dark folk
what it is
A sub-genre of folk music originating in the mid-to-late 1990s which features a blend of traditional Nordic folk and ambient. It distincts itself from the experimental sound of original neofolk artists (rooted in post-punk and industrial music) for its melancholic nature and minimal soundscapes. Due to lyrical and stylistic overlap, dark folk is closely related to metal (most notably black metal and doom metal) with many artists combining these two genres.
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level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is dark folk?
A sub-genre of folk music originating in the mid-to-late 1990s which features a blend of traditional Nordic folk and ambient. It distincts itself from the experimental sound of original neofolk artists (rooted in post-punk and industrial music) for its melancholic nature and minimal soundscapes. Due to lyrical and stylistic overlap, dark folk is closely related to metal (most notably black metal and doom metal) with many artists combining these two genres.
What are good dark folk albums to start with?
Try Giles Corey by Giles Corey, But, What Ends When the Symbols Shatter? by Death in June, Maaäet by Tenhi, and The White EP by Agalloch.
Who are some women making dark folk?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/dark-folk/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making dark folk, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-19