Time moves forward, but people keep playing out the same dramas: love and heartache, contentment and restlessness, loneliness and inspiration. The music here isn’t retro, exactly. But in maintaining connection with the folk, country, and bluegrass traditions of America’s past, modern Americana reminds us how pertinent that past is to now—and offers a simplicity and directness that anyone suffering from the modern condition could use. Roll down the windows, take to the porch—these are the artists keeping tradition alive. Our editors update picks regularly, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.