blues artists

At a glance

527 published blues artists; 5,134 studio albums have verified cover art.

When they started

Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1960s (90 artists).

Where they come from

Countries with the most blues artists. United States leads with 413.

• United States 413
• United Kingdom 42
• Canada 21
• France 8
• Australia 4
• Brazil 3
• Ireland 3
• Germany 2

Often paired with

Genres that share artists with blues. The most shared is rock music, with 92 artists in both.

• rock music 92
• rhythm and blues 69
• jazz 65
• soul 58
• country music 49
• blues rock 39
• pop music 35
• folk music 30

Covers from blues

5,134 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.

Leaders

Bob Dylan has the most release groups (400); Ma Rainey the longest career (102 years); Willie Nelson the most awards (56).

More blues artists

Showing 1–108 of 108 artists

Neil Young

Canada · Person · born 1945

rock music, hard rock, folk rock, experimental rock, rockabilly, country music, blues, country rock, jazz, alternative rock, grunge, Southern rock

12.7M listeners · 80 wikis · Tier 1

Cyndi Lauper

United States · Person · born 1953

rock music, country music, blues, pop rock, dance-pop, adult contemporary music, dance-rock, new wave

18.6M listeners · 74 wikis · Tier 1

Willie Nelson

United States · Person · born 1933

rock music, pop music, country music, blues, country rock, traditional pop, Americana, outlaw country, progressive country, alternative country

7.8M listeners · 66 wikis · Tier 2

Tracy Chapman

United States · Person · born 1964

pop music, folk rock, soul, blues, alternative rock, American folk music

15.6M listeners · 67 wikis · Tier 1

James Blunt

United Kingdom · Person · born 1974

rock music, blues, soft rock

15.1M listeners · 71 wikis · Tier 1

John Mayer

United States · Person · born 1977

rock music, pop music, blues rock, folk rock, soul, country music, blues, pop rock, country rock, folk music, soft rock, alternative rock, blue-eyed soul, indie rock, acoustic music

14.9M listeners · 61 wikis · Tier 1

Etta James

United States · Person · born 1938

rock and roll, soul, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

8.3M listeners · 65 wikis · Tier 2

Hozier

Ireland · Person · born 1990

blues rock, traditional folk music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues, indie rock

40.7M listeners · 46 wikis · Tier 1

Joe Cocker

United Kingdom · Person · born 1944

rock music, blues

6.1M listeners · 87 wikis · Tier 2

Norah Jones

United States · Person · born 1979

soul, country music, blues, jazz, folk music, smooth jazz

8.7M listeners · 77 wikis · Tier 2

Ben E. King

United States · Person · born 1938

soul, rhythm and blues, blues

15.5M listeners · 52 wikis · Tier 2

Sheryl Crow

United States · Person · born 1962

rock music, pop music, country music, blues, country rock, folk music, heartland rock

8.5M listeners · 61 wikis · Tier 2

Person

Jeff Buckley

United States · Person · born 1966

folk rock, soul, gospel music, blues, alternative rock

12.6M listeners · 52 wikis · Tier 2

Cage the Elephant

United States · Group · 2006–present

psychedelic rock, blues, alternative rock, Q3071, indie rock, garage rock

16.6M listeners · 31 wikis · Tier 1

George Ezra

United Kingdom · Person · born 1993

rock music, blues, folk music

12.9M listeners · 35 wikis · Tier 1

Leonard Cohen

Canada · Person · born 1934

rock music, pop music, folk rock, blues, pop rock, folk music, soft rock, world music, spoken word, sophisti-pop

131 wikis · Tier 2

Rag'n'Bone Man

United Kingdom · Person · born 1985

soul, blues

9.5M listeners · 33 wikis · Tier 2

Jim Croce

United States · Person · born 1943

folk rock, traditional folk music, blues, soft rock

8M listeners · 34 wikis · Tier 2

Philip Bailey

United States · Person · born 1951

soul, rhythm and blues, blues

6.6M listeners · 28 wikis · Tier 2

Leon Bridges

United States · Person · born 1989

soul, blues

14.9M listeners · 13 wikis · Tier 1

Johnny Hallyday

France · Person · born 1943

rock music, pop music, rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelic rock, soul, country music, rhythm and blues, blues, country rock, chanson, French rock, sentimental ballad

76 wikis · Tier 2

James Brown

United States · Person · born 1933

soul, funk, gospel music, blues, doo-wop

100 wikis · Tier 2

B. B. King

United States · Person · born 1925

rhythm and blues, blues

98 wikis · Tier 2

Billie Holiday

United States · Person · born 1915

blues, jazz, vocal jazz, swing, ballad, jazz blues

91 wikis · Tier 2

Alla Pugacheva

Soviet Union · Person · born 1949

pop music, disco, funk, blues, pop rock, soft rock, progressive rock, chanson, new wave, funk rock, traditional pop, estrada, Russian pop

