Quick Wanted emerges from the fertile intersection of British folk revival and accessible storytelling traditions, carving a niche for artists who favor narrative clarity and melodic directness over the raw energy of Celtic punk or the experimental sprawl of progressive rock. This genre centers on articulate songcraft where the tale takes precedence—whether it's historical ballads, romantic allegories, or wry social observations—delivered through crisp acoustic arrangements and vocals that prize intelligibility. Artists here draw from the same wellspring as traditional folk but polish the presentation for broader appeal, eschewing the aggressive traditionalism of pagan folk while maintaining lyrical substance that distinguishes them from typical singer-songwriter confessionals.
The sound palette favors clean guitar fingerpicking, sympathetic string arrangements, and rhythms that invite attentive listening rather than dance-floor abandon. Unlike Celtic rock's electrified drive, Quick Wanted maintains an intimate scale; unlike progressive rock's architectural ambitions, it values the three-minute verse-chorus revelation. This is music for fireside concentration—where Stan Rogers' maritime chronicles, Al Stewart's time-traveling narratives, and Fairport Convention's electrified balladry find common ground in their commitment to the well-turned phrase and the perfectly placed harmony.
For listeners who crave folk's authenticity without its occasional insularity, who appreciate rock's accessibility without its volume wars, Quick Wanted offers a middle path: intelligent, melodic, and unapologetically focused on the enduring power of a story well told.
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List updated:
| #77 | ByEmerald Rose | Released:1940 | quik wanted | ||
| #25 | ByThe Sun Also Rises | Released:1965-12-31 | quik wanted | ||
| #49 | ByJack The Lad | Released:1969 | quik wanted | ||
| #75 | ByJohn Roberts & Tony Barrand | Released:1971-05 | quik wanted | ||
| #26 | ByUtah Phillips | Released:1973-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #60 | ByJohn Roberts & Tony Barrand | Released:1973-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #21 | ByPlanxty | Released:1975-01-01 | folkquik wanted | ||
| #18 | ByChristy Moore | Released:1975 | irish folkquik wanted | ||
| #41 | ByJack The Lad | Released:1975 | quik wanted | ||
| #42 | ByJohn Renbourn | Released:1977-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #35 | ByFairport Convention | Released:1977-02-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #70 | ByAnne Hills | Released:1978-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #19 | ByAl Stewart | Released:1984-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #97 | ByJez Lowe | Released:1985-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #85 | ByClifford T. Ward | Released:1986-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #44 | ByMaura O'Connell | Released:1988-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #3 | ByNick Lowe | Released:1989 | quik wanted | ||
| #1 | ByThe Beautiful South | Released:1990-11 | quik wanted | ||
| #62 | ByTom Paxton | Released:1991-10-21 | quik wanted | ||
| #9 | ByJon & Vangelis | Released:1991 | progressive rockquik wanted | ||
| #91 | ByJennifer Berezan | Released:1992-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #56 | ByBroadside Electric | Released:1992 | quik wanted | ||
| #32 | ByJames Keelaghan | Released:1993-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #43 | ByLaurie Lewis | Released:1993-08-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #69 | ByPriscilla Herdman | Released:1994-11-30 | quik wanted | ||
| #8 | ByJesse Cook | Released:1995-01-01 | |||
| #55 | ByAnne Hills | Released:1995-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #66 | ByPhil Beer | Released:1995-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #10 | ByThe Young Dubliners | Released:1995-06-13 | celtic rockquik wanted | ||
| #57 | ByColcannon | Released:1995-10-26 | quik wanted | ||
| #89 | ByEtchingham Steam Band | Released:1995 | quik wanted | ||
| #87 | ByDaphne's Flight | Released:1996-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #98 | ByArtisan | Released:1996-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #50 | ByBroadside Electric | Released:1996 | quik wanted | ||
| #51 | ByKate Campbell | Released:1997-01-14 | quik wanted | ||
| #83 | ByThe Seekers | Released:1997-10-20 | quik wanted | ||
