Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart
October 2026 (so far)

Compiled by Richard Gillmann
From Playlists Submitted to FOLKDJ-L

TOP ALBUMS of October 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2262 plays from 83 playlists from 67 Folk DJs

  1: "So Much for Goodbyes," Billy Strings [Reprise, 7/2026] (15)
        "10,000 Miles from a Friend" (3)
        "I Like Train Songs" (2)
        "Light the way" (2)
        "Live to Tell" (2)
        "Lay Me Down" (2)
  2: "The Answer," Caroline Cotter [Self] (14)
        "Good News" (4)
        "1000 Years Ago" (3)
  2: "Undo The Damage," Rod MacDonald [Blue Flute] (14)
        "Undo The Damage" (7)
        "Star of Wonder" (3)
  4: "Reckoning," Mary Gauthier [Thirty Tigers, 9/2026] (12)
        "Alcohol and Adderall" (3)
        "Reckoning" (2)
        "Some Times" (2)
  5: "Requiem for a Sleepless Night," Kelly Hunt [Compass, 8/2026] (11)
        "All the King's Horses" (4)
        "Dreamer" (2)
        "I Rise" (2)
  5: "Smoketree," The Kennedys [Self, 8/2026] (11)
        "Smoketree" (4)
        "Girl On A Motorcycle" (2)
        "Without Us" (2)
  5: "Tamarack," Kalos [Self, 9/2026] (11)
        "The Open Door" (3)
        "'Neath the Gloamin' Star at E'en / Cosen Cole's Delight" (2)
  8: "Sunday Afternoon," Kate Prascher [Self] (10)
        "Jubilee" (3)
        "Sing Again" (2)
  9: "Hope Is the Thing," Rhiannon Giddens [Nonesuch, 7/2026] (9)
        "Hope Is the Thing with Feathers" (3)
        "High on a Mountain" (2)
  9: "Songs From the Knoxville Project," Angela Easterling [De L'est, 9/2026] (9)
        "Count All The Stars" (4)
        "In The Wilds" (2)
  9: "Troubadourly Yours," Scott Cook [Release Guru, 8/2026] (9)
        "Keeping Good Company" (3)
        "The Wolf That Wins" (2)
 12: "Under My Canopy," Rachael Sage & The Sequins [MPress] (8)
        "Live It Up" (4)
        "Just Enough" (2)
 12: "Williams Branch Is Hard to Find," Carla Gover & Friends [Legacy, 9/2026] (8)
        "Williams Branch is Hard to Find" (2)
        "Queen of the Kitchen, King of the Road" (2)
 14: "Seven North," Phil Henry [Board By Board] (7)
        "Hey There Gilligan" (2)
        "Make Good Trouble Again" (2)
 14: "A Bird on the Wing," Paula Fong [Head Bitch] (7)
        "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (2)
        "Up and Out" (2)
 14: "Blue Water," David Coller [Self] (7)
        "Captain, My Captain" (2)
        "Nova Scotia Bound" (2)
 14: "Bluegrass Women," Lindsay Lou [Son Of Bart, 9/2026] (7)
        "All I Ever Loved Was You" (4)
        "Jubilee" (2)
 14: "Break & Mend," The Heists [Muskeg Collective, 8/2026] (7)
        "Farewell Old Treadwell" (3)
        "In The Meantime" (2)
 14: "In the Snug," Tulua [Self] (7)
        "One I Love" (1)
 14: "Lucky Water," Laura Cortese [Compass, 9/2026] (7)
        "Lucky Water" (3)
 14: "Reunion," Mama's Broke [Free Dirt, 5/2026] (7)
        "The Nameless" (2)
 14: "Two Crows," Louise Grasmere [LEG, 9/2026] (7)
        "Two Crows" (2)
        "Tillys Song" (2)
 23: "Gulf Coast Duets," Libby Koch & Michael O'Connor [Coastal Bend] (6)
        "Boats To Build" (3)
 23: "Hope Is Restless," Nicole Mish [Self] (6)
        "Tell Me Something Good" (3)
        "Wild Song" (2)
 23: "The Morning Dark," Hayden Stern [Adhyâropa, 9/2026] (6)
        "Susie's" (2)
 26: "Second Song," Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts [Reprise] (5)
        "Casting Me Away From You" (2)
 26: "Gratuitous Grace," Richard Peter Morris [Chutney & Mango, 8/2026] (5)
        "Harbor Light" (3)
 26: "I Gotta Do Somethin'," The Twangtown Paramours [Inside Edge] (5)
        "I Gotta Do Somethin'" (5)
 26: "Little Storms," Ethan Setiawan [Self] (5)
        "Rockingham Waltz" (2)
 26: "The Long Memory - 20 Years of Free Dirt Records," Various Artists [Free Dirt] (5)
        "The Long Game," Viv + Riley, Rachel Baiman (3)
 26: "Old Friends," Mary McCaslin [Philo, 1977] (5)
        "Old Friends" (4)
 26: "These Are the Days That Turn In To Years," Pharis & Jason Romero [Self, 5/2026] (5)
        "Left My Home" (3)
 26: "Trade My Troubles," Rising Appalachia [Self, 8/2026] (5)
        "Red Prairie Dawn / Red Rocking Chair" (1)
 26: "The Tree Of Forgiveness," John Prine [Oh Boy, 2020] (5)
        "Summer's End" (2)
 26: "Unadorned," Deborah Holland [Self, 8/2026] (5)
        "Last Helicopter Out of Saigon" (2)

