Top 100 Folk/Folk Rock Acts

Folk/Folk Rock: Top 100 Acts

Folk music is characterized as traditional music that often deals with themes of life's daily struggles. It passed from generation to generation via oral tradition. Typically the composers were unknown and the music was played on traditional, acoustic instruments. A folk revival in the 20th century led to the popularization of the art through socially-conscious singer/songwriters who worked within the folk form and also expanded it in the rock era, especially in the 1960s, with more electric instruments. Another wave occurred in the 21st century with artists who found audiences at adult alternative radio. 17 lists focused on the best folk and/or folk-rock acts of all time were aggregated to create this list. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre. Bob Dylan 14 lists: 1. Bob Dylan 2. Simon & Garfunkel 13 lists: 3. Joni Mitchell 4. Joan Baez 5. Pete Seeger 12 lists: 6. Woody Guthrie 10 lists: 7. Neil Young 8. James Taylor 9. Leonard Cohen 10. Peter, Paul, & Mary 9 lists: 11. Gordon Lightfoot 8 lists: 12. Cat Stevens 13. Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter 14. The Kingston Trio 15. Judy Collins 7 lists: 16. The Byrds 17. John Prine 18. Odetta 19. Bon Iver 20. Arlo Guthrie 6 lists: 21. Crosby, Stills & Nash 22. Grateful Dead 23. John Denver 24. The Carter Family 25. Mumford & Sons 26. The Mamas & the Papas 27. Nick Drake 28. Don McLean 29. Donovan 30. Sufjan Stevens 31. Harry Chapin 32. Ani DiFranco 33. Phil Ochs 5 lists: 34. Paul Simon 35. Carole King 36. Harry Belafonte 37. Tracy Chapman 38. Buffalo Springfield 39. The Weavers 40. Jim Croce 41. The Decemberists 42. Fairport Convention 43. Fleet Foxes 44. Joan Armatrading 45. Doc Watson 46. Ramblin' Jack Elliott 4 lists: 47. Johnny Cash 48. Jethro Tull 49. The Band 50. David Crosby 51. Indigo Girls 52. The Lumineers 53. America 54. Richard Thompson 55. Suzanne Vega 56. Lovin’ Spoonful 57. Ben Harper 58. Dan Fogelberg 59. Elliott Smith 60. Bright Eyes 61. Bert Jansch 62. Neutral Milk Hotel 63. Joanna Newsom 64. Townes Van Zandt 65. Billy Bragg 66. Elizabeth Cotten 67. Steeleye Span 68. Janis Ian 69. Buffy Sainte-Marie 3 lists: 70. Van Morrison 71. Tom Waits 72. Jackson Browne 73. Melissa Etheridge 74. Emmylou Harris 75. Violent Femmes 76. Graham Nash 77. Jimmie Rodgers 78. Love 79. Shawn Colvin 80. Jewel 81. Roger McGuinn 82. The Pogues 83. Of Monsters & Men 84. Mississippi John Hurt 85. Tim Buckley 86. Bruce Cockburn 87. Al Stewart 88. Gillian Welch 89. Patty Griffin 90. The Incredible String Band 91. Iron & Wine 92. The Highwaymen 93. Tom Paxton 94. Michelle Shocked 95. Dave Van Ronk 96. Loudon Wainwright III 97. Ian & Sylvia 98. Ewan MacColl 99. Pentangle 2 lists: 100. The Everly Brothers Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Top 60 Folk/Folk Rock Albums Dave’s Music Database: Folk/Traditional: Top 100 Traditional/Folk Songs Dave’s Music Database: Top 100 Folk Rock Songs Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre First posted 6/30/2026.

