Male Folk Singers

Vote for Your Favourite Male Folk Singers

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
John Denver
(Best Know for His Songs 'Rocky Mountain High', 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', and 'Annie's Song')
John Denver
11
Birthdate: December 31, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Roswell, New Mexico, United States
Died: October 12, 1997

John Denver was one of the highest-selling and most popular singers during the 1970s. He was known for folk, pop and country music. Some of his greatest songs are Take Me Home Country Roads, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Rocky Mountain High, Sunshine on My Shoulders and Annie's Song. He died when a plane he was piloting crashed in California.

 2 
Leonard Cohen
(One of the Most Accomplished Canadian Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriters of His Generation)
Leonard Cohen
8
Birthdate: September 21, 1934
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Westmount, Canada
Died: November 7, 2016

Leonard Cohen was one of the most popular Canadian celebrities of all time. After starting his career as a poet and novelist, Leonard went on to become a famous singer-songwriter, exploring themes like sexuality, religion, depression, and romantic relationships in his work. Leonard Cohen was one of the inspirations for Steven Clark and Matthew Bissonnette's 2002 film Looking for Leonard.

 3 
Gordon Lightfoot
(Singer, Songwriter)
Gordon Lightfoot
6
Birthdate: November 17, 1938
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Orillia
Canadian folk-rock sensation Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. is best known for his chart-topping tracks such as If You Could Read My Mind and Ribbon of Darkness. He set the tone for the folk-pop genre in the 1960s and 1970s. The 16-time Juno-winner has earned the Governor General's Performing Arts Award.
 4 
Harry Belafonte
(Singer, Actor)
Harry Belafonte
6
Birthdate: March 1, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 5 
Woody Guthrie
(Singer-songwriter)
Woody Guthrie
5
Birthdate: July 14, 1912
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Okemah, Oklahoma, United States
Died: October 3, 1967
Legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie is best remembered for his songs such as This Land Is Your Land and Cocaine Blues, and the concept album Dust Bowl Ballads. He inspired artists such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, and performed with a guitar labeled “This machine kills fascists.”
 6 
Townes Van Zandt
(Country Singer & Songwriter Best Known for His Songs: 'Pancho and Lefty' and 'For the Sake of the Song')
Townes Van Zandt
4
Birthdate: March 7, 1944
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Died: January 1, 1997

Country singer Townes Van Zandt is remembered for his melancholy and lyrical tracks. His hits such as Pancho and Lefty and To Live Is to Fly have influenced many artists of subsequent generations. He struggled with depression and spent a considerable part of his life in cheap shacks and motels.

 7 
Pete Seeger
(American Folk Singer Best-Known for His Songs: ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’ & ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’)
Pete Seeger
4
Birthdate: May 3, 1919
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: January 27, 2014

Pete Seeger was an American social activist and folk singer. Seeger believed that the power of music could bring about a social change, an ideology that reflected on his works. Through his music, Seeger expressed his support towards counterculture, civil rights, environmental rights, international disarmament, and workers rights.

 8 
Arlo Guthrie
(Folk Singer Known for His Song 'Massachusetts', Which Became the Official Folk Song of the State)
Arlo Guthrie
4
Birthdate: July 10, 1947
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, United States
Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is known for his songs that have prominent social themes and talk about his anti-war sentiments or about social injustice. Two of his most popular tracks are Alice's Restaurant Massacree, Massachusetts, and City of New Orleans. He has also starred in films such as Alice's Restaurant.
 9 
Paul Simon
(American Singer-Songwriter)
Paul Simon
7
Birthdate: October 13, 1941
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States

One half of the popular musical duo Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon is a singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of all time. His career, which has spanned more than 60 years, has been so influential that Time named him among the 100 People Who Shaped the World in 2006.

 10 
Phil Ochs
(Singer)
Phil Ochs
3
Birthdate: December 19, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, USA
Died: April 9, 1976
 11 
Richard Thompson
(Best Known as the Lead Guitarist and Songwriter of the Folk Fock Group 'Fairport Convention')
Richard Thompson
3
Birthdate: April 3, 1949
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Notting Hill Gate, London

Richard Thompson is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He helped revive British folk music during the 1960s and 1970s by co-founding the folk rock band Fairport Convention where he performed as the lead guitarist and songwriter. One of his best-known songs, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, was named in Time magazine's list of All Time 100 Songs.

 12 
Van Morrison
(Singer)
Van Morrison
6
Birthdate: August 31, 1945
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bloomfield, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Northern Irish singer, Van Morrison, garnered recognition in the 1960s while playing with the band, Them, and then later as a solo singer with the 1967 song Brown Eyed Girl. Over the years, he has released more than 40 albums. Astral Weeks, Moondance, Wavelength, Down the Road and Keep It Simple are some of his acclaimed and commercially successful albums.

 13 
Jim Croce
(Folk and Rock Singer Best Known for His Third album 'You Don't Mess Around with Jim')
Jim Croce
5
Birthdate: January 10, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: September 20, 1973

Jim Croce was an American rock and folk singer-songwriter. At the peak of his popularity, Jim Croce died in a plane crash at age 30. Many of his works were released posthumously and achieved popularity. Jim Croce's music has been used in many popular films, such as The Hangover Part II, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Hobbs & Shaw.

