It’s always an exciting moment when you’re watching a show, whether on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or dare we say it, regular terrestrial TV, and you hear a song you recognise!
Folk artists have contributed to a significant number of dramas, comedies, and children’s shows over the decades, and we thought it was time to honour their place on the soundtracks.
We’ve put together a list of some of the shows that have showcased folk artists, as well as some examples of fantastic songs that have featured.
Is your favourite artist or show on the list? Let’s take a look!
1. John Faulkner and Sandra Kerr – Bagpuss
“Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss, old fat furry catpuss…”
This beloved 1970s children’s show was many people’s first introduction to folk music, with a magical soundtrack written and performed by John Faulkner and Sandra Kerr.
In fact, the squeaky song the mice sing when an item needs repairing, We Will Fix It, borrows the tune from one of the oldest rouds in the book – Sumer is icumen in.
We were lucky to have Sandra perform a couple of years ago for a wonderful show about the songs and stories of Bagpuss, and everyone at the show donned their mouse ears with pride!
2. Various – Midsomer Murders
Midsomer must be one of the worst places to live in the UK, with a death occurring every week or so! However, the county hosted a folk festival to die for…
The episode The Ballad of Midsomer County was set at a local folk festival, where a well-known local folk song was the inspiration behind some very grisly murders. Singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman wrote and performed The Ballad of Midsomer County especially for the show and provided the voice of deceased folk artist Johnny Carver.
Other folk artists lent their talents to the episode too, including Jackie Oates and The Nettlebed Collective.
3. O’Hooley & Tidow – Gentleman Jack
This stunning song from Yorkshire folk duo O’Hooley & Tidow seems tailor-made for the historical drama series starring Suranne Jones, but it was actually written seven years before the show aired!
Celebrating the life and loves of “The first modern lesbian” Anne Lister, the song featured on O’Hooley & Tidow’s second album, The Fragile. Gentleman Jack creator Sally Wainwright heard it at a show, asked to use it, and the rest is history!
4. Various – The Gallows Pole
The Gallows Pole, a historical drama by Shane Meadows, told the tale of the start of the Industrial Revolution in 18th Century Yorkshire.
Shane Meadows’ previous series This is England was accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack that showcased the best of English 80s and 90s music. The Gallows Pole also did not disappoint, with a lush soundtrack featuring artists including Lankum, Nick Mulvey, and Wickerbird.
The stars of the show though were Jennifer Reid (who played Barb the innkeeper) and Tom Kitching (who played a fiddler in Barb’s pub), who researched and sang authentic traditional songs from the era, including Miller of Dee and Old Simon the King.
(As a side note, Jennifer and Tom will be bringing their Bitter & Mild show to the Live to your Living Room stage later this year!)
5. Various – Beyond Paradise
There’s a running joke in the folk world… If your music hasn’t appeared in Beyond Paradise, are you really a folk band?
The BBC TV detective show, a spin-off of Death in Paradise, is well-known and loved for its quirky and lively soundtrack. Bellowhead provides the iconic opening theme tune, with other featured artists including the previously mentioned Seth Lakeman, Moonrakers, Katherine Priddy, and Kate Rusby.
6. Cinder Well – Small Prophets
Small Prophets, a comedy drama written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, and starring Pearce Quigley, Michael Palin, and Sophie Willan, was one of the sleeper hits of 2026.
The spellbinding theme tune, The Wise Man’s Song, was written and sung by US artist Cinder Well, who is inspired by 70s and Celtic folk.
In fact, folk music plays a significant role in all of Mackenzie Crook’s shows. Folk musician and actor Johnny Flynn performed the theme tune for Detectorists, while The Unthanks provided music for Detectorists as well as the recent Wurzel Gummidge remake.
7. Nigel Eaton – House of Guinness
At the start of this year we interviewed Nigel Eaton as part of The Duellists. Nigel had been busy with work, and he shared that since the last time we spoke, he had been working on the soundtrack to Netflix’s historical drama series House of Guinness.
The soundtrack, which combines traditional Celtic folk with dramatic songs by modern Irish artists like Kneecap, Fontaines D.C and The Scratch, has been well-received by fans of the show.
As well as House of Guinness, Nigel’s hurdy gurdy playing has featured in a wealth of TV shows and films, including Mansfield Park, Kingdom of Heaven, Aliens, and the latest Peaky Blinders movie.
You don’t get many folk musicians with their own IMDB page!
8. Various – Young Sherlock
Who would have thought a TV series developed by Guy Ritchie would be full of lots of folk favourites? We’ll be honest, not us!
This 2026 mystery television series on Amazon Prime depicts a young Sherlock Holmes working at Oxford University, working to solve a murder mystery while the finger of suspicion is pointed firmly at him.
The soundtrack features many indie and rock bands, but a few folk gems too. Lankum, whose music features in The Gallows Pole, is included, as well as the iconic Twa Corbies by Steeleye Span and Magpie by The Unthanks… A veiled nod to the “man with the bird’s claw?”
9. Various – The Change
Written and starring comedian Bridget Christie, and co-directed by Mackenzie Crook (who else?), The Change follows a woman who tries to find herself after finding out she is going through the menopause.
Rich in folk culture, including Morris dancing and festivals, many of our favourite artists make the soundtrack, including Angeline Morrison, Karen Dalton, Shirley Collins and John Renbourn. Shirley’s beautiful version of Hares on the Mountain can be heard over the closing credits.
10. Various – Bluey
We started this list with a classic children’s TV programme, and we’re ending with a modern one!
You wouldn’t think Bluey, an Australian cartoon about a family of dogs, would contain nods to folk, but music is a very large part of the show. Joff Bush, the show’s composer, wanted to use different music styles in each episode to set the scene, from classical to ska.
The video above features a frantic rendition of Irish classic John Ryan’s Polka from the episode A Message from the Fairies, with other episodes featuring sea shanties and traditional Australian folk tunes.
As you can see from this list, folk is well-represented in classic and modern television shows, and your favourite programme’s soundtrack may hide a few surprises!
Many thanks to all our Live to your Living Room Facebook fans for helping us crowdsource this article; we couldn’t have written it without you.
