On Tuesday 6 February the Official Charts Company in partnership with English Folk Expo revealed the Top 40 best-selling and most streamed folk albums released in the January reporting period in the UK by UK and Irish artists. The chart is first announced to the public at 7pm GMT as part of the Official Folk Albums Chart Show presented by Folk on Foot via their YouTube channel.
There are three new releases in the January chart, plus a new no.1.
Rising back to no. 1 is Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll (BC Recordings) by The Mary Wallopers, which entered the charts at no. 1 in October 2023. The album captures the chaos, humour and excitement of the band’s live shows whilst also showcasing the emotion of the traditional ballads that they play.
Straight in at no.2 is All Aboard (Island Records), the tenth album by Port Isaac’s shanty singers, The Fisherman’s Friends. This, their fifth album released with Island Records, showcases a compelling mix of traditional sea shanties from the 18th century, coupled with a touch of the 20th and 21st centuries.
In at no.6 is Les Cousins – The Soundtrack Of Soho’s Legendary Folk & Blues Club (Cherry Red / Strawberry) by Various Artists including Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Shirley Collins, and more. Les Cousins was a folk and blues club in the basement of a restaurant in Greek Street, in London’s Soho, which became a home and the epicentre for the folk revival of the mid-1960s. Compiled and annotated by folk historian and fRoots editor/publisher Ian Anderson, who also played at the venue, this album pays tribute to a unique time and place in UK folk music history.
Martyn Joseph comes in at no.10 with his 27th studio album, This Is What I Want To Say (Pipe), the product of a 40 year musical journey. The raw, honest observations in this stripped-back acoustic rendition reflect Joseph’s commitment to social justice and love. The album is described by Folk Radio as, ‘Songs of love and longing, of place and time, of finding certainty amid contradictions, this is what he wants to say, and, as ever, he says it with heartfelt eloquence and is always worth hearing.’
The full Top 40 list can be viewed HERE
We all give our spare time to run folking.com. Our aim has always been to keep folking a free service for our visitors, artists, PR agencies and tour promoters. If you wish help out and donate something (running costs currently funded by Paul Miles), please click the PayPal link below to send us a small one off payment or a monthly contribution.
Thanks for stopping by. Please help us continue and support us by tipping/donating to folking.com via
You must be logged in to post a comment.