TOP SONGS of October 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2262 plays from 83 playlists from 67 Folk DJs

1. "Undo The Damage" (7)
     from "Undo the Damage" (Rod MacDonald)
2. "I Gotta Do Somethin'" (5)
     from "I Gotta Do Somethin'" (The Twangtown Paramours)
2. "Smoketree" (5)
     from "Smoketree" (The Kennedys)
4. "All I Ever Loved Was You" (4)
     from "Bluegrass Women" (Lindsay Lou)
4. "All the King's Horses" (4)
     from "Requiem for a Sleepless Night" (Kelly Hunt)
4. "Count All The Stars" (4)
     from "Songs From the Knoxville Project" (Angela Easterling)
4. "Good News" (4)
     from "The Answer" (Caroline Cotter)
4. "Live It Up" (4)
     from "Under My Canopy" (Rachael Sage & The Sequins)
4. "Marlboros in Muskogee" (4)
     from "Southern Gossip" (Sister Sadie)
4. "Sorcerer's Apprentice" (4)
     from "Hippies, Thugs and Heroes" (Richard Thompson)
4. "Yellow Dog Blues" (4)
     from "The Blood of Others" (Bruce Cockburn)
12. "10,000 Miles from a Friend" (3)
     from "So Much for Goodbyes" (Billy Strings)
12. "1000 Years Ago" (3)
     from "The Answer" (Caroline Cotter)
12. "Alcohol and Adderall" (3)
     from "Reckoning" (Mary Gauthier)

TOP ARTISTS of October 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2262 plays from 83 playlists from 67 Folk DJs

1. John Prine (19)
        "The Tree Of Forgiveness" (5)
        "Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music" (3)
2. Billy Strings (17)
        "So Much for Goodbyes" (15)
3. Jake Blount (16)
        "Stackolee - single" (3)
3. The Kennedys (16)
        "Smoketree" (11)
        "Headwinds" (3)
5. Caroline Cotter (15)
        "The Answer" (14)
5. Rod MacDonald (15)
        "Undo The Damage" (14)
7. Kalos (14)
        "Tamarack" (11)
8. Mary Gauthier (12)
        "Reckoning" (11)
9. Bob Dylan (11)
        "John Wesley Harding" (2)
9. Kelly Hunt (11)
        "Requiem for a Sleepless Night" (11)
11. Kate Prascher (10)
        "Sunday Afternoon" (10)
11. Rhiannon Giddens (10)
        "Hope Is the Thing" (9)
13. Angela Easterling (9)
        "Songs From the Knoxville Project" (9)
13. Scott Cook (9)
        "Troubadourly Yours" (9)
15. Laura Cortese (8)
        "Lucky Water" (7)
15. Lindsay Lou (8)
        "Bluegrass Women" (7)
15. Richard Thompson (8)
        "Hippies, Thugs and Heroes" (4)
15. Tulua (8)
        "In the Snug" (7)
19. Dolly Parton (7/16)
        "Dolly" (4)
        "Jolene" (3)
19. David Coller (7)
        "Blue Water" (7)
19. Hayden Stern (7)
        "The Morning Dark" (6)
19. The Heists (7)
        "Break & Mend" (7)
19. Joni Mitchell (7)
        "Blue" (2)
19. Jon Shain (7)
        "Odds...and Even So" (3)
19. Louise Grasmere (7)
        "Two Crows" (7)
19. Mama's Broke (7)
        "Reunion" (7)
19. Paula Fong (7)
        "A Bird on the Wing" (7)
19. Rachael Sage & The Sequins (7)
        "Under My Canopy" (7)
19. Tom Russell (7)
        "Old Songs Yet To Sing" (2)

