Best Traditional Folk Music albums of all time - Rate Your Music
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Top Traditional Folk Music albums of all time

Separate: live, archival, soundtracks and scores
Updated: 14 May
Average Ratings Reviews
Exuma - Exuma, Cover art
3.93 11k 11,134 90 90
April 1970 Album
tribal occult ritualistic spiritual passionate tropical manic psychedelic
11k Ratings 90 Reviews 3.93 Average
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Le mystère des voix bulgares : volume 1, Cover art
1975 Album
a cappella polyphonic choral ethereal melancholic passionate folklore spiritual
3k Ratings 29 Reviews 3.89 Average
Macha y El Bloque Depresivo - 100% Lúcidos, Cover art
10 October 2018 Album
rhythmic passionate melancholic warm love breakup poetic tropical
236 Ratings 3.91 Average
Zé Ramalho - A peleja do Diabo com o dono do céu, Cover art
1979 Album
lush poetic eclectic passionate triumphant history conscious rhythmic
705 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.85 Average
Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir - Like a Ship... (Without a Sail), Cover art
1971 Album
Christian spiritual anthemic uplifting vocal group choral optimistic religious
2k Ratings 16 Reviews 3.84 Average
Zé Ramalho - Zé Ramalho, Cover art
3.85 804 804 18 18
1978 Album
psychedelic melodic poetic surreal atmospheric passionate acoustic conscious
804 Ratings 18 Reviews 3.85 Average
Elizabeth Cotten - Folksongs and Instrumentals With Guitar, Cover art
1958 Album
acoustic pastoral warm raw melodic mellow passionate technical
3k Ratings 28 Reviews 3.81 Average
Mississippi John Hurt - Today!, Cover art
October 1966 Album
acoustic calm soft warm mellow melodic soothing pastoral
1k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.81 Average
Martinho da Vila - Canta canta minha gente, Cover art
1974 Album
mellow optimistic love peaceful happy triumphant humorous warm
511 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.82 Average
Junior Kimbrough - Most Things Haven't Worked Out, Cover art
23 September 1997 Album
repetitive raw rhythmic pessimistic love passionate lonely hypnotic
760 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.81 Average
Fafá de Belém - Tamba-tajá, Cover art
11 May 1976 Album
tropical tribal eclectic rhythmic folklore forest lush pastoral
174 Ratings 3.84 Average
Son House - Father of Folk Blues, Cover art
18 October 1965 Album
acoustic pastoral spiritual raw Christian religious depressive lonely
2k Ratings 39 Reviews 3.78 Average
Fafá de Belém - Água, Cover art
3.81 469 469 4 4
April 1977 Album
lush tropical sentimental nature passionate melodic peaceful calm
469 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.81 Average
La Fanfare Vagabontu - Rabbids Go Home (Original Soundtrack), Cover art
17 November 2009 Album
manic melodic rhythmic technical complex playful energetic
179 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.85 Average
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer, Cover art
3.77 3k 2,667 54 54
30 January 1964 Album
acoustic melancholic minimalistic passionate pastoral atmospheric
3k Ratings 54 Reviews 3.77 Average
Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea, Cover art
3.77 1k 1,107 27 27
16 May 2001 Album
passionate lonely love raw longing psychedelic heavy rhythmic
1k Ratings 27 Reviews 3.77 Average
Natalia Lafourcade - Un canto por México vol. 1, Cover art
8 May 2020 Album
love folklore warm romantic lush concept album eclectic uplifting
4k Ratings 35 Reviews 3.75 Average
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Cover art
November 1972 Album
pastoral passionate uplifting optimistic happy melodic acoustic energetic
2k Ratings 46 Reviews 3.76 Average
Mississippi John Hurt - Last Sessions, Cover art
November 1972 Album
melancholic acoustic longing meditative lonely
448 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.79 Average
Dorival Caymmi - Canções praieiras, Cover art
1954 Album
melancholic aquatic nature calm longing soothing sparse lonely
1k Ratings 19 Reviews 3.76 Average
Steeleye Span - Hark! The Village Wait, Cover art
June 1970 Album
pastoral folklore progressive melodic medieval uncommon time signatures ballad bittersweet
1k Ratings 31 Reviews 3.76 Average
Mississippi Fred McDowell - I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll, Cover art
January 1970 Album
raw warm energetic rhythmic improvisation love passionate repetitive
743 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.77 Average
Natalia Lafourcade - Musas Vol. 1, Cover art
5 May 2017 Album
acoustic warm calm romantic soft love mellow soothing
3k Ratings 17 Reviews 3.75 Average
Doc Watson - Memories, Cover art
3.78 424 424 2 2
6 June 1975 Album
acoustic playful technical pastoral melancholic nature rhythmic warm
424 Ratings 2 Reviews 3.78 Average
Andy Irvine & Paul Brady - Andy Irvine & Paul Brady, Cover art
December 1976 Album
folklore acoustic playful pastoral warm melodic peaceful bittersweet
555 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.77 Average
Fausto - Por este rio acima, Cover art
19 November 1982 Album
history energetic patriotic acoustic progressive melodic eclectic happy
990 Ratings 16 Reviews 3.74 Average
Tia Blake - Folksongs & Ballads, Cover art
1971 Album
melancholic Christian acoustic pastoral autumn soothing ballad depressive
780 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.75 Average
Junior Kimbrough and the Soul Blues Boys - Sad Days, Lonely Nights, Cover art
31 March 1994 Album
sad lonely nocturnal repetitive passionate hypnotic melancholic raw
278 Ratings 9 Reviews 3.77 Average
Carlos Paredes - Guitarra portuguesa, Cover art
14 October 1967 Album
instrumental passionate technical acoustic warm soothing uplifting melancholic
940 Ratings 19 Reviews 3.74 Average
Tetê - Piraretã, Cover art
3.78 200 200 3 3
1980 Album
nature acoustic pastoral quirky psychedelic melodic folklore warm
200 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.78 Average
Almir Sater - Instrumental, Cover art
1985 Album
instrumental warm rhythmic pastoral progressive peaceful tropical summer
495 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.75 Average
Dorival Caymmi - Caymmi e seu violão, Cover art
1959 Album
melancholic poetic concept album acoustic death nature lonely sparse
777 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.74 Average
Bert Jansch - L.A. Turnaround, Cover art
September 1974 Album
calm mellow melodic acoustic technical pastoral
703 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.74 Average
Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa - Wiosna Ludu, Cover art
25 October 2001 Album
psychedelic atmospheric folklore mysterious tribal
622 Ratings 6 Reviews 3.74 Average
Lhasa - La llorona, Cover art
3.73 1k 1,345 23 23
1997 Album
melodic melancholic bittersweet mellow lush love passionate sombre
1k Ratings 23 Reviews 3.73 Average
Skip James - Today!, Cover art
3.74 742 742 13 13
October 1966 Album
acoustic melancholic lonely pastoral calm raw
742 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.74 Average
Clementina de Jesus,  Doca & Geraldo Filme - O canto dos escravos, Cover art
November 1982 Album
rhythmic history acoustic minimalistic hypnotic repetitive concept album hymn
246 Ratings 3.76 Average
Ariel Ramírez - Misa Criolla: Messe et chants religieux d'inspiration folklorique Argentine, Cover art
1965 Album
lush Christian spiritual melancholic hymn Christmas choral passionate
329 Ratings 5 Reviews 3.75 Average
Skip James - Greatest of the Delta Blues Singers, Cover art
November 1965 Album
acoustic introspective lonely melancholic raw minimalistic sombre passionate
396 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.74 Average
Pixinguinha, Clementina de Jesus & João da Baiana - Gente da antiga, Cover art
April 1968 Album
warm uplifting lush melodic playful bittersweet instrumental melancholic
360 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.74 Average
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Soundtracks

