The Best Blues Music Record Labels

A comprehensive guide to the best blues record labels, both past and present.

The Birth of the Blues

The best blues music comes from the best record labels. The genre of music known as the blues has its roots in the African-American communities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first blues music was created by African-American musicians who were influenced by the work songs and spirituals of their homeland. The blues quickly spread from the American South to the rest of the world, and it has continued to evolve over the years.

The first blues recordings

The first blues recordings were made by African American musicians in the 1920s. These recordings were mostly made by solo artists playing acoustic guitars and singing in a rural, folksy style. The lyrics of these early blues songs often reflected the hard life of poor, rural blacks, with themes of heartbreak, loneliness, and suffering. Some of the most famous early blues musicians includes Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Bessie Smith.

The first blues labels

The first blues labels were formed in the 1920s, when the music began to be recorded. The earliest labels were race records labels, which were set up to record and release music by black artists for a black audience. The most famous and successful of these was the Bluebird label, which was started by RCA Victor in 1929.

Other important early labels included Okeh, Vocalion, and Columbia. These labels all released recordings by some of the most important early blues artists, including Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Robert Johnson.

The first blues label to be run by a black man was delimited in Chicago in 1926 by Chicago Tribune reporter Indianapolis Freeman. His label, Black Patti Records, only released two singles before it went out of business.

The first truly successful black-owned blues label was start typing to see suggestions from Google… by Tampa Red in 1935. Tampa Red’s label, Bluebird Records, was very successful and helped to launch the careers of many important blues artists, including Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson.

The Golden Age of the Blues

The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It developed from the fusion of African and European musical traditions and has roots in the music of Africa, the United States, and the Caribbean. The blues has been a major influence on the development of other genres of music, including jazz, rock and roll, and country music.

The classic blues labels

The classic blues labels were the most important record companies in the development of the blues and made some of the most influential recordings of the 1920s and 1930s. The biggest and most successful were Paramount, Columbia, and Victor. They were followed by a host of smaller companies such as Gennett, Vocalion, and Bluebird.

The classic blues labels were based in the major recording centers of Chicago and New York, but they also recorded artists from around the country. The records they made were distributed nationally, and they had a huge impact on the development of the blues. The classic blues labels were instrumental in popularizing the work of some of the most important early blues artists, including Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Charlie Patton, and Robert Johnson.

The electric blues labels

The electric blues is a type of blues music that uses electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums. It is generally played at a faster tempo than other blues music. The electric blues was first created in the 1920s, but it did not become popular until the 1950s.

There are many different labels that specialize in electric blues music. Some of the most popular labels include Alligator Records, Chess Records, and Fat Possum Records.

The Modern Blues Era

The Modern Blues Era is a time period in the music industry that began in the late 1980s and ended in the early 2000s. It is considered to be a subgenre of the blues genre. The Modern Blues Era is characterized by the increased popularity of electric blues and the use of more modern production techniques.

The contemporary blues labels

The contemporary blues labels are those that began releasing records in the 1990s or later. These companies specialize in releasing new recordings by established artists as well as debut albums by younger musicians. Many of these labels are run by former musicians who have a deep understanding and appreciation for the genre.

Contemporary blues labels include:
-Alligator Records: Based in Chicago, Alligator Records was founded in 1971 by Bruce Iglauer. The label has released albums by artists such as Koko Taylor, Luther Allison, and Buddy Guy.
-Electro-Fi Records: Based in Toronto, Canada, Electro-Fi Records was founded in 2002 by Andrew Galloway. The label specializes in releasing albums by Canadian blues artists, but has also released records by American artists such as Alabama Slim and Willie Kent.
-Webco Records: Based in Austin, Texas, Webco Records was founded in 2001 by Jeffri Lynn Carrington. The label specializes in releasing contemporary blues albums by both emerging and established artists.

The reissue labels

Reissue labels are a vital part of the blues scene, ensuring that the music of the past is not forgotten and that it remains accessible to new generations of fans. These labels specialize in releasing archival material, often on CD or vinyl, and they typically focus on a specific artist or period in blues history.

There are many excellent reissue labels operating today, but some of the most respected include Blues Archive (based in the UK), Earwig (based in the US), and Notnow Music (also based in the UK). These labels have earned a reputation for releasing high-quality, well-researched products that are essential for any serious blues fan.