It’s almost unavoidable now: hearing the rasp of Zach Bryan from a passing car, or a cover of Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” on your social media platforms. Even the legendary Bob Dylan has seen an uptick, with his biopic film, “A Complete Unknown,” grossing more than $50 million at the domestic box office. In recent years, everything from indie-folk to pop-folk has increased 11 to 13 percent in U.S. music platforms, particularly amongst Generation Z. Undeniably, the kids have gone country. But what makes the genre’s acoustic sound and transparent lyrics so appealing to them?
Folk, like any genre, is dynamic, with some artists veering into rock, others into bluegrass, and many into all of the above. It’s amorphous, making it difficult to definitively define. However, commonalities exist in most folk music, with primarily string instruments, simple melodies, and lyrics that pack a punch.
It’s a liberating feeling to be understood, and contemporary folk artists like Noah Kahan and Phoebe Bridgers have brought sincerely relatable lyricism to the forefront of the music industry. Topics that may have once been shied away from have been welcomed with open arms, allowing discussion on stigmatized issues, such as suicide in Kahan’s “Call Your Mom,” or depression in Taylor Swift’s “this is me trying.” In a study by MSU Denver, Generation Z was reported to be the most open generation when it came to mental health struggles, making their obsession with modern folk unambiguous.
Isolation is a feeling Generation Z is all too familiar with amidst a global pandemic and abrupt shift to predominantly digital communication. It’s easy to feel as if regional culture is dying out as bonding over the internet has become favored, but folk music actively contrasts this, bringing an in-demand sense of nostalgia and simplicity. Noah Kahan’s “Northern Attitude” which compares the singer’s cold persona with the frigid winters in Vermont is one example of this.
Folk music has always had deep roots in regional culture, notably seeing its start in the Appalachian region of the United States. Both classic and contemporary folk seem to mirror the landscape of early folk and adopt a gritty sound that honors nature. Some songs make this setting easier to picture than others such as “Blue Ridge Mountains” by Fleet Foxes or “The Garden” by Sierra Ferrell, both honoring a landscape and painting vivid pictures of flora and fauna. This essence has become increasingly favorable to Gen Z following quarantine and residual feelings of loneliness, creating solace in the idea of Mother Nature.
American folk music also boasts a long history of political themes, with the protest tunes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Woody Guthrie pioneering this movement. Commentary on political issues from modern artists like Tyler Childers represents a fusion of tradition and modernity, piquing the interest of young listeners across the nation.
And so, the torch of folk music has been passed to Gen Z, reviving and appreciating its heritage with added 21st-century relevance.
Indie-folk Artists to Stream:
- Sarah Gross
- Humbird
- Olive Klug
- Lydia Von Hof
- Maggie Antone
- Abby Powledge
- Julien Baker
- Yebba
