Music lovers are always looking for a new sound, and folk rock is gaining fans both old and young. Not only is it refreshing to hear real rock again but folk music, with its narrative lyrics and meaningful message touches people in a place that only it can reach. Pop music has its place, but it is nothing but froth compared to the realness of folk rock, where the musicians play their own instruments, sing without mechanical help and write their own songs.

Not that folk rock had every completely vanished. Once a staple of the Sixties, folk rock artists, such as Bob Dylan, are still revered today, singled out as inspirations to aspiring singers and songwriters. New folk artists are finding it easier and easier to get their music heard, through sites like YouTube and MySpace, introducing the folk sound to those hungry for a new musical experience. Rock and Roll is to stay, as the man said, but folk rock will never die.

While a more mainstream crossover folk bank like Mumford and Sons gains popularity, can you imagine the delight in hearing some of their influences on the radio? From the brutal honesty of Johnny Cash to the vision of Donovan, a whole new generation of listeners could be turned on to one of music’s proudest genres. In today’s age of information and entertainment overload, the simplest approaches and sounds sometimes ring the loudest.

Therefore, it is safe to say, folk music belongs on the radio. It belongs on the radio to continue to perpetuate the legacy of some of the greatest storytellers in music history. It belongs on the radio to celebrate the forebears of some today’s best bands. Finally, it belongs on the radio to influence the next generation of music excellence.

Folk music is relaxing because of its sound. Folk music rarely ever uses electric instrumentation which makes its sound less harsh and much easier to listen to. It usually features acoustic instruments like the acoustic guitar, the upright bass and other acoustic string instruments like the fiddle, the mandolin and the banjo.

Another reason that folk music is so relaxing is that it often is played without the use of a drum set. This makes it much easier to hear and less straining on the ears. The drums are a loud instrument and cancelling them out of the sound makes the music much more pleasing to listen to. Folk music can be both inspiring and relaxing for its listeners so you should check some out today.

A classical take on the folk rock genre can be found in bands such as the Hansen Family, Beirut, House & Bird, and singer-songwriters like Johnny Flynn, M Ward, and Mason Jennings, who use traditional acoustic instruments, such as guitars, banjos, and ukuleles weaved into folk-style melodies and vocals.

For a more Eastern European flavor, a band such as New York-based Gogol Bordello has created a sub-genre called Gypsy punk, using traditional instruments such as the fiddle, accordion, and acoustic guitars merged with more uptempo rhythms and Gypsy-like melodies.

Celtic folk rock has been very influential on the genre as well, with bands such as the Dropkick Murphys, the Tossers, the Pogues, and Fiddler’s Green mixing traditional Irish music with current rock rhythms and instrumentation, such as electric guitars and drum sets.

Other folk-rock bands include Dead Man’s Bones, Old Crow Medicine Show, Raise High the Roofbeam, Brother Lou, Billy Bragg, Fleet Foxes, and Devotchka.

A quick look at the roster of artists who fall under the folk rock label proves the point. John Prine, Lucinda Williams, even Bruce Springteen are storytellers first, musicians second. And while Springsteen’s entire catalogue may not fall totally within the realm of folk rock, his “Nebraska” album certainly does. Small wonder since The Boss lists Dylan as one of his biggest influences.

The love of a good story is buried in our genes. Folk rock fuses the best storytelling traditions of country music with the infectious rhythms of blues music, creating a modern version of both. Its appeal crosses the boundaries of age, race and circumstance. As long as there are stories to tell folk rock will live on.

• the innocence mission, the long-running husband-and-wife folk-pop group, returned to Badman for the release of their tenth album. Titled My Room in the Trees, it’s the group’s fourth release on the label. Karin Peris’ vocals are as sweetly entrancing as ever, and the group’s spiritual side shines through on tracks like “God Is Love” and “Shout for Joy.”
• Singer-songwriter Patrick Park recorded his first EP (Basement Tapes) in 2000, and since then he’s had various brushes with success while still maintaining his indie credibility. Park released his 2010 album Come What Will on Badman. The album has garnered him comparisons to early Ryan Adams and Josh Rouse. If you’re looking to sample a track, opener “You’ll Get Over” is a highlight that’s hard to ignore.
• Pianist/singer-songwriter Mark Mallman has been a staple of the Minnesota indie music scene since the late 1990s when he played with his band The Odd. In 1998, Mallman released the solo debut, The Tourist, and he’s been prolific since then. 2009′s well-received Invincible Criminal was his third album for Badman.
• Weinland, the band of John Adam Weinland Shearer, embraces a variety of American guitar-based songwriting genres. Traces of alt-country and indie-rock wind through their songs. Badman released their second album, La Lamentor, in 2008, and their third, Breaks in the Sun, in April of 2009. We expect to hear something new from the group in the near future, but until then do yourself a favor and go check out their back catalogue.