TOP LABELS of October 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2262 plays from 83 playlists from 67 Folk DJs

1. Compass (37)
2. Reprise (29)
2. Rounder (29)
4. Columbia (25)
5. Smithsonian/Folkways (24)
6. Oh Boy (23)
7. Free Dirt (21)
7. Nonesuch (21)
9. Sugar Hill (19)
9. Thirty Tigers (19)
11. Warner (16)
12. New West (14)
13. Legacy (13)
14. Blue Flute (12)
15. Red House (10)
15. Signature Sounds (10)
17. Adhyâropa (9)
17. Atlantic (9)
17. Capitol (9)
17. Fantasy (9)
17. MPress (9)

FOLK DJs - October 2026
Compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L playlists
Based on 2262 plays from 83 playlists from 67 Folk DJs

Art Menius (WHQR-FM, NC)
Artie Martello (folkmusicnotebook.com, NY)
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)
Colin Fielding (3INR-FM, Australia)
Dan Shramek (KBOO-FM, OR)
David John (KAXE/KBXE-FM, MN)
David Sears (WBGU-FM, 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)
Gordon Nash (folkmusicnotebook.com)
Graham Dean & Barbara Dean (WBCR-LP, MA)
Harlon Joye (WRFG-FM, GA)
Helen Leicht (folkmusicnotebook.com)
JB Nuttle (WSDL-FM, MD)
Jack Dugan (WIOX-FM & thesonicplanet.com, NY)
James Sereda (WUSB-FM, NY)
Jan Vanderhorst (justusfolk.com, ON)
Jenny Flux (2BBB-FM, Australia)
Jim Fisher (WGCS-FM, IN)
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)
Juliet Youngren (WEFT-FM, IL)
Justin Helmer (KVSC-FM, MN)
Karen Rakos (KEUL-FM, AK)
Katrina Knight (mixcloud.com & folkmusicnotebook.com)
Ken Batista (WRCT-FM, PA)
Kevin Elliott (WEFT-FM, IL)
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 Benson (WESU-FM, CT)
Michael Park (mixcloud.com)
Michael Stock (WLRN-FM, FL)
Mike Regenstreif (CKCU-FM, ON)
Mitch Park (Radio Kidnappers & Radio Hawke's Bay, New Zealand)
Nick Noble (WICN-FM, MA)
Norm Mast (WVPE-FM, IN)
Paul Hartman (WTMD-FM, MD)
Peter Fraissinet (WVBR-FM, NY)
Peter Kernast (WTSR-FM, NJ)
Richard Gordon (WRCT-FM & mixcloud.com, PA)
Richard Howard (KZMU-FM, UT)
Ron Olesko (WFDU-FM & folkmusicnotebook.com, NJ)
Sarah LaDuke (folkalley.com, NY)
Sherre Birenbaum (therootsfm.org, MO)
Steve Edge (CiTR-FM & syndicated, BC)
Taylor Caffery (WRKF-FM, LA)
Terry B. Moses & Naomi Soule (KCLC-FM, MO)
Tom Druckenmiller (WDIY-FM & podcast, PA)
Tom Funk (KGLP-FM, NM)
Wally Bowen (KOCF-LP, OR)
Wanda Fischer (WAMC-FM & mixcloud.com, NY)


Releases new to the chart in October:

Aaron Burdett: "Refuge" (Organic)
Amy Speace: "There Used To Be Horses Here" (Windbone)
Bill Staines: "The Second Million Miles" (Red House)
The Savage Hearts: "Playing It Forward" (thesavagehearts.com)
Various Artists: "Sugar Hill: A Retrospective" (Sugar Hill)
Wanda Fischer: "Singing Along With The Radio" (Self)
Wild Ponies: "Radiant" (No Evil)
Woody Guthrie: "Hard Travelin': The Asch Recordings, Vol. 3" (Smithsonian/Folkways)
Woody Guthrie: "Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection" (Smithsonian/Folkways)