Folkways Records was founded in 1948 in New York City by Moses Asch and Marian Distler. Under Asch's enthusiastic and dedicated direction, and made possible by Distler’s support, Folkways sought to record and document the entire world of sound. Between 1948 and Asch's death in 1986, Folkways' small staff released 2,168 albums. Topics included traditional, and contemporary music from around the world; poetry, spoken word, and instructional recordings in numerous languages; and documentary recordings of individuals, communities, current events, and natural sounds.

In 1987 the Smithsonian Institution acquired Folkways Records & Service Corp. as well as the label's business papers and files to ensure that the work of its artists and compilers would continue to be available to future generations. Thus, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings was born as the nonprofit record label and recordings archive of the Smithsonian Institution.

In the years since 1987, Smithsonian Folkways has continued to expand on Asch's legacy, adding numerous other record labels and collections and releasing over 500 new recordings that document and celebrate the sounds of the world around us.

Most recent Smithsonian Folkways CD releases are available in a standard jewel case or digipak with printed liner notes and can be purchased from retail outlets or directly from Smithsonian Folkways Mail Order via catalog, phone, fax, or our website (folkways.si.edu or 1-888-FOLKWAYS). However, some CDs such as back catalog or archival acquisitions are available as Custom CDs.

A Custom CD is a high-quality CD-R which is produced here at Smithsonian Folkways. A Custom CD is a mixed mode disc (also known as an Enhanced CD/CD Extra/CD Plus). A mixed mode disc contains both audio (for CD audio players) and data (readable on other devices, like PCs). Custom titles are sold with a digital copy of the album's original liner notes (as a .PDF file) on the CD.

Place the disc in your computer’s CD drive and follow the instructions below:

WINDOWS

Right-click on the “Computer” icon (or “My Computer” icon) which you can find either on your desktop or in the Start Menu, and select “Open”. A new window will open with drives and devices listed by type. Locate the group “Devices with Removable Storage”. Right-click on the drive that you placed the disc in (usually “D:” or “E:”), and select “Open”. Right-click on the .PDF file named with the catalog number that appears (e.g., FW07208.pdf), and either open with Adobe Acrobat, print, or save.

MAC

Depending on your settings, iTunes or your preferred media player may automatically open the CD when inserted into the CD drive. Two CD icons will appear on the desktop when inserting the CD. Right-click or Control-click on the disc that has the catalog number as the disc name (e.g., FW07208.pdf), and select “Open”. A new window will appear with one .PDF file; these are the liner notes. Right-click or Control-click on the .PDF file and select “Open With” and choose either “Preview” or “Adobe Reader”. You may now print or save the document to your computer in either of these applications.

(Please note: To access the liner notes, you need the compatible PDF reader).

You can also access free liner notes from ANY Smithsonian Folkways album simply by going to folkways.si.edu. Click on the magnifying glass icon at the top right of the page to search by artist, album, or catalog number. Click on the album cover image to visit the album detail page. On the righthand side of the page (or scrolling down if on your phone), click “Download Liner Notes.” The liner notes will open in a separate window or different tab (depending on your settings), allowing you to print or save them.

Yes, you can shop all our vinyl products here.

We do our best to satisfy as many vinyl re-issue requests as we can, but as with all record labels, there are only so many recordings that one organization can release or re-issue in any given period. Our curatorial team makes decisions on what to re-issue based on numerous factors including demand, intent of the recorded artist or producer, cultural and historical significance, quality, condition, and availability of assets in our archive, and more.

Yes, our album releases and tracks are available for purchase and immediate download. Our downloads include two options: MP3 at 256k and FLAC which is lossless (CD quality). Album downloads include all available liner notes and artwork as well. We package our album downloads into folders that are saved in ZIP format. Though ZIP files can technically be downloaded to portable devices we recommend albums be downloaded to a desktop computer prior to usage. Please note, digital download purchases are only made available for up to one year after date of purchase.

To purchase a download just add those items to your cart and checkout. Your downloads are available once your purchase is complete with links available in your web browser and via email as well.

Please contact us via email at SmithsonianFolkways@si.edu if you encounter issues with your download purchase.

