Roots revival
This article is about roots revivals in general. For the international project, see Roots Revival (project).
A roots revival (folk revival) is a trend which includes young performers popularizing the traditional musical styles of their ancestors. Often, roots revivals include an addition of newly composed songs with socially and politically aware lyrics, as well as a general modernization of the folk sound.
The term roots revival is vague, and may not always refer to identical events. Characteristics associated with a roots revival include:
Popularization of previously non-mainstream folk music
Adaptation of folk styles to pop (or rock) structures
Invention of new formats like bands where only solo acts had existed before
Introduction of new instruments
Composition of works by those who perform them, as opposed to folk tunes mostly passed down orally (see singer-songwriter)
Incorporation of politically aware lyrics, often critical of a government, religion or other authority, or society in general.
