Anti-folk is a style of Contemporary Folk music that originated in New York City during the 1980s as a reaction against what was viewed as an entrenched, elitist folk scene. While vague and wide-encompassing, anti-folk artists are linked by their rawer, more humorous approach to songwriting when compared to other folk subgenres. Anti-folk songs are often delivered in a self-mocking and sarcastic, often deadpan tone, with little to no connection to traditional music, unlike most styles of contemporary folk. Instead, anti-folk is influenced by an eclectic array of musical styles, most notably Punk Rock, often being considered a close relative of Folk Punk. The origins of anti-folk are vague, with some citing Darryl Cherney as the genre’s creator, while others cite Lach as the founder of the scene, being the founder of a East Village club named The Fort, which served as the epicenter of the anti-folk scene. Other pioneering anti-folk acts include Roger Manning, King Missile, and Billy Syndrome. While the initial Fort club did not last long in its original location, being an illegal club, it relocated throughout the East Village, eventually settling at the Sidewalk Cafe, which served as a regular early venue for widely recognized anti-folk acts such as The Moldy Peaches, Jeffrey Lewis, and Regina Spektor. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
| Source | Entry Name | Confidence | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last.fm | Anti-Folk | Derived from data | — |
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