Best Of Awards:
Album, Song, and Artist of the Year
Final choices (nominees) for Album, Song, and Artist of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs) are compiled from “best of” annual radio and print media lists in the US, Canada, the UK, EU, and Australia, in addition to the year-end Folk DJ Chart. The nominees slate is finalized by a committee comprised of FAI staff and the Awards Committee of the FAI Board. Award winners are determined by FAI’s voting membership and are announced at the IFMAs.
Voting for 2022 Song, Album, and Artist of the Year is now open to FAI members only, and closes on January 17, 2023, at 11:59 pm ET. Cast your vote now!
2022 Nominees
Album of the Year
sponsored by Rounder Records
“Marchita” by Silvana Estrada
“Queen Of Sheba” by Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf
“Get on Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee” by Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder
“Anais Mitchell” by Anais Mitchell
“Crooked Tree” by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Song of the Year
sponsored by Sound Royalties
“Udhero Na” written by Arooj Aftab, performed by Arooj Aftab featuring Anoushka Shankar
“Vini Wè” written and performed by Leyla McCalla
“Bright Star” written and performed by Anais Mitchell
“How” written by Marcus Mumford and Brandi Carlile, performed by Marcus Mumford featuring Brandi Carlile
“B61” written and performed by Aoife O’Donovan
Past Recipients
2021
Album of the Year
“Outside Child”
Other Nominees:
“They’re Calling Me Home” – Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
“Wary + Strange” – Amythyst Kiah
“Un Canto por México, Vol. 2” – Natalia Lafourcade
“The Fray” – John Smith
Song of the Year (sponsored by Yamaha)
Crys Matthews
Other Nominees:
“On Solid Ground” – Reggie Harris
“Painted Blue” – Sarah Jarosz
“We Believe You” – Diana Jones
“Call Me A Fool” – Valerie June
Artist of the Year
2020
Album of the Year
"Long Time Passing: Kronos Quartet & Friends Celebrate Pete Seeger"
Other Nominees:
“Bet on Love” – Pharis and Jason Romero
“Old Wow” – Sam Lee
“Spider Tales” – Jake Blount
“Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn” – Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn
Song of the Year
"Peace in Our Hearts"
Other Nominees:
“Gone” – Tim Grimm
“Look Long” – Indigo Girls
“South Gotta Change” – Adia Victoria
“The Benefits of Being Alone” – Rose Cousins
Artist of the Year
2019
Album of the Year
"We Get By"
Other Nominees:
“Even the Sparrow” – Kelly Hunt
“Soar” – Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita
“The Great Irish Songbook” – Dervish
“To Everyone In All The World: A Celebration of Peter Seeger” – John McCutcheon
Song of the Year
"Black Myself"
Other Nominees:
“All Some Kind of Dream” – Josh Ritter
“All That’s yet to Come” – Dave Gunning
“Put a Woman in Charge” – Keb’ Mo’ (performed by Keb’ Mo’ and Rosanne Cash)
“Where I Come From” – Patty Griffin
Artist of the Year
2018
Album of the Year
"Rifles & Rosary Beads"
Other Nominees:
“Secularia” – Eliza Gilkyson
“TÌR: Highland Life & Lore” – Brian Ó hEadhra & Fiona MacKenzie
“El Mal Querer” – Rosaliá
“Dust Dance” – TriContinental
Song of the Year
"The President Sang Amazing Grace"
Other Nominees:
“Oom Sha La La” – Haley Heynderickx
“SunShiner” – The Mammals
“People Get Old” – Lori McKenna
“I See Gold” – The Good Lovelies
Artist of the Year
2017
Album of the Year
"Freedom Highway"
Other Nominees:
“A Stranger In This Time” – Tim Grimm And The Family Band
“Between Earth & Sky” – Lankum
“The Queen of Hearts” – Offa Rex
“When the Bloom Falls from the Rose” – Sarah Jane Scouten
Song of the Year
"You Didn't Call My Name"
Other Nominees:
“Hazel” – Andrew Combs
“Salt In The Water” – John Blek
“Tshin an Nitauassim” – Shauit
“Y’all Means All” – John McCutcheon
Artist of the Year
2016
Album of the Year
"Undercurrent"
Other Nominees:
“All These Years” – Solas
“Auprès du Poêle” – Ten Strings and a Goat Skin
“Nine Pin” – Kaia Kater
“Upland Stories” – Robbie Fulks
Song of the Year
"Black Man in a White World"
Other Nominees:
“Ain’t Nobody” – Dori Freeman
“Move Me” – Sara Watkins
“Play By Your Own Rules” – Sam Bush
“We are Love” – The Once & Chris Kirby
Artist of the Year
2015
Album of the Year
"Tomorrow Is My Turn"
Other Nominees:
“With the Dawn” – Bella Hardy
“Joe Hill’s Last” – Will John McCutcheon
“Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project” – Jayme Stone
“The Social Music Hour Vol 1” – Spuyten Duyvil
Song of the Year
"Best Medicine"
Other Nominees:
“Get Up” – Caitlin Canty
“Boston Town” – Della Mae
“A Wanderer I’ll Stay” – Pharis & Jason Romero
“River Winding Down The Sweet” – Lowdown