  • The Blasting Company - Over the Garden Wall, Cover art
    1k Ratings 11 Reviews 3.93 Average
    3.93 1k 1,391 11 11
  • 久石譲 [Joe Hisaishi] - かぐや姫の物語 サウンドトラック (Kaguya-hime no monogatari Soundtrack), Cover art
    3.87 303 303 3 3
  • Various Artists - O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Cover art
    2k Ratings 40 Reviews 3.82 Average
    3.82 2k 1,980 40 40
  • 近藤嶺 [Rei Kondoh] / 上田雅美 [Masami Ueda] / 山口裕史 [Hiroshi Yamaguchi] - 大神 オリジナル・サウンドトラック (Okami Original Soundtrack), Cover art
    3.83 325 325 4 4
  • Stephen Rippy & David Rippy - Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, Cover art
    3.83 171 171 2 2
  • Live

  • Aretha Franklin - Amazing Grace, Cover art
    1k Ratings 25 Reviews 4.01 Average
    4.01 1k 1,000 25 25
  • The Bulgarian Voices »Angelite« feat. Huun-Huur-Tu, Sergey Starostin & Mikhail Alperin - Fly, Fly My Sadness, Cover art
    3.96 2k 1,714 19 19
  • Loreena McKennitt - Nights From the Alhambra, Cover art
    281 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.91 Average
    3.91 281 281 4 4
  • Loreena McKennitt - Live in Paris and Toronto, Cover art
    263 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.90 Average
    3.90 263 263 4 4
  • Mercedes Sosa - Mercedes Sosa en Argentina, Cover art
    250 Ratings 7 Reviews 3.88 Average
    3.88 250 250 7 7
  • Archival

  • Woody Guthrie - Library of Congress Recordings, Cover art
    226 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.86 Average
    3.86 226 226 4 4
  • Luiz Bonfá - Solo in Rio 1959, Cover art
    336 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.86 Average
    3.86 336 336 3 3
  • John Fahey - Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You: The Fonotone Years [1958-1965], Cover art
    3.83 214 214 7 7
  • Blind Willie McTell - Atlanta Twelve String: Blues Originals Vol. 1, Cover art
    3.77 369 369 8 8
  • Various Artists - Prison Songs: Historical Recordings from Parchman Farm 1947-48, Vol. 1 - Murderous Home, Cover art
    3.70 249 249 3 3
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