Billboard's all-time top digital blues songs

[stevejazz]

While Billboard magazine is not what it once was, the best thing the magazine has done in the last decade was its January 2010 introduction of the top digital songs for various genres. A few of these charts--such as pop and country--are not particularly interesting, since they largely just repeat the same songs that placed high on Billboard's regular pop and country charts. But in other genres, these lists provide fascinating, and even valuable, information.

I have used these charts as information sources for my books (the Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, volumes 1 through 4), just as I have utilized the Acclaimed Music lists. I researched the complete history of these digital-sales charts for all the noteworthy genres, from January 2010 through December 2018. The blues charts are particularly valuable. While there's a heavy concentration of songs from 2010 onward, there are also numerous songs from the previous two decades--and just enough earlier blues classics (Etta James, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf , etc.) to provide a modest amount of historical scope. Since blues (like jazz and the pre-rock era) is one of the categories where Acclaimed Music's otherwise excellent lists come up a bit short right now, I think this list can be very useful. Here are the top blues digital songs in the nine-year history of that Billboard chart:

Steve Sullivan

1.AT LAST (1961) - ETTA JAMES (240 weeks at #1, 362 total charted weeks)
2.BAD TO THE BONE (1982) - GEORGE THOROUGHGOOD & THE DESTROYERS
(58 weeks at #1, 436 total weeks)
3.PRIDE AND JOY (1983) - STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE
(23 weeks at #1, 436 total weeks)
4.THE THRILL IS GONE (1970) - B.B. KING (12 weeks at #1, 467 total weeks)
5.GOING UP THE COUNTRY (1968) - CANNED HEAT (#3 peak, 446 total weeks)
6.BLUE ON BLACK (1997) - KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD (4 weeks at #1, 385 total weeks)
7.WHAT’D I SAY? (1959) - RAY CHARLES (1 week at #1, 413 total weeks)
8.I DRINK ALONE (1985) - GEORGE THOROUGHGOOD & THE DESTROYERS
(#3 peak, 412 total weeks)
9.LITTLE WING (1991) - STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE
(#2 peak, 375 total weeks)
10.CROSSFIRE (1989) - STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN & DOUBLE TROUBLE (#7 peak, 377 weeks)

11.Texas Flood (1983) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (#2 peak, 347 weeks)
12.Mannish Boy (1955) - Muddy Waters (#3 peak, 337 weeks)
13.Right Place, Wrong Time (1973) - Dr. John (1 week at #1, 334 total weeks)
14.Boom Boom (1962) John Lee Hooker (#3 peak, 331 weeks)
15.Soul Man (1979) - Blues Brothers (3 weeks at #1, 272 total weeks)
16.The Sky Is Crying (1984) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (#9 peak, 294 weeks)
17.The House is Rockin’ (1989) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (#11 peak, 252 weeks)
18.On the Road Again (1968) - Canned Heat (#8 peak, 248 weeks)
19.I Put a Spell on You (2014) - Annie Lennox (8 weeks at #1, 154 total weeks)
20.Lie to Me (1997) - Jonny Lang (#2 peak, 224 weeks)

21.Come Together (2017) - Gary Clark, Jr. (22 weeks at #1, 67 total weeks)
22.Bright Lights (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr. (1 week at #1, 211 total weeks)
23.Move It on Over (1978) - George Throughgood & the Destroyers (#9 peak, 205 weeks)
24.Life By the Drop (1991) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (#8 peak, 166 weeks)
25.Ten Million Slaves (2002) - Otis Taylor (5 weeks at #1, 82 total weeks)
26.Shelter Me (2007) - Tab Benoit (5 weeks at #1, 82 total weeks)
27.I Put a Spell on You (1956) - Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (6 weeks at #1, 79 total weeks)
28.Johnny B. Goode (1958) - Chuck Berry (3 weeks at #1, 92 total weeks)
29.Smokestack Lightning (1956) - Howlin’ Wolf (#5 peak, 103 weeks)
30.Home (2004) - Marc Broussard (#2 peak, 89 weeks)

31.When Love Comes to Town (1989) - U2 & B.B. King (#2 peak, 81 weeks)
32.You Never Can Tell (1964) - Chuck Berry (#3 peak, 77 weeks)
33.Run Rudolph Run (1958) - Chuck Berry (6 weeks at #1, 16 total weeks)
34.Ride (2017) - Z.Z. Ward & Gary Clark, Jr. (5 weeks at #1, 26 total weeks)
35.When My Train Pulls In (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr. (#3 peak, 69 weeks)
36.Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City (1974) - Bobby Bland (#4 peak, 59 weeks)
37.Let’s Work Together (1970) - Canned Heat (4 weeks at #1, 21 total weeks)
38.My Babe (1955) - Little Walter (#5 peak, 55 weeks)
39.Cold Shot (1984) Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (#15 peak, 58 weeks)
40.Ain’t No Sunshine (1989) - Bobby Bland (#2 peak, 49 weeks)

