Nordic Folk Rock

Nordic folk rock emerged in the late 1960s as Scandinavian musicians fused their own folk traditions with the amplified framework of rock. Electric guitars, bass and drums are set against the Hardanger fiddle, nyckelharpa and flute, while melodies and dance rhythms are drawn from polskas, hallings and medieval balladry. Sung largely in native languages, its songs treat national epics, folklore and rural life, giving the music a cultural identity distinct from Anglo-American folk rock. Centred in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, the style peaked in the 1970s, remained a regional niche, and later fed directly into Nordic folk metal and the modern folk revival.