Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart
May 2026, Week 2

Compiled by Richard Gillmann
From Playlists Submitted to FOLKDJ-L

TOP ALBUMS of May 2026, Week 2
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2375 plays from 78 playlists from 61 Folk DJs

  1: "Old No. 1 Revisited," Various Artists [Truly Handmade, 4/2026] (16)
        "Desperados Waiting For A Train," Andrew Combs (5)
        "Like A Coat From The Cold," Logan Ledger (3)
        "Nickel for the Fiddler," Kelsey Waldon (2)
  1: "Simple As," Johnsmith [Blue Pine, 5/2026] (16)
        "Simple As" (9)
        "Falling" (2)
        "Thick As Thieves" (2)
  3: "Raise Your Voice: Songs of Resistance from the Nation's Capital," Various Artists [Various Artists] (14)
        "Conman," John Vengrouskie (3)
        "Crimson," David Chambers (2)
        "I Don't Want Your Billions Mister," David Scott Weaver (2)
  4: "Sing Me Alive," I'm With Her [Rounder, 5/2026] (13)
        "Crossing Muddy Waters" (3)
        "Rhododendron" (3)
        "The Obvious Child" (2)
        "Wild and Clear and Blue" (2)
  5: "Over Again," A Different Thread [Same Cloth, 5/2026] (12)
        "Over Again" (4)
        "Come On Home, Molly" (2)
        "Columbine" (2)
  6: "Middle of Nowhere," Kacey Musgraves [Lost Highway, 5/2026] (11)
        "Everybody Wants to be a Cowboy" (3)
        "Middle of Nowhere" (2)
        "Uncertain, TX" (2)
  6: "Time," Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band [Thirty Tigers, 5/2026] (11)
        "Crazy About a Jukebox" (2)
        "Life Of Love" (2)
        "Wild About My Lovin'" (2)
  8: "Baggage Flies Free," Ed Snodderly [Majestic, 5/2026] (10)
        "Coming Down This Road" (5)
        "When Doc Watson Comes to Johnson City" (3)
  8: "The Great Irish Songbook, Vol. 2: Poets & Storytellers," Dervish [Down The Road, 4/2026] (10)
        "Jackie" (3)
        "Leave A Light On" (2)
        "Passage West" (2)
  8: "Lost Cause Lover Fool," The Milk Carton Kids [Thirty Tigers, 2/2026] (10)
        "I'll Go Home From Here" (3)
        "My Place Among the Stones" (2)
  8: "Twilight Tales," The Heart Collectors [Spins The Gold, 4/2026] (10)
        "One Voice" (5)
        "Beneath The Fall" (3)
 12: "Reunion," Various Artists [Red House, 2021] (9)
        "Heaven," Mama's Broke (5)
        "Mother's Day," Lucy Kaplansky (4)
 13: "Dark on a Sunny Day," Maisy Owen [Tompkins Square, 5/2026] (7)
        "Dark on a Sunny Day" (2)
 13: "Fortune Teller," Bobby Dove [New Motor] (7)
        "Dreamt I Met John Prine" (2)
 13: "The Trouble with Desire," Frank Viele [Bigger Beast] (7)
        "Trying to Raise a Man" (2)
 13: "Veranda," Veranda [Big In The Garden, 5/2026] (7)
        "Comme le temps" (2)
        "Sans Ardillon" (2)
 13: "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard," Andy Cohen + Eleanor Ellis + William Lee Ellis [Riverlark, 4/2026] (7)
        "Memphis Minnie and Me" (2)
 18: "Appalachia," Emily Scott Robinson [Oh Boy, 1/2026] (6)
        "Time Traveler" (2)
        "Appalachia" (2)
 18: "Blessing On The Wing," April Verch & Joe Newberry [Slabtown] (6)
        "Turtle Dove" (2)
 18: "Broken River," Hank Alrich [Walkinay, 5/2026] (6)
        "Broken River" (2)
 18: "Dream Chaser," Willie Nelson [Legacy, 4/2026] (6)
        "I Don't Think I've Cried Today" (1)
 18: "Field Notes," Dave Gunning [Self, 2/2026] (6)
        "Angels' Share" (2)
        "Ravens Glen" (2)
 18: "Live at the Rock House," Sky Smeed [Self, 4/2026] (6)
        "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" (2)
 18: "Love & Labour," Hannah & Nathan [Self, 4/2026] (6)
        "Little Baby James" (2)
 18: "Never Done," Annie & Rod Capps [Maynard, 4/2026] (6)
        "Thread" (3)
 18: "Thread the Light - Free Radio," The McDades [Free Radio] (6)
        "Lily of the West" (1)
 18: "We Were Made for These Times," The Klezmatics [Shamus, 5/2026] (6)
        "I Am Willing" (1)
 28: "By The Way, I Forgive You," Brandi Carlile [Elektra, 2018] (5)
        "The Mother" (4)
 28: "Citizen," Crys Matthews [Shamus, 5/2026] (5)
        "Citizen" (2)
        "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" (2)
 28: "A Line In The Sand," Phil Kennelty [Self] (5)
        "Jamie's Old Bodhran" (1)
 28: "Long Long Road," Ringo Starr [UMe, 4/2026] (5)
        "My Baby Don't Want Nothing" (1)
 28: "Low Country Wedding," Jefferson Ross [Self, 4/2026] (5)
        "Red State Blues" (1)
 28: "Mountains on the Moon," Paper Wings [Self, 3/2026] (5)
        "Goodness" (2)
 28: "This One's For You," Rachel Brooke [MAL] (5)
        "The Real Pretender" (2)
 28: "Rainy Nights & Rearview Windows," Sue Horowitz [Self, 3/2026] (5)
        "Mystic" (2)
 28: "Saturday Night Sermon," Yarn [Ardsley] (5)
        "A Welcome New Home" (2)
        "Let The Universe" (2)

