You’ve probably heard "Take It All Back." It was everywhere in 2017. That catchy, banjo-heavy anthem stayed at the top of the Alternative songs chart for weeks, turning Judah & the Lion into household names for anyone who shops at Whole Foods or listens to indie-rock radio. But if you think they’re just another "stomp and holler" band trying to be the American version of Mumford & Sons, you’re missing the point entirely. They are way weirder than that.
Honestly, the Nashville scene is crowded. You can’t throw a guitar pick in East Nashville without hitting a folk-rock trio. Yet, Judah Akers, Brian Macdonald, and Nate Zuercher carved out a space by doing things that shouldn't work on paper. They call it "Folk-Hop." It’s a messy, loud, emotional collision of bluegrass instrumentation and hip-hop production. It sounds like a mid-2000s frat party crashed a barn dance. And somehow, it’s exactly what the music industry needed.
The Nashville Foundation and the Banjo Problem
Most people assume bands like this just materialize out of thin air with a record deal. Not these guys. They met at Belmont University in Nashville around 2011. Judah Akers was a baseball player. Think about that for a second. The guy was an athlete who just happened to have a massive voice and a penchant for writing songs that feel like an existential crisis you can dance to.
He teamed up with Brian Macdonald (mandolin) and Nate Zuercher (banjo). When they started, they were leaning hard into the folk stuff. Their early EPs, like First Fruits, were heavy on the acoustic vibes. But Nashville has a way of pigeonholing you. If you have a banjo, people expect you to play bluegrass. If you have a mandolin, you’re a folk band. Judah & the Lion got bored with that label almost immediately.
The pivot happened with Kids These Days in 2014. They started messing with synthesizers. They started looking at how hip-hop beats could provide a backbone for folk instruments. It wasn’t a marketing gimmick; it was a survival tactic. They wanted to make music that reflected what they actually listened to, which wasn't just old Bill Monroe records. It was T-Pain. It was 50 Cent. It was the Beastie Boys.
Why 'Folk-Hop' Isn't Just a Buzzword
Let's get into the weeds of the sound. If you listen to "Graffiti on a High School Wall" or "Suit and Jacket," the structure is fascinating. You have the organic, woody texture of the mandolin and banjo, but it’s layered over massive, booming 808 bass kicks.
This isn't just "folk music with a beat."
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It’s a deliberate subversion of expectations. Usually, folk music is about looking backward—nostalgia, heritage, the "good old days." Hip-hop is often about the present, the hustle, and the beat. By mashing them together, Judah & the Lion created a sonic landscape that feels both grounded and modern. They managed to make the banjo cool again for kids who grew up on Drake.
The 2016 album Folk Hop N' Roll was the manifesto. It was loud. It was abrasive in spots. It featured "Take It All Back," which basically became the blueprint for their success. But the real magic happened when they went on tour. If you’ve never seen them live, you’re seeing about 40% of the band. On stage, they are chaotic. There’s a lot of dancing—terrible, enthusiastic dancing—and a level of vulnerability that usually gets polished away in the studio.
The Emotional Heavy Lifting of 'Pep Talks'
A lot of bands would have ridden the "Take It All Back" wave until the wheels fell off. They could have released three more albums of foot-stomping party anthems and made a killing on the festival circuit. Instead, they released Pep Talks in 2019.
This album is heavy.
While the band was blowing up, Judah’s personal life was essentially imploding. His parents were going through a messy divorce, and there was alcoholism and trauma bubbling to the surface. Most "folk-hop" bands would avoid that stuff to keep the vibes high. Judah went the other way. He wrote about the "Quarter-Life Crisis." He wrote about wanting to scream at the ceiling.
- "Pictures" (feat. Kacey Musgraves): This track is a masterclass in restraint. It’s a song about a literal house being emptied out during a divorce. Having Musgraves on the track wasn't just a "big name" flex; her voice added a grounded, country melancholy that balanced Judah's raw energy.
- "Pep Talk": The title track isn't actually a pep talk. It’s a plea. It’s a guy admitting he doesn’t have it figured out.
This vulnerability changed their fanbase. They stopped being just a "fun festival band" and started being a band people leaned on during their worst moments. That’s the kind of loyalty you can’t buy with a catchy hook.
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The Departure of Nate Zuercher and the New Era
In 2021, the band hit a massive turning point. Nate Zuercher, the banjo player who helped define their early sound, announced he was leaving the group. For many fans, this felt like the end. How do you have a "folk-hop" band without the guy playing the most iconic folk instrument?
