Most Popular Blues Music of 2020
Contents
The best of the best Blues music of 2020. This year has been a great one for the genre with a mix of new and old artists making waves.
What is the blues?
The blues is a style of music that originated in the African-American communities in the United States around the end of the 19th century. The style is characterized by blue notes, improvisation, and 12-bar chord progressions.
Origins of the blues
The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American communities of the southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The style is associated with the labor songs of African American workers, but it also drew on music from other traditions, including gospel and European folk music. The first documented use of the term “blue notes” to refer to a specific kind of tonality in blues music occurs in George Coffin Niles’s book Slave Songs of the United States (1867).
Characteristics of the blues
The blues is a genre of music that originated in the African-American community in the southern United States around the end of the 19th century. The style is characterized by a call-and-response format in which a soloist sings or plays a phrase and is then answered by the rest of the band. The blues often uses blue notes—notes that are played at a slightly lower pitch than other notes in the scale—to create a melancholy or somber sound.
The blues has been a major influence on other genres of music, including jazz, rock & roll, and country. Many of the most famous musicians in these genres got their start by playing the blues. Today, the blues is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with new artists helping to keep the genre fresh and exciting.
The most popular blues songs of 2020
The blues has been around for a long time and it’s a genre that has evolved over the years. The most popular blues songs of 2020 are a reflection of that. These songs are a mix of old and new, with some familiar faces and some new ones.
“The Weight” by The Band
With a classic sound that has been influential for blues artists for decades, “The Weight” is a timeless piece of music. The Band’s 1968 debut album Music from Big Pink, which features the song, is a classic example of blues-rock. One of the most popular versions of the song is a live performance from The Last Waltz, which features Bob Dylan on harmonica.
“Crossroads” by Cream
In 1968, the British rock power trio Cream released their final album, Wheels of Fire. The double album included both studio and live tracks, with the live songs coming from a series of performances at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. One of those live tracks was a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads”, which was originally recorded in 1936.
The Cream version of “Crossroads” is a slow-burning blues workout that runs over seven minutes long. It features some great guitar work from Eric Clapton and a blistering drum solo from Ginger Baker. The song was a hit for Cream, reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968. It has since been included on numerous Cream compilations and live albums.
“Crossroads” has been covered by many other artists over the years, including John Mayall, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Eric Clapton himself (with Steve Winwood). But it is the Cream version that remains the most popular and well-known.
“Sweet Home Chicago” by Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago” is one of the most popular blues songs of 2020. The song was originally recorded in 1936 and has been covered by many artists over the years. The song is about Johnson’s hometown of Chicago and his love for the city.
“I Can’t Quit You Baby” by Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon’s “I Can’t Quit You Baby” is a classic blues song that has been covered by a number of artists over the years. The most recent version of the song was released in 2020 by legendary blues artist B.B. King. “I Can’t Quit You Baby” is a slow, sensual blues song that features King’s signature guitar playing and vocal style. The song is about a man who is trying to leave his lover, but he just can’t seem to do it.
“Born Under a Bad Sign” by Albert King
“Born Under a Bad Sign” is a song written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell, first recorded by Albert King in 1967. Called “a timeless anthem of bad luck,”[1] it is one of King’s best-known songs and has been recorded by numerous other artists including Cream, Jeff Beck, Etta James, George Thorogood, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
The song tells the story of a man “born under a bad sign” who “ain’t got no luck at all.” Despite his hard circumstances, the man remains optimistic, singing that he “ain’t gonna worry ’bout my dirt ’cause it ain’t never gonna rain no more.”
“Born Under a Bad Sign” was first recorded by Albert King at Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee on February 6, 1967. The track features Jones on organ and Steve Cropper on guitar. The recording was produced by Willie Mitchell and released as a single on Stax Records’ Volt label in 1967. It peaked at number 37 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 23 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]
In 1968, British rock band Cream included a cover of “Born Under a Bad Sign” on their album Wheels of Fire. Their version was slower than King’s original and featured Eric Clapton on vocals and guitar and Jack Bruce on bass.[3]
The song has been covered by numerous other artists including Etta James, George Thorogood, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 2013, Rolling Stone ranked Albert King’s original version of “Born Under a Bad Sign” as the greatest blues song of all time.[4]
