The Roots Music Report's
Top Contemporary Folk Song Chart
for the Year of 2017
| Rank | Song Title | Band/Artist Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom Highway | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 2 | Come Back Down | T Sisters |
| 3 | Please Explain | Catie Curtis |
| 4 | It's Your Voodoo Working | Eilen Jewell |
| 5 | Blessings | Darden Smith |
| 6 | Shakedown | Valerie June |
| 7 | Love Will Win the War | Darden Smith |
| 8 | Busted | The Dustbowl Revival |
| 9 | Worried Mind | Eilen Jewell |
| 10 | Lucifer and the Fallen Angels | Ray Wylie Hubbard |
| 11 | Better Get It Right the First Time | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 12 | Astral Plane | Valerie June |
| 13 | Guardian Angel | Tim O'Brien |
| 14 | Where the River Meets the Road | Tim O'Brien |
| 15 | Strike the Bells | Rayna Gellert |
| 16 | Spring | Mouths of Babes |
| 17 | Got Soul | Valerie June |
| 18 | Workin's Too Hard | Rayna Gellert |
| 19 | When It Comes My Turn | David Myles |
| 20 | Lean into Love | Elaine Mahon |
| 21 | Reach for the Stars | Elaine Mahon |
| 22 | I'm a Little Mixed Up | Eilen Jewell |
| 23 | Big Creek | Pint & a Half |
| 24 | Going Home | Joe Jencks |
| 25 | Ether's Arms | Lenore |
| 26 | Take You Away | Christian Lopez Band |
| 27 | Way over Yonder | The Small Glories |
| 28 | Destitute | Christopher Paul Stelling |
| 29 | Sake of the Song | Hayes Carll |
| 30 | You Are Not Alone | Elaine Mahon |
| 31 | In It's Own Time | Davey O. |
| 32 | Wondrous Traveler | The Small Glories |
| 33 | Rolling Home | Elaine Mahon |
| 34 | My Hometown's Not My Hometown Anymore | Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus |
| 35 | Crazy Mixed Up World | Eilen Jewell |
| 36 | Shadows Dancing | Elaine Mahon |
| 37 | Blindly Believing | The Waifs |
| 38 | A Song for Mary | Judy Nazemetz |
| 39 | Behind That Locked Door | Judy Nazemetz |
| 40 | Wayside | Mark Erelli |
| 41 | The Way Back | Judy Nazemetz |
| 42 | Tell the Devil I'm Gettin' There As Fast As I Can (with Lucinda Williams and Eric Church) [feat. Eric Church & Lucinda Williams] | Ray Wylie Hubbard |
| 43 | Cumberland Gap | Dave Rawlings |
| 44 | We Sang Our Songs in California | Art Podell |
| 45 | You've Heard My Voice (And You Know My Name) | Art Podell |
| 46 | Worried Mind | Travis Linville |
| 47 | One Simple Waltz | Micah & Mark Atkinson |
| 48 | Windy Mountain | Tim O'Brien |
| 49 | All My Life | Flatt Lonesome |
| 50 | But then You Smile | Art Podell |
| 51 | At the Purchaser's Option | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 52 | Turtle Dove | Dori Freeman |
| 53 | Say My Name (For Camille Claudel) | Joy Zimmerman |
| 54 | Higher Place | Joy Zimmerman |
| 55 | Sweet Bird | Joy Zimmerman |
| 56 | Jump on in | Joy Zimmerman |
| 57 | Moonshine Freeze | This Is the Kit |
| 58 | Blackleg Miner | Offa Rex |
| 59 | Old Wolf | Ray Wylie Hubbard |
| 60 | Come on over My House | Dave Rawlings |
| 61 | Sometimes You've Got to Do Bad Things to Do Good | Matt Patershuk |
| 62 | Best of You | Ordinary Elephant |
| 63 | Got the Blues | Carlo Grimelli |
| 64 | Just Say It Now | Dori Freeman |
| 65 | Devil Said Do | Lynne Hanson |
| 66 | Spread Some Love | Carlo Grimelli |
| 67 | 2 Step | Carlo Grimelli |
| 68 | 21 Days | Carlo Grimelli |
| 69 | Pandora | Carlo Grimelli |
| 70 | On My Way Tonight | Quiles & Cloud |
| 71 | The Juke | Brigitte DeMeyer |
| 72 | Last Cigarette | Anna Tivel |
| 73 | Black Snake | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 74 | Put 'Em Up Solid | Dave Rawlings |
| 75 | Had I Paid | The Small Glories |
| 76 | Denali | Elaine Mahon |
| 77 | Baby Boy | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 78 | Natural Causes | Ron Renninger |
| 79 | Polyamorous Pollyann | Taarka |
| 80 | Time and the River | Art Podell |
| 81 | Gypsy | Matt Patershuk |
| 82 | Driftin Dan | Timmy Abell |
| 83 | Golden Apples | Art Podell |
| 84 | A Little Room | Rob Lutes |
| 85 | If and | Valerie June |
| 86 | Maria | I Draw Slow |
| 87 | California | Beth Wood |
| 88 | Home | Darden Smith |
