| Anthology of American Folk Music | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by various artists | ||||
| Released | August 9, 1952[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1926–1933 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 252:30 | |||
| Label | Folkways | |||
| Producer | Harry Smith | |||
| Anthology of American Folk Music chronology | ||||
| ||||
Anthology of American Folk Music is a three-album compilation, released in 1952 by Folkways Records, of eighty-four recordings of American folk, blues and country music made and issued from 1926 to 1933 by a variety of performers. The album was compiled from the experimental film maker Harry Smith's own personal collection of 78 rpm records.
Upon its release the Anthology sold relatively poorly and had no notable early coverage besides a minor mention in Sing Out! in 1958. It is now, however, generally regarded as a landmark release in the history of the album as well as an influential release during the 1950s and 1960s American folk music revival. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 276 on their list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[3] and, in 2005, the album was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.[4]
- ^ "Folkways Issues 'Anthology' Series" (PDF). Billboard. 16 August 1952. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ a b Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender. New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ "Librarian of Congress Names 50 Recordings to the 2005 National Recording Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2022-02-16.