Top 100 Songwriters of the Rock Era

Songwriters of the Rock Era: Top 100

This list was originally posted on the Dave’s Music Database Facebook page on July 1, 2010. It has been updated several times since then, most recently in April 2026 when The New York Times Magazine presented its list of the “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters.” See other sources which were aggregated to create this list at the bottom of the page. Despite attempts to gather a wide variety of lists, the emphasis of the lists still heavily largely on singer/songwriters from the rock era, giving short shrift to Broadway, early 20th century writers, and classical composers. As such, I have created two other lists – Composers from Broadway and the Early 20th Century and The Top 50 Classical Composers. However, here’s the list of rock-era songwriters. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories. Bob Dylan, image from cnn.com 1. Bob Dylan 2. John Lennon/ Paul McCartney (The Beatles) 3. Bruce Springsteen 4. Paul Simon 5. Pete Townshend 6. Neil Young 7. Mick Jagger / Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) 8. Elton John/ Bernie Taupin 9. David Bowie 10. Led Zeppelin (Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John “Bonzo” Bonham) John Lennon and Paul McCartney, image from fanpop.com 11. Joni Mitchell 12. Ray Davies 13. Leonard Cohen 14. Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett/ David Gilmour/ Nick Mason/ Roger Waters/ Richard Wright) 15. Carole King 16. Brian Wilson 17. Sting 18. Tom Waits 19. U2 (Bono/ Adam Clayton/ The Edge/ Larry Mullen, Jr.) 20. Kurt Cobain Paul Simon, image from morethings.com 21. Stevie Wonder 22. Elvis Costello 23. Chuck Berry 24. Van Morrison 25. Lou Reed 26. Morrissey 27. Jim Morrison 28. Prince 29. Billy Joel 30. Smokey Robinson Bruce Springsteen, image from reelworldtheology.com 31. Bob Marley 32. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/ Eddie Holland 33. Jerry Leiber/ Mike Stoller 34. James Taylor 35. R.E.M. (Peter Buck/ Bill Berry/ Mike Mills/ Michael Stipe) 36. Don Henley 37. John Fogerty 38. Nick Cave 39. Michael Jackson 40. Queen (John Deacon/ Brian May/ Freddie Mercury/ Roger Taylor) Pete Townshend, image from guitarplayer.com 41. George Harrison 42. Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, Thom Yorke) 43. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones (The Clash) 44. Dolly Parton 45. Peter Gabriel 46. Burt Bacharach/ Hal David 47. Eddie Vedder 48. Gerry Goffin 49. Cat Stevens 50. Kris Kristofferson Neil Young, image from Samuel sounds blog 51. Eric Clapton 52. Roy Orbison 53. Stevie Nicks 54. Buddy Holly 55. Kenneth Gamble / Leon Huff 56. Barry Mann/ Cynthia Weil 57. Jeff Barry/ Ellie Greenwich 58. Jackson Browne 59. Doc Pomus/ Mort Shuman 60. Randy Newman Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, image from art.com 61. David Byrne 62. Jimi Hendrix 63. James Brown 64. Willie Nelson 65. Tom Petty 66. Lionel Richie 67. Neil Diamond 68. Little Richard 69. Beck 70. Glenn Frey Elton John and Bernie Taupin 71. Patti Smith 72. Noel Gallagher 73. Robbie Robertson 74. Chuck D 75. Richard Thompson 76. Chrissie Hynde 77. Paul Westerberg 78. Lucinda Williams 79. Stephen Merritt 80. Johnny Cash Joni Mitchell 81. Eminem 82. The Bee Gees (Barry Gibb/ Maurice Gibb/ Robin Gibb) 83. Tori Amos 84. Tupac Shakur (2pac) 85. Frank Zappa 86. Dave Matthews 87. Dianne Warren 88. Lindsey Buckingham 89. Kate Bush 90. Christine McVie David Bowie 91. David Crosby 92. Neil Peart 93. Curtis Mayfield 94. Isaac Hayes / David Porter 95. Boudleaux Bryant / Felice Bryant 96. Robert Smith 97. Sly Stone 98. John Hiatt 99. Laura Nyro 100. Steve Earle Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories Dave’s Music Database Facebook page (7/1/2010). “The Top 100 Songwriters of All Time” This ranked list is a compilation of all the best-of songwriter lists below. aol.com (2/13/2006). “The Greatest Songwriters in Rock” This is a top 10 ranked list with commentary. No author or year cited. However, the same content appears on a blog on myspace.com with a #11 ranked writer included and a date of 2/13/06. AssociatedContent.com (8/1/2009). “Ten Best Lyricists of All Time” by Nick Mayer Includes commentary. BBC News (5/23/2001). “Dylan ‘the greatest songwriter’” 10 lyricists are ranked, according to percentage of votes received via a BBC News