Top 20 Albums of 2024

2024 was a year with an abundance of strong blues rock albums. Blues Rock Review’s Top 20 Albums of 2024 was compiled with the fans/readers counting for 50% of the vote and the Blues Rock Review staff, who reviewed the music during the year, counting for the other 50%. Live albums are not included in the Top 20.

Here are Blues Rock Review’s Top 20 Albums of 2024.

---

20. Madison Galloway: Madison Galloway

“Madison Galloway’s album, Madison Galloway is a great opportunity to introduce music lovers to her exceptional talent. This recording is full of hard rocking, upbeat songs that are sure to get you up and moving. Even though she has experienced some admirable success in the music world; I have a very strong, gut feeling, that we will hear and see a lot more of her in the near future. I look forward to what may be waiting up ahead for Madison Galloway.” – Moe Moore

---

19. Rocky Athas: Livin’ My Best Life

“Livin My Best Life is Rocky Athas’ testament to his enduring talent and versatility in the blues rock genre. With its mix of original material and meticulously chosen covers Rocky and the band showcase their musical prowess with heartfelt intensity and technical brilliance. From Walter Watson’s powerful drumming and evocative vocals to John Mayall’s harmonica contribution, the album further establishes Athas as a contemporary blues rock torchbearer that is continually pushing past boundaries.” – Bob Gersztyn

---

18. Steve Cropper & the Midnight Hour: Friendlytown

“Friendlytown is a remarkable collection of songs that are a testament to Steve Cropper’s enduring ability to consistently push into new musical territories. Even in his 80s he is able to collaborate with an impressive musical lineup to both help compose and ultimately perform the music on an album. He still remains a formidable force in music by producing an album filled with a rich blend of blues, rock, and soul anchored by his guitar collaborating with Gibbons, May, and Montana.” – Bob Gersztyn

---

17. Marc Broussard: Time Is A Thief

“Time is a Thief is the culmination of Marc Broussard’s musical journey over the past twenty-two years since the release of his first album Momentary Setback. The album is a combination of Broussard’s multi-faceted signature vocal style, expert supporting musicianship and excellent collaborations on songwriting. The album explores themes of love, the struggles of life and time’s fleeting nature as a testament to his evolution as an artist.” – Bob Gersztyn

---

16. Steve Hill: Hanging On A String

“Taken as a whole, it’s tough at times to remember that the 39-minute-long Hanging On a String is the product of one performer, a detail that makes its existence all the more impressive. Though the album includes clear standouts, the connective tissue that holds those together also grows on the listener over time, making Hill’s latest project an album worthy of further study by diehard fans and newer listeners alike.” – Meghan Roos

---

15. Taj Farrant: Chapter One

“Independent artists often release their first albums prematurely with low production qualities and it hurts them in the long run. Such is not the case here. Farrant, with guidance from his parents, understands the ups and downs of being independent and this album is well-produced and professional from start to finish. Currently working on his second release, the aptly-named Chapter One, promises much more to come and is a great debut effort that shot to number two on the Billboard Blues chart. It comes from a young man destined to be a powerful force in the blues world for a long time.” – Bob Liddycoat

---

14. Philip Sayce: The Wolves Are Coming

“Unleashing a tidal wave of pent-up frustration, the fierce numbers crackle with an exhilarating and cathartic intensity. There’s an anger present in these songs, but it’s a righteous anger that serves as a release valve for the tumultuous emotions that, according to Sayce himself, were present during the album’s writing and recording process. To put it short, The Wolves Are Coming is simply a great record that rivals the best in Sayce’s discography. Highly recommended.” – Fidel Beserra

---

13. Elles Bailey: Beneath The Neon Glow

“Bailey’s fourth studio album shows the English singer putting a greater emphasis on melody than she ever has before—a conscious decision she made after a revelation last year. From one song to the next, all of the emotions contained within seem to be just below the surface, easily accessible for those willing to surrender themselves to the music.” – Meghan Roos

---

12. Quinn Sullivan: Salvation

“Salvation is an appropriately titled album for an artist who has lived anything but an ordinary life but still faces the hard realities life brings. Quinn’s genre blending compositions are unusual in our world of searing guitar shredders. Yet, the sounds are so familiar for those of us who remember the “smooth rock” sounds of the pre-disco seventies. The messaging offers words of hope and wisdom beyond Quinn’s quarter of a century on this planet. Together they deliver an album that is easy on the ears and inspiring to those seeking hope.” – Allan Claudio