Yes. Our Smithsonian Folkways catalogue is available upon request. A catalogue of our archival holdings is available as a PDF file. Visit here.

Please make out all checks to Smithsonian Folkways. Specify your shipping address, quantity of order, catalog number of items and format (CD/LP). All checks should be sent to:

Smithsonian Folkways
PO Box 37012, MRC 520, CG 2001
Washington, DC, 20013-7012

While our shipments are routinely handled by FedEx, requiring a physical street address for delivery, we can also ship to P.O. Boxes via first class mail. If a package requires overnight or expedited shipping, FedEx will be used.

Orders within the U.S. ship via Fed-Ex or US Postal Service Ground Advantage. Rates are calculated at time of order depending on destination and weight.

International orders are shipped via FedEx International Economy. You may choose your preferred method during checkout. Please pay by credit card (Mastercard / Visa / Discover/ American Express). Credit cards will be charged for actual shipping costs plus a (U.S.) $1.50 handling fee. Other shipping options are available on request.

Orders usually ship within 2-3 business days. We also offer overnight deliver for an additional fee, calculated at the time of checkout.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings does not accept exchanges or returns on any of its items. In the rare instance you receive a defective item or an item different than the one you ordered, we will gladly replace it free of charge. Please return all defective and mis-shipped items and please include a return address and the original invoice number with the item(s).

Smithsonian Members receive a 10% discount on all Folkways recordings. To learn more about becoming a Smithsonian Member, please click here.

We do! To set up a retail or distribution account, click here.

We do! If you are a library, visit here for more information on opportunities to partner with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

We currently offer gift certificates in denominations of $10, $25, $50 and $100. To purchase, please visit the gift certificate page on our website or call us at: 1-888-FOLKWAYS or 202-633-6450.

Yes! Many of the Smithsonian museum shops in Washington, D.C. and New York carry a selection of our recordings.

Smithsonian Folkways does not have a retail storefront. We encourage you to visit the many other brick and mortar retail stores that carry our recordings, you can find them all over the USA and the world! Our recordings are also available for download and streaming online from online retailers such as Amazon, Bandcamp, and iTunes. And of course, you can also find all our offerings and purchase with confidence through our secure web shop.

The Smithsonian Press operated the Smithsonian Collection of Recordings label from the 1970s to 1990, which carried many popular titles such as the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, Big Band Box Set, and Folk Music Box Set. It ceased operations in 1990.

At the present time Smithsonian Folkways does not offer these titles. The revised edition of the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz, titled JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology, was released in March, 2011. Click here for more information.

Like books available in libraries, recordings of topical songs or other items may be uncomfortable to hear, but are part of the historical record and worthy of study. It is up to individual scholars and members of the public to determine their own interests and make their own evaluations of materials. It is the Smithsonian's policy to offer the same access to all of our collections, even to those that many people might find ideologically objectionable.

At the same time, we acknowledge that some of these materials may be harmful, or collected unethically, which is a separate matter from controversial topics, and invite contributions and responses from those whose selves, relatives, or communities have been harmed by the content or collection practices. If you encounter records with inappropriate language or content that you think SFR should review, please contact us at CFCH-SharedStewardship@si.edu. Please see the question below as well as the Folkways Acknowledgement of Harm Statement for further discussion of this urgent and ongoing process.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings holds roughly 70,000 sound recordings, some of which were recorded almost a century ago. We acknowledge that ethical norms and professional best practices in collecting have changed. The Smithsonian has collections that it would not have acquired under present-day standards. Although the Smithsonian has legal title or custody of its collections, continued retention or sole stewardship may cause harm to descendants or communities and be fundamentally inconsistent with the Smithsonian’s ethical standards and values. In these circumstances, shared stewardship or ethical return may be appropriate. In the end, it is critical that we let the wishes of each community steer the process. As we acquire culturally and historically significant collections, our aim is to review all of them to assess their legal and ethical practices and to reconcile and rectify practices that do not meet our standards today. This is an ongoing project needing both time and resources to complete. Throughout this process, we strive to acknowledge the presence of harmful language and invite contributions and responses from those whose selves, relatives, or communities have been harmed by the content or collection practices. If you encounter records with inappropriate language or content that you think SFR should review, please contact us at CFCH-SharedStewardship@si.edu. Please include as many details as possible regarding the language or content which requires our attention such as the catalog number or the permalink to the record. For more information, please see the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns web page.

