Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart
May 2026 (so far)

Compiled by Richard Gillmann
From Playlists Submitted to FOLKDJ-L

TOP ALBUMS of May 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 6339 plays from 217 playlists from 85 Folk DJs

  1: "Old No. 1 Revisited," Various Artists [Truly Handmade, 4/2026] (28)
        "Desperados Waiting For A Train," Andrew Combs (6)
        "Like A Coat From The Cold," Logan Ledger (4)
        "La Freeway," Jade Bird (4)
        "Nickel for the Fiddler," Kelsey Waldon (4)
  2: "Sing Me Alive," I'm With Her [Rounder, 5/2026] (27)
        "Crossing Muddy Waters" (5)
        "The Obvious Child" (4)
  3: "The Great Irish Songbook, Vol. 2: Poets & Storytellers," Dervish [Down The Road, 4/2026] (25)
        "Jackie" (4)
        "Blue Is the Eye" (4)
  3: "Simple As," Johnsmith [Blue Pine, 5/2026] (25)
        "Simple As" (11)
  5: "Dark on a Sunny Day," Maisy Owen [Tompkins Square, 5/2026] (22)
        "My Youth Is All For You" (5)
        "Dark On A Sunny Day" (5)
        "I Can Be Just Like You" (4)
        "On My Way Down" (3)
  5: "Never Done," Annie & Rod Capps [Maynard, 4/2026] (22)
        "Thread" (8)
        "Pardon My Dust" (5)
        "Stupid Things" (3)
        "Never Done" (3)
  7: "Lost Cause Lover Fool," The Milk Carton Kids [Thirty Tigers, 2/2026] (21)
        "I'll Go Home From Here" (4)
        "Young Love" (4)
        "Sad Song" (3)
  8: "Baggage Flies Free," Ed Snodderly [Majestic, 5/2026] (20)
        "Coming Down This Road" (9)
        "When Doc Watson Comes to Johnson City" (4)
        "High In The Rhyme" (3)
  8: "Citizen," Crys Matthews [Shamus, 5/2026] (20)
        "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" (9)
        "Citizen" (8)
        "Citizen feat. Resistance Revival Chorus" (3)
 10: "Broken River," Hank Alrich [Walkinay, 5/2026] (19)
        "Blue Guru" (3)
        "She Had Whiskey for Dinner" (3)
        "Broken River" (3)
 10: "Twilight Tales," The Heart Collectors [Spins The Gold, 4/2026] (19)
        "One Voice" (8)
        "Eagles And Horses" (5)
        "Beneath The Fall" (3)
 12: "Low Country Wedding," Jefferson Ross [Self, 4/2026] (18)
        "Gideon" (5)
        "Red State Blues" (3)
 12: "Middle of Nowhere," Kacey Musgraves [Lost Highway, 5/2026] (18)
        "Everybody Wants to be a Cowboy" (4)
        "Uncertain, TX" (3)
        "Horses and Divorces" (3)
 12: "Over Again," A Different Thread [Same Cloth, 5/2026] (18)
        "Over Again" (7)
 12: "Raise Your Voice: Songs of Resistance from the Nation's Capital," Various Artists [Various Artists, 5/2026] (18)
        "Hold On," Jillian Matundan (3)
        "Conman," John Vengrouskie (3)
        "I Don't Want Your Billions Mister," David Scott Weaver (3)
 16: "Dream Chaser," Willie Nelson [Legacy, 4/2026] (17)
        "Dream Chaser" (4)
        "I Can't Read Your Mind" (3)
 16: "Field Notes," Dave Gunning [Self, 2/2026] (17)
        "World of Make Believe" (4)
        "Raven's Glen" (3)
        "Angels' Share" (3)
 18: "Appalachia," Emily Scott Robinson [Oh Boy, 1/2026] (16)
        "Appalachia" (5)
        "The Time for Flowers" (2)
        "Time Traveler" (2)
        "The Fairest View" (2)
 18: "We Were Made for These Times," The Klezmatics [Shamus, 5/2026] (16)
        "We Were Made For These Times" (4)
        "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos" (3)
        "Un Du Akerst" (2)
 20: "Business Unusual," Goodnight Moonshine [Self, 2/2026] (15)
        "Stars" (4)
        "Good News" (3)
        "Dead and Gone" (2)
        "Welcome Home" (2)
 20: "Veranda," Veranda [Big In The Garden, 5/2026] (15)
        "Sans Ardillon" (3)
        "Comme le temps" (2)
 22: "Long Long Road," Ringo Starr [UMe, 4/2026] (14)
        "Returning Without Tears" (3)
        "It's Been Too Long" (2)
        "She's Gone" (2)
        "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore" (2)
        "You and I w/ Molly Tuttle" (2)
 22: "Mountains on the Moon," Paper Wings [Self, 3/2026] (14)
        "Fumblin'" (6)
        "Goodness" (2)
 22: "Time," Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band [Thirty Tigers, 5/2026] (14)
        "Crazy About a Jukebox" (2)
        "Life Of Love" (2)
        "Wild About My Lovin'" (2)
