| GROUP | GENRE | DATES | COUNTRY | DESCRIPTION | BEST RELEASE |
| Able Tasmans | Folk | 1985-96 | NZ | Dreamy guitar-pop with boy/girl vocals | Songs From the Departure Lounge |
| Allen, Rodney | Folk | 1986-89 | England | A 16-year-old version of Billy Bragg on Subway. | Circle Line. |
| Ampersands | Folk | Australia | Song ode to Anabel Bleach. | ||
| Bats >> Magick Heads | Folk | 1983-95 | New Zealand | Robert Scott (ex-Clean) and friends deliver heady NZ pop - half moody, half jangly. Great! | Daddy's Highway or Compiletly Bats. |
| Belle & Sebastian >> Looper, Gentle Waves | Folk | 1996- | Scotland | This Glasgow-based ensemble led by Stuart Murdoch is the band "to copy" as we move into the 21st Century. See Nick Drake, Smiths, Felt, Field Mice. Genius songwriting and nice orchestration. | Tigermilk, If You're Feeling Sinister. |
| Bragg, Billy | Folk | 1983- | England | Singer/songwriter does amazing, political tunes. | Talking with the Taxman About Poetry. |
| Church | Folk | 1980- | Australia | Ethereal guitar pop. Stick to early stuff. | The Church. |
| Clientele | Folk | 1997- | England | The new school. With only a handful of UK 7"s out, this band has a major buzz about them. Charming Nick Drakesy pop with reverbed boy vocals and strummy guitar. | Pointy Light. |
| Cole, Lloyd >> and the Commotions | Folk | 1983- | Scotland | Far too influential "intellectual" pop, pretentious and/or profound. | Rattlesnakes. |
| Dead Famous People | Folk | 1987-91 | New Zealand | Perfect strummy folk-pop. | Arriving Late in Torn Filthy Jeans. |
| Downy Mildew | Folk | 1986-94 | USA | Drowsy chamber-pop from Los Angeles. | Browntree. |
| Gist | Folk | 1982-83 | England | Abstract jazzy post-punk pop. Stuart and Philip Moxham from Young Marble Giants. | Embrace the Herd. |
| Kings of Convenience | Folk | 1999- | Norway | Lovely vocal harmonies in a Simon&Garfunkel vein. Minimal backing - some acoustic guitars, some piano. | Quiet Is the New Loud. |
| Lois >> Courtney Love | Folk | 1990- | USA | Lois Maffeo got her start in this lovely band on the K label, taken from the name of her former roomie. Acoustic, off-key, and charming. | Bet the Sky. |
| Look Blue Go Purple | Folk | 1985-88 | NZ | Charming all-woman band. | Compilation. |
| Lotus Eaters | Folk | 1982-85 | USA | Boston angsty girl/boy pop with violin. | First Picture of You. |
| Manning, Barbara | Folk | 1988- | USA | This Chico lass started out in bands 28th Day, and World of Pooh, then went solo in the early 90s. She's still putting out stuff now. Talented chanteuse and guitar player! | Lately I Keep Scissors. |
| Opal>>Mazzy Star | Folk | 1985-88 | USA | Neo-psychedelia with Kendra Smith (Dream Synd) and David Roback (Rain Parade). | Happy Nightmare Baby. |
| Prickly | Folk | USA | Boston shambly pop with violin | ||
| Proclaimers | Folk | 1985-94 | Scotland | Neo-Everly Brothers with distinctive vox and love of god. | This Is the Story. |
| Rainy Day | Folk | 1984 | USA | Susanna Hoffs from Bangles, David and Steven Roback from Rain Parade, Kendra Smith from Dream Synd. Folky and sweet. Did many covers of Dylan/VU. | S/T. |
| Smith Garrett Band | Folk | 2000- | England | Brits try their hands at country-rock ala Byrds. On WYAIWIA. | |
| Smith, Kendra >> Opal | Folk | 1984- | USA | From the Dream Syndicate. Beautiful stuff. Like Linda Smith or even Lois. | Five Ways of Disappearing. |
| Softies | Folk | 1995- | USA | Portland's Jen Sbargia and Vancouver's Rose Melberg (ex-Tiger Trap) craft amazing two voices/two guitars songs of love. Quintessential indie pop! On K and Slumberland. | Holiday in Rhode Island. |
| Spinanes | Folk | 1993- | USA | Guitar-and-drum duo accomplished much with minimalism. Rebecca Gates now uses the name as her solo project; drummer Scott Plough is in Built to Spill. Originally from Portland. | First singles. |
| Stephenson, Martin and the Dainties | Folk | 1986-90 | England | Refreshingly rural tunes by subtle songwriter from Newcastle. | Boat to Bolivia. |
| Would Bees | Folk | England | Folky pop with fiddles. Catchy. | ||
| Young Marble Giants >> Weekend >> Gist | Folk | 1980-81 | England | Very minimalist synth/jazz/beatnik tunes. Female vocals. Influential. | Colossal Youth. |