The Best Blues Music of 2016
The best blues music of 2016 can be found here. This list includes the top 100 blues songs of the year.
Best Electric Blues Albums
2016 was a great year for electric blues music. Many artists released great albums that are worth checking out. In this article, we will be discussing the best electric blues albums of 2016.
Kingfish – Live at the Record Plant
Released in 2016, this live album from Kingfish features excellent renditions of classic blues tunes like “Things I Used to Do” and “Born Under a Bad Sign.” Recorded at the Record Plant in Sausalito, CA, the album captures the energy and excitement of a Kingfish performance.
T-Model Ford – You Better Keep Still
If you want to hear a real-deal, unholy blues album in 2016, T-Model Ford’s You Better Keep Still is about as real and deal-like as it gets. The Oxford, Mississippi-based musician born James Lewis Carter Ford has been making music since the late 1940s, and at 92 years old, he’s still got it. You Better Keep Still was recorded live in the studio with his touring band (which includes his 28-year-old son on drums), and it crackles with raw energy. It’s full of originals written by Ford and his longtime collaborator Spencer Bohren, plus a totally blistering cover of thetraditional blues tune “Boom Boom.”
Luther Allison – Blue Streak
Widely regarded as one of the best electric blues albums of 2016, Luther Allison’s “Blue Streak” features some of the most soulful and electrifying blues guitar playing you’re likely to hear. Recorded in a single day at legendary Chicago recording studio Chess Records, “Blue Streak” is a pure testimony to Allison’s guitar mastery. From the opening track “Alligator Boogaloo” to the closing title track, Allison and his band rip through a set of hard-hitting blues numbers that are guaranteed to get your toes tapping.
Best Traditional Blues Albums
If you’re a fan of the blues, then you’ll be happy to know that 2016 was a great year for the genre. There were a number of excellent traditional blues albums released this year. Here are some of the best.
Big Bill Broonzy – The Midnight Special
This album was recorded in 1957, but wasn’t released until 2006. It’s a collection of 12 unreleased songs that were found in Big Bill’s personal archive. The album features Big Bill on vocals and guitar, and is a great example of his traditional blues style.
Lead Belly – The Legend of Lead Belly
Lead Belly is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential musicians of his time. His music has influenced countless other artists across a wide range of genres, including rock, folk, country, and blues. The Legend of Lead Belly is a collection of some of his most famous and well-loved songs, including “Goodnight Irene,” “Midnight Special,” and “Cotton Fields.” If you’re a fan of the blues, or just looking for a taste of something different, this album is definitely worth checking out.
Blind Lemon Jefferson – The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson
One of the most influential country bluesmen of the 1920s, Blind Lemon Jefferson’s vocal style and guitar playing had a profound effect on subsequent generations of bluesmen. His recordings for Paramount Records between 1926 and 1929 remain some of the most enduring and significant in all of pre-war blues. This disc features 24 sides that Jefferson recorded for Paramount between 1926 and 1929, including such classics as “Rabbit Foot Blues,” “Match Box Blues,” “Hot Dogs,” and “Black Snake Moan.” It’s an essential collection of one of the giants of the genre.
Best Contemporary Blues Albums
In 2016, the best blues music came from a mix of veteran artists and new up-and-comers. The best blues albums of 2016 offer a little something for everyone, whether you’re a fan of traditional 12-bar blues or more modern versions of the genre. Here are our picks for the best blues albums of 2016.
Keb’ Mo’ – Just Like You
The album Just Like You is the third studio release by Keb’ Mo’. It was released on August 5, 1994, by Okeh Records and Epic Records. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards.
Just Like You is a mix of traditional blues and modern pop. The title track, “Just Like You”, is a love song with acoustic guitar and slide guitar. “Every Morning” is a light-hearted look at morning rituals set to a country-blues arrangement. “Hand It Over” is a slick, electric blues number with horns. “Dangerous Mood” is a slow blues ballad with keyboard and electric guitar.
The album was recorded in three weeks in May 1994 at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California. Keb’ Mo’ produced the album with Jim Gaines and engineers Allen Sides and Al Schmitt. Just Like You peaked at number one on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums chart and number 107 on the Billboard 200.
B.B. King – Deuces Wild
B.B. King’s ‘Deuces Wild’ is a collection of some of the best contemporary blues albums released in 2016. The album features 16 tracks, including four new songs written by King himself. With an all-star lineup of guests that includes Eric Clapton, Elvin Bishop, Buddy Guy, and Jimmie Vaughan, this is a must-have for any blues fan.
Eric Clapton – Reptile
If there was any justice, Eric Clapton’s 21st studio album, Reptile, would have been a shoo-in for a Grammy in the Contemporary Blues Album category. Released in early 2016, the album is a return to Clapton’s blues roots, and features some of the best playing of his career. The album also features guest appearances by some of the biggest names in blues, including Robert Cray, Billy Gibbons, and Vince Gill.
