The Best Blues Music Magazines

Find out which blues music magazines are worth your time and money with this comprehensive list.

What is blues music?

Blues music is a style of music that originated in the African-American communities in the South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The blues is characterized by a feeling of sadness or melancholia, and is often expressed through lyrics about personal loss, heartache, and difficult life experiences. The blues often makes use of blue notes – notes that are played slightly flat or sharp – which gives the music its characteristic “bluesy” sound.

While the blues evolved from African-American folk music, it has also been strongly influenced by European and American popular music, particularly ragtime, jazz, and rock and roll. Over time, blues music has spawned a number of subgenres, including Delta blues, Chicago blues, and West Coast blues.

The history of blues music

Since the early days of recorded music, the blues has been one of America’s most popular genres. The first blues songs were recorded in the 1920s, and the genre quickly spread from its roots in the American South to become a global phenomenon.

Over the past century, the blues has evolved and mutated, giving birth to new styles like rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and hip-hop. But the genre has always remained true to its roots, keeping alive the spirit of its earliest pioneers.

Today, there are countless blues musicians around the world carrying on this rich tradition. And if you’re looking to stay up-to-date on all things blues, there are plenty of great magazines out there to help you do just that.

The different types of blues music

The blues is a genre of music that originated in African-American communities in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The genre developed from roots in African musical traditions, African-American work songs, spirituals, and European folk music. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads. The blues form, ubiquitous in jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll, is characterized by the call-and-response pattern, the blues scale and specific chord progressions, of which the twelve-bar blues is the most common. Blue notes (or “worried notes”), usually thirds or fifths flattened in pitch are also an essential part of the sound. Blues shuffles or walking bass reinforce the trance-like rhythm and form a repetitive effect known as the groove.

Blues as a genre is also characterized by its lyrics, bass lines, and instrumentation. Early traditional blues verses consisted of a single line repeated four times. It was only in the first decades of the 20th century that the most common current structure became standard: an opening verse followed by a chorus (commonly consisting of a simplified repeat of the verse lyrics). Many songs were recorded with only guitar accompaniment under different names; this technique went hand-in-hand with oral transmission since few blacks could afford instruments before World War II.

The term “blues” has been used to describe many different styles of music that originated independently throughout North America and Africa over a period of more than 100 years. Although some argue that blues music tends to be depressing or sad,[1][2][3] there are many examples to counter this claim including compositions such as “T For Texas” which is also known as “The Yellow Rose Of Texas”. In addition to its well-known origins among former slaves and their descendants in southern USA plantations, various forms of so-called white blues also developed independently elsewhere—particularly in Britain and Europe—from roughly 1900 onwards (often via influence from American recordings). These non-“American” varieties tended to be heavily influenced by local folk music traditions (for example British folk singing) but also incorporated various specifically “blues” elements such as slide guitar work derived from American records.[4][5]

The best blues music magazines

There are a few great blues music magazines out there, but which ones are the best? Here are our top picks:

-Blues Blast Magazine: This magazine is dedicated to promoting the blues and supporting the artists who create this incredible music. They offer in-depth articles, artist interviews, and reviews of the latest blues albums.

-Living Blues Magazine: Living Blues is one of the most respected blues magazines in existence. They offer a mix of news, interviews, reviews, and features on all things blues.

-Real Blues Magazine: Real Blues is a great option for those looking for a more detailed and technical approach to their blues coverage. In addition to news and reviews, they offer articles on instruments, theory, and history.

Why you should read blues music magazines

There are many reasons why you should read blues music magazines. First and foremost, they can help keep you up-to-date on the latest news in the blues world. But beyond that, they can also help you discover new artists and music, learn about the history of the genre, and find out about upcoming events.

Reading blues magazines can also be a great way to support the genre. By subscribing to a magazine or buying individual issues, you are helping to ensure that these publications can continue to produce quality content. In turn, this helps to promote and preserve the blues for future generations.

So whether you are a long-time fan of the blues or just getting started, be sure to check out some of the best blues music magazines out there. You won’t be disappointed!