Please visit the Smithsonian Institution's website at si.edu.

Each summer, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the division within which Smithsonian Folkways operates, presents a major, multi-week free festival celebrating traditional culture on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For information on the festival, its history, and its schedule for the coming year, visit festival.si.edu.

Questions and orders can be taken over the phone during our normal office hours of Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST (except federal holidays) by calling us toll free at 1-888-FOLKWAYS or 1-202-633-6450. However, you can place an order 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on folkways.si.edu.

Smithsonian Folkways does not have a retail storefront to visit. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, which houses the Smithsonian Folkways collection of recordings (including Folkways Records, Paredon, Cook, Dyer-Bennet, Fast Folk, Monitor, M.O.R.E. and other recordings), is open to the public for research purposes via appointment only. Please click here for more information on visiting the archives.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings does not "sign new artists," in that it does not seek exclusive contracts to record singular artists, as do most commercial record labels. Most of our newly released recordings aim to fulfill our nonprofit mission and consequently to broader efforts of making our existing audio collections more accessible, collaborating on larger initiatives such as the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and addressing the specific need to offer greater visibility to musical traditions that might be underrepresented in the marketplace. Unfortunately, we are no longer taking unsolicited proposals.

The non-profit Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label and archive is funded from sales of recordings, grants, and donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including gifts made by becoming a Friend of Folkways. We receive nominal support from taxpayer and Smithsonian general trust funds for our operations. Money generated from these sources goes directly back into efforts to carry out our mission, including the intricate process of paying royalties to the performers and music creators (or heirs) featured on our recordings, which helps sustain the dynamic creative practices that foster cultural diversity.

Thank you for considering one or more of the following ways, your support makes a difference! click through the links for more information:

1. Buy our recordings
2. Become a Friend of Folkways
3. Make a one-time financial contribution, no matter how large or small
4. Donate stocks, bonds, or other securities
5. Institute a bequest, charitable gift annuity, or charitable trust
6. Establish an endowment
7. Gift copyrights to sound recordings or compositions
8. Volunteer

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings owns and controls the rights to virtually all the master recordings in its collection. In general, the Smithsonian Institution does not control rights to the music compositions themselves which are typically administered by outside music publishers. For permission to use one or more of our sound recordings please use our licensing request page.

Since the 1990s, Smithsonian Folkways has supported the livelihoods of thousands of artists and communities who have created the music in our catalog by directly paying them royalties based on the terms of our recording contracts. Since the early days, royalties have been paid from sales of physical products (cassettes, CDs, and LPs) and licensing. When we started selling digital downloads in the mid-2000s, we started paying digital royalties as well. Today, our catalog is streamed on all the major music services, and income collected from streaming goes toward paying out digital royalties. Additionally, we pay mechanical royalties to songwriters and publishers for their musical compositions which are performed by the artists on our recordings.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is unique in that it is both a collection and an active record label. Unlike most record labels, we keep everything we’ve ever released in print as long as we are in existence. With roughly 70,000 recordings in our catalog, staying in touch with all our artists can be challenging. Due to the passage of time, we have lost contact with many artists, some of whom may have passed away. Smithsonian Folkways staff endeavor to identify and, where possible, contact and compensate the heirs of deceased musicians or their estates. Every reasonable measure has been taken to enter into royalty agreements with the musicians’ heirs that we could contact, and any omissions are inadvertent. If you are a featured artist on a recording in our catalog, or a featured artist's heir, and you are not already receiving royalties from Smithsonian Folkways, please contact our royalties department at royalties@si.edu or call (202) 633-6463.

We support the rights of free speech and principles of civil discourse. Content must not be posted that is unrelated to the Smithsonian mission, including content which is partisan or political, personal, contains personal attacks, is abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, or pornographic, infringes on the privacy or other rights of any third party, or otherwise falls within the prohibited categories set forth in law or other Smithsonian policies.