5 Artists Bringing Blues into the 21st Century

From psychedelic soul to hip-hop, modern blues artists are proving that respecting the tradition doesn’t mean being trapped by it. Blues is often treated as something that needs to be preserved. Historically, though, blues has always been music that evolves. The biggest blues legends have always been innovators. Electric blues was once radical. Blues rock was once radical. Stevie Ray’s take on the Texas blues completely changed the game at the time. Soul, funk, R&B all grew from the blues tradition. It becomes evident that experimentation and bold takes have always been part of the story.

These five artists carry the torch forward, and truly pull blues into the 21^st century.

Dan Auerbach

The Ohio-born guitarist, singer, bandleader, producer (the list goes on) has emerged as one of the key figures in the modern landscape of the genre. With his own spin on the Hill Country Blues, he has brought some deep cuts to wider audiences, and written some blues rock anthems of his own. Throughout his career, he’s managed to preserve the rawness of the north Mississippi sound, and paradoxically he has managed to make it sound ancient and modern at the same time. For those who have recently discovered the world of modern blues, The Black Keys’ catalogue is a journey not to be missed. But don’t be afraid to let yourself get lost in the swamp that is his debut solo album Keep It Hid either. In addition to his own music, he has founded a record label, Easy Eye Sound, that nurtures artists who channel that real emotion while staying brave enough to experiment and who are comfortable being considered slightly odd before they blow up.

Gary Clark Jr.

Gary’s music fuses the unimaginable and is one of the most obvious examples of crossing boundaries. A true pioneer of a brand new sound. Fuzz-drenched garage rock, traditional blues, hip-hop, funk, R&B. Yeah, Gary’s all that. It’s the blues meets everything type of thing. Widely considered a blues artist, he has won Grammy awards for best R&B performance, best Rock performance, and best Rock song. His sound is hard to describe without hearing and feeling it. Soulful voice, otherworldly guitar playing, and swagger that can’t be copied. His very colourful catalogue is to be meticulously explored. Unsure where to start? Try Blak and Blu.

Marcus King

Marcus King delivers big vocal performances, crazy guitar solos, and unmatched emotion. He truly puts his soul into his songs; there’s no doubt about that. He opens his heart to anyone that cares to listen, and follows it wherever it may take him. He seems to have been truly inspired by that Rick Rubin mantra of not considering the audience when writing and recording music, but following your instincts. He blends psychedelia, Southern rock, soul, country, folk, and even something that I wouldn’t be able to place in any traditional genre (e.g. Mood Swings). A good starting point for blues rock fans however, is the Dan Auerbach produced album Young Blood.

Eddie 9V

Hailing from Atlanta, this 30-year-old has developed his sound by playing in metal and indie rock outfits, before discovering the blues and letting it leave its mark on his DNA. He bit back and changed the traditional into something a bit more subtle, a bit more modern, and a bit more soulful. He doesn’t care about doing things ‘right’, the only thing he seems to care about is how it feels. Give his 2024 album Saratoga a spin to see exactly what I mean. Oh, and based on his latest single, he’s got something really special brewing for later in the year.

Southern Avenue

This female-led powerhouse from Memphis has souled up the blues, added the gospel edge to it, and made it easy to listen to, dance to, and get lost in regardless of your musical preferences. I could genuinely imagine their music being playlisted alongside Muddy Waters, Aretha Franklin, as well as Ariana Grande. Fiery energy, catchy melodies, irresistible groove, and tonnes of soul. Southern Avenue make it more about musical dialogue, a good time, and community than anything else. Their aptly titled album Family is evidence that blues does not have to be the final product; for them it’s a starting point to something much larger.

All five artists on this list bring something new. A different perspective, a different subgenre, a different production technique. The question is not whether these artists are ‘blues enough’ based on an imaginary grading scale; it’s whether they’re doing what great blues musicians of the past have always done: taking the world around them, trusting their gut and doing what feels right, while using the traditional as a never-ending well of inspiration. You be the judge.