 25: "Fortune Teller," Bobby Dove [New Motor] (13)
        "Dreamt I Met John Prine" (5)
        "Fortune Teller" (2)
        "Did I Speak Too Soon" (2)
 25: "Live at the Rock House," Sky Smeed [Self, 4/2026] (13)
        "Good Luck" (2)
        "Hanging On" (2)
        "Keep Rolling On" (2)
        "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" (2)
 25: "Love & Labour," Hannah & Nathan [Self, 4/2026] (13)
        "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" (3)
        "Love & Labour" (3)
        "Little Baby James" (3)
        "Little Bird" (3)
 25: "Overdue for a Revolution," Martin Kerr [Nettwerk, 3/2026] (13)
        "Overdue for a Revolution" (3)
        "The Time We've Been Given" (2)
 25: "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard," Andy Cohen + Eleanor Ellis + William Lee Ellis [Riverlark, 4/2026] (13)
        "Memphis Minnie and Me" (3)
        "Riley & Spencer" (2)
        "I'm goin' home" (2)
        "Mr. Furry's Blues" (2)
 30: "Earl Jam," Tony Trischka [Down The Road, 2024] (12)
        "Wish We Had Our Time Again" (3)
        "I Still Miss Someone" (2)
 30: "The Matter of the Heart," Matthew Alexander [Caravan] (12)
        "A Crooked Rhyme" (2)
        "Don't Let the Night Steal Your Dreams" (2)
        "Equinox" (2)
        "The Matter of the Heart" (2)
 30: "Path of Totality," The Montvales [Free Dirt, 3/2026] (12)
        "The Wicked" (2)
        "Carolina" (2)
        "Plains of Ohio" (2)
 30: "Rainy Nights & Rearview Windows," Sue Horowitz [Self, 3/2026] (12)
        "Mystic" (4)
        "Burn" (2)
 30: "Reunion," Various Artists [Red House, 2021] (12)
        "Heaven," Mama's Broke (7)
        "Mother's Day," Lucy Kaplansky (4)
 35: "Blessing on the Wing," Newberry & Verch [Slab Town, 4/2026] (11)
        "Blessing On The Wing" (3)
        "Neighbors" (3)
        "Turtle Dove" (2)
 35: "Magic Accident," Della Mae [Compass, 1/2026] (11)
        "Family Tree" (3)
        "What You're Looking For" (2)
        "Little Bird" (2)
 35: "Saturday Night Sermon," Yarn [Ardsley] (11)
        "Let The Universe" (4)
        "A Welcome New Home" (2)
 35: "Sumatra," Paula Boggs Band [Boggs, 4/2026] (11)
        "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round" (4)
        "Route 66" (3)
        "Airline Boogie" (2)
 35: "Thread The Light," The McDades [Free Radio] (11)
        "Lily of the West" (2)
        "Sky Trails" (2)
        "Dance Around the Spinning Wheel" (2)
 35: "Wake Me Up Martha," Andy Revkin [Self] (11)
        "Wake Me Up Martha" (3)
        "Good News from 2044" (2)
        "Long Short Story" (2)
        "Save Dreams for Sleeping" (2)
 41: "Better Times," Matthew Payne [Self, 4/2026] (9)
        "My Father's Son" (2)
        "Heartsick" (2)
 41: "Empty Pair of Shoes," Claire Lynch [Thrill Hill] (9)
        "Trouble's Not Troubling Me" (3)
        "Sugar Blues Tomorrow" (2)
        "One Mistake at a Time" (2)
 41: "Joe Hill's Last Will," John McCutcheon [Appalsongs, 2015] (9)
        "Joe Hill's Last Will" (3)
        "It's A Long Way To The Soupline" (2)
 41: "Live at ETSU! A 30-Year Retrospective," Blue Highway [Self] (9)
        "In The Gravel Yard" (2)
        "Lonesome Pine" (2)
 41: "Time," Taj Mahal & Phantom Blues Band [Resonatin'] (9)
        "Crazy About A Jukebox" (2)
        "Wild About My Lovin'" (2)
        "It's your Voodoo Working" (2)
 41: "When I Am A Fossil," Benny Bleu [Circus Tent] (9)
        "All I Want to Be" (2)
        "Old Dog" (2)
        "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (2)
 41: "When Summer Comes," David Coller [Upstart Yankee, 4/2026] (9)
        "Let Nothing Come Between Us" (3)
        "When Summer Comes" (2)
 48: "The Guitar," Andrew Crawford [Bonfire Recording Co] (8)
        "Three Blind Mice" (1)
 48: "If I Had A Hammer," Pete Seeger [Smithsonian/Folkways] (8)
        "Well May the World Go" (1)
 48: "A Line In The Sand," Phil Kennelty [Self] (8)
        "All the Immigrants Are Gone" (1)
 48: "This One's For You," Rachel Brooke [MAL] (8)
        "The Real Pretender" (2)
        "Currently the Fool" (2)
 48: "The Trouble with Desire," Frank Viele [Bigger Beast] (8)
        "Trying to Raise a Man" (2)
 48: "Unwanted," Dale Watson [Forty Below] (8)
        "Life is Like a Song" (2)

