Metacritic/EOY Aggregate: 2025 New Music: Blues/Gospel/R&B

Notes

For information on what lists are consulted, and what the various abbreviations and notes mean, click here.

For reissues and compilations, click here.

Sub-Lists

Some breakdowns by genre:

Ranking

  1. Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World (Anti-) {31}: Al:8, EWi:+, FO:*, LBF:*, LW:47, Mg:23, Mj:15*, PO:*, RC:*, RS:67*, RS_c:10, TL:17, U:58*, WxM:100; am:*, am_r:+, bb6:+, xjdc:* -- A:82/8, TH:A-
  2. Annie & the Caldwells: Can't Lose My (Soul) (Luaka Bop) {26}: Bc:+, G:*+, Gl:++, Mj:5*, MO:*, O:*, PM:*+, STi:6, U:44; am:+*, am_r:+, ec:+ -- A:89/6, TH:A-
  3. Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo': Room on the Porch (Concord Jazz) {14}: Mj:*, PO:*; am:*, am_b:+, rbm:+ -- A:73/4, RX:A, TH:A-
  4. Maria Muldaur: One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey (Nola Blue) {10}: EWi:23, PO:*, XCI:**; xde:7 -- TH:A
  5. Rory Block: Heavy on the Blues (M.C.) {7}: -- RX:A-, TH:***
  6. Robert Finley: Hallelujah! Don't Let the Devil Fool You (Easy Eye) {7}: Mj:*, PO:*, XCI:* -- A:80/1, TH:A-
  7. Galactic and Irma Thomas: Audience With the Queen (Tchoup-Zilla) {7}: Gl:++, PM:*, PO:* -- A:75/2, TH:***
  8. Larkin Poe: Bloom (Tricki-Woo) {7}: ClR:*, RC:*, Sp:*, TN:*, XSN:*; rbm:+ -- A:73/7, TH:*
  9. Andy Fairweather Low: The Invisible Bluesman () {7}: ClR:*, Mj:*, TN:*U:* -- A:75/4, TH:***
  10. Buddy Guy: Ain't Done With the Blues (Silvertone/RCA) {6}: am:*, am_b:+, rbm:+ -- TH:***
  11. The Black Keys: No Rain, No Flowers (Easy Eye/Warner) {5}: ClR:*, Mg:24, Mj:*, RC:*, Sk:* -- A:68/16
  12. Brittany Davis/Evan Flory-Barnes/D'Vonne Lewis: Black Thunder (Loosegroove) {5}: am:*, am_b:+ -- TH:***
  13. Carolyn Wonderland: Truth Is (Alligator) {5}: am:*, am_b:+, rbm:+ -- A:80/1, TH:**
  14. Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. & the Wild Magnolias: Chip Off the Old Block (Strong Place Music) {4}: PO:* -- RX:**, TH:*
  15. Bobby Rush/Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Young Fashioned Ways (Deep Rush/Thirty Tigers) {4}: PO:*; rbm:+ -- A:60/1, TH:**
  16. Tommy Castro & the Painkillers: Closer to the Bone (Alligator) {3}: TN:*; am:*am_b:+ -- A:80/1
  17. Eric Gales: A Tribute to LJK () {3}: am:*, am_k:+, rbm:+ --
  18. Charlie Musselwhite: Look Out Highway () {3}: am:*, am_b:+, rbm:+ -- A:80/1
  19. Robert Randolph: Preacher Kids (Dare) {3}: YW:19; rbm:+ --
  20. Walter Trout: Sign of the Times () {3}: am:*, am_k:+, rbm:+ --
  21. Early James: Medium Raw (Easy Eye Sound) {2}: Mj:*, TN:* -- A:75/2, TH:B
  22. D.K. Harrell: Talkin' Heavy (Alligator) {2}: YW:30; rbm:+ --
  23. Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band: Honeysuckle (Family Owned) {2}: -- TH:**
  24. Robin Trower: Come and Fine Me (Provogue) {2}: ClR:*, RC:* -- A:77/3
  25. Big Freedia: Pressing Onward (Queen Diva Music) {1}: am:* -- A:77/3
  26. Blood Brothers: Help Yourself () {1}: rbm:+ --
  27. Joe Bonamassa: Breakthrough () {1}: rbm:+ --
  28. The Boneshakers: Live to Be This () {1}: rbm:+ --
  29. Burna Boy: No Sign of Weakness}Spaceshjip/Bad Habit/Atlantic (07-10) {1}: A:66/8
  30. Jon Cleary: The Bywater Sessions () {1}: rbm:+ --
  31. Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: Hard Road () {1}: rbm:+ --
  32. Larry McCray: Heartbreak City () {1}: rbm:+ --
  33. Robert Jon & the Wreck: Heartbreaks and Last Goodbyes () {1}: rbm:+ --
  34. Big A Sherrod: Torchbearer of the Clarksdale Sound [Listener's Circle Vol. 72] (Music Maker -EP) {1}: PO:* --
  35. Candi Staton: Back to My Roots (Beracah) {1}: Mj:* -- A:75/2