The birth of the blues, often called the root of rock ’n’ roll and jazz, dates back to the late 19th century.
Its forms are diverse and can’t be summed up in a single phrase: from Delta blues and country blues—often referred to as prewar blues—to Chicago blues and modern blues, which developed after the war in Chicago and incorporated electric instruments.
In this article, we introduce classic blues albums whose style and spirit continue to be carried on by many musicians even in the 2020s.
The lineup focuses mainly on modern blues that’s easy for beginners to enjoy, so even those who usually listen to rock will find it accessible.
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Recommended for rock fans, too! Classic Albums of Modern Blues (1–10)
All Your LoveMagic Sam
Born in 1937, Magic Sam was a pivotal figure who heralded the dawn of the modern blues era.
Though his exceptional talent promised a brilliant future, he passed away at the young age of 32, becoming a legendary bluesman.
Born in Mississippi, Magic Sam moved to Chicago in 1950, where he began his musical career, and in 1957 he released recordings on Cobra Records, a label known for issuing many classic blues albums.
After various ups and downs, he finally released his original album West Side Soul in 1967.
It is one of the most highly regarded albums in the history of the blues and is truly a perfect first record to open the door to the world of blues.
Kicking off with the upbeat, soul-tinged pop number That’s All I Need, the album is approachable and easy to enjoy even for newcomers to the genre.
It’s a stunning masterpiece—raw yet vibrant—where ruggedness and melodicism coexist in the back-and-forth of guitar riffs, with powerful vocals and the very soul of the blues infused into every moment.
The standard Sweet Home Chicago is said to have become widely known through the version included on this album.
Have you ever loved a womanFreddie King
In the history of blues guitar, there are three great “Kings”: B.
B.
King, Albert King, and Freddie King.
The youngest of the three, Freddie hailed from Texas.
His aggressive, strumming style—using a metal pick together with a plastic thumb pick—earned him the nickname “The Texas Cannonball,” and his way of holding the guitar, not in the typical over-the-shoulder manner, was dubbed the “Texas hang.” A supreme bluesman with a rock-infused feel, Freddie’s playing made a huge impact on a stellar roster of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Jeff Beck.
He also released many excellent original instrumentals, and as his career progressed his sound leaned more toward rock.
His 1961 debut, Freddy King Sings, as the title suggests, is an album where you can enjoy not only Freddie’s guitar but also his vocals.
It’s straight, classic blues with impeccable playing and singing, and it stands as a highly accomplished album.
If you listen with an ear toward how it influenced later blues-rock, you may discover all kinds of insights!
The Sky Is CryingElmore James
Elmore James, known for the blues classic “Dust My Broom,” a song adopted by many blues musicians including Albert King and frequently covered by renowned rock artists such as Eric Clapton, is also celebrated as a leading pioneer of the bottleneck technique.
His distinctive slide guitar profoundly influenced great guitarists like the aforementioned Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Duane Allman.
The Sky Is Crying, which takes its title from another of Elmore James’s standard masterpieces—lovingly covered by Stevie Ray Vaughan—was released in 1965, shortly after Elmore’s death.
It compiles recordings from 1960 to 1961, offering a full dose of the masterful performances of Elmore at the height of his musical powers.
Chicago BoundJimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers, who was a right-hand man to Muddy Waters—often called the Father of Chicago Blues—and played a crucial role in the formative years of the Chicago blues, is the blues guitarist in focus here.
The compilation ‘Chicago Bound’ collects recordings Rogers made for the prestigious Chess Records in the 1950s; the original release came out in 1970.
Featuring an all-star lineup of bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Little Walter, the album has a wonderfully loose, tipsy, jam-session vibe among kindred spirits.
Even when the songs are quintessential blues, Rogers’s fresh, clear singing—quite different from the gravelly voices many people associate with the genre—makes this a welcoming entry point for beginners.
In addition to the title track, it includes classic standards such as ‘That’s Alright’ and ‘Walking By Myself’!
Somebody’s Acting Like a ChildJohn Mayall
John Mayall is a formidable musician known as a key figure in British blues.
He skillfully plays piano and organ, and at times guitar as well—truly a multi-talented artist.
Released in 1968, Blues from Laurel Canyon is John Mayall’s solo debut.
Based on his experiences in Los Angeles’s Laurel Canyon, the album is highly regarded as a classic of blues rock.
It’s said the recording was completed in just three days, which makes the quality of the result all the more remarkable.
Why not explore the music from the early days of this legend, who remained an active bluesman until his passing at age 90 in July 2024?
Born Under a Bad SignAlbert King
At any rate, the impact of the album’s title track and opener, “Born Under a Bad Sign,” is absolutely staggering! A signature release on STAX—the preeminent soul/R&B label—this 1967 album pairs Albert King, one of the three great “King” blues guitarists, with the label’s house band, Booker T.
& the M.
G.
’s.
While rooted in the blues, its refined, soulful sound—complete with horn arrangements—makes it an easy and inviting listen even for those new to the genre.
Albert King’s guitar work, marked by his searing, crying bends, deeply inspired many famous rock guitarists.
The track “Born Under a Bad Sign,” mentioned at the outset, was covered the following year, in 1968, by Cream, one of the quintessential British blues-rock bands, and their hit version helped cement the song’s fame.
For all these reasons, this album stands as a modern blues masterpiece that rock fans, in particular, should not miss.
Crossroad BluesRobert Johnson
In this themed article, we’re introducing classic albums that focus on relatively accessible modern blues, but we can’t leave out the works of Robert Johnson—the leading figure of Delta blues and a profound influence on rock musicians.
The legendary bluesman rumored to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his extraordinary guitar playing, Robert Johnson left behind recordings during his brief 27 years, collected on the timeless masterpiece The King of Delta Blues Singers, released in 1961.
A priceless document of pre-war blues and one of the most important recordings in the history of the genre, the sound you’ll hear on this album is the blues itself: a direct musical expression of the harsh realities faced by Black people—confessions of daily life, the sorrows of existence, and raw emotion.
Rock listeners might find it a bit difficult to dive straight into this record; you might first grow accustomed to the blues through classic Chicago blues albums, and then take your first steps into the so-called “devil’s music.”