TOP SONGS of May 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 6339 plays from 217 playlists from 85 Folk DJs

1. "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" (11)
     from "Citizen" (Crys Matthews)
1. "Simple As" (11)
     from "Simple As" (Johnsmith)
3. "One Voice" (8)
     from "Twilight Tales" (The Heart Collectors)
3. "Citizen" (8)
     from "Citizen" (Crys Matthews)
3. "Thread" (8)
     from "Never Done" (Annie & Rod Capps)
6. "Dance Around the Spinning Wheel" (7)
     from "Dance Around the Spinning Wheel - single" (The McDades)
6. "Desperados Waiting For A Train" (7)
     from "Old No. 1 Revisited" (Andrew Combs)
6. "Heaven" (7)
     from "Reunion" (Mama's Broke)
6. "The Mother" (7)
     from "By The Way, I Forgive You" (Brandi Carlile)
6. "Over Again" (7)
     from "Over Again" (A Different Thread)
11. "Coming Down This Road" (6)
     from "Baggage Flies Free" (Ed Snodderly)
11. "Deportee" (6)
     from "Deportee" (Eilen Jewell)
11. "Fumblin'" (6)
     from "Mountains on the Moon" (Paper Wings)
14. "American Dissident" (5)
     from "American Dissident - single" (John Flynn)
14. "Appalachia" (5)
     from "Appalachia" (Emily Scott Robinson)
14. "Blue Is the Eye" (5)
     from "The Great Irish Songbook, Vol. 2: Poets & Storytellers" (Dervish)
14. "Coming Down This Road" (5)
     from "Baggage Flies Free" (Es Pearl Aka Ed Snodderly)
14. "Crazy About a Jukebox" (5)
     from "Time" (Taj Mahal & Phantom Blues Band)
14. "Crossing Muddy Waters" (5)
     from "Sing Me Alive" (I'm With Her)
14. "Crying Babies" (5)
     from "Mostly Fine" (Susan Kane)
14. "Dark On A Sunny Day" (5)
     from "Dark on a Sunny Day" (Maisy Owen)
14. "Dreamt I Met John Prine" (5)
     from "Fortune Teller" (Bobby Dove)
14. "Eagles And Horses" (5)
     from "Twilight Tales" (The Heart Collectors)
14. "Gideon" (5)
     from "Low Country Wedding" (Jefferson Ross)
14. "Hold On" (5)
     from "Hold On" (Jillian Matundan)

TOP ARTISTS of May 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 6339 plays from 217 playlists from 85 Folk DJs