Judah and Brian had to decide if they were going to call it quits or evolve again. They chose evolution.
The 2022 album Revival was the result. It felt like a return to their roots, but with a more mature, weathered perspective. It was less about the "hop" and more about the "folk," but it didn't feel like a regression. They leaned into the brotherhood between the remaining two members.
Then came The Process in 2024. This record is a literal journey through the five stages of grief. It’s a concept album that doesn't feel like a homework assignment. It tracks the struggle of moving on from loss—whether that’s the loss of a band member, a relationship, or a version of yourself. Songs like "Floating in the Night" show a band that is no longer afraid of the dark. They aren't just trying to make you jump anymore; they’re trying to help you breathe.
Navigating the Critics and the "Authenticity" Trap
The music industry loves to hate on bands that are hard to categorize. Critics have occasionally been unkind to Judah & the Lion, calling their sound "confused" or "over-earnest."
Here’s the thing: earnestness is out of style. We live in an era of irony and detached coolness. Judah Akers is the opposite of detached. He is 100% "in it" every time he picks up a microphone. Does it occasionally border on the theatrical? Sure. But in a world where everything feels manufactured, there’s something genuinely refreshing about a band that wears its heart on its sleeve, even if that heart is covered in sweat and glitter.
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The "authenticity" trap is the idea that music has to fit a specific mold to be "real." If you play bluegrass, you have to wear a hat and sing about the mountains. If you do hip-hop, you have to follow specific production tropes. Judah & the Lion basically ignored the rules. They realized that authenticity isn't about the instruments you use; it's about the honesty of the lyrics.
What You Should Listen to First
If you’re just getting into them, don't just hit "shuffle" on Spotify. You’ll get whiplash. Start with these specific tracks to see the range:
- "Take It All Back 2.0": The gateway drug. It has everything—the banjo, the beat, the chorus that stays in your head for three days.
- "Beautiful Anyway": A sleeper hit from Pep Talks. It’s a reminder that even when things are broken, there’s a weird kind of beauty in the mess.
- "Long Look": From the Revival era. It shows their growth as songwriters. The production is cleaner, but the emotion is sharper.
- "Scream!": If you’ve ever felt like the world is collapsing around you, this is your song. It’s loud, cathartic, and perfectly captures the band’s high-energy frustration.
The Reality of the "Indie" Label
It’s worth noting that while they have massive hits, Judah & the Lion still operate with a very indie mindset. They are heavily involved in their creative direction. They aren't puppets for a major label. This independence allows them to take risks—like releasing a 19-track album about grief—that a more corporate act might be talked out of.
They also have a deep connection to their fans, often referred to as "The Clan." This isn't just a mailing list. It's a community. The band spends an enormous amount of time engaging with people who feel like outsiders. That’s the secret sauce. Their music makes people feel like they belong somewhere, even if that "somewhere" is a weird middle ground between a rap concert and a hoedown.
What’s Next?
The band is currently touring and continuing to push the boundaries of what a "band" even looks like in 2026. They’ve survived lineup changes, industry shifts, and personal tragedies. Most bands would have folded by now.
Instead, Judah and Brian seem more energized than ever. They’ve proven that "Folk-Hop" wasn't a gimmick; it was a foundation. As they continue to release music, expect them to lean even further into experimental sounds. They aren't afraid of the banjo anymore, but they aren't beholden to it either.
Actionable Steps for New Fans
To truly appreciate what Judah & the Lion are doing, you need to go beyond the radio hits.
- Watch a full live set on YouTube. Their NPR Tiny Desk concert is great, but find a recording of a full festival set (like Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza). The energy shift between songs is where the real story is told.
- Listen to The Process in order. Don't skip around. The album is designed to take you through the stages of grief. Listening to it as a cohesive piece of art changes how you perceive the individual songs.
- Check out Brian Macdonald's solo work. It provides a lot of context for the more melodic, folk-heavy elements of the band's sound.
- Follow their "Behind the Song" content. They are surprisingly transparent about their writing process, often sharing voice memos and early demos that show how a simple mandolin riff turns into a stadium anthem.
The legacy of this band won't be a single chart-topping hit. It will be the fact that they gave people permission to be "too much." Too loud, too emotional, too weird. In an industry that constantly tries to smooth out the edges, Judah & the Lion kept theirs sharp. And that’s why they’re still here.