear
One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend) - Wilco
The Nazarene - Joe Crookston
Lament - Mount Moriah
The Death Of You And Me - Noel Gallagher
Sourdoire Valley Song - The Mountain Goats
Outer Scorpion Squadron - The Mountain Goats
Born To Be Loved - Lucinda Williams
Your Friend - Denison Witmer
Two And A Glass Rose - Denison Witmer
Bugs - O'Death
Put on Cologne – Donovan Woods
Thanks for Nothing - Middle Brother
Wilderness - Middle Brother
Mary's Gone - The Deep Dark Woods
Everything I Saw - The Weather Station (thanks naturalbeardy)
Came so easy - The Weather Station
Yarrow and Mint - The Weather Station
Running Around Asking - The Weather Station
Go on - Bec Sandridge
Decision Day - Conrad Plymouth
Feral Horse (live on CJSR) - Tyler Butler
Ghost on the canvas - Glen Campbell
Run Away - Sarah Jarosz
The Tourist (Radiohead cover) - Sarah Jarosz
Now and Then - Catherine Maclellan
Bats in the Attic - King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
Treasures - Seasick Steve
Rice Triangle - Rachael Dadd
If My Love Loves Me - June Tabor & Oysterband
(Watch this space for more 2011 tracks in future...last updated 3rd of March 2012)
Any thoughts on my list? Which artists above are you a fan of? Do you agree with me that 2011 has been a good year for new folk music? Did I miss any great folk songs or albums? Share your opinions in the comments below
