Blues are probably the oldest category of music genres that are still popular today. The style began in the 1870s within the United States, evolving from simple call-and-response ballads. Such ballads took many forms, from spirituals to work songs and chants.
This style of music is essentially slow and soothing, expressing whatever message it sends out from deep inside the heart. It often uses repetition as a stylistic device to stress the message it is sending out. Over the years, the style has been widely associated with romantic messages. It has evolved to what is today referred to as Rhythm and Blues. However, the original style of blues is still used in some compositions.
Mother of Music Genres
This genre of music has had the greatest contribution to most other forms of singing. Many of the song
s that were once sung in Blues version have today been reproduced in many other genres with the same message being passed across. Perhaps due to its position on the music-ages line, Blues has also contributed heavily to how instruments are played.
This style has also benefited greatly from the evolution of music production technology. Of all computer-generated music beats, Blues sound most authentic. They usually form the basis upon which producers create for other genres.
Blues is also divided into numerous subcategories which come up either due to fusion with other genres or style variations in different regions. There are African Blues, Teas Blues, West Coast Blues, and Gospel blues among many others. The same style of slow, deep-originating messages resonates across all these sub-categories. A lot of rhyming is also consistent with the genre that was once used to bemoan injustices.
