Blues is one of the most instantly recognisable and popular genres in music. Coming out of African-American communities in the American Deep South in the late 19^th century, the first Blues music would be published in 1908, at the same time the word ‘Blues’ was first used to describe the sound.

The early days of Blues music were characterised by the shift from country to urban Blues, although both would become popular and remain so to this day. Different types of Blues music would become synonymous with the city they generated from. “Memphis Blues” is the most famous example of this, but in the early says “Dallas Blues” and “St. Louis Blues” would also be popular.

Blues into the 50’s

Throughout the 1950’s, Blues would start to evolve further as different genres, and particularly the use of electronic instruments and recordings, would become influential. Blues would also reach across America, with the northern cities of Chicago and Detroit being particularly notable locations where sub-genres of Blues would thrive.

Blues was a huge part of mainstream music in 1950’s America, with Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry becoming two of the most popular musicians, going on to become two of the most influential of all time.

Electric Blues would also take off in England, mainly due to the live performances by Muddy Waters while touring there throughout the decade.

60’s and 70’s: Death & Resurgence

It is maybe going too far to suggest that Blues music died during the 1960’s, but it certainly affected by the popularity of rock & roll following the British invasion and the appeal of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Blues would find a niche audience within the Civil Rights Movement, particularly during the 1960’s, but into the next decade the talent of those who would involve themselves with the genre brought it back to full strength.

B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, Santana, and Eric Clapton among them, the list of influential artists who used Blues music is like a who’s who of those decades. The Tulsa Blues sound, and a rockier Blues style from Texas, would emerge to become the leading sub-genres by the late 1970’s.

80’s to Today

Although Blues influences can be seen in almost every musical genre, it is among African-American people that traditional Blues remains strong and popular. While no popular modern day mainstream artists fit into the traditional Blues category, legends like Clapton are still recording and performing to huge audiences all around the world and remain immensely popular, while a number of record labels aim to nurture young artists who they hope will bring Blues back to pre-eminence in the near future.

Image Source: fernando garcia redondo