It's time again for my annual blues round-up, in which I highlight the most memorable blues songs from the past twelve months. My criteria includes vivid vocal performances, exciting production values and most importantly, unforgettable songwriting.
Along with straight ahead blues picks, this year's list also includes some of my favorite progressive blues songs, in honor of KNKX's new show, Nu Blues. Nu Blues features a new generation of artists who are carrying the blues tradition into the future, and combining the form with elements of pop, hip-hop, and electronic music.
Here are my top releases for 2025.
Mavis Staples - “Sad and Beautiful World”
Album: Sad and Beautiful World
The Staple Singers' many hit songs were part of the soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s and ‘70s. On this track, lead singer Mavis Staples’ voice is as evocative as ever, dripping with bittersweet emotion.
Garry Burnside - “Hanging in There”
Album: It’s My Time Now
As the youngest son of North Mississippi blues icon R.L. Burnside and uncle of Cedric Burnside, Garry carries both the legacy and future of Hill Country blues, one of the blues forms that still conjures the African roots of the blues. His fluid electric guitar playing powers this rhythmic excursion.
Buddy Guy - “Blues Chase the Blues Away”
Album: Ain’t Done with the Blues
At 89 years old, Buddy Guy can be forgiven for years of “farewell tours.” The thing is, his blues is still as potent as it was 60 years ago, when he was struggling to break into the Chicago blues world, and his songs still have messages we can relate to today.
Billy Branch with Shemekia Copeland - “Begging For Change”
Album: The Blues is My Biography
There are at least two meanings to this title. The first refers to an unhoused person asking for a street corner handout, and then there's a political message of wanting to see meaningful change in a society that often overlooks income and racial disparities. Branch and Copeland’s message echoes that of artists like Sam Cooke and The Staple Singers, who also tackled society’s ills in song form.
Bywater Call - “Hold Me Down”
Single
This Toronto-based rockin’ soul band is powered by the compelling voice of Meghan Parnell, who calls to mind other female super singers Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi. As powerful as her voice is, the band’s big, brassy sound matches her in power.
Angelique Francis - “Train Coming” feat. Eric Gales
Album: Not Defeated
“Train Coming” is a gospel-infused lament from this emerging Canadian soul singer, who won Canada’s Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year in 2023. Guitarist Eric Gales lends his distinctive and signature playing to the track.
Stand-out tracks from Nu Blues
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram - “Bad Like Me”
Album: Hard Road
At 26 years old, and with Buddy Guy as his mentor, Kingfish bridges the gap between the foundational blues of the past and a newer expression of the genre. This song in particular dips a toe in hip-hop while remaining true to the blues.
Deltaphonic - “Mississippi”
Single
Founded in New Orleans, this four-piece group plays a brand of funk that is influenced by their Louisiana roots blended with the twin-guitar sensibility that brings the Allman Brothers to mind.The grinding Mississippi Hill Country influence also works its way into their upbeat groove.
Kirby - “The Man”
Single
A highly accomplished musician, Kirby studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. She went on to write with superstars Kanye West, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez. This defiant protest song has a murky and soulful beat that draws on her Mississippi roots.
Samantha Fish - “I’m Done Runnin’”
Album: Paper Doll
Since her 2009 debut, Samantha Fish has been on a roll, releasing a dozen albums that cross the line between rock and blues. Her powerful and rhythmic guitar playing supports her brash vocals, and it all builds to a soaring and triumphant chorus. This release is up for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.
Brittany Broski - “Stained”
Single
Brittany Broski was working as a banker in Dallas when a spontaneous comedy video of hers went viral on TikTok. This forced a showdown with her boss, who fired her, leading Broski to pursue an alternate and successful career as a comedian. This year she also started pursuing her childhood dream of being a singer, putting out three singles including this anthemic broken love song that showcases her commanding voice.
Charlie Beale - “A Long Time Ago”
Album: Bluestronic
As one of the world’s leading blues remixers, Charlie Beale has developed a signature style that incorporates samples of archival blues tracks with electronic beats. Beale is one of the world’s few “bluestronic” or “electro-blues” producers, who recreate and remix traditional blues for a new generation.
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