Three and a half years ago, I discovered The Avett Brothers at my summer camp. One of the counselors played some of their music on a camping trip and I instantly became obsessed.

How would I describe The Avett Brothers? They’re not country, as some people assume, but I do not classify them as folk, either. Personally, I believe that they should be their own category, but the best way that I can classify them is as an Americana rock band that combines bluegrass, folk, rock and roll, and ragtime to create a sound like no other. If you like the Beatles, the Ramones, Buddy Holly, The Mowgli’s, or Moon Taxi, you need to listen to The Avett Brothers.

Born and raised in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, Scott and Seth Avett are the face of their band. With Bob Crawford on double bass and Joe Kwon on the cello, The Avett Brothers began releasing albums in early 2002 with their first album, Country Was. They have since released 14 albums, including their latest album, which was released this past June, True Sadness.

The reason why fans have remained infatuated with this band for years is because they always surprise us with a slightly different music style for each album while also remaining true to their unique sound. Regardless of whatever mood you are in, The Avett Brothers have written songs you can blare in your car and sing along to, listen to when it’s raining, when you’re sad, or when you are doing homework, and play with friends on road trips. The best part about the band is that they are just as amazing, some may say better, live, which is why three of their albums are all recorded live.

Do you love to play the guitar? Many of their songs can be played on the guitar! Just go to https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ and search for any Avett Brothers song for the chords. I have used this website for that exact purpose and the chords are very accurate. There is also a guitar book that has detailed sheet music. I have this guitar book and I love it because it is sheet music directly from the band for some of its more complex melodies.

To provide you with an initial idea of what songs to listen to depending on you’re mood and activity, follow my Spotify playlist “Avett Brothers all the way,” which consists of all of my favorite Avett Brothers songs. In case you do not want to listen to every single song on my five hour playlist, I have categorized them based on style, mood, and occasion. 

Note: These are all of The Avett Brothers’ songs that I love; there are more that I haven’t yet listened to

Can be played on the guitar really well (Also double as great campfire songs, tested by yours truly):

• Live and Die (The Carpenter)
• Paranoia in B Major (Emotionalism)
• Distraction #74 (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Sessions)
• Another is Waiting (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• The Once and Future Carpenter (The Carpenter)
• February Seven (The Carpenter)
• The Ballad of Love and Hate (Emotionalism)
• Shame (Emotionalism)
• Murder in the City (The Second Gleam)
• Part from Me (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Laundry Room (I and Love and You)
• Slight Figure of Speech (I and Love and You)
• Souls Like the Wheels (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Skin and Bones (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Every Morning Song – Demo (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• I Would be Sad (Emotionalism)
• November Blues (Live, Volume 2)
• Through My Prayers (The Carpenter)
• Pretty Girl From Matthews – Live at Bojangles’ Coliseum (Live, Volume 3)
• Pretty Girl From Annapolis (A Carolina Jubilee)
• Love Like the Movies (A Carolina Jubilee)
• My Last Song to Jenny (Live, Volume 2)
• Will You Return (Emotionalism)
• Die Die Die (Emotionalism)
• Smoke in our Lights (Live, Volume 2)
• Swept Away [Sentimental Version] (Mignonette)
• Famous Flower of Manhattan (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• When I Drink (The Gleam)
• Salvation Song (Mignonette)
• I Wish I Was (True Sadness)
• Bella Donna (The Second Gleam)
• Down with the Shine (The Carpenter)
• Sanguine (The Gleam)
• Open Ended Life (Magpie and the Dandelion) *Note: this song works best with an electric guitar
• Ten Thousand Words (I and Love and You)
• Life (The Carpenter)
• I Never Knew You (The Carpenter)
• The Greatest Sum (The Second Gleam)
• Backwards with Time (The Gleam)
• I Killed Sally’s Lover (A Carolina Jubilee)

Blare in the Car (Upbeat):

• I Never Knew You (The Carpenter)
• And it Spread (I and Love and You)
• It Goes On and On (I and Love and You)
• Smithsonian (True Sadness)
• Pretty Girl From Michigan (The Carpenter)
• Talk on Indolence (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• Live and Die (The Carpenter)
• Open Ended Life (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Salvation Song (Mignonette)
• Distraction #74 (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• Gimmeakiss (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• Talk on Indolence – Live at Bojangles’ Coliseum (Live, Volume 3)
• Satan Pulls the Strings (True Sadness)
• Divorce Separation Blues (True Sadness)
• Ain’t No Man (True Sadness)
• Vanity (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Die Die Die (Emotionalism)
• Will You Return (Emotionalism)
• Love Like the Movies (A Carolina Jubilee)
• Pretty Girl From Annapolis (A Carolina Jubilee)
• Pretty Girl From Matthews – Live at the Bojangles’ Coliseum (Live, Volume 3)
• Another is Waiting (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Slight Figure of Speech (I and Love and You)
• Kick Drum Heart (I and Love and You)

Listen to when doing homework or want to relax:

• Morning Song (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• The Once and Future Carpenter (The Carpenter)
• February Seven (The Carpenter)
• The Ballad of Love and Head (Emotionalism)
• Shame (I and Love and You)
• I and Love and You (I and Love and You)
• Murder in the City (The Gleam)
• Part From Me (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• January Wedding (I and Love and You)
• Laundry Room (I and Love and You)
• Souls Like the Wheels (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Skin and Bones (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• I Would be Sad (Emotionalism)
• Find My Love (The Gleam)
• November Blues (Live, Volume 2)
• Through My Prayers (The Carpenter)
• If it’s the Beaches (The Gleam)
• Pretty Girl From Annapolis (A Carolina Jubilee)
• Pretty Girl From Feltre (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• Salina (Emotionalism)
• My Last Song to Jenny (Live, Volume 2)
• Smoke in Our Lights (Live, Volume 2)
• The Clearness is Gone (Magpie and the Dandelion)
• Swept Away (Mignonette)
• Famous Flower of Manhattan (Four Thieves Gone – The Robbinsville Session)
• The Perfect Space – Live at Bojangles’ Coliseum (Live, Volume 3)
• When I Drink (The Gleam)
• Salvation Song (Mignonette)
• I Wish I Was (True Sadness)
• Mama, I Don’t Believe (True Sadness)
• Bella Donna (The Second Gleam)
• Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise (I and Love and You)
• Sanguine (The Gleam)
• Pretty Girl From Michigan (The Carpenter)
• The Weight of Lies (Emotionalism)
• Ten Thousand Words (I and Love and You)
• Life (The Carpenter)
• The Greatest Sum (The Second Gleam)
• Backwards with Time (The Gleam)
• Ill With Want (I and Love and You)

If you want to listen to the whole playlist, search “Avett Brothers all the way” under my profile. I hope that you will learn to love The Avett Brothers as much as I do!