| 89 | So Many Letters | Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements |
| 90 | Broken with You | Lynne Hanson |
| 91 | Railroad Man | Ordinary Elephant |
| 92 | I'd Rather Be the Devil | Red Tail Ring |
| 93 | Following the North Star | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 94 | Don't Let Your Heart Be Troubled | Madison Violet |
| 95 | Hey Bébé | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 96 | Over There | Dori Freeman |
| 97 | My Portion | I Draw Slow |
| 98 | Counting Heartbeats | Lynne Hanson |
| 99 | The Angels Laid Him Away | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 100 | Riverside Hotel | Anna Tivel |
| 101 | God Looked Around | Ray Wylie Hubbard |
| 102 | Gravity | Amelia Curran |
| 103 | By the Rio Grande | Quiles & Cloud |
| 104 | While We're Here | Catie Curtis |
| 105 | Higher Ground | The Waifs |
| 106 | These Rollin' Hills | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 107 | Y'all Means All | John McCutcheon |
| 108 | Peace Trail | Neil Young |
| 109 | Dark Chandelier | Anna Tivel |
| 110 | Told a Lie to My Heart | Harrow Fair |
| 111 | Same As I Ever Have Been | Matt Patershuk |
| 112 | Just for Now | Lynne Hanson |
| 113 | The Joke | Brandi Carlile |
| 114 | Ordinary Dance | Anna Tivel |
| 115 | Grandma's Hands | Tim O'Brien |
| 116 | Debtors' Prison | The Dustbowl Revival |
| 117 | Garage Flowers | I Draw Slow |
| 118 | Wildflowers | The Wailin' Jennys |
| 119 | Everything | Darden Smith |
| 120 | The Way It Dimmed | Amanda Shires |
| 121 | Slip Slide on by | Valerie June |
| 122 | Midnight Train | Dave Rawlings |
| 123 | Same Sun | Madison Violet |
| 124 | Sweet Florida | Elaine Mahon |
| 125 | Highway of Pain | Flatt Lonesome |
| 126 | Afterglow | Elaine Mahon |
| 127 | My Old Brown Coat and Me | Tim O'Brien |
| 128 | Always on the Run | Carrie Elkin |
| 129 | Eyes Brand New | Zoe & Cloyd |
| 130 | You Are Loved | Catie Curtis |
| 131 | Lady in the Elevator | Ordinary Elephant |
| 132 | Look Up | Elaine Mahon |
| 133 | Highest Building | Anna Tivel |
| 134 | Hard Road | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 135 | Come Love Come | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 136 | White Flag | Rose Cousins |
| 137 | Something's Coming | The Waifs |
| 138 | Rebekah | Elaine Mahon |
| 139 | The Last Song | Peter Mulvey |
| 140 | The Other Side of Midnight | Elaine Mahon |
| 141 | Airplane | Dave Rawlings |
| 142 | Yonder Comes a Sucker | Dori Freeman |
| 143 | Movin' on Down That Line | Fireside Collective |
| 144 | Leaving Kerrville | Ordinary Elephant |
| 145 | Apocalypso | I Draw Slow |
| 146 | When My Mother Sings | Elaine Mahon |
| 147 | Little Patch of Sky | Larry Murante |
| 148 | I'd Do if for You | Jim Bruno |
| 149 | River Town | Rayna Gellert |
| 150 | Perry | Rayna Gellert |
| 151 | That's All Right | Dori Freeman |
| 152 | Currency | Hat Check Girl |
| 153 | I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight | Dori Freeman |
| 154 | The Things He Saw | Ordinary Elephant |
| 155 | Marie | Jim Bruno |
| 156 | Say Mama Day | Jim Bruno |
| 157 | I Will Be Your Man | Harrow Fair |
| 158 | Slow Dancer | Caroline Spence |
| 159 | Son Volt Came to Town | Deb Talan |
| 160 | I Did Not Make the World | Harpeth Rising |
| 161 | My Love (The Storm) | Amanda Shires |
| 162 | Spring | Elaine Mahon |
| 163 | Books Pliés and Sorrows | Larry Murante |
| 164 | California Rain | Jim Bruno |
| 165 | I'm Bound for the Promised Land | Rayna Gellert |
| 166 | Ball and Chain | Larry Murante |
| 167 | Grey Bird | Rayna Gellert |
| 168 | Oh Lovin' Babe | Rayna Gellert |
| 169 | Shine | Elaine Mahon |
| 170 | High Flying Bird | Tim O'Brien |
| 171 | 535 (Are You Even Alive) | Harpeth Rising |
| 172 | Accidental Thief | Matt The Electrician |
| 173 | Mosquito | Chris Ronald |
| 174 | Cuba is | Susan Werner |
| 175 | Not That Strong | Lynne Hanson |
| 176 | Ready for the Dark | Larry Murante |
| 177 | Take Me Dancing (feat. Birds of Chicago) | Mouths of Babes |
| 178 | Before I Go | Ordinary Elephant |
| 179 | Softball | Caroline Spence |
