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• folk rock
  folk rock

  noun

  a style of music combining characteristics of rock-'n'-roll and folk music, often exemplified by protest songs to a rock-'n'-roll beat, and at its height of popularity in the late 1960s.
• folk-rock
  folk-rock

  noun

  a style of rock music influenced by folk, including traditional material arranged for electric instruments

folk rock

American  

Or folk-rock

noun

1. a style of music combining characteristics of rock-'n'-roll and folk music, often exemplified by protest songs to a rock-'n'-roll beat, and at its height of popularity in the late 1960s.

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folk-rock British  

noun

1. a style of rock music influenced by folk, including traditional material arranged for electric instruments

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• folk-rocker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of folk rock

First recorded in 1965–70; folk + rock ²

Example Sentences

The closest contemporary artist would be Chris Stapleton, who, when seen live, embodies a Neil Young solo acoustic; it could be country, folk, rock.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025

Woman of the moment Sabrina Carpenter kicked off the show by performing a duet alongside Paul Simon of folk rock duo Simon and Garfunkel.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2025

His influence shaped folk rock for decades, even as his longhaired counterculture persona placed him squarely in the 1960s.

From New York Times • Jan. 20, 2023

With his brother Michael Bacon, he fronts a band, the Bacon Brothers, whose style is a blend of alt country and soulful folk rock.

From Salon • Nov. 28, 2022

Early on, her label, Columbia Records, marketed Carpenter as a country artist, even though her music also had elements of folk, rock and pop.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2022