Folk · GenresWhat is folk?
Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous with the term "Traditional music", also often including Roots music; the term "Traditional music" was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the other definitions that "Folk music" is now considered to encompass. Folk music can also describe a particular kind of popular music which is based on traditional music.
Artists to start with
Albums to hear first
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Ghosts of the Great Highway
Just Another Diamond Day
Highway 61 Revisited
Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
The Shepherd's Dog
Ladies of the Canyon
NebraskaFolk songs
- 500 Miles by Peter, Paul & Mary
- Riptide by Vance Joy
- Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens
- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
- cardigan by Taylor Swift
- King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 by Neutral Milk Hotel
- seven by Taylor Swift
- exile (feat. Bon Iver) by Taylor Swift
- Place to Be by Nick Drake
- Let Her Go by Passenger
Folk on Risocast
Strange TrailsLord Huron · 2015
VeckatimestGrizzly Bear · 2009
Cleopatra (Deluxe Edition)The Lumineers · 2016
CleopatraThe Lumineers · 2016
Among My SwanMazzy Star · 1996
Titanic RisingWeyes Blood · 2019
You Don't Mess Around With JimJim Croce · 1972
Bryter LayterNick Drake(One Helluva Performer)Lord Huron · 2022
(dream)salvia palth · 2013
Neighbouring genres
In the folk & country family. All genres
countryamericanabluegrassalt-countrycountry rockcountry popchamber folkacoustic rockavant-folkdark folkapocalyptic folkcontemporary folkQuestions
- What is folk?
- Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous with the term "Traditional music", also often including Roots music; the term "Traditional music" was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the other definitions that "Folk music" is now considered to encompass. Folk music can also describe a particular kind of popular music which is based on traditional music.
- Who are the best-known folk artists?
- By Last.fm listening: Sufjan Stevens, Lord Huron, Bob Dylan, Lizzy McAlpine, Peter, Paul & Mary and Bon Iver.
- What genres are similar to folk?
- On Risocast it sits with country, americana, bluegrass, alt-country, country rock and country pop.
Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.
Updated 6 October 2026
Risocast HelpA music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.
Yes. The app and the website are free.
A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.
On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.
Yes. Plays are counted on your device and sent when you're back online, and the phone app opens without a connection.
It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.
Your profile and listening are public so people with similar taste can find you, unless you make your profile private (then only your buddies see it); your email never is. Nothing is sold and there are no ads; anonymous usage analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics) show what to improve. See the privacy policy for the details.
More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.
Welcome to Risocast
RisocastYour music, logged. Your people, found.
A small player that sits in your tray, writes down every song you play, and shows you who listens like you.
243 songs logged today
Android is coming to Google Play. Get notified
How logging works
On Windows, Risocast reads the system media controls, so any player counts: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000. No plugins.
On Android the app reads what any music app is playing (it's coming to Google Play). Anywhere else, connect Spotify or a Last.fm username.
Taste twins
See how much your taste overlaps with anyone's, and find the people who listen most like you. The match comes from what you both actually play, not a list of favourites.
Open PeopleWeekly Disc and Taste Map
Every week becomes a disc of your top songs. Every record you play goes on a map, grouped by genre.
Real ones, from the maker's own listening.
Download Risocast
Risocast is free for Windows 10 and 11. Android is coming to Google Play; on any other device, use the web app with Spotify or Last.fm.
- Version 4.0.9 · Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) · about 100 MB
- Updates itself: new versions download in the background and install on restart.
- Every installer is published with its SHA-256 checksum on the releases page.
FeaturesGuides
Track music on WindowsLog YouTube MusicApple Music statsFind people like youPlayers that workLog VLCLog foobar2000Log MusicBeeiTunes on WindowsLog DeezerLog TidalLog SoundCloudAmazon MusicWindows Media PlayerSpotify historyTop songs of all timeWhat genre is it?Describe your tasteExport your dataComing from Last.fmCompare