| #71 | ByBroadside Electric | Released:1997 | quik wanted | ||
| #80 | ByJennifer Berezan | Released:1997 | quik wanted | ||
| #22 | ByCherish the Ladies | Released:1998-02-03 | |||
| #61 | ByAnne Hills | Released:1998-10-13 | quik wanted | ||
| #5 | ByStan Rogers | Released:1999-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #95 | ByClifford T. Ward | Released:1999-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #59 | ByMoira Kerr | Released:1999-09-06 | quik wanted | ||
| #16 | ByJim Brannigan | Released:2000-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #45 | ByShow Of Hands | Released:2000-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #23 | ByKathy Mar | Released:2000-04-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #68 | ByAshley Hutchings | Released:2000-07-25 | quik wanted | ||
| #36 | BySteeleye Span | Released:2000-10-16 | quik wanted | ||
| #38 | ByElaine Silver | Released:2001-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #72 | ByHarpens Kraft | Released:2001-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #81 | ByStan Graham | Released:2001-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #100 | ByGreg Wyard | Released:2001-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #7 | ByNightwish | Released:2001-03-19 | |||
| #88 | ByCloudstreet | Released:2002-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #15 | ByMick Moloney | Released:2002-02-12 | quik wanted | ||
| #2 | ByNickel Creek | Released:2002-08-13 | quik wanted | ||
| #39 | ByCeltic Legend | Released:2003-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #99 | ByClifford T. Ward | Released:2003-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #47 | ByPeter, Paul & Mary | Released:2003-02-24 | quik wanted | ||
| #53 | ByNick Keir | Released:2004-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #6 | ByWayne Fontana & The Mindbenders | Released:2004-03-02 | quik wanted | ||
| #28 | BySharif | Released:2004-04-22 | quik wanted | ||
| #27 | ByCara | Released:2004-05-07 | irish folkquik wanted | ||
| #86 | ByJez Lowe | Released:2004-08-03 | quik wanted | ||
| #34 | ByKate Campbell | Released:2004-08-10 | quik wanted | ||
| #67 | ByKate Campbell | Released:2004-08-10 | quik wanted | ||
| #30 | ByThree Weird Sisters | Released:2004-09-21 | quik wanted | ||
| #65 | ByJudy Dyble | Released:2004-09-28 | quik wanted | ||
| #37 | ByJade Redd | Released:2004-12-02 | quik wanted | ||
| #54 | ByJennifer Berezan | Released:2005-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #79 | ByKaren Mal | Released:2005-02-22 | quik wanted | ||
| #74 | BySligo Rags | Released:2005-04-22 | quik wanted | ||
| #33 | ByAnthony John Clarke | Released:2005-06-21 | quik wanted | ||
| #64 | ByLisa Moscatiello | Released:2005-09-15 | quik wanted | ||
| #48 | ByLuke Kelly | Released:2005-11-18 | |||
| #52 | ByLes Barker | Released:2005 | quik wanted | ||
| #92 | ByColcannon | Released:2005 | quik wanted | ||
| #84 | ByReg Meuross | Released:2006-02-23 | quik wanted | ||
| #20 | BySpiral Dance | Released:2006-04-28 | pagan folkquik wanted | ||
| #14 | ByEpica | Released:2006-05-08 | |||
| #78 | ByKate Bramley | Released:2006-07-21 | quik wanted | ||
| #82 | ByReg Meuross | Released:2006-09-08 | quik wanted | ||
| #29 | ByAmarcord | Released:2006 | quik wanted | ||
| #4 | ByThe Young Dubliners | Released:2007-02-13 | celtic punkquik wanted | ||
| #12 | ByMoses Mayfield | Released:2007-03-27 | quik wanted | ||
| #11 | ByNick Lowe | Released:2007-06-26 | |||
| #58 | BySligo Rags | Released:2007-07-11 | quik wanted | ||
| #96 | ByMagna Carta | Released:2007-07-30 | quik wanted | ||
| #31 | BySpiral Dance | Released:2007-11-06 | quik wanted | ||
| #13 | ByCarrie Newcomer | Released:2008-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #63 | ByReg Meuross | Released:2008-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #94 | ByFrankie Armstrong | Released:2008-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #90 | ByKaren Mal | Released:2008-01-01 | quik wanted | ||
| #40 | ByMaddy Prior | Released:2008-06-09 | quik wanted | ||
| #76 | ByNick Keir | Released:2008-06-16 | quik wanted | ||
| #93 | ByCloudstreet | Released:2008-12-12 | quik wanted | ||
| #46 | ByPhil Beer | Released:2009-03-23 | quik wanted | ||
| #73 | ByDebra Cowan | Released:2009-04-10 | quik wanted | ||
| #24 | ByChris de Burgh | Released:2010-10-22 | soft rockquik wanted | ||
| #17 | ByBobby Vinton | Released: | quik wanted |