The Top 100 Blues Acts of All Time

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These are the top 100 blues acts of all time as determined by consolidating fifteen best-of lists focused on blues artists (see resources at bottom of page). Click on names to see their entries in the Dave’s Music Database Music Makers Encyclopedia.

1. Robert Johnson
2. Muddy Waters
3. John Lee Hooker
4. Howlin’ Wolf
5. B.B. King
6. Son House
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan
8. Bessie Smith
9. Leadbelly
10. Buddy Guy



Robert Johnson

11. Elmore James
12. Albert King
13. Eric Clapton
14. Lightnin’ Hopkins
15. T-Bone Walker
16. Big Bill Broonzy
17. Skip James
18. Mississippi John Hurt
19. Jimmy Reed
20. Billie Holiday



Muddy Waters

21. Charley Patton
22. Ma Rainey
23. Blind Lemon Jefferson
24. Johnny Winter
25. Otis Rush
26. Bukka White
27. Ray Charles
28. Freddy King
29. Willie Dixon
30. Memphis Minnie



John Lee Hooker

31. Reverend Gary Davis
32. Albert Collins
33. Koko Taylor
34. John Mayall
35. W.C. Handy
36. Lonnie Johnson
37. Big Joe Turner
38. Big Mama Thornton
39. Bonnie Raitt
40. Tommy Johnson



Howlin’ Wolf

41. Blind Willie McTell
42. Blind Willie Johnson
43. Taj Mahal
44. Etta James
45. Charles Brown
46. Bobby “Blue” Bland
47. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup
48. Sonny Boy Williamson #2 (Rice Miller)
49. Professor Longhair
50. Robert Nighthawk



B.B. King

51. Magic Sam
52. Wynonie Harris
53. Sonny Boy Williamson #1 (John Lee Williamson)
54. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
55. Arthur “Blind Blake” Phelps
56. Ruth Brown
57. Otis Spann
58. Mississippi Fred McDowell
59. Leroy Carr
60. Sister Rosetta Tharpe



Son House

61. Brownie McGhee
62. Little Milton
63. Son Seals
64. Ida Cox
65. Slim Harpo
66. Robert Cray
67. Mamie Smith
68. Victoria Spivey
69. Junior Parker
70. Peetie Wheatstraw


Stevie Ray Vaughan

71. J.B. Lenoir
72. Louis Jordan
73. Little Walter
74. Jimi Hendrix
75. Tampa Red
76. Junior Wells
77. Sippie Wallace
78. Jimmy Witherspoon
79. Big Joe Williams
80. Blind Boy Fuller



Bessie Smith

81. Roosevelt Sykes
82. Gus Cannon
83. Hound Dog Taylor
84. Johnny Shines
85. Luther Allison
86. David “Honeyboy” Edwards
87. Charlie Musselwhite
88. Eddie Taylor
89. Robert Lockwood Jr.
90. Sonny Terry



Leadbelly

91. Dinah Washington
92. Peter Green
93. Roy Brown
94. Jimmy Rogers
95. Amos Milburn
96. Jimmy Rushing
97. Sleepy John Estes
98. Irma Thomas
99. Roy Milton
100. Big Maceo Merriweather



Buddy Guy

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Resources and Related Links:

• Dave’s Music Database Music Makers Encyclopedia
  
• AssociatedContent.com The Top 10 Blues Musicians of All Time by Roman (6/4/09)
  
• AssociatedContent.com Top 10 Blues Singers of All Time by Terrilynn Porter (6/1/2009)
  
• Bluesforpeace.com Top Fifty Blues Musicians
  
• ClassicRockMusicBlog.com The 50 Greatest Blues Artists (posted 11/3/08; from Goldmine magazine, 4/24/06)
  
• DigitalDreamDoor.com 100 Greatest Blues Guitarists, edited by Rick Varner (12/29/10)
  
• DigitalDreamDoor.com 100 Greatest Influential Blues Artists, edited by Chris F. (10/24/04)
  
• DigitalDreamDoor.com 100 Greatest Blues Vocalists, edited by Chris F. (11/18/04)
  
• ezinearticles.com The Best Blues Singers Ever by Kevin Charles Scott
  
• faqs.org/shareranks/ Greatest Blues Artists
  
• TheGuitarLesson.com 20 Most Influential and Best Blues Guitarists (2/26/11)
  
• Hubpages.com Top Ten Blues Artists of All Time by Quiline
  
• MyTopDozen.com List of Best Blues Musicians
  
• PBS.org The Blues: The Songs & the Artists (2003)
  
• Ranker.com The Best Blues Artists of All Time by slonlo (6/13/11)
  
• Thrillermag.com 10 blues musicians you need to know (4/4/11)
  

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