Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like Dermot Kennedy — and the music that made them

Folk-Pop · 2017-present

Irish troubadour blending hip-hop beats with soaring folk melodies

Dermot Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter who creates emotionally charged music by fusing intimate folk storytelling with modern hip-hop production and gospel-influenced vocals. His breakthrough came through busking on the streets of Dublin and Boston, eventually leading to sold-out arenas and billions of streams worldwide.

Essential tracks

►Outnumbered

►Power Over Me

►Giants

Did you know

He was discovered after someone filmed him busking and the video went viral on social media

Before music, he studied classical violin for eight years at the Dublin Institute of Technology

He's the first Irish solo artist to have a debut album go straight to #1 in Ireland and the UK simultaneously since 1990

“Falsetto vulnerability meets hip-hop rhythms in cinematic folk anthems.”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace Dermot Kennedy's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

Dermot Kennedy

2017-present

Glen Hansard

1990-present

cited

Bon Iver

2007-present

cited

Damien Rice

2002-present

cited

Jeff Buckley

1994-1997

sonic

Johnny Cash

1955-2003

sonic

Van Morrison

1967-present

movement

Leonard Cohen

1967-2016

sonic

Nick Drake

1969-1974

sonic

The Dubliners

1962-2012

movement

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Falsetto vocals over hip-hop influenced beats

Cinematic string arrangements

Acoustic guitar fingerpicking

Trap-influenced percussion

Start with these tracks

Outnumbered

Power Over Me

Giants

Better Days

If you like Dermot Kennedy, try these

Hozier

Irish soul with powerful vocals and folk-rock arrangements.

2010s · Alternative Folk

Bon Iver

Falsetto-driven indie folk with atmospheric production and emotional depth.

2000s · Indie Folk

James Blake

Electronic-infused R&B with vulnerable vocals and minimalist arrangements.

2010s · Electronic Soul

Lewis Capaldi

Raw emotional delivery with piano-driven pop ballads and soaring choruses.

2010s · Pop

Vance Joy

Acoustic-based indie folk with catchy melodies and intimate storytelling.

2010s · Indie Folk

Tom Grennan

Soulful vocals with indie-rock energy and anthemic choruses.

2010s · Indie Rock

About this page

Music like Dermot Kennedy — Dermot Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter who creates emotionally charged music by fusing intimate folk storytelling with modern hip-hop production and gospel-influenced vocals. His breakthrough came through busking on the streets of Dublin and Boston, eventually leading to sold-out arenas and billions of streams worldwide.

Artists like Dermot Kennedy today include Hozier, Bon Iver, James Blake, Lewis Capaldi. If you enjoy Dermot Kennedy, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like Dermot Kennedy and songs like Dermot Kennedy are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.