Americana Essentials

Like America itself, Americana can be summed up as a melting pot containing elements of the country’s most storied musical traditions. Since its unofficial dawn in the ‘90s, Americana typically contains the acoustic intimacy of bluegrass, the gravelly heart of country, and the lonesome sting of the blues. But one of the genre’s key strengths is the fact that it’s loosely defined at best, with bands like the Drive-By Truckers often incorporating a turbocharged crunch of rock ‘n’ roll electricity or grooves stolen straight from funk. Above all, songwriting is the thing, and you’ll find few finer examples of the craft—especially lyricism—than a Gillian Welch or Brandi Carlile tune.