A classic blues rock masterpiece. A highly recommended album you should listen to at least once.
The genre known as blues rock is, literally, one style of rock music with the blues as its foundation.
It’s said to have been started by British musicians who admired America’s great bluesmen—the very heartland of the blues—and later, bands in the United States also emerged that played blues rock.
While the genre itself might not be something most people encounter unless they’re avid music fans, in reality, even those who aren’t hardcore listeners have likely heard famous bands and artists influenced by the blues, expressing it as their own brand of rock.
This time, we’re introducing some essential classic albums of blues rock!
We’ve included live albums as well—where the genre truly shines.
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A classic of blues rock. Recommended albums you should listen to at least once (11–20)
All Right NowFree
Formed in 1969 by members just 18 to 19 years old and effectively ending their activity in 1973, Free had a brief lifespan as a band, yet they enjoy great popularity not only in their home country of the UK but also in Japan.
They’re also well known for having Paul Rodgers, a soulful vocalist who later achieved worldwide success with Bad Company and is known for his work with members of Queen.
Discovered in his youth by Alexis Korner, known as the father of British blues, the band debuted as a precociously talented group and delivered a rugged, tight brand of blues rock that seemed well beyond their years.
If you want to understand just how exceptional their talent was, listen to Free Live!, released in 1971.
Amid the heated performances, what stands out isn’t the earthy rawness of blues but a distinctly European, dry sonic character; their astonishingly stoic ensemble interplay exudes a mature appeal utterly removed from the impulsive energy typically associated with youth.
I’m Going HomeTen Years After
Literally meaning “ten years later,” Ten Years After is one of the representative bands of British blues rock in the 1960s, and their aggressive guitar style had a tremendous impact on later hard rock.
After going through a predecessor band, they renamed themselves Ten Years After in 1966 and made their full-fledged debut.
The work I’m introducing here is their live album Undead, released in 1968.
The fact that a live album came out so soon—just a year after their 1967 debut—speaks to the ferocity of their live performances.
Alvin Lee’s blisteringly fast guitar playing remains thrilling even today, and the band’s ensemble, tinged with influences from blues and jazz, is a charm you can savor precisely because it’s a live recording.
It’s an album I highly recommend, not only to appreciate how many great players there were in British rock at the time, but simply because it’s a fantastic listen.
The distinctly ’60s, psychedelic artwork is great, too!
Down In The FloodThe Derek Trucks Band
Blues rock isn’t just a genre of the ’60s and ’70s—its spirit lives on well into the 21st century.
Derek Trucks, nephew of Allman Brothers Band founding member Butch Trucks, began his career as a professional guitarist in his early teens and is one of the players who truly carries the soul of the blues into the present day.
A master of slide guitar with a multifaceted musicality that spans not only rock and blues but also jazz and Indian music, Derek released the final original album under the Derek Trucks Band name in 2009: Already Free.
It’s a record that showcases his artistry at full strength.
Though he was only 29 at the time, his mature, sultry playing exudes a commanding presence, and the ensemble work with his exceptionally skilled backing band is nothing short of superb.
This is not merely the work of a roots-music torchbearer; it’s an album that deserves to be heard as a defining piece of contemporary American rock.
Stop Messin’ RoundFleetwood Mac
If your image of Fleetwood Mac is of a band with a glittering résumé—Grammy wins, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and massive hits of polished soft rock like their masterpiece Rumours—you’ll likely be surprised when you listen to the album being introduced here, Mr.
Wonderful.
Formed in the UK in 1967, Fleetwood Mac was built around guitarist Peter Green, who had also been a member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, and drummer Mick Fleetwood; in their early days, they played blues rock centered on Green’s guitar.
Released in 1968 as their second album, Mr.
Wonderful is composed of sounds that fully showcase their admiration for the blues, with the twin guitars’ soulful, “weeping” playing exemplifying the essence of British blues spirit.
There are tracks with horn sections as well, making it a relatively accessible listen.
By the way, the half-naked man on the cover is none other than Mick Fleetwood himself!
On The Road AgainCanned Heat
The fact that they took their band name from prewar Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson’s classic “Canned Heat Blues” already shows how serious they were.
Formed in 1965, Canned Heat coalesced around Alan Wilson, a guitarist and superb blues harmonica player.
Unless you’re a devoted American rock fan, especially in Japan, you might hardly know the name, but the band is highly regarded as one of the key acts not only in blues rock, but also for understanding the history of American rock.
Their acclaimed masterpiece “Boogie with Canned Heat,” released in 1968, is their second album.
Centered largely on original songs—starting with “On the Road Again,” a reworking of a prewar blues—the record blends blues, psychedelia, and boogie in a heady mix.
It’s not only a seminal work in American blues rock, but also a must-hear classic born of ’60s culture.
I Got My Mojo WorkingAlexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
In the genre of blues-rock, it’s impossible not to mention Alexis Korner.
Born in 1928, Korner is often called the “Father of British Blues” for his contributions.
Beyond fostering the development of British blues-rock, he played a crucial role in rock history as a whole—musicians who later became world-famous, such as Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, and Brian Jones, performed in Korner’s band during their unknown days.
His 1962 album R&B from the Marquee didn’t make a huge commercial splash, but it can rightly be considered one of the works that heralded the birth of British blues.
Recorded in an empty club, the album ranges from covers of traditional numbers to original compositions, grounded in the blues yet infused with a jazz sensibility—truly a work imbued with the soul of British-style R&B.
Essential listening for anyone interested in the history of British rock!
A classic collection of blues rock masterpieces. Must-hear recommended albums (21–30)
Paradise and LunchRy Cooder
Paradise and Lunch is the fourth solo studio album by American musician and master of slide guitar Ry Cooder, released in 1974.
His style of performing American roots music—such as ragtime, blues, and country—with distinctive fingerpicking has earned widespread acclaim.