Blues is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the Deep South of the United States around the end of the 19th century. It is characterized by its melancholy lyrics, often dealing with personal struggles and the hardships of life, and its distinctive musical structure, which typically involves a 12-bar chord progression and the use of “blue notes” – notes played at a slightly lower pitch than standard major and minor scales.
Blues has had a major influence on many other genres of music, including rock and roll, soul, and jazz, and its impact can still be heard in contemporary music today. Some of the most famous blues musicians include B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and John Lee Hooker.