1. Pete Seeger (68)
        "If I Had A Hammer" (8)
2. Dervish (32)
        "The Great Irish Songbook, Vol. 2: Poets & Storytellers" (25)
        "The Great Irish Songbook" (5)
3. I'm With Her (29)
        "Sing Me Alive" (27)
3. Willie Nelson (29)
        "Dream Chaser" (17)
5. Crys Matthews (28)
        "Citizen" (20)
5. Johnsmith (28)
        "Simple As" (25)
7. Maisy Owen (25)
        "Dark on a Sunny Day" (22)
8. Bob Dylan (23)
        "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 1961-1991" (3)
        "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (3)
9. Annie & Rod Capps (22)
        "Never Done" (22)
9. The Heart Collectors (22)
        "Twilight Tales" (19)
11. The Milk Carton Kids (20)
        "Lost Cause Lover Fool" (20)
12. The Klezmatics (19)
        "We Were Made for These Times" (16)
13. Dave Gunning (18)
        "Field Notes" (17)
13. A Different Thread (18)
        "Over Again" (18)
13. Ed Snodderly (18)
        "Baggage Flies Free" (11)
        "Es Pearl Presents Ed Snodderly Baggage Flies Free" (3)
13. Hank Alrich (18)
        "Broken River" (18)
13. Jefferson Ross (18)
        "Low Country Wedding" (18)
13. Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band (18)
        "Time" (9)
        "Time" (8)
13. Tony Trischka (18)
        "Earl Jam" (12)
        "Earl Jam 2" (4)
13. Yarn (18)
        "Saturday Night Sermon" (11)
21. Benny Bleu (17)
        "When I Am A Fossil" (9)
21. Emily Scott Robinson (17)
        "Appalachia" (16)
21. John McCutcheon (17)
        "Joe Hill's Last Will" (9)
24. John Gorka (16)
        "unentitled" (6)
24. Lucy Kaplansky (16)
        "Last Days of Summer" (5)
        "Reunion" (5)
24. The McDades (16)
        "Thread The Light" (11)
        "Dance Around The Spinning Wheel - single" (5)
24. Paper Wings (16)
        "Mountains on the Moon" (14)
28. Judy Collins (15/22)
        "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" (4)
        "Whales & Nightingales" (3)
        "Wildflowers" (3)
28. Goodnight Moonshine (15)
        "Business Unusual" (15)
28. Utah Phillips (15)
        "Good Though!" (4)
        "I've Got To Know" (3)
        "The Long Memory" (3)
28. Veranda (15)
        "Veranda" (15)
32. Kacey Musgraves (14)
        "Middle of Nowhere" (14)
32. Ringo Starr (14)
        "Long Long Road" (14)
34. Andy Revkin (13)
        "Wake Me Up Martha" (11)
34. Bobby Dove (13)
        "Fortune Teller" (13)
34. Della Mae (13)
        "Magic Accident" (11)
34. Garnet Rogers (13)
        "Summer's End" (5)
34. Martin Kerr (13)
        "Overdue for a Revolution" (13)
34. Sky Smeed (13)
        "Live at the Rock House" (13)
34. Tom Chapin (13)
        "Songs of Hope" (3)
        "Threads" (3)
        "The Turning of the Tide" (3)
41. Carrie Newcomer (12)
        "A Great Wild Mercy" (4)
41. Claire Lynch (12)
        "Empty Pair of Shoes" (9)
41. Janis Ian (12)
        "From Me To You Live In Bremen 2004" (6)
41. John Prine (12)
        "Sweet Revenge" (3)
41. Mama's Broke (12)
        "Reunion" (7)
        "Narrow Line" (4)
41. Matthew Alexander (12)
        "The Matter of the Heart" (12)
41. The Montvales (12)
        "Path of Totality" (12)
41. Old Crow Medicine Show (12)
        "Union Made" (7)
41. Phil Kennelty (12)
        "A Line In The Sand" (8)
41. Sue Horowitz (12)
        "Rainy Nights & Rearview Windows" (12)
51. Angelique Kidjo (11)
        "Hope!!" (7)
        "HOPE" (3)
51. Blue Highway (11)
        "Live at ETSU! A 30-Year Retrospective" (9)
51. Greg Brown (11)
        "If I Had Known: Essential Recordings, 1980-1996" (4)
51. Hannah & Nathan (11)
        "Love & Labour" (11)
51. Joan Baez (11)
        "Whistle Down The Wind" (2)
51. Paula Boggs Band (11)
        "Sumatra" (11)
51. Sarah Jarosz (11)
        "Polaroid Lovers" (3)
        "World On The Ground" (3)
58. Cosy Sheridan (10)
        "The Breathing Room" (2)
58. David Coller (10)
        "When Summer Comes" (9)
58. Frank Viele (10)
        "The Trouble with Desire" (6)
        "The Silo EP" (3)
58. Matthew Payne (10)
        "Better Times" (9)
58. Michael J. Miles (10)
        "Great American Jukebox" (7)

