While 2011 didn't have as many "superstar" releases as years past, no matter how you want to slice it, it was a good year for the blues! Fans had their choice of a healthy release schedule of blues and blues-rock albums, and for those old-school followers of the art form, we saw updated reissues of classic slabs o' wax from blues legends like Junior Wells and Magic Sam as well as archival and/or long-lost releases from blues-rock giants like Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, and Jeff Healey, among many others.
What all of this means is that the Reverend had a heck of a time culling 2011's expansive selection of blues and blues-rock albums down to a traditional "Top Ten" style list. Rather than limit these choices to a single list, instead I've put together three separate lists for your reading enjoyment. If you're more of a traditional blues fan, might I suggest "The Best Blues Albums of 2011"? Then again, if you enjoy the guitar-driven blues-rock style, may I recommend "The Best Blues-Rock Albums of 2011"?
However if, like the Reverend, you like a little from "column A" and a little from "column B," then please look no further than "The Best Blues Reissue Albums of 2011", which includes plenty of both trad and rad blues for fans of both styles. Did we miss one of your favorite albums? Let us know in the comments section below.
Thanks for all your support and suggestions during the year, and join us in 2012 for another great year of blues music!
Photo courtesy VizzTone Records
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