Online users poll out of 7722 votes cast. DigtalDreamDoor.com 8/23/2007). “100 Greatest Rock Songwriters.” Edited by Maria S. This ranked list of 200 songwriters includes a handful of song titles by each entry. DigitalDreamDoor.com (5/13/2005). “100 Greatest Lyricists of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Edited by Eric. This is a ranked list with no commentary. If songwriter is associated with a specific group, that is noted in parentheses. Faqs.com (2009). “The Best Lyricists of All Times.” No longer online. Folkmusic.about.com (year?). “Top 10 Folk Music Singer/Songwriters.” By Kim Ruehl This ranked list includes commentary. Gibson.com (9/9/2008). “6 of the Greatest Songwriting Partnerships of All Time.” By Aaron Lefkove This unranked list offers commentary on six songwriting teams on Gibson Lifestyle’s Forum. Guinness Book of British Hit Singles Ranked list of the 100 most successful songwriters in British chart history. Guinness published books on the UK charts for years and it is assumed that this list came from one of those editions, but there are no details. Listology.com (10/16/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By podizz No longer online. MakeFive.com (6/23/2008). “Top 5 Songwriters of All Time.” By alexmerced 14 songwriters are actually on this ranked list, which appears to be generated by online votes. The New York Times Magazine (April 2026). “30 Greatest Living American Songwriters” More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here, in an unranked list, are the artists they chose. NME.com (7/1/2010?). “The Greatest Lyricists Ever.” Readers poll. Top 20. No longer online. NPR.org (7/5/2006). “The Best Living Songwriters.” By Robin Hilton This ranked list, by the producer of NPR’s All Songs Considered, includes commentary. Paste Magazine (June/July 2006). “100 Best Living Songwriters: The List” Ranked list with no commentary. Ranker.com (year?). “Greatest Living Rock Songwriters” RateYourMusic.com (year?). “Top 100 Songwriters. By elayblooze User-generated, ranked list with no commentary. No year identified. Redefradio.gather.com (9/5/2007). “Hip Hop’s Top Lyricists of All Time (One Man’s Theory).” By Kevin Beacham. No longer online. RetroJunk.com (2009). “Top 20 Greatest Songwriters.” By dalmatianlover Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary. P. Campbell Robbins (5/10/2006). “Top 25 Greatest Songwriters of All-Time.” Blogger-created, ranked list with commentary on top 10. Piero Scaruffi (1996). “Greatest singer songwriters of all times” Ranked list of 16 songwriters (no commentary) and then an unranked list of another 55 songwriters. Piero Scaruffi (1999). “Greatest rock composers of all times” Four separate ranked lists (no commentary) focus on world, Britain, Oceania, and Germany. SongHall.org Official site for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Songpull.com (11/13/2007). “Top 10 Living Songwriters.” By mbauer Blogger-created, ranked list with no commentary. Links to songwriters’ official sites. Songwriters Hall of Fame (1/21/2026). “Inductees 1969-2026” by DavesMusicDatabase.com A list at DavesMusicDatabase.com of all inductees into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame from its beginning in 1969 to its class of 2026 inductees. Songwriting.net (5/26/2010). “Top 10 Songwriting Teams.” By Jessica Brandon This ranked list offers brief commentary. Telegraph.co.uk (5/19/2008). “50 best British songwriters.” By Chris Harvey Ranked list includes commentary. TopTenz.net (5/22/2009). “Top 10 Singer Songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s.” By Anne Iredale Ranked list with commentary. Turkku.com (year?). “Top 20: Male Songwriters and Top 20: Female Songwriters” Two separate ranked lists with no commentary on a page with other lists. UltimateSongwriting.com (year?). “Best Songwriters Ever” and “Great Songwriters – Greatest Songwriters” Two separate unranked lists with lots of overlap and no commentary. No author or date identified. Ben Witherington (8/14/2008). “The Best Songwriters in Rock n’ Roll Heaven” Blogger-created unranked lists, no commentary, for rock/pop, folk/country, and modern. Despite the misleading title, this focuses on songwriters both alive and dead. Yahoo.com (1/15/2009). “The 25 Best Rock Lyricists” by Rob O’Connor No longer online. First posted 7/1/2010; last updated 4/30/2026.