TOP SONGS of May 2026, Week 2
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2375 plays from 78 playlists from 61 Folk DJs

1. "Simple As" (9)
     from "Simple As" (Johnsmith)
2. "Desperados Waiting For A Train" (6)
     from "Old No. 1 Revisited" (Andrew Combs)
3. "One Voice" (5)
     from "Twilight Tales" (The Heart Collectors)
3. "Heaven" (5)
     from "Reunion" (Mama's Broke)
3. "The Mother" (5)
     from "By The Way, I Forgive You" (Brandi Carlile)
3. "Song Without Fear" (5)
     from "Song Without Fear - single" (Colleen Kattau)
7. "American Dissident" (4)
     from "American Dissident - single" (John Flynn)
7. "Little Bit of Shine" (4)
     from "Heirloom" (Nathan Evans Fox)
7. "Mother's Day" (4)
     from "Reunion" (Lucy Kaplansky)
7. "Over Again" (4)
     from "Over Again" (A Different Thread)
11. "Another Mother's Day" (3)
     from "Mill Pond" (Rich Scher)
11. "Beneath The Fall" (3)
     from "Twilight Tales" (The Heart Collectors)
11. "Coming Down This Road" (3)
     from "Baggage Flies Free" (Es Pearl Aka Ed Snodderly)
11. "Coming Down This Road" (3)
     from "Baggage Flies Free" (Ed Snodderly)

TOP ARTISTS of May 2026, Week 2
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2375 plays from 78 playlists from 61 Folk DJs

1. Johnsmith (18)
        "Simple As" (16)
2. Dervish (15)
        "The Great Irish Songbook, Vol. 2: Poets & Storytellers" (10)
        "The Great Irish Songbook" (4)
3. Willie Nelson (14)
        "Dream Chaser" (6)
4. I'm With Her (13)
        "Sing Me Alive" (13)
5. A Different Thread (12)
        "Over Again" (12)
6. Bob Dylan (11)
        "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 1961-1991" (3)
6. The Heart Collectors (11)
        "Twilight Tales" (10)
6. Pete Seeger (11)
        "American Favorite Ballads, Vols. 1-5" (2)
9. Yarn (9/10)
        "Saturday Night Sermon" (5)
9. Kacey Musgraves (9)
        "Middle of Nowhere" (9)
9. The Milk Carton Kids (9)
        "Lost Cause Lover Fool" (9)
12. The Klezmatics (8)
        "We Were Made for These Times" (6)
12. Lucy Kaplansky (8)
        "Reunion" (4)
        "Last Days of Summer" (3)
12. Maisy Owen (8)
        "Dark on a Sunny Day" (7)
12. The McDades (8)
        "Thread the Light - Free Radio" (6)
12. Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band (8)
        "Time" (6)
17. Bobby Dove (7)
        "Fortune Teller" (7)
17. Carrie Newcomer (7)
        "A Great Wild Mercy" (3)
17. Crys Matthews (7)
        "Citizen" (5)
17. Dave Gunning (7)
        "Field Notes" (6)
17. Ed Snodderly (7)
        "Baggage Flies Free" (4)
17. Emily Scott Robinson (7)
        "Appalachia" (6)
17. John Prine (7)
        "Sweet Revenge" (2)
17. Phil Kennelty (7)
        "A Line In The Sand" (5)
17. Tom Chapin (7)
        "Songs of Hope" (2)
17. Veranda (7)
        "Veranda" (7)

