Artists Similar to Noah Kahan: Who to Listen to When You Need That Vermont Folk Sound

You’ve played Stick Season on repeat until the algorithm gave up. Now you’re hunting for that same raw, confessional folk sound—the kind that makes you feel less alone on a long drive. The good news: Kahan didn’t create his style in a vacuum. He’s named his influences in interviews, collaborated with peers who share his approach, and built a sound rooted in a specific lineage of folk storytelling. This isn’t a list of vaguely similar indie artists scraped from a Spotify playlist. These are the musicians Kahan himself points to, the ones who shaped his writing, and the collaborators who appear on his albums. If you love Noah Kahan, these artists are your next stop.

The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons: Where Kahan's Sound Comes From

If you’re new to this corner of folk, these two bands are where you start. The Lumineers built their reputation on stripped-down, emotionally direct songs—think “Ho Hey” and “Ophelia”—that layer vocal harmonies over minimal instrumentation. Mumford & Sons leaned harder into the stomp-and-holler aesthetic early on, with banjo-driven anthems like “I Will Wait” and “Little Lion Man,” before shifting toward a more restrained sound in later albums.

What Kahan shares with both bands is the balance between folk intimacy and pop structure. His songs don’t meander—they build to a chorus you can sing in a car with the windows down. The production stays warm and acoustic-forward, but there’s always a hook. If you love the way “Stick Season” feels both personal and anthemic, that’s the Lumineers/Mumford blueprint.

Fans who’ve followed Kahan into the Vermont folk aesthetic often reach for apparel that captures the same grounded, narrative-driven vibe. The Noah Kahan Stick Season Embroidered Sweatshirt – Sticks Forever brings that sensibility into something you can actually wear—machine-embroidered designs that nod to the album’s imagery without shouting about it.

Hozier: An Influence and a Collaborator

Hozier’s music operates at a different scale than Kahan’s—his vocals are more theatrical, his arrangements more layered—but the emotional core is similar. Both artists write about longing, place, and the weight of relationships with a literary sensibility. Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” and “Work Song” carry the same kind of ache you hear in Kahan’s quieter tracks like “Orange Juice” or “Homesick.”

The collaboration on “Northern Attitude” isn’t just a streaming boost—it’s a signal of mutual respect. When Kahan talks about his influences, Hozier shows up by name. If you’re drawn to Kahan’s more introspective moments, Hozier’s catalog is worth the deep dive. Start with Wasteland, Baby! (2019) or circle back to Hozier (2014) for the full scope.

Gregory Alan Isakov and Brandi Carlile: Collaborators Who Expand the Circle

Isakov writes quiet, patient folk—songs that unfold slowly and reward careful listening. His voice sits low in the mix, and his lyrics lean toward the natural world and rural isolation. If you love the spaciousness in Kahan’s production, Isakov’s Evening Machines (2018) will feel like home. There’s no rush in his songs, just careful attention to detail.

Brandi Carlile, by contrast, brings power and range. She’s a three-time Grammy winner with a voice that can fill an arena, but her songwriting stays rooted in folk and Americana traditions. “The Joke” and “The Story” showcase her ability to marry emotional vulnerability with vocal force. If Kahan’s anthemic side pulls you in, Carlile’s catalog—especially By the Way, I Forgive You (2018)—offers a deeper bench of that energy.

Bright Eyes: The Songwriting Influence Kahan Talks About

Bright Eyes doesn’t sound like Noah Kahan in the surface-level sense—Oberst’s early work is rawer, more lo-fi, and often more experimental. But the through line is confessional storytelling. Oberst built a career on writing about mental health, relationships, and place with unflinching honesty. That’s the same impulse driving Kahan’s most personal tracks.

If you’re ready to dig into the roots of Kahan’s approach, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005) is the album to start with. It’s folk-forward, lyrically dense, and emotionally direct. Oberst’s voice is less polished than Kahan’s, but the songwriting is sharp and unguarded. This is the artist Kahan points to when he talks about learning how to write honestly.

Lizzy McAlpine: A Quieter, Female Voice in the Same Tradition

McAlpine writes intimate, understated folk-pop that prioritizes lyrical detail over big choruses. Her voice is soft but precise, and her production stays minimal—often just vocals, piano, and light strings. If you’re searching for “female artists like Noah Kahan,” she’s the most direct connection, both musically and literally (via the collaboration).

Start with five seconds flat (2022), which showcases her narrative songwriting and willingness to sit in uncomfortable emotional spaces. Tracks like “ceilings” and “doomsday” share Kahan’s honesty without his bombast. This is folk for quiet mornings, not highway drives.

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Zach Bryan: The Country-Adjacent Route

Bryan’s music leans more country than Kahan’s, but the narrative approach is nearly identical. He writes plainspoken songs about small-town life, heartbreak, and memory, often recorded with minimal production. His voice is rough around the edges, and he favors straightforward guitar arrangements over layered folk-pop hooks.

If Kahan’s Vermont references resonate with you, Bryan’s Oklahoma and rural American settings will feel familiar. American Heartbreak (2022) is the album that broke him into the mainstream, and it’s a good starting point—34 tracks of unvarnished storytelling. He’s prolific, unpolished, and deeply committed to emotional honesty.

• “Heading South” – his breakout track, raw and direct
• “Something in the Orange” – a slower, aching ballad
• “Revival” – bigger production, still rooted in narrative

Jason Isbell and Taylor Swift: Unexpected Bridges for Narrative Fans

Jason Isbell is a former Drive-By Truckers member turned solo Americana powerhouse. His songwriting is literary, detail-oriented, and often quietly devastating. If you’re drawn to Kahan’s ability to sketch a character or a place in a few lines, Isbell does the same thing with more lived-in grit. Southeastern (2013) and Something More Than Free (2015) are both excellent entry points—albums that balance personal confession with broader social observation.

Taylor Swift’s folklore and evermore (both 2020) marked a sharp turn toward indie-folk storytelling, co-produced by Aaron Dessner of The National. If you loved those albums and haven’t explored Kahan yet, or if you’re a Kahan fan who dismissed Swift’s earlier pop work, these two records are the bridge. They share Kahan’s narrative focus, acoustic warmth, and willingness to explore sadness without rushing to resolution.

This isn’t a stretch—it’s a documented connection. The AP review positions Kahan in the same lineage as these artists, which means if you’re mining Kahan’s catalog for more like it, Isbell and Swift’s folk era are legitimate next stops.

Fans who’ve followed Kahan through multiple tour cycles often look for stick season merch that feels more personal than mass-produced—something that reflects the intimacy of the music itself. Machine-embroidered designs offer that specificity, a tactile reminder of the songs that got you through a hard season.

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