Music Metrics Vault

Blues

Most popular artists in Blues

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre blues by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
10,279,654
2,066,269
2
4,410,640
312,250
3
2,711,132
2,767,055
4
2,501,765
2,512,323
5
2,339,344
806,090
6
2,283,524
636,766
7
2,185,735
978,837
8
1,593,984
883,552
9
1,397,015
786,427
10
1,295,450
410,888
11
1,151,880
1,307,875
12
1,097,058
188,924
13
1,066,458
242,060
14
Howlin' Wolf
906,429
528,293
15
Taj Mahal
877,943
215,418
16
Buddy Guy
872,675
831,242
17
Joe Bonamassa
830,779
944,660
18
Albert King
705,146
440,465
19
Freddie King
689,136
397,882
20
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
602,105
338,326
21
Blind Faith
598,954
408,033
22
Robert Cray
587,276
253,958
23
Keb' Mo'
582,894
359,959
24
Little Walter
553,454
209,956
25
Fenton Robinson
531,030
24,992
26
Bo Diddley
521,354
316,772
27
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
515,400
420,030
28
Albert Collins
495,077
194,261
29
Ry Cooder
488,040
310,118
30
Sonny Boy Williamson II
482,064
179,857
31
Big Mama Thornton
437,072
184,372
32
The Robert Cray Band
413,996
111,433
33
Jonny Lang
401,908
246,409
34
395,753
337,252
35
T-Bone Walker
377,587
207,568
36
Jimmie Vaughan
376,884
139,844
37
Koko Taylor
374,844
126,243
38
The Jeff Healey Band
352,893
220,937
39
Elmore James
348,909
193,475
40
Johnny Winter
342,112
501,111
41
Slim Harpo
300,557
57,044
42
Robert Johnson
296,235
575,414
43
R.L. Burnside
285,862
133,948
44
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
279,705
182,555
45
Otis Rush
257,288
176,661
46
Jimmy Reed
244,337
139,797
47
Luther Allison
235,139
77,612
48
Lightnin' Hopkins
229,582
272,259
49
Humble Pie
205,608
346,406
50
Al Kooper
201,697
62,630
51
Roy Buchanan
190,837
170,063
52
Willie Dixon
190,578
156,071
53
Junior Wells
187,495
121,455
54
John Mayall
184,640
251,871
55
Son Seals
181,518
31,245
56
Big Walter Horton
179,432
31,778
57
Johnny "Guitar" Watson
163,940
58,186
58
Lead Belly
162,634
195,990
59
The Derek Trucks Band
159,605
222,649
60
Ma Rainey
158,867
51,750
61
Mike Bloomfield
158,221
90,301
62
Walter Trout
153,699
123,162
63
Tinsley Ellis
152,434
48,125
64
The Vaughan Brothers
143,173
183,737
65
Champion Jack Dupree
141,186
34,856
66
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
138,777
108,290
67
Mississippi John Hurt
138,605
135,706
68
Charlie Musselwhite
137,444
52,900
69
Jimmy Rogers
137,292
64,248
70
Magic Slim
136,618
25,024
71
Sonny Landreth
130,320
56,214
72
Alvin Lee
124,817
133,424
73
Robben Ford
123,225
106,631
74
Magic Sam
116,350
72,210
75
Earl Hooker
114,598
52,207
76
Big Joe Turner
113,591
46,580
77
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
109,213
29,799
78
Lowell Fulson
108,871
26,985
79
Blind Willie Johnson
106,969
106,373
80
Coco Montoya
101,507
50,435
81
Lonnie Mack
100,109
29,164
82
Duane Allman
97,827
160,573
83
Bessie Smith
96,103
148,186
84
J.B. Lenoir
93,920
33,592
85
Hound Dog Taylor
91,317
54,361
86
Mississippi Fred McDowell
87,427
59,434
87
Johnny Copeland
87,019
17,073
88
Joe Louis Walker
83,145
43,890
89
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
83,059
69,584
90
Son House
72,811
157,303
91
James Cotton
72,784
71,203
92
Ronnie Earl
70,108
30,219
93
Otis Spann
67,180
55,930
94
Snooks Eaglin
66,458
24,920
95
Brownie McGhee
65,775
18,417
96
Jimmy Witherspoon
63,800
15,978
97
Roomful Of Blues
62,599
26,127
98
Sonny Terry
58,685
23,304
99
Byther Smith
57,905
11,606
100
Skip James
55,793
70,499
101
Big Bill Broonzy
55,268
60,039
102
John Hammond
53,220
40,227
103
Big Joe Williams
50,355
39,207
104
Memphis Slim
48,751
91,961
105
Memphis Minnie
47,570
43,434
106
Pee Wee Crayton
45,333
9,454
107
Blind Willie McTell
44,471
56,808
108
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King
43,479
15,116
109
Bukka White
40,279
42,282
110
Pinetop Perkins
37,345
19,560
111
Guitar Slim
34,467
15,910
112
Lonnie Johnson
31,447
30,641
113
Little Charlie & The Nightcats
30,723
10,752
114
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee
29,244
18,133
115
Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials
27,737
13,668
116
Jimmy Thackery
26,934
24,764
117
Blind Lemon Jefferson
25,777
49,739
118
Louisiana Red
25,102
12,419
119
Charley Patton
23,024
68,870
120
Doug MacLeod
22,928
6,414
121
Duke Robillard
20,308
21,791
122
Eddie Taylor
18,249
10,666
123
Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
17,806
4,017
124
Lurrie Bell
17,657
8,666
125
Leroy Carr
16,522
10,915
126
Blind Boy Fuller
16,166
37,317
127
Bob Margolin
13,306
7,993
128
Sonny Boy Williamson I
12,750
11,216
129
Robert Lockwood, Jr.
12,328
20,952
130
Roosevelt Sykes
9,514
8,301
131
Robert Nighthawk
9,378
10,233
132
The Mannish Boys
8,517
5,063
133
Lightnin' Slim
6,540
6,203
134
Big Bill Morganfield
4,067
5,546
135
Otis Grand
3,289
1,741
136
Bryan Lee
1,834
3,403
137
Brownie McGee
482
2,576
138
Elmore James And The Broom Dusters
145
7,678