 14 
Hozier
(Irish Singer-Songwriter)
Hozier
6
Birthdate: March 17, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bray, Ireland
Irish blues/rock singer Hozier is best known for his track Take Me to Church, which became a Billboard Hot 100-charter and rocked the charts of several other countries apart from Ireland, such as Belgium and Canada. His songs exhibit religious imagery. He was previously part of the choral group Anúna.
 15 
George Ezra
(Best Known for His Hit Single 'Budapest' & Debut Studio Album 'Wanted on Voyage')
George Ezra
8
Birthdate: June 7, 1993
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Hertford, Hertfordshire, England

George Ezra is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He achieved popularity after releasing his debut album Wanted on Voyage, which peaked at number one in the UK. It was also one of the best-selling albums in the UK in the year 2014. In 2019, George Ezra was honored with the Brit Award under the British Male Solo Artist category.

 16 
Harry Chapin
(Singer Best Known for His Folk Rock & Pop Rock Songs)
Harry Chapin
5
Birthdate: December 7, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Greenwich Village, New York, United States
Died: July 16, 1981
Grammy-winning folk rock and pop rock singer Harry Chapin was one of the highest-paid artists of the 1970s, known for tracks such as Cat's in the Cradle. An avid philanthropist, he was part of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger. He also won a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal
 17 
Don McLean
(Singer-songwriter)
Don McLean
5
Birthdate: October 2, 1945
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New Rochelle, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 18 
Nick Drake
(English Singer-Songwriter)
Nick Drake
5
Birthdate: June 19, 1948
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rangoon, Burma
Died: November 25, 1974

Nick Drake was a British singer-songwriter best remembered for his acoustic guitar-based music. Although he failed to achieve popularity during his lifetime, Drake's music has achieved recognition in recent times. He suffered from depression throughout his life and died at the age of 26 from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant called amitriptyline.

 19 
Tyler Childers
(Singer)
Tyler Childers
4
Birthdate: June 21, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lawrence County, Kentucky, United States
 20 
Sufjan Stevens
(Singer-songwriter most famous for his Illinois album, which includes the hit Chicago)
Sufjan Stevens
5
Birthdate: July 1, 1975
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
 21 
Avi Kaplan
(Singer-Songwriter)
Avi Kaplan
5
Birthdate: April 17, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Visalia, California
Avi Kaplan gained fame as part of the three-time Grammy-winning a cappella group Pentatonix, as their designated vocal bass. He later went solo with the EP Sage and Stone under the name "Avriel & the Sequoias." In 2019, he released the track Change on the Rise, as "Avi Kaplan."
 22 
Lead Belly
(Folk and blues singer)
Lead Belly
4
Birthdate: January 23, 1888
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mooringsport, Louisiana, United States
Died: December 6, 1949
 23 
Passenger
(English Singer-Songwriter and Musician Best Known for His Chart-Topping Song ‘Let Her Go’)
Passenger
7
Birthdate: May 17, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brighton and Hove

English singer-songwriter and musician Michael David Rosenberg, well-known by his stage-name Passenger, has spawned several successful albums and singles. These includes the single Let Her Go that became a sleeper hit topping charts in sixteen countries and accumulating over 3.2 billion views on YouTube. Rosenberg was a co-founder, main-vocalist and songwriter of the now dissolved British folk-rock band called Passenger

 24 
Cat Stevens
(Singer and Multi-Instrumentalist Known for His Albums ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ and ‘Teaser and the Firecat’)
Cat Stevens
8
Birthdate: July 21, 1948
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom

British singer, Cat Stevens, has released more than 15 studio albums and has churned out many hit songs. He converted to Islam in 1977 and adopted the name Yusuf Islam. He was slammed for reportedly backing the death fatwa on author Salman Rushdie. He has also been accused of allegedly having ties with terrorist organisations, a charge he has vehemently denied.

 25 
Alec Benjamin
(Best Known for His Breakthrough Single "Let Me Down Slowly.")
Alec Benjamin
4
Birthdate: May 28, 1994
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 26 
Peter Yarrow
(Singer-songwriter who found fame with the 1960s folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary)
Peter Yarrow
3
Birthdate: May 31, 1938
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 27 
Al Stewart
(Scottish Folk-Rock Musician Best Known for His Hit Single 'Year of the Cat')
Al Stewart
4
Birthdate: September 5, 1945
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Glasgow

Al Stewart is a Scottish folk-rock musician and singer-songwriter. He achieved popularity during the 1960s and 1970s and helped revive British folk music. He is best known for his single Year of the Cat, which became a hit worldwide. Over the course of his career, Al Stewart has worked with well-known musicians like Peter White, Jimmy Page, and Richard Thompson.

