folk music

noun

: the traditional music of the people in a country or region

Irish folk music

also : a type of popular music that is based on traditional music and that does not use electric instruments

Examples of folk music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Alice Tully Hall In the great tradition of anthropologically minded composers, Du Yun incorporates folk music from the Jinuo people from Yunnan, China, into her own dramatic work. —Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025

Belong is also a thrilling survey course of Jay Som’s influences, from crunch-guitar emo to delicate folk music, with features from Hayley Williams and Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins. —Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025

Two folk music duos will make their first appearances in Poway on Friday night as part of San Diego Folk Heritage’s concert series. —Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025

Yet the longtime Bay Area singer-songwriter-guitarist — who ranks as one of the most important folk music artists of all time — pretty much hasn’t slowed down since. —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025