Some info about blues

Blues music, an enduring and deeply influential genre, stands as a cornerstone of American musical tradition, tracing its roots back to the African American communities in the Deep South of the United States around the end of the 19th century. Emerging from the spirituals, work songs, shouts, chants, and narrated ballads of slaves and their descendants, blues music encapsulates the soulful and often poignant narratives of life, struggle, desire, and heartache.

Typically structured around repetitive twelve-bar chords, the blues are characterized by their use of specific chord progressions—the most common being the I-IV-V sequence. This musical form supports a narrative style that is both reflective and expressive, featuring lyrics that are evocative and often steeped in metaphor. The vocal delivery in blues is distinctive, marked by its use of melisma, call-and-response patterns, and an expressive, soulful intonation.

The term "blues" possibly derives from "blue devils," meaning melancholy and sadness; an apt representation of the music’s thematic melancholy and emotional depth. The blues scale, featuring flatted third and seventh notes, gives the genre its haunting and distinctive sound, allowing for expressive and emotive bends that resonate with listeners’ deepest sorrows and joys.

Delta blues, originating from the Mississippi Delta, is one of the earliest forms of blues music. Artists like Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, and Son House are paramount within this style, known for its raw and emotive intensity. Johnson, in particular, has become a mythical figure within the blues realm—his masterful guitar techniques and soul-stirring vocals left an indelible mark on the genre, influencing countless musicians across various music genres.

Following the Mississippi Delta strain, other regional styles emerged, including Chicago blues, Texas blues, and Piedmont blues. Each brought its particular flavor. Chicago blues, amplified in its sound, brought artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf to the forefront, who transformed the acoustic Delta traditions into the electric blues. This electrification marked a significant evolution in the genre, paving the way for modern rock and roll.

As the Great Migration saw African Americans move from the South to the cities of the North, the blues evolved, resonating and taking root in urban centers like Chicago and Detroit. Here, it mixed with other forms of music, producing subgenres such as rhythm and blues and eventually rock music. Iconic figures such as B.B. King and Buddy Guy continued to innovate within the genre, achieving widespread acclaim and influencing a host of other musicians.

Internationally, the blues has resonated profoundly in countries like the United Kingdom, where bands like The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds adapted the blues, creating a British blues boom which significantly impacted the global music scene during the 1960s and beyond. This transatlantic exchange contributed to the longevity and dynamism of the genre, inspiring a generation of artists across various music spectrums.

Today, the blues survives not just as a historical form but as a vital frame of musical expression. Annual festivals and dedicated venues around the world celebrate the genre, drawing audiences who appreciate its rich heritage and timeless appeal. Figures like Eric Clapton, Gary Clark Jr., and Shemekia Copeland continue to explore and expand the blues tradition, ensuring its place within the panorama of world music for future generations.