Folk

Folk influences are particularly strong in most parts of the former USSR. Folk traditions were strong under tsarism, remained largely supported under Communism, and have remained an intricate part of national identity into the modern era. Many successful pop and rock bands maintain a distinctive and marketable sound by using elements of folk music. Particularly striking examples can be found in metal, punk, and dance music. Elements used can include cord patterns, vocal stylings, instrumentation, as well as costuming and stage presence. Pop folk is a genre that makes wholesale use of traditional songs and introduces pop, rock, or electronic influence.

Note that none of the bands below are wholly folk. If you are interested in more purely folk music, see the folk music section at our sister site, Folkways.today.

Languages: Search for folk-influenced music performed in Uzbek, Kyrgyz, or Tatar, or in Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, or Belarusian, or in Baltic, Caucasian, or Other languages.

The Latvian Daina: How Four-Line Folk Songs Helped Birth A Nation

The Latvian daina is far more than a folk song. This tradition stretches back over a millennium, with some examples preserving linguistic forms long lost in modern Latvian. These songs are credited with recording Latvia’s prehistory and sustaining its culture through centuries of foreign rule. Dainas were central to the Latvian National Awakening, which eventually […]

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