The difference, by ear
Folk rock draws on English and American traditions; Celtic rock on Irish and Scottish, and it keeps the ornamentation folk rock tends to smooth away.
Both are sung cleanly, but folk rock is a little slower: 80 to 120 bpm against 100 to 140. To hear the difference, play Horslips next to The Byrds. Celtic rock grew out of folk rock, six years later.
In figures
Celtic rock
Where it sits
Rock › Folk rock › Celtic rock
In short
Traditional Irish and Scottish tunes set on drums and electric guitar. The direct ancestor of folk metal.
How it sounds
- Fiddle, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and mandolin alongside electric guitar.
- Jig and reel rhythms adapted to a rock drum kit.
- Traditional melodies used as the main riff rather than as decoration.
Key acts
- Horslips
- Thin Lizzy
- The Pogues
Start here
The pickThin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar. A centuries-old ballad played on twin guitars.
Full page →Folk rock
Where it sits
In short
Folk lyrics played on a twelve-string electric guitar. It taught rock that the words can matter as much as the riff.
How it sounds
- Twelve-string guitar, clean tone, open arpeggios.
- Dense vocal harmony inherited from the American folk tradition.
- The text comes first: songs are built around the words rather than the riff.
Key acts
- The Byrds
- Bob Dylan
- Fairport Convention
- Simon & Garfunkel
Start here
The pickFairport Convention - Liege & Lief. The birth certificate of British folk rock.
Full page →