Crosby Stills Nash Young: Top 100 Songs

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Top 100 Songs

This page celebrates the 100 best works, collectively, from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham, Nash, and Neil Young. Crosby, Stills, & Nash came together as a folk-rock trio in 1969. They were considered a supergroup given their pedegrees in previous groups. Crosby had been in the Byrds (1964-67, 1973, 1990), Stills in Buffalo Springfield (1966-68), and Nash in the Hollies (1962-68, 1981-83). On some of their albums, they were joined by Stills’ Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young. Stills also formed the group Manassas (1971-73). For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists. Spotify Podcast: Check out the podcast Remembering David Crosby, 1941-2023, based on this list. Debut: January 24, 2023, at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards (CSN): Awards (Buffalo Springfield): Awards (Young):

Top 100 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. This list includes songs from Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Still, Nash & Young; Buffalo Springfield (which included Stills and Young as members), and the solo work of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young. DMDB Top 1%: 1. For What It’s Worth (Buffalo Springfield, 1966) 2. Heart of Gold (Neil Young, 1972) 3. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (CSN, 1969) DMDB Top 2%: 4. Ohio (CSNY, 1970) 5. Rockin’ in the Free World (Young, 1989) 6. Teach Your Children (CSNY, 1970) 7. Cinnamon Girl (Young, 1969) 8. Love the One You’re With (Stills, 1970) 9. Our House (CSNY, 1970) DMDB Top 5%: 10. Woodstock (CSNY, 1970) 11. Old Man (Young, 1972) 12. Harvest Moon (Young, 1992) 13. Marrakesh Express (CSN, 1969) 14. Southern Cross (CSN, 1982) 15. Southern Man (Young, 1970) 16. My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (Young, 1979) 17. Helplessly Hoping (CSNY, 1969) 18. Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 19. Wooden Ships (CSN, 1969) DMDB Top 10%: 20. The Needle and the Damage Done (Young, 1972) 21. Down by the River (Young, 1969) 22. Expecting to Fly (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 23. Helpless (CSNY, 1970) 24. Just a Song Before I Go (CSN, 1977) 25. After the Gold Rush (Young, 1970) 26. Like a Hurricane (Young, 1977) 27. Wasted on the Way (CSN, 1982) 28. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Young, 1970) 29. Cowgirl in the Sand (Young, 1969) 30. Hero (Crosby with Phil Collins, 1993) 31. Cortez the Killer (Young, 1975) DMDB Top 20%: 32. Carry On (CSNY, 1970) 33. Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) (Young, 1979) 34. Long Time Gone (CSN, 1969) 35. Rock and Roll Woman (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 36. War Games (CSN, 1983) 37. Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 38. Almost Cut My Hair (CSNY, 1970) 39. Philadelphia (Young, 1994) 40. American Dream (CSNY, 1988) 41. Sugar Mountain (Young, 1968) 42. Are You Ready for the Country? (Young, 1972) 43. Immigration Man (Crosby/Nash, 1972) 44. Got It Made (CSNY, 1988) 45. Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) 46. Chicago (Nash, 1971) 47. Déjà Vu (CSNY, 1970) 48. Change Partners (Stills, 1971) 49. Carry Me (Crosby/Nash, 1975) 50. Guinnevere (CSN, 1969) 51. Long May You Run (Stills/Young, 1976) 52. Shadow Captain (CSN, 1977) 53. Blackbird (CSNY, 1969) 54. Fair Game (CSN, 1977) 55. You Don’t Have to Cry (CSN, 1969) 56. Dark Star (CSN, 1977) 57. Military Madness (Nash, 1971) 58. Find the Cost of Freedom (CSNY, 1970) 59. Tonight’s the Night (Young, 1973) 60. Southbound Train (Crosby & Nash, 1972) 61. No Tears Left (CSNY, 1999) 62. A Man Needs a Maid (Young, 1972) 63. War of Man (Young, 1992) 64. 4 + 20 (CSNY, 1970) 65. This Note’s for You (Young, 1988) 66. In My Life (CSNY, 1994) 67. Live It Up (CSN, 1990) 68. Powderfinger (Young, 1979) DMDB Beyond the Top 20%: 69. Turn Back the Pages (Stills, 1975) 70. Music is Love (Crosby, 1971) 71. Drive My Car (Crosby, 1989) 72. Sit Yourself Down (Stills, 1970) 73. Four Strong Winds (Young, 1978) 74. Long Walk Home (Young, 1987) 75. Marianne (Stills, 1971) 76. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Young, 1969) 77. Sit Yourself Down (Stills, 1970) 78. This Old House (CSNY, 1988) 79. When You Dance I Can Really Love (Young, 1970) 80. I Am a Child (Buffalo Springfield, 1968) 81. Southern Pacific (Young, 1981) 82. It Doesn’t Matter (Manassas, 1972) 83. Cathedral (CSN, 1977) 84. Innocent Eyes (Nash, 1986) 85. We Can Change the World (Nash, 1971) 86. War Song (Young/Nash, 1972) 87. Change Your Mind (Young, 1994) 88. Walk On (Young, 1974) 89. Isn’t It About Time (Manassas, 1973) 90. Ten Men Workin’ (Young, 1988) 91. Downtown (Young, 1995) 92. That Girl (CSNY, 1988) 93. Love is a Rose (Young, 1974) 94. Too Much Love to Hide (CSN, 1982) 95. Unknown Legend (Young, 1992) 96. Johnny’s Garden (Manassas, 1972) 97. No More (Young, 1989) 98. On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield, 1968) 99. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Stills/Nash, 1980) 100. A Child’s Claim to Fame (Buffalo Springfield, 1967) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” Profile Pages: First posted 1/20/2023; last updated 3/22/2026.