41.We Can Always Come Back to This (2017) - Brian Tyree Henry (4 weeks at #1, 14 total weeks)
42.I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man (1954) - Muddy Waters (#9 peak, 47 weeks)
43.Police Dog Blues (2011) - Hugh Laurie (4 weeks at #1, 9 total weeks)
44.I Never Loved a Man (The Way That I Love You) (1967) - Aretha Franklin (4 weeks at #1, 8 total weeks)
45.Ain’t Messin’ Round (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr. (#2 peak, 38 weeks)
46.Numb (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr. (1 week at #1, 32 total weeks)
47.Hound Dog (1953) - Big Mama Thornton (#2 peak, 32 weeks)
48.I Put a Spell on You (1965) - Nina Simone (#3 peak, 33 weeks)
49.Anyhow (2015) - Tedeschi-Trucks Band (#3 peak, 33 weeks)
50.You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive (2014) - Ruby Friedman (2 weeks at #1, 17 total weeks)

51.My Side Piece (2014) - Louisiana Blues Brothers
52.Mustang Sally (1991) - Buddy Guy
53.Drive (2016) - Joe Bonamassa
54.The Thrill is Gone (2016) - Laith Al-Saadi
55.Born Under a Bad Sign (1967) - Albert King
56.Midnight in Harlem (2011) - Tedeschi-Trucks Band
57.I’d Rather Go Blind (2012) - Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
58.Beggin’ and Pleadin’ (2016) - Btandy
59.Mustang Sally (1991) - The Commitments
60.Something’s Got a Hold on Me (1962) - Etta James

61.Part of Me (2013) - Tedeschi-Trucks Band
62.Mayhem (2010) - Imelda May
63.Things Are Changin’ (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr.
64.Merry Christmas, Baby (2001) - B.B. King
65.Different Shades of Blue (2014) - Joe Bonamassa
66.Ain’t No Sunshine (2005) - Buddy Guy with Tracy Chapman
67.Look at Little Sister (1985) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
68.Tide ‘Em on Down (2016) - Rolling Stones
69.Home (2013) - Ray Boudreaux
70.Let Them Talk (2011) - Hugh Laurie

71.Morning Light (2016) - Laith Al-Saadi
72.Ain’t No Sunshine (2015) - “Mia Z”
73.The Healing (2015) - Gary Clark, Jr.
74.The Thrill is Gone (2011) - Beverly McClellan
75.Just Your Fool (2016) - Rolling Stones
76.One and Only (2016) - Laith Al-Saadi
77.Redemption (2018) - Joe Bonamassa
78.Maybellene (1955) - Chuck Berry
79.Steamroller Blues (2014) - Bria Kelly
80.Go to the Mardi Gras (1959) - Professor Longhair

81.Merry Christmas Baby (1993) - Charles Brown & Bonnie Raitt
82.Need Your Love So Bad (2005) - B.B. King & Sheryl Crow
83.Folsom Prison Blues (2012) - Jamie Lono
84.Take Me Down (2016) - Gary Clark, Jr.
85.Cannonball (2017) - Z.Z. Ward & Fantastic Negrito
86.Nasty Letter (2003) - Otis Taylor
87.One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (1966) - John Lee Hooker
88.Sensitive Kind (2014) - Eric Clapton & Don White
89.Smoking Gun (1987) - Robert Cray Band
90.Dust Bowl (2011) - Joe Bonamassa
‘
91.Shine On (2006) - Eric Bibb
92.The Gypsy in Me (2016) - Bonnie Raitt
93.Hate to See You Go (2016) - Rolling Stones
94.Still Rainin’ (1998) - Jonny Lang
95.Caught Out in the Rain (2018) - Beth Hart
96.You Move Me (2014) - Robert Cray
97.A Place in My Heart (2012) - Joe Bonamassa
98.Got My Mojo Working (1956) - Muddy Waters
99.Double Trouble (1967) - John Mayall’s Blues Breakers
100.Little by Little (2011) - Gregg Allman

101.When a Man Loves a Woman (2012 release) - Ray Charles
102.Damn Your Eyes (2018) - Gary Clark, Jr.
103.Dr. Feelgood (1967) - Aretha Franklin
104.I’ll Take Care of You (2016) - Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
105.I Need You Tonight (2016) - Bonnie Raitt
106.Movin’ On Up (2013) - Cole Vosbury
107.Save My Soul (2013) - Blue Saraceno
108.I was Wrong (2017) - Jesse Larson
109.Sweet Home Chicago (2004) - Eric Clapton
110. What You Gonna Do About Me (2013) - Buddy Guy with Beth Hart
111.Crossroads (2010) - Cyndi Lauper with Jonny Lang
112.Out of Bad Luck (2011) - Gregg Allman
113.Hold On, I’m Coming (2015) - Mia Z
114.Layla (2011) - Eric Clapton & Wynton Marsalis
115.Still Got the Blues (1990) - Gary Moore
116.Thank Me Someday (2010) - Buddy Guy
117.Red Light (2003) - Jonny Lang
118.Love, Reign o’er Me (2010) - Bettye LaVette
119.Let the Good Times Roll (1976) - Bobby Bland & B.B. King
120.Polk Salad Annie (1969) - Tony Joe White
121.Misty Blue (2011) - Etta James
122.Shake, Rattle and Roll (1954) - Joe Turner

