Best Blues & Blues Rock Albums 2020

What are the best blues and blues rock albums released in 2020?

Below you will find a poll where I ask you to vote for up to TEN of your favourite albums from 2020. Please help others to find the best blues albums and let them guide you to albums that you haven’t yet heard.

My Favourites

If I’m asking you to recommend albums, it’s only fair that I tell which blues albums have made the biggest impression on me from 2020.

I have a weakness for female blues singers so you’ll see more albums by women in my list and probably more in the poll than you’d normally expect.

I rate out of 10 with 10 = brilliant (an all-time top 100 album), 9 = excellent (top 250 to 300 album), 8 = very good, 7 = good, 6 = pretty good. I’m also reluctant to give 9s and 10s out until they have stood the test of time. I like albums when I first buy or hear them but too often they don’t leave a lasting impression. The last 9s I have for blues albums are the 2019 albums by Elles Bailey and Whalia and the last 10 is Let Me Get By from the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Here are my thoughts so far for blues albums released in 2020

Blackbird & Crow – Ailm 8/10

A folk blues hybrid from this Irish pair. In a world where blues can have a generic  sound, this is lovely and different.

Crystal Shawanda – Church House Blues 8/10

A new artist to me but this won’t be the last album I buy of hers now that she’s converted from country to blues. A native American from Canada with a terrific, husky voice.

Joe Louis Walker – Blues Comin’ On 8/10

One of those artists I’ve meant to investigate before but there’s something about this that tipped me over the edge to try it through my streaming service and it was so good, I just had to own it.

Larkin Poe – Self Made Man 8/10

A well publicised band in the music press, but they live up to the hype.

Robert Jon & The Wreck – Last Light On The Highway 8/10

I don’t understand why this fine Southern rock band aren’t much better known. Their music has the big hooks needed to be a crossover hit.

The title track is a two-parter.

Vanessa Collier – Heart On the Line 8/10

Vanessa has only released four albums but it speaks highly that I rate my third favourite of hers as high as 8/10. She is one of the female blues singers I’m turning to most often. I’m probably biased because I love the saxophone but this album has quite a wide range of styles including funk and soul.

Whitney Shay – Stand Up! 8/10

Powerful rhythm and blues by this singer from Texas.  I’m very taken with her previous album, A Woman Rules The World.

The Best Blues & Blues Rock Albums In 2020

Here is the poll for studio albums. I’ll probably start another poll for live albums.

  1. Please vote.
  2. I’d love it if you leave a comment with details of explaining why you love certain albums or perhaps giving ratings for albums. Personally I use a rating out of 10.
  3. Leave a comment to tell me about great blues albums I’ve missed. It’s inevitable that I’ll miss something and it’s probably really obvious to you.

Best Blues Albums 2020 - Pick Up To Favourite TEN Albums To Recommend

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More Details About The Albums Selected

Bear with me on this. It’s going to take a lot of time and effort to load all the album covers and links.

Albert Cummings – Believe

Reviews at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk

Rock & Blues Muse – “Every moment of Believe is to be savored and proves without a doubt that Albert Cummings belongs among the biggest names in blues music today.”

Blues Blast Magazine – “Believe is a winner from the jump.”

Blues Rock Review  – “Believe is an enjoyable album”

Allman Betts Band – Bless Your Heart

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Anthony Gomes – Containment Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Bai Kamara Jr – Salone

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Bette Smith – The Good, The Bad And The Bette

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Blackbird & Crow – Ailm

I may be pushing the definition of blues here but this lovely Irish album sits at the junction of folk and blues but it’s not folk blues.

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Bridget Kelly Band – Dark Spaces

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Bettye LaVette – Blackbirds

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Billy Childish – Kings of the Medway Delta

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Casey Hensley – Good As Gone

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk  .

Crooked Eye Tommy – Hot Coffee And Pain

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Crystal Shawanda – Church House Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Danielle Miraglia – Bright Shiny Stars

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Dion – Blues with Friends

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Don Bryant -You Make Me Feel

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Again I may be pushing the boundaries for this soul blues album.