| 180 | When the Mist Clears Away | Tim O'Brien |
| 181 | The Reason I'm Here | John McCutcheon |
| 182 | You'll Be Mine | Eilen Jewell |
| 183 | A Handmade Life | Jill Freeman |
| 184 | Letters from Murdertown | Jill Freeman |
| 185 | No Hands | Jill Freeman |
| 186 | Welcome to the Bonehouse | Jill Freeman |
| 187 | The Light That Leads Me There | Jill Freeman |
| 188 | Carolina | I Draw Slow |
| 189 | Illinois | Anna Tivel |
| 190 | Paper Kites | Beth Wood |
| 191 | Run to You | Beth Wood |
| 192 | Black Coal Train | Beth Wood |
| 193 | Gone Too Soon | Beth Wood |
| 194 | Every Now and then | Jan Seides |
| 195 | High Hopes for You | Jan Seides |
| 196 | Gotta Dance | Jan Seides |
| 197 | Thinking of You | Jan Seides |
| 198 | Humble & Kind | Lori McKenna |
| 199 | Lovers on the Run | Dori Freeman |
| 200 | Two Hearts | Valerie June |
| 201 | Chains | Rose Cousins |
| 202 | Tell the Girls | I Draw Slow |
| 203 | Waiting to Give (feat. FY5) | Gabrielle Louise |
| 204 | Shake Me Now | Quiles & Cloud |
| 205 | Rise Again, Handsome Johnny | Tom Russell |
| 206 | Dishonesty | Jan Seides |
| 207 | Got over | The Dustbowl Revival |
| 208 | Cold Waves | Dori Freeman |
| 209 | Thank You | Ordinary Elephant |
| 210 | Who I Am | Ordinary Elephant |
| 211 | Washington Said East | Ordinary Elephant |
| 212 | Against the Grain | Darden Smith |
| 213 | Thirteen Years | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 214 | Cyberspace | Kenny White |
| 215 | Nearing Home | Samantha Fish |
| 216 | The Miner (feat. Dustin Bentall) | Barney Bentall |
| 217 | Over the Waves | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 218 | Long Lonely Road | Valerie June |
| 219 | Birmingham Sunday | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 220 | The Hungry Grass | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 221 | Firefly | Darden Smith |
| 222 | Lucid Dreaming Sheep | Harpeth Rising |
| 223 | Gibson Town | Red Tail Ring |
| 224 | I Love You, Goodbye | Darden Smith |
| 225 | Hitch to My Gitalong | Tom Paxton |
| 226 | Stronger | Lynne Hanson |
| 227 | Three Chords and the Truth | John McCutcheon |
| 228 | How Quickly Your Heart Mends | Courtney Marie Andrews |
| 229 | Weeping Willow | Rebecca Loebe |
| 230 | So Strong | Tim Grimm and the Family Band |
| 231 | A Road Less Traveled (feat. David Crosby) | Kenny White |
| 232 | Underground Railroad | Zoe & Cloyd |
| 233 | The Way You Love Me | Catie Curtis |
| 234 | The Firefly | Joy Zimmerman |
| 235 | Steal My Heart | Joy Zimmerman |
| 236 | Gently Please Tell Me Goodbye | Flatt Lonesome |
| 237 | Drive | Hat Check Girl |
| 238 | Somewhere off the Foot of This Mountain | The Malvinas |
| 239 | If I Could Make You My Own | Dori Freeman |
| 240 | Forever Young Forever | Rebecca Loebe |
| 241 | Don't Wake the Children | I Draw Slow |
| 242 | Fall Away Blues | Red Tail Ring |
| 243 | The Last Hobo | Tom Paxton |
| 244 | Love is Blind | Jillette Johnson |
| 245 | Evangeline | Ordinary Elephant |
| 246 | We Don't Talk | Deb Talan |
| 247 | Jewel of the Caspian Sea | Zoe & Cloyd |
| 248 | You Don't Look So Good (Cocaine) | Caroline Spence |
| 249 | If You Could See Me Now | The Dustbowl Revival |
| 250 | Highway 71 | Ordinary Elephant |
| 251 | Walking with Frankie | Eilen Jewell |
| 252 | Alleyway | Anna Tivel |
| 253 | Julie | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 254 | Workin' Woman Blues | Valerie June |
| 255 | Among the Trees | Scott Cook |
| 256 | Frontier Waltz | Zoe & Cloyd |
| 257 | Dragonfly | Bill & Joel Plaskett |
| 258 | Hungry Ghost | Larry Murante |
| 259 | Ern & Zorry's Sneakin' Bitin' Dog | Dori Freeman |
| 260 | Too Afraid | Driftwood |
| 261 | The Front Door | Valerie June |
| 262 | Soul Searching | Darden Smith |
| 263 | Carousel | Darden Smith |
| 264 | Don't Belong to This World | Catie Curtis |
| 265 | The Love We Almost Had | Rhiannon Giddens |
| 266 | The Once and Future Queen | John Paul White |
| 267 | Rainy Day | Brigitte DeMeyer |
| 268 | Black Sky Lightning | Quiles & Cloud |
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