There are thousands of truly gifted singer-songwriters enchanting the ears of listeners all over the world. So, how is it even possible to come up with a short list of just 50 artists you should know? Short answer… it’s not. Please consider these 50 as just a start. A good start, but just a start.
How did we come up with these particular 50? We didn’t use record sales, ticket sales, social media stats or any of the other metrics typically used when putting lists like this together. So how did we do it? With a “little help from our friends.”
Every singer-songwriter featured here was highly touted as a “singer-songwriter you should know” by other singer-songwriters. Who better to curate this collection?!
Our hope, of course, is that you’ll be as blown away as we are by the talent you’ll find on the following pages. Enjoy their music, visit their websites, jump into their social network, and see them in concert — join the celebration of song!
![Cary Morin by Gretchen Troop Photography](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Cary-Morin-by-Gretchen-Troop-Photography-800x720.jpg)
![Adam Levy by Alison Hasbach - TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Adam-Levy-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x533.jpg)
![Daniel Champagne by Donna Green](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Daniel-Champagne-by-Donna-Green-800x534.jpg)
![Christie Lenee by Alison Hasbach-TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Christie-Lenee-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x1200.jpg)
![Vance Gilbert by Jeff Fasano](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vance-Gilbert-by-Jeff-Fasano-800x1200.jpg)
![Erin Enderlin by Ryan Nolan](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Erin-Enderlin-by-Ryan-Nolan-800x1200.jpg)
![Rainbow Girls by Molly McCormick](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Rainbow-Girls-by-Molly-McCormick-800x533.jpg)
![Mike Rizzi by Jolie Loren Photography](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mike-Rizzi-by-Jolie-Loren-Photography-800x800.jpg)
![Vicki Genfan by Alison Hasbach - TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vicki-Genfan-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x633.jpg)
![Joe Robinson by Alison Hasbach - TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Joe-Robinson-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x1200.jpg)
![Michael Kiwanuka by Phil Sharp](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Michael-Kiwanuka-by-Phil-Sharp-800x533.jpg)
![Ariana Gillis by David Gillis](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ariana-Gillis-by-David-Gillis-800x1200.jpg)
![Ryan Culwell by Neilson Hubbard](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ryan-Culwell-by-Neilson-Hubbard-800x533.jpg)
![Caroline Spence by Angelina Castillo](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Caroline-Spence-by-Angelina-Castillo-800x533.jpg)
![Willy Porter by Alison Hasbach - TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Willy-Porter-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x623.jpg)
![Stephen Kellogg by Sean Portwood](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Stephen-Kellogg-by-Sean-Portwood-800x533.jpg)
![Darrell Scott by Jim McGuire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Darrell-Scott-by-Jim-McGuire-800x533.jpg)
![Chris Kasper by Kiley Ryan](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Chris-Kasper-by-Kiley-Ryan-800x584.jpg)
![Rebecca Loebe by Brian Ingram](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Rebecca-Loebe-by-Brian-Ingram-800x1000.jpg)
![Dead Horses by Ty Helbach](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Dead-Horses-by-Ty-Helbach-800x541.jpg)
![Beat Root Revival by Suzie Kaplan](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Beat-Root-Revival-by-Suzie-Kaplan-800x1200.jpg)
![Cathy and Marcy by Alison Hasbach at TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Cathy-and-Marcy-by-Alison-Hasbach-at-TrueFire-800x533.jpg)
![Diana Chittester by EVERY ANGLE PHOTOGRAPHY](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Diana-Chittester-by-EVERY-ANGLE-PHOTOGRAPHY-800x1260.jpg)
![Hannah Read by Mark Wickens](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Hannah-Read-by-Mark-Wickens-800x1018.jpg)
![Glen Phillips by Rob Shannahan](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Glen-Phillips-by-Rob-Shannahan-800x1203.jpg)
![Lee Harvey Osmond by Matt Barnes Photography](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lee-Harvey-Osmond-by-Matt-Barnes-Photography-587x800.jpg)
![Laura Stevenson by Rachel Brennecke](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Laura-Stevenson-by-Rachel-Brennecke-800x533.jpg)
![Heather Maloney by Scott Housley](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Heather-Maloney-by-Scott-Housley-800x534.jpg)
![Jackie Venson by Ismael Quintanilla III](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jackie-Venson-by-Ismael-Quintanilla-III-800x1199.jpg)
![Matt the Electrician by Alison Narro](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Matt-the-Electrician-by-Alison-Narro-800x563.jpg)
![Dan Bern by Danielle Tait](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Dan-Bern-by-Danielle-Tait-800x534.jpg)
![Steve Poltz by Laura Partain](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Steve-Poltz-by-Laura-Partain-Steve-Poltz-800x585.jpg)
![Seth Glier by GMD Three](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Seth-Glier-by-GMD-Three-800x531.jpg)
![Meg Baird by Alissa Anderson](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meg-Baird-by-Alissa-Anderson-800x533.jpg)
![Mike Zito_by Alison Hasbach](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Mike-Zito_by-Alison-Hasbach-587x730.jpg)
![Justin Townes Earle by Joshua Black Wilkins](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Justin-Townes-Earle-by-Joshua-Black-Wilkins-800x533.jpg)
![Peter Mulvey by Rodney Bursiel](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Peter-Mulvey-by-Rodney-Bursiel-800x533.jpg)
![Jake Morley by Mat Quote](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jake-Morley-by-Mat-Quote-800x533.jpg)
![Korby Lenker by Alex Berger](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Korby-Lenker-by-Alex-Berger-800x533.jpg)
![John Fullbright by Kate Burn](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/John-Fullbright-by-Kate-Burn-800x533.jpg)
![Ellis Paul by Alison Hasbach - TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ellis-Paul-by-Alison-Hasbach-TrueFire-800x1200.jpg)
![Mary Gauthier by Laura E. Partain](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mary-Gauthier-by-Laura-E.-Partain-800x800.jpg)
![Trey Hensley by Andrea Behrends](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Trey-Hensley-by-Andrea-Behrends-800x533.jpg)
![Blair Dunlop by Elly Lucas](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Blair-Dunlop-by-Elly-Lucas-800x533.jpg)
![Meklit Hadero by Ibra Acke](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meklit-Hadero-by-Ibra-Acke-800x571.jpg)
![Over the Rhine by Kylie Wilkerson](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Over-the-Rhine-by-Kylie-Wilkerson-800x526.jpg)
![Birds of Chicago by Yve Assad](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Birds-of-Chicago-by-Yve-Assad-800x609.jpg)
![Monte Montgomery by Alison Hasbach_TrueFire](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Monte-Montgomery-by-Alison-Hasbach_TrueFire-800x1200.jpg)
![Rory Block by Shonna Valeska](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Rory-Block-by-Shonna-Valeska--800x936.jpg)
![Jaimee Harris by Brandon Aguilar](https://riffjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jaimee-Harris-by-Brandon-Aguilar-800x800.jpg)