Best Of Awards:
Album, Song, and Artist of the Year
2021 Nominees
Best Of Voting for the 2021 Album, Song, and Artist of the year is open to FAI members from April 7-15, 2022. Nominees were announced via livestream on April 7.
Album of the Year
“Wary + Strange” – Amythyst Kiah
“Un Canto por México, Vol. 2” – Natalia Lafourcade
“Outside Child” – Allison Russell
“The Fray” – John Smith
Song of the Year (sponsored by Yamaha)
“On Solid Ground” – Reggie Harris
“Painted Blue” – Sarah Jarosz
“We Believe You” – Diana Jones
“Call Me A Fool” – Valerie June
“Changemakers” – Crys Matthews
Artist of the Year
Past Recipients
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
