Ten Albums That Sparked The British Blues Boom

The Import LPs by Bo, Wolf, RJ, Muddy, Sonny Boy, and Others That Revitalized Rock

In the early-1960s U.K., blues albums were scarce. When teenaged Keith Richards ran into his childhood friend Mick Jagger for the first time in years, on a train platform in 1960, he was as interested in what Mick was carrying as he was in Mick himself. “Mick had The Best of Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry Is on Top under his arm, which were very hard to get in England,” Richard recalls. “I said, ‘Hey, man, nice to see you, but where’d you get the records?!’” One of their mates, Brian Jones, turned them on to Elmore James songs, and soon they were huddled around a record player, learning from the masters.

Similar scenes played out across the U.K. In London, members of the Yardbirds studied records by Billy Boy Arnold, Howlin’ Wolf, and Bo Diddley. In Newcastle, Eric Burdon and the Animals idolized John Lee Hooker. In Belfast, Van Morrison’s Them drew inspiration from T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Williams. Jimmy Page worshipped at the altars of Elmore James and B.B. King.

Here are ten of the imported American blues LPs that had a seismic impact on the creation of British blues-rock. There were others, of course, so before we begin, let me offer sincere apologies to Otis Spann, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush, J.B. Hutto, Big Bill Broonzy, J.B. Lenoir, Little Walter, and other worthy contenders.

These albums are presented in the order of original release.

1. Muddy Waters, The Best of Muddy Waters, Chess, 1957

This essential anthology of what Muddy called his “deep-bottom Mississippi blues” contains the original versions of “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” and “Rollin’ Stone,” which inspired a band name. “Muddy’s my man!” exclaims Keith Richards. “He’s the guy I listened to. I felt an immediate affinity when I heard him play that opening lick of ‘Rollin’ Stone.’ You can’t be harder than that, man. He said it all right there.”