Honorable Mentions (Artist Alpha):
Just Another Rider (2010) - Gregg Allman
Floating Bridge (2010) - Gregg Allman
No Particular Place to Go (1964) - Chuck Berry
Roll Over Beethoven (1956) - Chuck Berry
Lady B. Goode (2017) - Chuck Berry
I Pity the Fool (1961) - Bobby Bland
Members Only (1985) - Bobby Bland
Steal Your Heart Away (2010) - Joe Bonamassa
Midnight Blues (2012) - Joe Bonamassa
Slow Train (2013) - Joe Bonamassa
Mountain Climbing (2016) - Joe Bonamassa
I’ll Play the Blues for You (2016) - Joe Bonamassa
The Rose (2017) - Joe Bonamassa
On a Night Like This (1987) - Buckwheat Zydeco
Someday Baby (c. 1998) - R.L. Burnside
Born in Chicago (1966) - Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out (1992) - Eric Clapton
Somebody’s Knockin’ (2016) - Eric Clapton
Next Door Neighbor Blues (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr.
Please Come Home (2012) - Gary Clark, Jr.
Grinder (2015) - Gary Clark, Jr.
Don’t Owe You a Thing (2016) - Gary Clark, Jr.
Catfish Blues (2016) - Gary Clark, Jr.
Won’t Be Coming Home (2012) - Robert Cray
Road Runner (1960) - Bo Diddley
Tank Full of Blues (2012) - Dion
I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (2016) - Melissa Etheridge
Lord Remember Me (2014) - Ruthie Foster
Drown in My Own Tears (1967) - Aretha Franklin
Today I Sing the Blues (1960) - Aretha Franklin
Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues (1991) - Buddy Guy
Feels Like Rain (1993) - Buddy Guy
I Ride at Dawn (2013) - Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite
Swing My Thing Back Around (2013) - Beth Hart
I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know (2013) - Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
Fire on the Floor (2016) - Beth Hart
Black Coffee (2017) - Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
Love Is a Lie (2017) - Beth Hart
Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down (2013) - Heritage Blues Orch.
It Serves You Right to Suffer (1966) - John Lee Hooker
Minute by Minute (2013) - Joe Hunter Six
The Thrill is Gone (2018) - Christine Ingram
The Worst Is Yet to Come (2014) - Keb Mo’
Don’t Leave Me Here (2017) - Ahmad Jamal & Keb’ Mo’
Waiting on the World to Change (2017) - Ahmad Jamal & Keb’ Mo’
All I Could Do Was Cry (1960) - Etta James
Cross Road Blues (1936) - Robert Johnson
Life is Beautiful (2011) - Keb’ Mo’
Oh Pretty Woman (1966) - Albert King
I’ll Play the Blues for You (1972) - Albert King
How Blue Can You Get? (1964) - B.B. King
Just Your Fool (2010) - Cyndi Lauper with Charlie Musselwhite
You Don’t Know My Mind (2011) - Hugh Laurie
St. James Infirmary (2011) - Hugh Laurie
Maybe I’m Amazed (2010) - Bettye LaVette
The Thrill is Gone (2013) - Monika Leigh
Memphis (1963) - Lonnie Mack
Joliet Bound (2011) - Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton
There is Something on Your Mind (1959) - Big Jay McNeely
Every Day I Have the Blues (2018) - Van Morrison with Joey DeFrancesco
Big Chief (1964) - Professor Longhair & Earl King
The Ones We Couldn’t Be (2016) - Bonnie Raitt
Love Do What It Can Do (2017) - Robert Randolph
Rocket 69 (2015) - Todd Rhodes
Blue and Lonesome (2016) - Rolling Stones
All Your Love (2016) - Rolling Stones
Hook, Line and Sinker (2011) - Roomful of Blues
What You Gonna Do? (2012) - Curtis Salgado
Love on a Two-Way Street (2013) - Boz Scaggs
Mixed-Up, Shook-Up Girl (2013) - Boz Scaggs
Tomorrow (2016) - Mavis Staples
Angel from Montgomery (1999) - Susan Tedeschi
Made Up Mind (2013) - Tedeschi-Trucks Band
Do I Look Worried (2013) - Tedeschi-Trucks Band
Ghost (2017) - Z.Z. Ward
Let It Burn (2017) - Z.Z. Ward

[Hymie]

Most of the stuff on here is not blues, including the top song (At Last).

[Harold]

If you like authentic blues, you really gotta check out Blueshammer.

[wittyusername]

Wow, it looks like people just aren't listening to newer blues and blues-based music any more.