Sometimes indie and alternative music scenes can appear to be a little bit dominated by scruffy looking boys with guitar. The industry as a whole is often male-centric but this year we celebrated some great women in the world of folk music and discovered some brand new strong female acts like Freja, Ellie Ford and Maria Kelly. This section of our Top 50 records of 2015 features some phenomenal records from the likes of Sharon Van Etten, Kacey Musgraves and Ryan Adams favourite Natalie Prass.
21. King Creosote – From Scotland With Love
A typically Scottish feeling work with poetic musings on life in the far north with the expected wit and lyrical prowess.
Review on The Thin Air
22. Sun Kil Moon – Universal Themes
All the weirdness and wonder you’d expect from Kozelec with stream of conscious stories on themes anything but universal.
Review on Cultnoise
23. The Milk Carton Kids – Monterey
Recorded on empty stages while on the road, this record captures the live warmth of those simple arrangements and sublime harmonies.
24. Sharon Van Etten – I Don’t Want To Let You Down
An album cover that looks like daybreak on Sharon Van Etten betrays the darkness and despair of the content best enjoyed in the dark with a bourbon.
25. Sam Duckworth – Amazing Grace
Former focal point of Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, Duckworth has been rejuvenated by the freedom to be himself as this honest record shows.
Review by Amy Doherty
26. Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material
Straight up country pop but with that sinister edge that made the greats so great. Sex, drugs and rock and roll of the midwest.
27. Bill Ryder-Jones – West Kirby County Primary
From introspective folk to college-rock fuzz outs, this sees Ryder-Jones shake off all the shackles of his earlier work.
28. Blitzen Trapper – All Across This Land
A typically Blitzen Trapper sonic experience, diverse in style and substance and sounding as fresh as they did fifteen years ago.
29. Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass
Sassy and soulful, a gem of an album from one of our favourite discoveries of 2015. Ryan Adams is a huge fan and you should be too.
Review by Amy Doherty
30. The Unthanks – Mount The Air
Traditional folk for an untraditional, non-conforming world. Elements of many genres creep in to make this more than the sum of its parts.
Check out who made it between 31 and 40.
Who rounds off the list in places 41-50?