Anti-folk

Anti-folk is a genre characterized by its lo-fi, DIY ethos and eclectic blend of folk, punk, and indie rock elements. Emerging in the 1980s, it gained momentum in the 1990s and 2000s, particularly in New York City's East Village scene. Anti-folk music often features simplistic, storytelling-style lyrics, acoustic instrumentation, and a rejection of traditional folk music's polished production values. The genre's cultural significance lies in its raw, emotive, and often humorous critique of societal norms, politics, and personal relationships. Drawing from punk's energy and folk's narrative tradition, anti-folk also incorporates elements of psychedelia, country, and avant-garde music. Notable for its anti-establishment stance and emphasis on creative freedom, anti-folk has influenced a range of genres, from indie rock to singer-songwriter styles, and continues to inspire artists who value authenticity and experimentation over commercial polish.

Latest Anti-folk Release
undefined album image
Before the Future
Album - 8 Tracks - Released July 25, 2025

RecentMusic users are tracking 62 Anti-folk artists for new releases, and have access to the full timeline of 1,022 releases .

Join them and feed your new music addiction, and add the Anti-folk artists you love!

Get Started Browse Releases
(Please) Don't Blame Mexico
AJJ
Adam Green
Asleep in the Sea
Atom And His Package
Barabbas T. Jones
Beck
Billy Bragg
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
Caxade
Chips for the Poor
Connie Converse
Cory Branan
Daniel Johnston
Devon Sproule
Diane Cluck
Dirk Darmstaedter
Djalma Não Entende de Política
Faustine Seilman
Folk Bitch Trio
French Cowboy
Griefcat
Jeffrey Lewis
Joanna Sternberg
Jonathan Richman
Kate Nash
Kimya Dawson
Kobrakasino
Langhorne Slim
Lisa Li-Lund
Lois
Mal Blum
Margot and the Toothless Hags
Marshmellow Overcoat
Mathias Kom
Nellie McKay
Only Son
Pacing
Penelope Scott
Rae Spoon
Rebecca Schiffman
Regina Spektor
Smog
Soft Black
Starov
Sticky Steve
The Blendours
The Ditty Bops
The Fishermen Three
The Men They Couldn't Hang
The Mountain Goats
The Narcissist Cookbook
The Resonant Rogues
The Shalfonts
The Wave Pictures
TonyLaMuerte OneManBand
Turner Cody
Will E. Skandalz
Záviš
_pappmaché
rhys from the sticks
Захар Май
Beck
Regina Spektor
Penelope Scott
The Mountain Goats
Langhorne Slim
Billy Bragg
AJJ
Kate Nash
Daniel Johnston
Jonathan Richman
Smog
Kimya Dawson
The Narcissist Cookbook
Mal Blum
Adam Green
Záviš
Connie Converse
Folk Bitch Trio
Joanna Sternberg
Jeffrey Lewis
Cory Branan
Diane Cluck
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
The Resonant Rogues
Nellie McKay
The Men They Couldn't Hang
Pacing
Lisa Li-Lund
The Ditty Bops
Atom And His Package
The Wave Pictures
Only Son
Kobrakasino
Mathias Kom
Turner Cody
The Fishermen Three
Rae Spoon
Devon Sproule
Rebecca Schiffman
French Cowboy
Griefcat
Caxade
Dirk Darmstaedter
Asleep in the Sea
Захар Май
The Blendours
Djalma Não Entende de Política
Sticky Steve
Soft Black
(Please) Don't Blame Mexico
Will E. Skandalz
TonyLaMuerte OneManBand
Lois
Barabbas T. Jones
Starov
Marshmellow Overcoat
The Shalfonts
_pappmaché
Chips for the Poor
Faustine Seilman
Margot and the Toothless Hags
rhys from the sticks