MusiCares Person of the Year: 1991-2026

First given in 1991, the MusiCares Person of the Year is an award presented by the Recording Academy (who also presents the Grammys) to acknowledge musicians’ artistic achievement and philanthropic dedication. All the recipients are listed on this page. See other lifetime achievement awards. Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy at the 2023 MusiCares gala Aerosmith (2020) Tony Bennett (1995) Jon Bon Jovi (2024) Bono (2003) Mariah Carey (2026) Natalie Cole (1993) Phil Collins (1997) David Crosby (1991) Neil Diamond (2009) Bob Dylan (2015) Gloria Estefan (1994) Fleetwood Mac (2018) Aretha Franklin (2008) Berry Gordy (2023) Grateful Dead (2025) Don Henley (2007) Billy Joel (2002) Elton John (2000) Quincy Jones (1996) Carole King (2014) Paul McCartney (2012) Joni Mitchell (2022) Dolly Parton (2019) Luciano Pavarotti (1998) Tom Petty (2017) Bonnie Raitt (1992) Lionel Richie (2016) Smokey Robinson (2023) Paul Simon (2001) Bruce Springsteen (2013) Sting (2004) Barbra Streisand (2011) James Taylor (2006) Brian Wilson (2005) Stevie Wonder (1999) Neil Young (2010) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lifetime Achievement Awards” MusiCares (official page) Wikipedia (list of honorees) First posted 8/25/2017; last updated 2/1/2026.

