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What is blues music?
Birthed from the deep emotional wells of the African American experience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, blues music has shaped the very fabric of popular music as we know it. Whether it’s the moving wail of a slide guitar, the raw soul in a gravelly voice, or the familiar 12-bar progression that echoes in countless tracks, the blues tells stories of sorrow, endurance, and joy like no other style can.
Blues music is more than just a genre—it’s a cultural cornerstone and foundation.
Characteristics of blues music
Blues music originated in the rural American South, specifically the Mississippi Delta during the late 1800s, blending work songs, spirituals, field hollers, and African musical traditions. It’s often characterized by a 12-bar chord structure (though not exclusive to all blues) and the use of “blue” notes—flattened 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes that give blues its iconic melancholic sound.
The call-and-response patterns of the music also lends toward a sense of space for the guitar to “sing.” This experience renders playing that’s emotional with solos that are soul-touching and alive. Lyrically, blues often centers on themes of hardship, heartache, resilience, and survival.
The history of blues music
Early – mid 1900s: Delta blues, classic blues, and Chicago blues
Early blues was performed solo with voice and acoustic guitar. Artists like Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Robert Johnson helped shape what became known as Delta blues.
In the 1910s and ’20s, composers like W.C. Handy brought the blues to a wider audience through published sheet music. The 1920s saw the rise of the classic blues era, where female vocalists like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Mamie Smith recorded and toured extensively, backed by jazz bands.
From the 1930s to ’50s, as Black Americans migrated to northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, blues evolved. The acoustic Delta style became electrified. Chicago blues emerged, driven by amplified guitar, harmonica, bass, and drums. Pioneers included Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, and Little Walter. Meanwhile, T-Bone Walker introduced electric blues on the West Coast.
Mid – late 1900s: Rock and roll, the British Invasion, and blues rock
This era set the stage for the birth of rock and roll in the 1950s, with artists like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley blending blues with rhythm and energy that influenced white rock musicians.
The British Invasion in the 1960s brought blues to a global audience. Bands like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and Led Zeppelin heavily borrowed from American blues. At the same time, the U.S. folk and blues revival elevated older artists like Son House and Mississippi John Hurt, while spotlighting newer performers like B.B. King and Buddy Guy (who was recently featured in the box office smash Sinners).
In the 1970s and ’80s, blues rock took hold, with guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton helping sustain its popularity.
Late 1900s – today: Contemporary blues
Today, blues continues to evolve, merging with soul, funk, hip hop, and rock. Contemporary blues artists like Keb’ Mo’, Gary Clark Jr., and Shemekia Copeland keep the genre vibrant and relevant while virtuoso guitarists like Derek Trucks and Eric Gales continue the tradition of emotional and deep performance chops in band settings. To this day, blues festivals around the world celebrate the legacy.
The foundation of modern music
Blues is the bedrock of nearly every major genre of popular music. Without the blues, there would be no rock and roll—artists like Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and The Rolling Stones built their sound on blues rhythms and riffs. Jazz musicians drew heavily from blues scales and its improvisational spirit. R&B and soul legends such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin fused gospel with blues to create emotionally charged classics.
Even hip hop, while rhythmically distinct, carries the blues tradition of storytelling, social commentary, and transforming pain into power. Modern pop and country music also bear the blues’ fingerprints, whether through musical structure, lyrical themes, or melodic inflection.
Understanding blues isn’t just about knowing music theory—it’s about feeling. It’s about hearing the pain in a bent guitar string or the struggle in a cracked vocal. In a world where genres seem to come and go, blues remains timeless.
Try adding some blues sounds into your own music with Splice’s library of sounds:
June 10, 2025
