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

• folk-rocker noun

Etymology

Origin of folk rock

First recorded in 1965–70; folk + rock ²

Example Sentences

Instead, Mustafa hosted more than four hours of music from a range of artists that spanned pop, folk, rock, R&B and well beyond.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2026

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

It is an ambitious record, written by Hudson with her close collaborators Linda Perry, Johan Carlsson, and her fiance Danny Fujikawa, spanning folk, rock and synth, soulful ballads and big pop songs.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024

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

As one of the originators of the post-revolutionary genre nueva trova, he combined elements of Cuban son and guaracha with soul, jazz and folk rock.

From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2022