109 wikis · Tier 2

Mick Jagger

United Kingdom · Person · born 1943

rock music, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, blues

99 wikis · Tier 2

Jimmy Page

United Kingdom · Person · born 1944

rock music, hard rock, blues rock, folk rock, blues, progressive rock

78 wikis · Tier 2

Hank Williams

United States · Person · born 1923

country music, blues, honky tonk, honky-tonk

69 wikis · Tier 2

Jerry Lee Lewis

United States · Person · born 1935

rock music, rockabilly, country music, gospel music, blues, honky tonk

66 wikis · Tier 2

Muddy Waters

United States · Person · born 1913

blues

60 wikis · Tier 2

John Lee Hooker

United States · Person · born 1917

rhythm and blues, blues, Afro-Cuban jazz

59 wikis · Tier 2

Robert Johnson

United States · Person · born 1911

blues, Delta blues, country blues

58 wikis · Tier 2

Bessie Smith

United States · Person · born 1894

blues, jazz, classic female blues

57 wikis · Tier 2

Glenn Miller

United States · Person · born 1904

blues, jazz, big band music, swing

64 wikis · Tier 2

Jeff Beck

United Kingdom · Person · born 1944

rock music, blues rock, blues, jazz fusion

61 wikis · Tier 2

Stevie Ray Vaughan

United States · Person · born 1954

rock music, blues rock, funk, blues

60 wikis · Tier 2

Mark Knopfler

United Kingdom · Person · born 1949

rock music, blues rock, country music, blues, country rock, Celtic rock

60 wikis · Tier 2

Tom Waits

United States · Person · born 1949

rock music, blues, jazz, experimental music

66 wikis · Tier 2

Oscar Peterson

Canada · Person · born 1925

funk, blues, jazz, bebop, hard bop, third stream

56 wikis · Tier 2

Tom Jones

United Kingdom · Person · born 1940

pop music, country music, rhythm and blues, blues, blue-eyed soul

65 wikis · Tier 2

Bonnie Raitt

United States · Person · born 1949

folk rock, blues, Americana

45 wikis · Tier 2

Bo Diddley

United States · Person · born 1928

rock and roll, blues, rapping

45 wikis · Tier 2

Gary Moore

United Kingdom · Person · born 1952

rock music, hard rock, blues rock, blues, progressive rock, traditional heavy metal, heavy metal music, jazz fusion

61 wikis · Tier 2

Ike Turner

United States · Person · born 1931

funk, rhythm and blues, blues

51 wikis · Tier 2

Marianne Faithfull

United Kingdom · Person · born 1946

rock music, pop music, blues, folk music, alternative rock, vocal jazz

51 wikis · Tier 2

Jack White

United States · Person · born 1975

rock music, blues, alternative rock

51 wikis · Tier 3

Sammy Davis Jr.

United States · Person · born 1925

blues, jazz, traditional pop, big band music, swing, easy listening, show tune

50 wikis · Tier 2

Nick Cave

Australia · Person · born 1957

rock music, country music, blues, alternative rock, garage rock, gothic rock

58 wikis · Tier 3

Bobby Darin

United States · Person · born 1936

rock music, pop music, rock and roll, country music, blues, pop rock, jazz, folk music, big band music, swing, novelty music

48 wikis · Tier 2

Katie Melua

Soviet Union · Person · born 1984

pop music, traditional folk music, blues, jazz

55 wikis · Tier 3

Ronnie Wood

United Kingdom · Person · born 1947

rock music, hard rock, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues

46 wikis · Tier 3

The Allman Brothers Band

United States · Group · 1969–2014

hard rock, blues rock, classic rock, blues, Southern rock

45 wikis · Tier 2

Bobby Bland

United States · Person · born 1930

soul, blues

35 wikis · Tier 2

Joe Perry

United States · Person · born 1950

hard rock, blues rock, blues, traditional heavy metal

43 wikis · Tier 3

Peter Green

United Kingdom · Person · born 1946

blues rock, blues

43 wikis · Tier 2

Dinah Washington

United States · Person · born 1924

pop music, blues, jazz

43 wikis · Tier 2

Percy Sledge

United States · Person · born 1941

soul, blues

43 wikis · Tier 2

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

United States · Person · born 1915

rock and roll, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

34 wikis · Tier 2

Duffy

United Kingdom · Person · born 1984

pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues

51 wikis · Tier 2

Christine McVie

United Kingdom · Person · born 1943

rock music, blues rock, blues, pop rock, soft rock

42 wikis · Tier 2

Ruth Brown

United States · Person · born 1928

rhythm and blues, blues

33 wikis · Tier 2

Buddy Guy

United States · Person · born 1936

rock music, blues

42 wikis · Tier 2

Eric Burdon

United Kingdom · Person · born 1941

rock music, hard rock, rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues, traditional heavy metal, jazz fusion, funk rock, Latin rock

41 wikis · Tier 3

Joss Stone

United Kingdom · Person · born 1987

pop music, contemporary R&B, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, hip-hop

50 wikis · Tier 2

Howlin' Wolf

United States · Person · born 1910

blues

40 wikis · Tier 2

Randy Newman

United States · Person · born 1943

rock music, pop music, contemporary R&B, blues, soft rock, roots rock, alternative country, comedy rock

