The roots of blues are not well documented. What is known is that it developed in the rural American South sometime following the Civil War. The blues is influenced by many musical styles, but most evident is the African influences. Africans were brought to the United States as slaves until the later part of the nineteenth century. With them, the Africans brought their musical traditions. The style of the African griots, as well as work songs, fields hollers, and spirituals all influenced blues. These African influences combined with American folk and country music from the Appalachians to form what is known today as the blues.

Blues is recognized by a 12-bar structure and 3-line verses that follow what is called an AAB rhyming scheme. This is where there are 2 similar lines followed by a third that responses and rhymes with the first two. Blues are generally more lyrical than narrative, expressing feelings rather than telling a story. Emotions are often expressed musically by using instrument techniques such as "choking" or bending guitar strings or applying a metal slide to the guitar strings to achieve an emotional sound. Blues songs can be about anything. Love, loneliness, strengths, bad times, fears, and hard luck are all themes of blues. Blues began spreading at the end of the nineteenth century by traveling performers.

Blues was not documented until the beginning of the twentieth century. The first blues sheet music was "Memphis Blues" by William Christopher (W.C.) Handy in 1912. Once documented, blues gained popularity and with the first blues recording, "Crazy Blues" in 1920 by Mamie Smith, blues achieved commercial success.

Blues became wide spread during the Great Depression and the world wars when millions of African Americans moved north. As blues became dispersed, the style and lyrics of blues music changed to fit in with the new urban environments. Also, the development of new musical instruments, the electric guitar and the amplified harmonica led to a new blues sound. Many types of blues developed during this time such as; Chicago Blues, Delta Blues, East Coast Blues, and Texas Blues. Blues has gone on to influence many other music genre, jazz, soul, rock and roll, and even rap music.