TOP LABELS of May 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 6339 plays from 217 playlists from 85 Folk DJs

1. Rounder (109)
2. Smithsonian/Folkways (86)
3. Columbia (71)
4. Red House (65)
5. Thirty Tigers (52)
6. Compass (44)
7. Down The Road (38)
7. Shamus (38)
9. Elektra (35)
9. Warner (35)
11. Signature Sounds (34)
12. Legacy (32)
13. Appleseed (31)
13. Free Dirt (31)
15. Sugar Hill (28)
16. Truly Handmade (27)
17. Oh Boy (25)
18. Rhino (23)
19. Reprise (22)
20. Lost Highway (21)
21. Blue Pine (20)
22. Appalsongs (19)
22. Tompkins Square (19)
24. Capitol (18)
24. Majestic (18)
24. New West (18)
24. Spins The Gold (18)
24. Walkinay (18)
29. Nettwerk (17)
29. Philo (17)
31. Sony (16)
32. Atlantic (15)
32. Borealis (15)
32. Nonesuch (15)
32. Pinecastle (15)
36. Riverlark (14)
36. Same Cloth (14)
36. Vanguard (14)
39. ATO (13)
40. Acony (12)
40. Big In The Garden (12)
40. Bigger Beast (12)
40. Caravan (12)
40. Maynard (12)
40. Topic (12)

FOLK DJs - May 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 6339 plays from 217 playlists from 85 Folk DJs

Al Kniola (WVPE-FM, IN)
Allen Larman (KPFK-FM, CA)
Angela Page (WJFF-FM & folkmusicnotebook.com, NY)
Art Menius (WHUP-LP, NC)
Artie Martello (folkmusicnotebook.com, NY)
Bill "Rusty" Crowell & Jan Alba (WPPM-FM & mixcloud.com, PA)
Bill Revill (WESU-FM, CT)
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)
Chris McGill (WSPN-FM, NY)
Colin Fielding (3INR-FM, Australia)
Craig Huegel (WMNF-FM, FL)
Dan Alloway (KTEP-FM, TX)
Dan Shramek (KBOO-FM, OR)
Daryana Antipova (WFHB-FM)
David John (KAXE/KBXE-FM & KEOS-FM, TX)
David Sears (WBGU-FM & syndicated, OH)
Denis McGilvray (KWGS-FM, OK)
Diane Hunt (KBOO-FM, OR)
Dick Hermans (WKZE-FM, NY)
Ed Mellnick (KBOO-FM, OR)
Eureka Mike (WFCF-FM & thesonicplanet.com, FL)
Gerry Goodfriend (CKUT-FM, QC)
Graham Dean & Barbara Dean (WBCR-LP, MA)
Helen Leicht (folkmusicnotebook.com)
Jack Dugan (WIOX-FM, NY)
Jan Vanderhorst (justusfolk.com, ON)
Jean Geiger (mixcloud.com)
Jenny Flux (2BBB-FM, Australia)
Jim Gilliland (WRUW-FM, OH)
Jim Marino (CFMU-FM, ON)
Joe Pszonek (folkmusicnotebook.com, SC)
John Weingart (WPRB-FM, NJ)
Johnny Bazzano (KRCB-FM, CA)
Jon Stein (WTBQ-FM, NY)
Juliet Youngren (WEFT-FM)
Justin Helmer (KVSC-FM, MN)
Kai Schafft (WVBR-FM, NY)
Karen Rakos (KEUL-FM, AK)
Katrina Knight (mixcloud.com & folkmusicnotebook.com, Australia)
Kejo Buchanan (CJTM-AM & soundcloud.com, ON)
Ken Batista (WRCT-FM, PA)
Kevin Elliott (WEFT-FM, IL)
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, Israel)
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)
Norm Mast (WVPE-FM, IN)
Paul Hartman (WTMD-FM, MD)
Paul Porzio (Cox Cable, VA)
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 Cooke (KTAL-LP, NM)
Ron Olesko (WFDU-FM & folkmusicnotebook.com, NJ)
Steve Brockway (KRFC-FM, CO)
Steve Edge (CiTR-FM & syndicated, BC)
Stu Weaver (WFCF-FM, FL)
Susan Forbes Hansen (WWUH-FM & WHUS-FM, CT)
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 (WAMC-FM & mixcloud.com, NY)
Wayne Greene (KEOS-FM, TX)
Zeke Duckworthy & Andy Rogovin (WZBC-FM, MA)