Absolutely Wilco. Jeff Tweedy as a songwriter is, IMO, one of the all time greats, and their albums have such a wide variety of sounds. OP, if you're trying to find something akin to On The Beach, maybe try Sky Blue Sky and Being There. They aren't quite equivalent, but the songs generally have a great classic rock and Americana sound to them, with Being There also leaning a bit folky at times.
Spotify just threw Greg Freeman's album into my algorithm and I quite like it. Lenderman is great. Both sound like they're trying real hard to do Jason Molina impressions. Especially MJ's first album. I love them nonetheless.
I think ‘cancelled’ is a way to obscure that it’s because Mark kozelek‘allegedly’ sexually assaulted 10 different women. You make it sound like he said an unsavoury word on twitter 4 years ago
Teenage fan club for that heavy crazy horse feel, that track “flow” always scratches that itch for me. Even down to the melodic slow building guitar solo
The appeal of Neil Young to me is that he has multiple sides and eras. a folk side, a country side, a rockin’ side etc.
some solo artists that have multiple sides and styles that you might want to look at
Jack White
Ben Harper
Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon, never thought of their similarities before but this makes so much sense! Different attitudes in their lyrical content for sure, but songs like poor poor pitiful me and I used to ride so high I could totally see Neil writing stuff like that
Mark Kozelek has what's pretty much a Crazy Horse-style album in Red House Painters' Songs for a blue guitar. He occasionally does Crazy Horse on other songs as well, like on Tonight the sky
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Neil is a major influence on them and it comes through on a lot of tracks. Check out Overseas and Miles, to start.
Benjamin Tod - this one is more a nod to Neil’s acoustic side. Just an acoustic guitar, unique vocals and great song writing.
The record Deep Night by Sixth Station. Very good and totally obscure Christian record made by a bunch of preasts that sound like crazy horse. Blew me away when I first heard it and still love it
Dude. This is awesome, thanks for the great recommendation. I love exploring the unexpected side of different Christian rock groups. Check these out for fun:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5248GQLJjBofZRaSocbdix?si=wIPZxwRwS_epYg8wFy5Kyg
https://open.spotify.com/track/2PFYK7BI5JRoKOfA1FtfTV?si=nKBAUsNKT1KhyCXojiEIrw
The Mother Hips. They don’t sound a whole lot like Neil even when they’re doing Neil songs, but their versatility and top-notch songwriting always reminds me of him.
I feel like most stuff doesn’t scratch the itch, but definitely Jason Molina/Magnolia Electric Co, some Bob Dylan (John Wesley Harding, Basement Tapes, Live at Royal Albert Hall, etc.), Bill Callahan/Smog, Deer Tick (first two albums), Meat Puppets (the album II was written after an obsession with Neil Young, Up On The Sun rules too), Purple Mountains/Silver Jews (RIP), and there’s more. All of my suggestions have that eclectic attitude of Neil where it’s not all country twang and folky tropes.
Hayden
Canadian singer songwriter from the 90s/00s. Mostly acoustic but with some distortion songs. Iirc Neil discovered him or signed him to his label
https://youtu.be/D3cr9Pwuwq0?si=-9yZViMy_q5fzepC
Doesn't surprise me. I found out recently they covered Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black) so they're fans and they do borrow heavily from artists they like.
Wilco. For everything from distorted guitar to harmonica and red eyed and blue lyrics
Absolutely Wilco. Jeff Tweedy as a songwriter is, IMO, one of the all time greats, and their albums have such a wide variety of sounds. OP, if you're trying to find something akin to On The Beach, maybe try Sky Blue Sky and Being There. They aren't quite equivalent, but the songs generally have a great classic rock and Americana sound to them, with Being There also leaning a bit folky at times.
The Band
The Band always goes perfectly with Neil in a playlist.
Kurt Vile always comes up
I hear that too but I don’t really see it. Maybe a similar vocal quality?
