3 Americana Songs From the 2000s You Forgot Were Essential

Americana is one of the more interesting genres to rise to popularity of late. It’s a hard style to define. It’s an evolution of folk, in some sense. And it’s also not bound by its own name—people from all over the world can play the music.

Here below, we wanted to try to cut through some confusion and highlight three Americana songs from earlier this century we adore. Indeed, these are three Americana songs from the 2000s you forgot were essential.

“I And Love And You” by The Avett Brothers from ‘I And Love And You’ (2009)

In the 2000s, The Avett Brothers brought a great deal of joy to music fans thanks to their brand of acoustic-driven songs. With harmonies from brothers Seth and Scott Avett soaring above upright bass, acoustic six-string, and rich piano—it was chef’s kiss. In many ways, the trio was the soundtrack to the decade. How many of us sang about Brooklyn taking us in? How many of us fell in love with the low piano notes on the 2009 track, “I And Love And You”? Most of us have our Avett Brothers phase, and we all feel nostalgia for it when we remember it today.

“The Story” by Brandi Carlile from ‘The Story’ (2007)

In many ways, Brandi Carlile is the Patron Saint of Americana music. The Pacific Northwest-born artist has a powerful voice. And she uses it to sing her acoustic-driven songs about life, love, loss, and longing. While many know her for her 2018 LP, By the Way, I Forgive You, Carlile rose to fame in the mid-2000s thanks to her song “The Story” and album of the same name. Fans of Carlile likely know her story—the former Pike Place Market busker has since become a multi-time Grammy Award winner. And in many ways she owes it all to the Americana genre.

“Little Lion Man” by Mumford & Sons from ‘Sigh No More’ (2009)

Just as rock music in the 1950s and 1960s didn’t have to come from the United States, Mumford & Sons proves that Americana does not exactly have to come from America, either. Indeed, the British-born band brought passion and enthusiasm to their brand of music. Part-pub jam, part-catchy hit single, the group’s 2009 song “Little Lion Man” helped to propel them to fame and fortune near the turn of the 21st century. Today, the group is one of the most famous in the world.

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