freak folk
what it is
Freak folk is a type of Psychedelic Folk which emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s among artists associated with the New Weird America movement. It draws from a wide range of influences, with a particular interest in 1960s hippie acid folk, other New Weird America bands, as well as elements of traditional folk music. Freak folk tends to favour finger-picked instruments like acoustic guitar, ukulele or harp, as well as toy instruments, but it can also add electric or electronic instrumentation more typical of Rock music.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is freak folk?
Freak folk is a type of Psychedelic Folk which emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s among artists associated with the New Weird America movement. It draws from a wide range of influences, with a particular interest in 1960s hippie acid folk, other New Weird America bands, as well as elements of traditional folk music. Freak folk tends to favour finger-picked instruments like acoustic guitar, ukulele or harp, as well as toy instruments, but it can also add electric or electronic instrumentation more typical of Rock music.
What are good freak folk albums to start with?
Try Sung Tongs by Animal Collective, First Utterance by Comus, The Milk-Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom, and Noah's Ark by CocoRosie.
Who are some women making freak folk?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/freak-folk/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making freak folk, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20