 28 
Roger McGuinn
(Musician)
Roger McGuinn
5
Birthdate: July 13, 1942
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 29 
Tom Paxton
(Singer-songwriter, Singer, Musician, Guitarist, Writer)
Tom Paxton
4
Birthdate: October 31, 1937
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago
 30 
Tom T. Hall
(Singer)
Tom T. Hall
3
Birthdate: May 25, 1936
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Olive Hill, Kentucky, USA
 31 
Ralph McTell
(English Singer-Songwriter and Guitarist Known for His Hit Song 'Streets of London')
Ralph McTell
3
Birthdate: December 3, 1944
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Farnborough, Kent, England

English singer and guitarist Ralph McTell is best known for his contribution to English folk music. He soared to fame with his chartbusting hit Streets of London. The singer has also hosted children’s programs such as Alphabet Zoo. Interestingly, he had started his career as a teacher, before switching to music.

 32 
Jerry Jeff Walker
(Singer-Songwriter)
Jerry Jeff Walker
3
Birthdate: March 16, 1942
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Oneonta, New York, United States
 33 
Loudon Wainwright III
(Singer, Actor, Singer-songwriter, Film actor, Television actor, Guitarist)
Loudon Wainwright III
3
Birthdate: September 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
 34 
Blaze Foley
(Singer-songwriter)
Blaze Foley
3
Birthdate: December 18, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Malvern, Arkansas, United States
Died: February 1, 1989
 35 
Dimash Kudaibergen
(Singer)
Dimash Kudaibergen
4
Birthdate: May 24, 1994
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Aktobe, Kazakhstan
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 36 
Ray LaMontagne
(Singer)
Ray LaMontagne
7
Birthdate: June 18, 1973
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Nashua, New Hampshire, USA
 37 
Devendra Banhart
(American Singer-Songwriter and Visual Artist and a Pioneer of Psychedelic Folk Music)
Devendra Banhart
4
Birthdate: May 30, 1981
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States

Born in the US, to a Venezuelan mother and an American father, American singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart grew up to be a major pillar of the New Weird America movement of psychedelic folk music. He is known for his lo-fi recordings and is also a talented visual artist who experiments with mixed media.

 38 
Paul Stookey
(Singer-songwriter)
Paul Stookey
4
Birthdate: December 30, 1937
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
 39 
Chris Burke
5
Birthdate: August 26, 1965
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Point Lookout, New York, United States
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 40 
Ronnie Lane
(Bass Guitarist and Founding Member of Rock-&-Roll Bands 'Small Faces' and 'Faces')
Ronnie Lane
5
Birthdate: April 1, 1946
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Plaistow
Died: July 4, 1997

Ronnie Lane was an English musician, music producer, and songwriter. He is best remembered as the founding member of the popular rock and roll bands, Small Faces and Faces. Ronnie Lane’s work with the bands earned him a posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 41 
Guy Clark
(Musician)
Guy Clark
3
Birthdate: November 6, 1941
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Monahans, Texas, U.S.
Died: May 17, 2016
 42 
Ed Sheeran
(Singer)
Ed Sheeran
5
Birthdate: February 17, 1991
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Halifax, West Yorkshire, England

Ed Sheeran is one of the most popular English singer-songwriters of the current generation. His songs Castle on the Hill and Shape of You from his third studio album broke records in several countries. He is one of the best-selling music artists in the world, having sold over 150 million records worldwide.

 43 
Theodore Bikel
(Folksinger and Actor Known for His Role as ‘Max Muller’ in the 1958 Film ‘The Defiant Ones')
Theodore Bikel
5
Birthdate: May 2, 1924
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: July 21, 2015

Legendary Austrian-American actor Theodore Bikel is best remembered for his Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Sheriff Max Muller in the film The Defiant Ones. He had also ruled the stage with plays such as Fiddler on the Roof. As a folk singer, he sang in 21 languages and also played the guitar.

 44 
Ewan MacColl
(Folk Singer-Songwriter Known for His Songs: 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', 'Dirty Old Town')
Ewan MacColl
3
Birthdate: January 25, 1915
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England
Died: October 22, 1989

British folk singer-songwriter, folk song-collector, political activist, and actor Ewan MacColl, was a leading figure of the 1960s British folk revival. He is noted for writing songs like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Dirty Old Town. He was also involved in trade unionism and socialist politics as a steadfast communist and wrote several left-wing political songs.

 45 
Bobby Bare
(Singer)
Bobby Bare
4
Birthdate: April 7, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ironton, Ohio, USA
 46 
Utah Phillips
(Former folk singer known for Goodnight-Loving Trail and Daddy, What's a Train?)
Utah Phillips
3
Birthdate: May 15, 1935
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: May 23, 2008
 47 
Dave Van Ronk
(Former folk singer who who was an important figure during the acoustic folk revival of the 1960s)
Dave Van Ronk
4
Birthdate: June 30, 1936
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: February 10, 2002
 48 
Christy Moore
(Irish Folk Singer and Guitarist )
Christy Moore
3
Birthdate: May 7, 1945
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Newbridge
 49 
Waddy Wachtel
(Musician)
Waddy Wachtel
4
Birthdate: May 24, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Jackson Heights, New York, United States
 50 
Bill Callahan
(Musician)
Bill Callahan
4
Birthdate: June 3, 1966
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Silver Spring, Maryland, United States