The blues has experienced a remarkable renaissance in the 21st century, with artists like Gary Clark Jr., Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram and Joe Bonamassa redefining the genre for new audiences. From raw Delta revival to soul-blues crossover, modern blues albums prove that the art form remains as vital and emotionally direct as ever.
1Blak and Blu – Gary Clark Jr.2012 Warner Bros. debut album blending Chicago blues, soul and hip-hop influences, establishing Clark as the defining voice of 21st-century blues guitar.
2This Land – Gary Clark Jr.2019 Warner Bros. politically charged blues-rock album confronting racial injustice in America, featuring the incendiary title track and Grammy-winning guitar performances.
3Kingfish – Christone Ingram2019 Alligator Records debut album by Mississippi-born Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, introducing the most celebrated new voice in traditional blues in a generation.
4662 – Christone Ingram2021 Alligator Records sophomore album named after the Mississippi area code of the Delta, deepening Kingfish's exploration of traditional blues roots with stunning guitar mastery.
5Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band2011 Grammy-winning debut album by the powerhouse blues-soul collective led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, a sweeping vision of American roots music.
6El Dorado – Marcus King2020 American Recordings debut album produced by Dan Auerbach, featuring King's soul-blues guitar and extraordinary voice in songs about heartbreak and Southern mythology.
7Please Don't Be Dead – Fantastic Negrito2018 Grammy-winning album by Xavier Dphrepaulezz blending Delta blues with soul, R&B and punk in a raw urgent statement about survival, identity and American music.
8Kill or Be Kind – Samantha Fish2019 Rounder Records blues-soul album produced by Martin Kierszenbaum, showcasing Fish's powerful guitar chops and commanding voice in her most fully realized artistic statement.
9Venom & Faith – Larkin Poe2018 self-released slide guitar blues-rock album by sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, capturing the raw fire and Southern mysticism of their roots-drenched blues approach.
10Fire on the Floor – Beth Hart2016 Provogue Records blues-rock album featuring Hart's stunning voice and emotional intensity across original songs and covers, one of her most consistently powerful records.
11In My Soul – Robert Cray2014 Nozzle Records Grammy-winning album featuring Cray's elegant soul-blues guitar style in beautifully constructed songs, one of his finest recordings in a legendary career.
12Middle of the Road – Eric Gales2017 Provogue Records breakthrough album by the raw-power Memphis blues guitarist, produced by Robben Ford and featuring Gales's most focused and emotionally direct playing.
13Oklahoma – Keb' Mo'2019 Kind of Blue Records Grammy-winning album blending blues, country, folk and soul in a warm and literate reflection on the American South by one of its finest storytellers.
14Blood Harmony – Larkin Poe2020 Tricki-Woo Records album featuring the Lovell sisters' most personal songwriting alongside their signature slide guitar blues, earning their widest critical acclaim.
15The Blues Is Alive and Well – Buddy Guy2018 Grammy-winning album featuring Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck and Rolling Stones, with Guy at age 81 delivering some of the fiercest blues guitar playing of his entire career.
