What are ballads in folk music?

In the context of folk music, a ballad is a short narrative song that tells a story, typically focusing on themes such as domestic or warlike conflict, crime, disasters, and the exploits of heroes or outlaws.12

Key characteristics of folk ballads include:

• Oral Tradition: Ballads are preserved through memory and passed down orally rather than through written notation. They are not considered true ballads until they have circulated within a tradition, often undergoing changes in names, places, and details over time.3
• Performance: A ballad is defined by its performance; it must be sung to be fully realized. Because they are performed orally, they often utilize mnemonic devices like repetition and conventional, stereotyped imagery to help the singer and audience remember the narrative.45
• Structure: While formal characteristics vary by region, many ballads are strophic (divided into stanzas) and often feature an interwoven refrain. The music typically relies on modes rather than modern scales, often using gapped scales like the pentatonic.154
• Cultural Significance: Ballads play a vital role in maintaining community histories and national identities, often prioritizing the presentation of events over factual accuracy.1