3 Artists Who Made the Acoustic Guitar Cool Again

After an American Songwriter exclusive scientific experiment, we’ve determined that approximately 99% of the households in the United States own an acoustic guitar. Trust us, we’ve been very thorough! Whether it’s in the attic, a bedroom, or the living room, acoustic guitars are very prevalent today. Indeed, how many songs have been written on the instrument in the past several decades? A billion?

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We wanted to dive into the careers of three artists who helped make the instrument popular again in their respective eras, a trio of songwriters and performers who have undoubtedly increased the sales of acoustic guitars 1,000-fold. These are three artists who helped make the acoustic guitar into a household favorite.

Bob Dylan

When Bob Dylan landed in New York City in the early 1960s, a folk music revolution was brewing. In the cafes and all along the streets of the city, people were playing traditional music, hearkening back to a time when things were simpler. But it was Dylan who transcended the scene, thanks to his original songs that sounded like they were 1,000 years old. Before Dylan went electric in the middle of the decade, he was writing and playing songs like “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “Mr. Tambourine Man” on his acoustic guitar and accentuating them with his harmonica. It was his six-string that launched 1,000 others—players all wanting to be the next Bard, the next Bob Dylan.

Joni Mitchell

In music, there are seemingly endless layers and tracks and instruments and overdubs that you can put into a recording. But at its core, a song should stand on its own, with just a voice and some chords. For a long time, it was the piano that played the central role there. But in the middle of the 20th century, the acoustic guitar became the favorite instrument for its affordability and portability. Enter artists like Joni Mitchell, whose songs were so poignant and so well written that all she needed was her acoustic six-string and her ice cavern voice. Listen to her iconic song “Coyote” and you won’t want anything else besides her and the acoustic.

Dave Matthews

In the 1990s, the acoustic guitar enjoyed a resurgence, thanks largely to one Dave Matthews. The catchy songwriter who bridged pop, rock, and a jam band ethos became one of the most successful songwriters and performers of his era. Today, his Dave Matthews Band is one of the highest-grossing live acts of all time, thanks to their improvised shows and fan-favorite tunes. But if you want to understand Matthews’ real influence, you can see it in the artists who came after him—bands like Dispatch, O.A.R., Howie Day, Guster, and others. All of them rose to fame thanks to songs they wrote and performed on their acoustic six-strings.

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