What is folk music these days? Is there really such a thing anymore or has it become something more akin to ‘world music’ since its original conception? Once upon a time, you might have defined it as the songs of the people. It could relate to songs and melodies originating from specific cultural groups; especially ones which had been passed down through oral tradition.
The interpretation of folk has also been distinguished within different countries. American folk and it’s subsequent revival had been portrayed as songs of the working class or later of political protest. Whereas British or Celtic folk had its meaning rely on particular instrumentations, such as the revival of the harp. After the second wave, it began to be determined by its lyrical content; which may have had abstract or apocalyptic themes. The definitions continue to change and develop over time; and It has gone through some of the most interesting
transformations in musical history. The interest in its many different variations is especially apparent today and within the last several years. While you may have to do some digging online, you’ll find it’s permeated all throughout the digital world. You’ve got your traditional folk, world music, revival folk, neo-folk, psychedelic folk, avant folk; and the list just goes on.
I feel this is a result of the artist’s drive to reinvent styles and create something entirely original. While one could argue that this could be said for all music; I can find no better example than in the journey of folk music. The only downside you can posit to this journey, is that the definitions elude one another and are competed for; to establish distinctions. The genre continues to slip through the cracks of concrete meaning and is rarely agreed upon. More-so these days, it has assumed a combination of old and new techniques blended together, fusing traditional and non-
traditional forms into one. The use of dissonance or detuned instrumentation has become a prominent attribute in this regard, and at times may not even utilise lyrics. This can be identified today in what is now referred to as avant-folk; which introduces a more experimental style.
However, no matter how far folk has evolved, I am still frequently reminded that giving yourself the ‘folk’ tagline is career suicide (especially as a solo artist). The more I come across the different and innovative styles of today, I’ve realised I couldn’t disagree more.