49 wikis · Tier 3

Lead Belly

United States · Person · born 1888

country music, blues

39 wikis · Tier 2

Jimmie Rodgers

United States · Person · born 1897

country music, blues

30 wikis · Tier 2

Gregg Allman

United States · Person · born 1947

rock music, country music, blues

38 wikis · Tier 2

Tito Jackson

United States · Person · born 1953

rock music, pop music, soul, rhythm and blues, blues

38 wikis · Tier 2

Paul Rodgers

United Kingdom · Person · born 1949

rock music, blues

38 wikis · Tier 3

Billy Preston

United States · Person · born 1946

rock music, rock and roll, soul, funk, gospel music, rhythm and blues, blues

47 wikis · Tier 2

Louis Jordan

United States · Person · born 1908

blues, jazz

29 wikis · Tier 2

Steve Winwood

United Kingdom · Person · born 1948

rock music, blues rock, psychedelic rock, blues, soft rock, progressive rock, jazz fusion, blue-eyed soul, classical music

37 wikis · Tier 3

Duane Allman

United States · Person · born 1946

rock and roll, blues rock, country music, blues, Southern rock

37 wikis · Tier 2

Robby Krieger

United States · Person · born 1946

blues rock, psychedelic rock, rhythm and blues, blues

36 wikis · Tier 3

Ma Rainey

United States · Person · born 1886

blues

36 wikis · Tier 2

Taj Mahal

United States · Person · born 1942

rhythm and blues, blues

36 wikis · Tier 2

J.J. Cale

United States · Person · born 1938

traditional folk music, blues

45 wikis · Tier 2

Mick Taylor

United Kingdom · Person · born 1949

rock music, hard rock, blues rock, blues

35 wikis · Tier 3

Rory Gallagher

Ireland · Person · born 1948

traditional folk music, blues

42 wikis · Tier 2

Billy Gibbons

United States · Person · born 1949

rock music, hard rock, blues, electric blues

32 wikis · Tier 3

Dr. John

United States · Person · born 1941

rock music, funk, rhythm and blues, blues, boogie-woogie, Dixieland jazz

32 wikis · Tier 2

Little Walter

United States · Person · born 1930

blues

32 wikis · Tier 2

Ahmet Ertegün

Turkey · Person · born 1923

rock and roll, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz

31 wikis · Tier 2

Ry Cooder

United States · Person · born 1947

rock music, blues, folk music, Americana, world music

40 wikis · Tier 3

Dusty Hill

United States · Person · born 1949

hard rock, blues rock, blues, Southern rock, electric blues

30 wikis · Tier 2

Big Joe Turner

United States · Person · born 1911

blues, jump blues

30 wikis · Tier 2

Big Mama Thornton

United States · Person · born 1926

blues

39 wikis · Tier 2

John Mayall

United Kingdom · Person · born 1933

blues rock, blues, electric blues, British blues

38 wikis · Tier 2

Joey Kramer

United States · Person · born 1950

hard rock, blues rock, blues, traditional heavy metal

29 wikis · Tier 3

LaVern Baker

United States · Person · born 1929

rhythm and blues, blues

29 wikis · Tier 2

Steve Cropper

United States · Person · born 1941

soul, rhythm and blues, blues, Southern soul

28 wikis · Tier 2

Mick Fleetwood

United Kingdom · Person · born 1947

rock music, pop music, blues

28 wikis · Tier 3

Tom Hamilton

United States · Person · born 1951

blues

28 wikis · Tier 3

Frank Beard

United States · Person · born 1949

blues rock, blues

28 wikis · Tier 2

Robert Cray

United States · Person · born 1953

blues

28 wikis · Tier 2

Harold Arlen

United States · Person · born 1905

blues, jazz, film score

37 wikis · Tier 2

Paolo Nutini

United Kingdom · Person · born 1987

rock music, pop music, blues

37 wikis · Tier 3

Paul Butterfield

United States · Person · born 1942

blues

27 wikis · Tier 2

Bob Weir

United States · Person · born 1947

rock music, rock and roll, psychedelic rock, country music, blues, folk music

27 wikis · Tier 2

Gary Clark Jr.

United States · Person · born 1984

rock music, blues rock, soul, rhythm and blues, blues

27 wikis · Tier 3

Lightnin' Hopkins

United States · Person · born 1912

blues, electric blues, country blues, Texas blues

27 wikis · Tier 2

Johnny Winter

United States · Person · born 1944

blues rock, rhythm and blues, blues

36 wikis · Tier 2

Beth Hart

United States · Person · born 1972

blues rock, soul, blues, jazz fusion

36 wikis · Tier 3

Donald "Duck" Dunn

United States · Person · born 1941

blues rock, soul, blues

26 wikis · Tier 2

Mike Bloomfield

United States · Person · born 1943

blues

26 wikis · Tier 2

Doc Watson

United States · Person · born 1923

country music, gospel music, blues, folk music, bluegrass music

26 wikis · Tier 2