Top 5 Indie-Folk Artists for the Perfect Autumn Playlist: Cozy, Melancholic, and Nostalgic Vibes
- Chiara Bressan
- Nov 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 30, 2025
Change of season, change of mood, the leaves are falling and your hair too. Sorry. Switching to serious mode! Do you like autumn as much as I do? Even if you’re not a fan, you can’t deny its charm: warm colors, crunchy leaves, the last rays of sun giving way to poetic, rainy weather. And let’s not forget soft blankets, hot tea, cinnamon rolls, and cozy evenings. I mean. Seriously you don't like that? Weirdos. Anyway, autumn is all about introspection and transformation, coziness and a touch of mystery—hello, Scorpio season. It’s the time for nostalgic playlists, the perfect backdrop to some bittersweet, rainy-day self-reflection. And who am I to deprive you of the pleasure of sinking in your own melancholy and self-pity while sadly looking through the window as if you were the main character of a late 90s tv series? Yes, the one who’ll give you the right compilation for that.
Jokes apart, it’s essential to match the season’s vibe with the right music. So grab your headphones, because I’m here to share five indie-folk artists I think are perfect for autumn, bringing those nostalgic, cozy, fall vibes. These artists feel like a warm hug—or make you want one!
Novo Amor: The Soundtrack for Peaceful, Cozy Evenings
Novo Amor’s music feels so peaceful and relaxing when I listen to him that I want to melt into someone’s arms and just lie there until I fall asleep. His voice pitch is very delicate, the sounds are soft, he plays his guitar like everything is supposed to be done in the right measure, nothing more, nothing less, and the rhythms are always balanced.
Mood: wrapped in a fluffy blanket with your better half, or solo nights cooking dinner in the peace of your apartment, savoring the calm of your own company. He released a new record this year, by the way. No better time than this to give it a listen.
Keaton Henson: Raw Honesty and Heartfelt Melancholy
Keaton Henson has been one of the best discoveries from last year. I find his work extremely honest and real. His songs lyrics are sincere like is very rare to find, which inevitably means a bit inconvenient sometimes, like confessing to the person you’ve been seeing that you don’t have feelings for them because you never stopped thinking about someone else, as he does in Lying to you, or dissecting the end of a relationship bringing to the table all the uncomfortable emotions that are also the most real. This is what I like the most about Henson, the pure honesty in his lyrics, paired up with tons of intimacy and gentleness in his chords. It’s like he’s whispering private secrets to you. You can’t help but feel a little shiver or a small twinge in your heart when you listen to what he has to say. He doesn't like to perform in public, so you might settle for streaming his songs for a long while before seeing him live.
Mood: heartbreak phase, separation from someone you love, or a lonely dark night on your own, dreamingly looking outside the window while tracing back the track record of your past love delusions.
Soko: Whispered Lyrics and Nostalgic Reflections
Soko’s music is moody and whispered in a half-voice, almost broken and slightly hoarse. It’s a type of music more spoken than sung. Softness and gentleness are key words here too, especially in the album I thought I was an alien. For the most curious and gossipy, she is also Keaton Henson’s ex girlfriend. The singers wrote indeed songs about each other, and rumour has it that the breakup was not taken very well by her. Her lyrics draw from private life experiences, especially love, and her French accent makes them even cuter with a hint of sexiness.
Mood: post-breakup melancholic throwback to the past, even after years, and self-reflection on your personal attitude in love.
Bon Iver: Cozy, Rustic Melodies for Fall Days
Bon Iver doesn’t need any introduction. He was probably the leader of the entire contemporary acoustic indie-folk strand, and hits like Skinny Love or Flume are firmly planted in the mind of most readers. He's to be listened to in front of a fireplace, better if in its rustic version in the middle of a forest at the end of a cozy weekend with friends, or on a lazy Sunday morning indulging in bed with the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen.
Mood: a cozy cabin weekend, where the smell of woodsmoke mingles with acoustic warmth, and time slows to the gentle strum of a guitar.
Hazlett: Romantic Tunes for Autumn Nights
Hazlett is a blend of influences from the previous artists. The core elements are all there: soft voice, deep themes, introspection, bittersweet lyrics and romantic sensitivity. He embodies the spirit of autumn, his music feels like stepping into a walk in the woods, far from the madding crowd, and engaging in a face to face conversation with the moon, when there’s no one else to confess your thoughts to.
Mood: road trips across the country, when the nostalgia of longing and belonging hits you the hardest, or dark autumn nights lit by a moon to blame.
Now choose your favorite, grab your headphones, and let the music carry you through autumn’s bittersweet beauty.