Will “Sinners” spark a modern blues revival?

The new film Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan is making waves across the country and could help spark a modern-day blues revival.

Sinners has been the number one movie at the U.S. box office for two consecutive weekends. The film heavily features blues music and includes a soundtrack packed with some of today’s top modern blues artists, including Buddy Guy, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Eric Gales, Tierinii Jackson of Southern Avenue, Bobby Rush, Cedric Burnside, and Brittany Howard. The soundtrack has already drawn widespread praise and is being mentioned as a potential Oscar contender.

Currently, Sinners holds an 8.2 rating on IMDb, signaling strong critical and audience reception. The film is not a musical, but blues music is heard throughout the story, with one of the main characters portrayed as a blues guitarist.

Blues music has historically been underrepresented in mainstream media, but is reaching a broad new audience through the film’s success. With the film’s wide reach, Sinners could have a major impact on introducing a younger generation to blues artists and the genre as a whole.

It brings to mind the impact that the blues-themed film Crossroads had back in the 1980s. That film inspired a generation of musicians to pick up guitars and explore the blues. Sinners could have an even bigger impact because of its current popularity. A whole new wave of people who might not normally listen to blues are now getting introduced to it and loving it.

Legendary bluesman Buddy Guy makes a special appearance in Sinners, delivering a powerful and emotional scene. In a recent interview with Variety, Buddy Guy stated that his decision to participate in the film was driven by a desire to help keep blues music alive. For Buddy Guy fans and people who know his backstory, the scene is incredibly moving, but even for viewers who may not be familiar with Guy, the scene carries a lot of weight.

Sinners also features a cameo appearance by modern-day blues phenom Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

As Sinners continues to draw audiences to theaters, its influence on modern-day blues music is expected to grow. The film’s visibility provides a rare and significant platform for blues artists, helping to bring the genre back into the spotlight. It’s a major win for blues music.