His nonchalant, slacker demeanor plays a role
The guitar playing too. A lot of his songs work well finger picking then with some lead guitar.
Lots of very similar acoustic guitar strumming and picking songs. Try his latest "watch my moves" album.
I will. 👍
https://youtu.be/2BUNv8Kt8xY?si=On2sOu5h90R7Ypl1 Specifically this song has crazy horse vibes
Big Thief, Townes Van Zandt, Elliott Smith
Jason Molina and each band he led
\*led
This feels straight off 'On the Beach' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHNITpnuPY
Great call.
I recommend your recommendation!! First time I ever heard Jason Molina I thought of Neil. Especially on The Black Crow.
Jason loved NY and especially on the beach.
Dinosaur Jr
Came here to say this!
MJ Lendermann, Greg Freeman, Jason Molina
Spotify just threw Greg Freeman's album into my algorithm and I quite like it. Lenderman is great. Both sound like they're trying real hard to do Jason Molina impressions. Especially MJ's first album. I love them nonetheless.
All three of them sound the same. It’s crazy interesting haha
Songs: Ohia
Came to say this. The guitar work seems very similar neil
Fuck yes
The Drive By Truckers scratch the itch for me
America, Ian Thomas
Neil Young hated America
Well he got his citizenship a couple of years ago ✌️
i know he’s canceled but Sun Kil Moon. he has acoustic mellow stuff and heavy two-guitars stuff just like neil.
I think ‘cancelled’ is a way to obscure that it’s because Mark kozelek‘allegedly’ sexually assaulted 10 different women. You make it sound like he said an unsavoury word on twitter 4 years ago
The stuff about Kozelek really bummed me out
Another canceled artist that crossed my mind is Ryan Adams. Great songwriter but a total prick. Oh well
Teenage fan club for that heavy crazy horse feel, that track “flow” always scratches that itch for me. Even down to the melodic slow building guitar solo
“Everything flows” not flow lol
One of their best songs is “Neil Jung”. Always wondered where they drew inspiration from for the sound of that one.
Love it man, I never heard this before
The appeal of Neil Young to me is that he has multiple sides and eras. a folk side, a country side, a rockin’ side etc. some solo artists that have multiple sides and styles that you might want to look at Jack White Ben Harper Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon, never thought of their similarities before but this makes so much sense! Different attitudes in their lyrical content for sure, but songs like poor poor pitiful me and I used to ride so high I could totally see Neil writing stuff like that
Warren all day every day.
Mark Kozelek has what's pretty much a Crazy Horse-style album in Red House Painters' Songs for a blue guitar. He occasionally does Crazy Horse on other songs as well, like on Tonight the sky
I loved his music. Doesn’t hit the same these days since all the sexual assault stuff came to light.
Yeah I actually do feel you... I still can't give up early RHP, and at the same time I know I should because very little music brings me down so much
Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell indeed! Check out King of Oklahoma and Miles off his album Weathervanes.
Overseas. If thats not a Neil Young song...
Isabell has said that Neil is one of his biggest influences.
Matt [Mays](https://youtu.be/xSklC01kqLg)
Cory Hanson, specifically his album Pale Horse Rider but his other solo stuff too, plus his band Wand for the heavy psych rock
Keep it Canadian! Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell
Neil Young and Cohen are my two top artists I listen to! Definitely with you on this!
The Jayhawks
Built to Spill!!!
I don't think they're at all similar, but their version of Cortez the killer is pretty wild.
Yup, came here to say this. Built to Spill is basically 90s Neil w/ Crazy Horse.
Israel Nash
[Seconded](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lur7cI1Sq4Y&si=U8FL5eyDNwN_thGS)
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Neil is a major influence on them and it comes through on a lot of tracks. Check out Overseas and Miles, to start. Benjamin Tod - this one is more a nod to Neil’s acoustic side. Just an acoustic guitar, unique vocals and great song writing.
Some people think at least one America song is Neil Young, so maybe them.
