AllMusic 2017 Year in Review

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Favorite Folk & Americana Albums

Folk and Americana artists weren't shy about letting their other influences shine in 2017, as elements of soul, country, and Latin music all found their way into the mix on albums from the Dustbowl Revival, Kacy & Clayton, the Mavericks, and many more.

SpiderBeetleBee

Bill MacKay / Ryley Walker

SpiderBeetleBee

The follow-up to Land of Plenty develops the intuitive, relaxed dialogue between the two guitarists into a full-blown musical language here.

Medicine Songs

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Medicine Songs

The folk icon brings her songs and her sound into the present day, where they're timely and powerfully relevant.

Bidin' My Time

Chris Hillman

Bidin' My Time

A warm, cozy summation of everything Chris Hillman has accomplished in his long, varied career.

Big Machine

Eliza Carthy / The Wayward Band

Big Machine

The U.K. folk maverick deftly wields her ambitions with this appropriately robust big ensemble collaboration.

The Nashville Sound

Jason Isbell / Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit

The Nashville Sound

The gifted songwriter aims for a more eclectic sound here, and he and his band deliver the goods with passion and skill.

Gathering

Josh Ritter

Gathering

One of Ritter's loosest and most rewarding outings to date delivers a steady stream of compelling characters caught between bravado and vulnerability.

Siren's Song

Kacy & Clayton

Siren's Song

Excellent third album from the Canadian folk duo is more country than their previous work, but just as satisfying.

Dragonfly

Kasey Chambers

Dragonfly

Ambitious double set from the Australian singer/songwriter adds more rock to the mix without blurring her hard country roots.

Trinity Lane

Lilly Hiatt

Trinity Lane

Singer/songwriter opens up about her troubles with liquor and love on her impressive third album.

What's So Funny About Peace Love and Los Straitjackets

Los Straitjackets

What's So Funny About Peace Love and Los Straitjackets

The masked instrumental combo pays cool and convincing tribute to occasional collaborator Nick Lowe.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real [2017]

Lukas Nelson / Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real [2017]

A funky, elegant, and soulful record that showcases the full potential of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.

Gargoyle

Mark Lanegan Band / Mark Lanegan

Gargoyle

New collaborators and strong material serve the smoky-voiced singer and songwriter well on this 2017 effort.

Highway Queen

Nikki Lane

Highway Queen

A moody, heartfelt record that navigates the line between retro-Americana and modern country.

Graveyard Whistling

Old 97's

Graveyard Whistling

The Texas alt-country veterans sound a bit darker and more contemplative on their 11th studio album, but as engaged as ever.

50 Years of Blonde on Blonde

Old Crow Medicine Show

50 Years of Blonde on Blonde

A rollicking live rendition of Bob Dylan's 1966 masterpiece Blonde on Blonde.

Manic Revelations

Pokey LaFarge

Manic Revelations

The old-timey Americana artist makes a bold venture into retro-soul.

Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' There as Fast as I Can

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' There as Fast as I Can

One of the best storytellers in roots music offers another set of beautifully crafted songs and soulful performances.

Freedom Highway

Rhiannon Giddens

Freedom Highway

Rhiannon Giddens digs deep into American folklore on her second album.

Carry Fire

Robert Plant

Carry Fire

A rich, restless hybrid of American and British folk-rock.

Close Ties

Rodney Crowell

Close Ties

The acclaimed singer and songwriter spins tales of lives lived recklessly on this excellent 2017 release.

Black Irish

Shannon McNally

Black Irish

The singer/songwriter teams with producer Rodney Crowell on a set of originals and covers that showcase her ability to cross genre lines with authority and soul.

So You Wannabe an Outlaw

Steve Earle / Steve Earle & the Dukes

So You Wannabe an Outlaw

The uncompromising singer/songwriter looks back to his country-rock days without forgetting what he's learned since then.

This Highway

The 18 Wheelers / Zephaniah OHora

This Highway

Elegant evocation of prime West Coast country from the '60s and '70s.

The Dustbowl Revival

The Dustbowl Revival

The Dustbowl Revival

The Dustbowl Revival freshen their sound with a heavy dose of classic soul.

Brand New Day

The Mavericks

Brand New Day

Eclectic ninth album has more to do with Latin and pop sounds than country, but is as fun as anything they've done to date.

You Don't Own Me Anymore

The Secret Sisters

You Don't Own Me Anymore

Produced by Brandi Carlile, the Rogers sisters' third LP is a marvel of quiet grandeur and steely Southern pragmatism.

A Long Way from Your Heart

Turnpike Troubadours

A Long Way from Your Heart

A rich yet plainspoken mini-masterpiece from the Red Dirt country band.

Purgatory

Tyler Childers

Purgatory

A rich, weathered debut that addresses the present while evoking the past.

Rule 62

Whitney Rose

Rule 62

A casual, assured Americana tour de force.

South Texas Suite

Whitney Rose

South Texas Suite

A love letter to Whitney Rose's newly adopted home state.