The Height of Folk

Freedom songs were integral to sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration drives during the Civil Rights Movement. This wave of political music contributed to the height of the Folk Music Revival.

The American folk music revival that began in the 1940s reached its peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s. At this time, the integral role of Freedom Songs in the Civil Rights Movement paired with growing discontent concerning the Vietnam War, gave new life to the impact of topical folk songs.

This period also saw a shift in the content of folk music. Following Bob Dylan’s turn from blatant political content in the mid-1960s, singer-songwriters began to write indulgent, personal lyrical content. This shift also indicates a move from politics concerned with group identities to a focus on the individual.

Additionally, due to the commercial success of many folk artists, record companies began to encourage the production of similar music – placing more emphasis on the proliferation of sellable records than the creation of authentic political pieces.