PopMatters Review – “A Sunday mornin’ masterpiece that’s ethereal and sanctified.”

Hot Press Review – “This is grown-up soul music that should shame any of the current crop of over-emoting show boaters.”

Duke Robillard – Blues Bash!

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Review at Rock And Blues Muse – “For any blues/roots fan, Blues Bash with Duke Robillard & Friends is something to treasure, a journey into another world that will carry you effortlessly across an ocean of soulful sounds.”

Review at The Rocking Magpie – “Take my word for it, this is right up there with the best of them…”

Early James – Singing for My Supper

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Review at the New York Times

4 Star Review at AllMusic.com – “James is just idiosyncratic and genuinely talented enough to avoid pastiche, as he effortlessly amalgamates Southern blues, country, folk, pop, and jazz.”

Eric Johanson – Below Sea Level

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Review at Blues Rock Review – “With Below Sea Level, Eric Johanson draws the perfect blueprint for avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump by simply being more creative and doing everything better.”

Review at Blues Blast Magazine – “The first time I heard this album I fell in love with it.”

Eliza Neals – Black Crow Moan

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Review at Blues Rock Review – “The wild chemistry between Neals and guitarist Joe Louis Walker is what makes her Black Crow Moan such a thriving, thrilling biosphere of an album.”

Review at Blues Blast Magazine – “If you’re a fan of modern blues-rock, this one’s definitely for you.”

Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite – 100 Years of Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Review at Rock and Blues Muse – “…the simple sound of these two masters in a room playing together is absolutely joyous.”

Review at Grateful Web – “…one of the finest, most memorable recordings of either artist’s career.”

Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Frank Bey – All My Dues Are Paid

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Gina Sicilia – Love Me Madly

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

G. Love – The Juice

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Jan James – Justify

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Jeremiah Johnson – Unemployed Highly Annoyed

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Jeremiah Johnson – Heavens To Betsy

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Jerry Joseph – The Beautiful Madness

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Joe Bonamassa – Royal Tea

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Joe Louis Walker – Blues Comin’ On

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

John Blues Boyd – What My Eyes Have Seen

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

John Campbelljohn – Feeling Alright Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

John Primer & Bob Corritore – The Gypsy Woman Told Me

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Kat Riggins – Cry Out

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

King Solomon Hicks – Harlem

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Kirk Fletcher – My Blues Pathway

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne – Go, Just Do It!

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Kirsten Thien – Two Sides

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Kim Wilson – Take Me Back

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Larkin Poe – Kindred Spirits

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Larkin Poe – Self Made Man

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Lloyd Jones – Tennessee Run

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Souls

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Laura Green- Green Eyed Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Liz Mandeville – Playing with Fire

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Marcus King – El Dorado

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Mark May – Deep Dark Demon

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Neal Black & The Healers – A Little Boom Boom Boom

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Phantom Blues Band – Still Cookin’

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Rob Tognoni – Catfish Cake

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Robert Cray – That’s What I Heard

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Robert Jon & The Wreck – Last Light On The Highway

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Roomful of Blues – In a Roomful of Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Rory Block – Prove it on Me

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Ryan Perry – High Risk, Low Reward

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Sass Jordan – Rebel Moon Blues

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Savoy Brown – Ain’t Done Yet

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Seasick Steve – Love & Peace

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Shaun Murphy – Flame Still Burns

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Shirley King – Blues For A King

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Sonny Landreth – Blacktop Run

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Sugar Ray & the Bluetones – Too Far From the Bar

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Thorbjørn Risager – Come On In

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Tinsley Ellis – Ice Cream In Hell

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Vanja Sky – Woman Named Trouble

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Victor Wainwright & The Train – Memphis Loud

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Walter Trout – Ordinary Madness

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .

Whitney Shay – Stand Up!

Reviews at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk   .