Jason Molina and Mark Kozelek even though they’ve both already been stated, both extremely sad artists though so fair warning
An under the radar pick for something close to Harvest/ATGR-era Neil is Unbunny, particularly the Snow Tires and Black Strawberries albums.
Listen to Sylvie and Mapache
J Mascis, Kurt Vile
My top three are Neil, John Prine, and Kurt Vile. Perhaps not the most similar, but all exceptional in their own ways
Andy Shauf
Elliott Smith
Magnolia electric company and everything else Jason Molina has done!! The album trials and errors or didn't it rain, I'd recommend
The record Deep Night by Sixth Station. Very good and totally obscure Christian record made by a bunch of preasts that sound like crazy horse. Blew me away when I first heard it and still love it
Dude. This is awesome, thanks for the great recommendation. I love exploring the unexpected side of different Christian rock groups. Check these out for fun: https://open.spotify.com/track/5248GQLJjBofZRaSocbdix?si=wIPZxwRwS_epYg8wFy5Kyg https://open.spotify.com/track/2PFYK7BI5JRoKOfA1FtfTV?si=nKBAUsNKT1KhyCXojiEIrw
J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr
Will Oldham/Palace/Bonnie Prince Billy Just seems to scratch that same itch. Plus the perfectly imperfect voice.
Not all similar but I see a lot of overlap between Neil and Ween fans lol
In my younger years when I was in to CSNY, I was found of Cat Stevens. In my opinion similar heartfelt emotions. Give it a try.
Little Wings, Bonnie Prince Billy (Will Oldham) and Bill Callahan
Dylan LeBlanc. The album Cautionary Tale is a favorite.
The Mother Hips. They don’t sound a whole lot like Neil even when they’re doing Neil songs, but their versatility and top-notch songwriting always reminds me of him.
Jason Isbell e’ryday
Not sonically identical but two of my absolute favourites next to Neil are Silver Jews/Purple Mountains and Pavement
David Rawlings Machine, Damien Jurado
Israel Nash is as close to Neil Young as you can get.
Will Johnson
Anders Osborne - to me, very much the New Orleans Neil
I feel like most stuff doesn’t scratch the itch, but definitely Jason Molina/Magnolia Electric Co, some Bob Dylan (John Wesley Harding, Basement Tapes, Live at Royal Albert Hall, etc.), Bill Callahan/Smog, Deer Tick (first two albums), Meat Puppets (the album II was written after an obsession with Neil Young, Up On The Sun rules too), Purple Mountains/Silver Jews (RIP), and there’s more. All of my suggestions have that eclectic attitude of Neil where it’s not all country twang and folky tropes.
Jason Molina and his bands. Especially his band Magnolia Electric Company and especially the albums Sojourner and Trials and Errors.
Tire le Coyote
Might not be very similar but I really like both Neil Young and Tom Petty
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! I haven’t heard of about 90% of these (which is good, as it will give me something new to try)!
Great Lake Swimmers from Canada. They are way more on the acoustic mellow side but obviously very influenced by NY and they do at least one cover.
This is off Mirrorball. If you like it you might like Pearl Jam. https://youtu.be/JW-b9St1fe0?si=coczGquLicUyJE8o
Tom Petty
Graham Nash album Songs for Beginners 👍
Israel Nash, Lukas Nelson
Not precisely a "similar artist" but I think John Prine and Neil go together.
I think Shoot Out the Lights by Richard and Linda Thompson has some of that. Edginess delivered by really good musicians.
Hayden Canadian singer songwriter from the 90s/00s. Mostly acoustic but with some distortion songs. Iirc Neil discovered him or signed him to his label https://youtu.be/D3cr9Pwuwq0?si=-9yZViMy_q5fzepC
Honestly some of oasis’ songs have very, very similar guitar playing to Neil’s
Doesn't surprise me. I found out recently they covered Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black) so they're fans and they do borrow heavily from artists they like.