20th Century Americana: Top 100 Songs

20th Century Americana: Top 100 Songs

Americana music is a celebration of roots-oriented musical forms that are heavily associated with the United States. It reaches back hundreds of years to traditional music, gospel, Negro spirituals, folk, blues, and country for its influence although it is framed in a more modern context. It really surfaced in the late ‘60s as an outgrown of the folk rock movement with artists like The Band and The Grateful Dead becoming some of the best known groups to incorporate it into their music. To create this list, 27 lists focused on Americana songs were aggregated alongside lists about folk, folk rock, country, and country rock. Added into the mix were other songs from artists featured on those lists. Those songs appearing on the most lists were then ranked based on their overall status in Dave’s Music Database. This list is focused on Americana music in the 20th century. A separate list has been created that focuses on Americana music in the 21st century. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. The Band “The Weight” (1968) 2. The Band (1969), Joan Baez (1971) “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down” 3. The Band “Up on Cripple Creek” (1969) 4. The Grateful Dead “Truckin’” (1970) 5. The Black Crowes “Hard to Handle” (1990) 6. Bonnie Raitt “Something to Talk About” (1991) 7. The Grateful Dead “Uncle John’s Band” (1970) 8. Neil Young “Harvest Moon” (1992) 9. Steve Earle “Copperhead Road” (1988) 10. Jerry Jeff Walker (1968), The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1970) “Mr. Bojangles” 11. The Grateful Dead (1970), Lyle Lovett (1991) “Friend of the Devil” 12. The Grateful Dead “A Touch of Grey” (1987) 13. Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (1991) 14. Steve Goodman (1971), Arlo Guthrie (1972), Willie Nelson (1984) “City of New Orleans” 15. Stray Cats “Rock This Town” (1981) 16. Bruce Springsteen “Atlantic City” (1982) 17. John Stewart “Gold” (1979) 18. Lyle Lovett & Randy Newman “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (1995) 19. Townes Van Zandt (1972), Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard (1983) “Pancho and Lefty” 20. Bonnie Raitt “Love Sneakin’ Up on You” (1994) 21. Bonnie Raitt “Nick of Time” (1989) 22. The Grateful Dead “Sugar Magnolia” (1970) 23. The Black Crowes “Remedy” (1992) 24. The Byrds “Hickory Wind” (1968) 25. Traveling Wilburys “Handle with Care” (1988) 26. Tom Petty “You Don’t Know How It Feels” (1994) 27. Gram Parsons “Return of the Grievous Angel” (1974) 28. Lyle Lovett “If I Had a Boat” (1988) 29. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “An American Dream” (1979) 30. The Grateful Dead “Dark Star” (1968) 31. The Flying Burrito Brothers (1969), Emmylou Harris (1975) “Sin City” 32. The Traveling Wilbuys “End of the Line” (1988) 33. The Byrds “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” (1968) 34. Bruce Cockburn “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” (1984) 35. The Black Crowes “Jealous Again” (1990) 36. Bruce Springsteen “The Ghost of Tom Joad” (1995) 37. The Band “Rag Mama Rag” (1969) 38. John Prine (1971), Bonnie Raitt (1971) “Angel from Montgomery” 39. The Black Crowes “She Talks to Angels” (1990) 40. The Grateful Dead “Casey Jones” (1970) 41. Bob Dylan “Mississippi” (1997) 42. Lyle Lovett “She’s No Lady” (1988) 43. Lyle Lovett “Nobody Knows Me” (1989) 44. Lucinda Williams “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” (1998) 45. The Flying Burrito Brothers “Christine’s Tune (Devil in Disguise)” (1969) 46. Gram Parsons “She” (1973) 47. The Byrds “Ballad of Easy Rider” (1969) 48. Robbie Robertson “Somewhere Down the Crazy River” (1987) 49. The Jayhawks “Blue” (1995) 50. The Byrds “One Hundred Years from Now” (1968) 51. John Hiatt “Have a Little Faith in Me” (1987) 52. Stray Cats “Stray Cat Strut” (1981) 53. Bruce Cockburn “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” (1984) 54. Lyle Lovett “Private Conversation” (1996) 55. The Grateful Dead “Ripple” (1970) 56. The Flying Burito Brothers “Hot Burrito #1” (1969) 57. The Grateful Dead “Box of Rain” (1970) 58. Bruce Springsteen “We Shall Overcome” (1998) 59. Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris “Love Hurts” (1974) 60. The Band “I Shall Be Released” (1968) 61. Emmylou Harris “Boulder to Birmingham” (1975) 62. Cracker “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)” (1992) 63. The Flying Burrito Brothers “Wild Horses” (1970) 64. Dillard & Clark “Train Leaves Here This Morning” (1968) 65. Lyle Lovett “Pontiac” (1988) 66. Bruce Springsteen “Johnny 99” (1982) 67. Billy Bragg & Wilco “California Stars” (1998) 68. Son Volt “Drown” (1996) 69. Little Feat “Willin’” (1978) 70. Lyle Lovett “Step Inside This House” (1998) 71. Lyle Lovett “Give Back My Heart” (1987) 72. The Jayhawks “Waiting for the Sun” (1992) 73. Lyle Lovett “L.A. County” (1988) 74. Lyle Lovett “Cowboy Man” (1986) 75. Lyle Lovett “Here I Am” (1989) 76. Bob Dylan “Everything Is Broken” (1989) 77. The Grateful Dead “Alabama Getaway” (1980) 78. John Hiatt “Memphis in the Meantime” (1987) 79. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Make a Little Magic” (1980) 80. Steve Earle “Guitar Town” (1986) 81. John Prine “Hello in There” (1971) 82. John Hiatt “Drive South” (1988) 83. Stray Cats “She’s Sexy + 17” (1983) 84. The Black Crowes “Thorn in My Pride” (1992) 85. The Byrds “Chestnut Mare” (1970) 86. The Traveling Wilburys “She’s My Baby” (1990) 87. Bonnie Raitt “Love Letter” (1989) 88. John Hiatt “Child of the Wild Blue Yonder” (1990) 89. John Hiatt “Slow Turning” (1988) 90. Gram Parsons “Brass Buttons” (1974) 91. Bonnie Raitt “Thing Called Love” (1989) 92. John Hiatt “Tennessee Plates” (1988) 93. Lyle Lovett “Church” (1992) 94. Robbie Robertson & BoDeans “Showdown at Big Sky” (1987) 95. Lyle Lovett & Keb’ Mo’ “Till It Shines” (1999) 96. Neil Young “Philadelphia” (1994) 97. The Grateful Dead “Dire Wolf” (1970) 98. Bob Dylan “Dignity” (1989) 99. John Stewart “Midnight Wind” (1979) 100. Lyle Lovett “You Can’t Resist It” (1986) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk/Traditional Songs” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk Rock Songs” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Modern Folk Songs (1980-)” Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Folk/Americana Albums of All Time” First posted 11/20/2025; last updated 11/21/2025.