Anderson East sounds fully arrived on “Satisfy Me,” a track that hits like a fresh single with dirt under its nails. The hook lands fast, the groove stays hungry, and it feels built to own the room right now.
Folk
Adam Townsend lands "Beautiful Life" with the kind of easy confidence that makes a fresh release feel like a keeper. The title alone sounds like a mood upgrade, and the song fits right into the sweet spot between radio-ready and personal.
Stoop Kids land Got Soul like a fresh downtown find with enough swagger to hijack the whole afternoon. The track feels immediate, loose, and smartly built for anyone needing a little lift right now.
Caamp arrives with "Books" sounding like the kind of song people pass around before it breaks wide open. The hook lands fast, loose, and warm, with enough grin to make it feel essential right now.
James Morrison and Power sound like a track that already knows the room. The hook lands fast, clean, and confident, so it feels impossible to leave for later.
The Teskey Brothers land on Right For Me like a classic soul cut that somehow still feels brand new. The groove is warm, the vocals bite, and the hook arrives with real staying power.
Blank Range turns “Proximity” into the kind of track that sounds like a breakout single the second it lands. The hook arrives with zero hesitation and earns every second of attention.
The Revivalists and Wish I Knew You land like a fresh anthem with actual teeth. The chorus feels huge, but the song keeps its boots on the ground, which is exactly why it belongs on the list right now.
Stealth and "Black Heart (feat. The Dap-Kings)" land like a fresh 45 pulled from a dusty sleeve. The cut sounds too sharp, too alive, to ignore right now.
Leon Bridges lands “Smooth Sailin’” like a warm breeze through an open car window. The cut feels brand-new and unmistakably right for right now, the kind of track that makes the day loosen its collar.
The Black Keys hit a sweet spot with Lo/Hi: immediate, swaggering, and impossible to ignore. The song sounds like a fresh arrival on the radio, the kind of single that makes a whole week feel better.
JD McPherson turns "Lucky Penny" into the kind of surprise smash that makes the whole room lean in. The groove feels fresh, sharp, and already proven, like a record that arrives with its own reputation.
Justin Townes Earle drops “Ain’t Got No Money” like a wry grin with boots on. The song lands hard right now because it sounds instantly lived-in, streetwise, and ready to rescue a slow afternoon.
Tom Walker and “Blessings” land with the kind of bruised confidence that turns a fresh listen into an instant repeat. The song feels built for the front of the playlist, as if it already knows the chorus belongs in your head all day.
My favorite Folk songs from the past year.
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Oma Nata sounds like the record your feed somehow missed, then suddenly everyone needs. El Seguidor - Mixed arrives with enough cool confidence to feel immediate, fresh, and slightly too stylish to ignore.
Julie Rhodes turns “I’d Rather Go Blind” into the kind of smoky, back-room revelation that feels new again. The song lands like a fresh cut worth filing under essential, not cover.
The Teskey Brothers make Pain and Misery feel like the kind of song that arrives fully formed and instantly matters. The band’s soul-blues grit sounds rare, alive, and impossible to ignore.
Camel Power Club turns Ourson into the kind of instant earworm that sounds bigger than its runtime. Warm and odd in the best way, it lands like a fresh favorite you swear should already be everywhere.
Sam Lewis lands “One and the Same” like a sleeper hit that already knows the room. The song feels essential now because it arrives with no fuss and plenty of confidence, the kind of cut that makes a playlist stop scrolling.
BJ Wilbanks slides Healin' My Blues in like a freshly cracked window on a sticky afternoon. The groove feels immediate, polished, and alive, exactly the kind of song that sounds like a new favorite the first time through.
Benjamin Booker’s “Witness” lands like a brand-new arrival, all grit and nerve with no wasted motion. If your day needs a pulse, this one brings it fast and mean.
Hamish Anderson comes in hot with "U - Radio Edit", and it feels like the kind of track you catch once and immediately replay. The hook lands fast, with enough swagger to sound like a new arrival and enough grit to stick around.
Eilen Jewell lands “Another Night to Cry” like a fresh bruise with perfect timing. The song feels too sharp, too knowing, and too good to ignore right now.