TOP LABELS of May 2026, Week 2
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2375 plays from 78 playlists from 61 Folk DJs

1. Rounder (40)
2. Smithsonian/Folkways (32)
3. Columbia (26)
4. Thirty Tigers (24)
5. Elektra (23/25)
6. Red House (19)
7. Down The Road (16)
7. Warner (16)
9. Truly Handmade (15)
10. Blue Pine (13)
10. Legacy (13)
12. Shamus (12)
13. Compass (11)
13. Lost Highway (11)
15. Free Dirt (10)
15. Oh Boy (10)
15. Signature Sounds (10)
15. Spins The Gold (10)
19. Reprise (9/12)
19. Same Cloth (9)

FOLK DJs - May 2026, Week 2
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2375 plays from 78 playlists from 61 Folk DJs

Al Kniola (WVPE-FM, IN)
Angela Page (WJFF-FM & folkmusicnotebook.com, NY)
Artie Martello (folkmusicnotebook.com, NY)
Bill "Rusty" Crowell & Jan Alba (WPPM-FM & mixcloud.com, PA)
Bob Weiser (WOMR-FM & WFMR-FM, MA)
Bruce Cameron (2MCE-FM, Australia)
Bruce Swan (WSFM-LP, NC)
Carolyn VandeWiele (WFHB-FM, IN)
Charlie Backfish (WUSB-FM, NY)
Chris Kocher (WHRW-FM, NY)
Colin Fielding (3INR-FM, Australia)
Craig Huegel (WMNF-FM, FL)
Dan Shramek (KBOO-FM, OR)
David Sears (WBGU-FM & syndicated, OH)
Dick Hermans (WKZE-FM, NY)
Eureka Mike (WFCF-FM & thesonicplanet.com, FL)
Gerry Goodfriend (CKUT-FM, QC)
Helen Leicht (folkmusicnotebook.com)
Jack Dugan (WIOX-FM, NY)
Jan Vanderhorst (justusfolk.com, ON)
Jim Gilliland (WRUW-FM, OH)
Jim Marino (CFMU-FM, ON)
Joe Pszonek (folkmusicnotebook.com, SC)
Johnny Bazzano (KRCB-FM, TX)
Jon Stein (WTBQ-FM, NY)
Juliet Youngren (WEFT-FM)
Justin Helmer (KVSC-FM, MN)
Karen Rakos (KEUL-FM, AK)
Kejo Buchanan (CJTM-AM & soundcloud.com, ON)
Kevin Vance (KALW-FM & KPFA-FM, CA)
Laurie DesJardins (KVMR-FM, CA)
Len Holton (KUAR-FM & mixcloud.com, AR)
Lilli Kuzma (WDCB-FM, IL)
Marc Albert (KMUZ-FM & mixcloud.com, OR)
Marilyn Rea Beyer (WFMT-FM, IL)
Mark Michaelis (WGDR/WGDH-FM, VT)
Menachem Vinegrad (Radio Upper Galilee & folkmusicnotebook.com, OH)
Michael Alzo (WSLU-FM, NY)
Michael Benson (WESU-FM, CT)
Michael Kane (WBRS-FM, MA)
Michael Park (mixcloud.com, PRX)
Mike Regenstreif (CKCU-FM, ON)
Mitch Park (Radio Hawke's Bay & newfolkrecords.com, New Zealand)
Nick Noble (WICN-FM, MA)
Paul Hartman (WTMD-FM, MD)
Pete Thomas (WAER-FM, NY)
Peter Kernast (WTSR-FM, NJ)
Richard Gillmann (KBCS-FM & mixcloud.com, WA)
Richard Gordon (WRCT-FM & mixcloud.com, PA)
Richard Howard (KZMU-FM, UT)
Ron Olesko (WFDU-FM & folkmusicnotebook.com, NJ)
Steve Edge (CiTR-FM & syndicated, BC)
Stu Weaver (WFCF-FM, FL)
Taylor Caffery (WRKF-FM, LA)
Terry B. Moses & Naomi Soule (KCLC-FM, MO)
Tom Coxworth (CKUA-FM, AB)
Tom Druckenmiller (WDIY-FM & podcast, PA)
Tom Funk (KGLP-FM, NM)
Wally Bowen (KOCF-LP, OR)
Wanda Fischer (mixcloud.com, NY)
Wayne Greene (KEOS-FM, TX)