---

11. Beth Hart: You Still Got Me

“A very, very special talent who is as inimitable as she is moving and spellbinding. From tongue in cheek to leaving you in tears, You Still Got Me is emotionally exhausting, but well worth the battle.” – Breton Towler

---

10. Mike Zito: Life Is Hard

“Despite the “Lonely Man” declaration at the top of the album, Zito had a lot of support in putting Life Is Hard together. In addition to producing the album, Bonamassa and Smith also played guitar throughout and brought in several other musicians to help fill out the sound. The result is a full-bodied album that embraces the best of the blues. While it can serve as a salve for listeners going through a tough time, it can also be enjoyed simply as an expertly made blues album, one that delivers on what most blue fans are looking for when they seek out great new music in their favorite genre.” – Meghan Roos

---

9. Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 2

“Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 1 was a great album. Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 2 is even better. This is a very tight blues rock album with each track worthy of being a single. It’s been a long wait for Kenny Wayne Shepherd to release all of this music, but it’s been worth it. Kenny and the band are dialed in and firing on all cylinders. Great hooks, great songs, great musicianship, the total package. Dirt on My Diamonds Vol. 2 is definitely a standout album of 2024.” – Pete Francis

---

8. Brave Rival: Fight or Flight

“The lyrical theme of the record carries a strong thread around mental health. While it remains a challenging stigma to quash, there’s no denying the group have washed their hands with the notorious difficult second album syndrome. Instead they’re ‘feeling on top of the world‘, with catchy first single “Five Years On” celebrating the 5-year anniversary of the band in all their swaggering glory. Bravery never goes out of fashion, and neither do a dozen songs this doozy.” – Breton Towler

---

7. Eddie 9V: Saratoga

“Saratoga definitely brings a unique twist on some of the classic genres that we all love. It is brave, it is unconventional, it is defiant, but ultimately it’s extremely powerful and genuine. A true breath of fresh air, and arguably one of the finest releases of the year.” – Neven Tili

---

6. Joanne Shaw Taylor: Heavy Soul

“From the seven new Taylor originals to her thoughtful covers, Heavy Soul shows Taylor both embracing the styles that she initially found success with and trying new things. At a tight 44 minutes, it’s a crackling album full of energy and passion, a strong offering from Taylor that her fans are likely to love.” – Meghan Roos

---

5. Walter Trout: Broken

“Trout reels in a dozen original tracks (three co-writes with his wife Marie) and a bunch of first-time collaborators that include the electric-shock-through-your-veins pipes of Beth Hart. Through bruising guitar and a wry pour of gallows humor, the album starts with the title track, “Broken,” and finishes with one called “Falls Apart.” In between, it’s a mash of wrath and serenity, as the genre’s resilient icon “always holds on to hope” amidst the stain of dystopia.” – Breton Towler

---

4. Davy Knowles: The Invisible Man

“Davy Knowles delivers the best album of his career with The Invisible Man. There’s enough to satisfy guitar lovers but Davy’s playing serves the song. Great songwriting and strong vocals, The Invisible Man is a definite winner.” – Pete Francis

---

3. Dan Patlansky: Movin’ On

“Patlansky is an elite guitarist but one of the things that separates Dan from many other blues rock artists is his songwriting ability. When world class guitar playing meets strong songwriting you have a winning combination which Patlansky delivers. On Movin’ On, Dan Patlansky continues to demonstrate his prowess as both a guitarist and a songwriter. With each track, Patlansky’s influences and personal experiences shine through. Few artists in blues rock bring the total package like Patlansky.” – Pete Francis

---

2. Tab Benoit: I Hear Thunder

“I Hear Thunder reaffirms Tab Benoit as a powerful voice in the blues rock genre while at the same time expressing his passion for Louisana’s wetlands. This album combines Benoit’s prowess as a blues rock singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire with his writing partners Anders Osborne and George Porter Jr. The result is an album that is a testament to Benoit’s enduring talent by showcasing a collection of tracks that are steeped in the rich cultural and environmental history of his beloved bayou.” – Bob Gersztyn

---

1. Slash: Orgy of the Damned

“The expertise behind the album and the varied voices on it make the project as a whole a fascinating listen. With Slash serving as the connective tissue between each song, the album itself is able to explore different blues sounds and styles in accordance with how each of the chosen singers meshes with the material. Orgy of the Damned presents blues fans with an exciting way to hear new takes on favorite songs.” – Meghan Roos

Previous Top 20 Lists: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
*Editor’s note: Live albums and EPs are not included in the Top 20*