Acoustic chords, rustic melodies, deep heart-felt lyrics, and an ataractic sound. Folk music has begun to popularize from new age bands adopting the sound thus causing the genre to gain traction. However, since folk music is a relatively newly popularized sound, even though it has roots back to the 60’s, it does not have a traditional “king” or “queen” of the genre like pop or rock. Although if one had to be picked based on the most known and popular from history, it would have to be Bob Dylan.   

     Dylan was primarily based and popular around the 60’s and 70’s. He is most known for songs such as “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” and “Blowin’ in the Wind”. When he became a front man for folk music, he typically wrote about heavier subjects such as civil rights, counter cultural beliefs, and deep poetry.  

     Beyond his music, Dylan’s’ Hollywood status became somewhat of a “ladies magnet”; throughout his career, he has had at least four notable romantic relationships with fellow musicians, models, and even his own backup singer.  

     However, throughout his career, Dylan had also been part of quite a few scandals. From smaller ones, like fake signatures in his “personally signed” books, and controversy amongst folk purists when he adapted more electrically amplified rock instrumentals in his songs. To even heavier topics, such as sexual assault and an allegation that allegedly took place in the 60’s.  

     Similarly, in modern day, bands have formed to make folk music to enthrall the public. The Lumineers are a folk-rock band based in Denver, Colorado, and they are definitely the new kings of folk music. They are more known for their songs “Ophelia”, “Stubborn Love”, and “Cleopatra”. Like Dylan, the Lumineers tend to write about heavier topics, commonly broken families and addiction.  

     Unlike Dylan, the Lumineers are popularly known for nothing other than their music. Even their scandals are not as serious as Dylan’s were, dwindling down to being sued around 2008 by a man claiming that the Lumineers failed to give him the proper credit they deserved; he claims to have cowritten nine songs with the band, with little to no credit.  

     However, this mainly scandal-free band has not managed to avoid any controversy or hate. The band itself is constantly ridiculed for having all of their songs sound the same as well as being compared to other folk bands who grew popular around the same time they did.  

     Thus, though Bob Dylan and The Lumineers are both popular for the same genre, decades apart, they are incredibly different when it comes to Hollywood status and popular controversies their careers have brought about.