8 Celtic Bands You Need To Know
Happy St. Patrick's Day! If there’s one musical genre that doesn’t get a whole lot of media attention, it’s Celtic rock. In fact, I'd bet that some of you reading this aren't 100 percent sure what Celtic rock is, so here's the gist: it's a blending of traditional Irish and Scottish music which utilizes bagpipes, fiddles, tin whistle and other Celtic instruments with modern rock melodies.
If you haven't heard a lot about the genre, you shouldn't write it off; many Irish-inspired punk and rock groups have decade-spanning careers and die-hard fan bases. Some bands have even ventured into mainstream success, like Flogging Molly and The Dropkick Murphys (“Shipping Up to Boston” exploded when it essentially became the theme song for The Departed), or like The Pogues, inspired countless bands outside their genre, proving that the audience for Celtic rock goes beyond Hibernophiles.
If you need another push, let me remind you of a little British band called Mumford & Sons—they explore a traditional folksy sound, utilizing banjo, mandolin, dobro and even accordion, yet they still made it to number two on the Billboard 200 chart. So, are you ready to expand your musical mind? Sit down, grab some haggis, and take a look at these eight notable Celtic rock bands below.
5m
1m
21m
23m
6m
41m
23m
20m
34s
46s
20m
1h 42m
46s
21m
2m
21m
1h 21m
3m
2m
21m
1h 21m
3m
1m
3m
1m
2m
23m
1h 16m
21m
45m
46m
1h 43m
20m
3m
5m
22m
46m
1h 21m
45m
2m
20m
2m
1h 21m
20m
2m
56m
1m
41m
20m
20m
20m
41m
2m
20m
44s
1m
8m
6m
6m
1h 39m
6m
5m
21m
20m
6m
14m
1m
1m
41m
1m
49s
2m
6m
1m
1m
20m
6m
7m
2m
6m
1m
1m
2m
9m
9m
1m
2m
2m
17m
8m
2m
1m
2m
9m
8m
1m
6m
6m