Smithsonian Folkways

What Smithsonian Folkways actually is

Folkways is the Smithsonian's non-profit record label, holding tens of thousands of tracks of folk, blues, field recordings, spoken word and traditional music from across the world. The catalogue is browsable and streamable online, and every title ever released is kept permanently in print.

Why it is worth your time

Liner notes are digitised alongside the audio, so a 1957 field recording arrives with the collector's own account of the village he recorded it in.

Common questions

Is Smithsonian Folkways free?

Yes. Smithsonian Folkways is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Smithsonian Folkways take?

Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention. We file it under "Coffee break" — the US national collection of folk and world recordings.

Does Smithsonian Folkways work on a phone?

Yes. Smithsonian Folkways works on a phone as well as it does on a laptop.

What kind of site is Smithsonian Folkways?

We list it under Sound & Signal — music discovery that beats the algorithm. Liner notes are digitised alongside the audio, so a 1957 field recording arrives with the collector's own account of the village he recorded it in.