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Click a family to fan out its sub-genres · dashed = cross-listed Electric Blues Contemporary Blues Modern Blues Blues Band Modern Electric Blues Guitar Blues Contemporary Guitar Blues Club Blues Slow Electric Blues Blues Shuffle Minor-Key Blues Urban Electric Blues Contemporary Blues Ballad Modern Blues Revival Electric Blues Jam Blues Festival Blues 1 Blues Rock Electric Blues Rock British Blues Rock Texas Blues Rock Southern Blues Rock Heavy Blues Rock Psychedelic Blues Rock Garage Blues Rock Jam Blues Rock Power Trio Blues Rock Slide Guitar Rock-Blues Boogie Rock Classic Blues-Based Rock Roots Blues Rock 2 Chicago Blues Classic Chicago Blues Electric Chicago Blues South Side Chicago Blues West Side Chicago Blues Chicago Harmonica Blues Chicago Guitar Blues Chicago Shuffle Chicago Slow Blues Urban Blues Post-War Chicago Blues Chicago Blues Band Chicago Blues Piano Delta-to-Chicago Blues Modern Chicago Blues 3 Delta Blues Acoustic Delta Blues Delta Slide Blues Country Delta Blues Pre-War Delta Blues Raw Delta Blues Solo Guitar Blues Bottleneck Blues Delta Field Blues Juke Joint Delta Blues Delta Gospel-Blues Delta Folk Blues Delta-to-Chicago Blues Haunted Delta Blues 4 Country Blues Acoustic Blues Rural Blues Folk Blues Pre-War Country Blues Solo Acoustic Blues Fingerstyle Blues Guitar-and-Voice Blues Front Porch Blues Medicine Show Blues Songster Blues Ragtime Blues Old-Time Blues Hillbilly Blues Country Gospel-Blues 5 Texas Blues Texas Electric Blues Texas Guitar Blues Texas Blues Rock Texas Shuffle Texas Swing Blues Austin Blues Dallas Blues Houston Blues Lone Star Blues Texas Roadhouse Blues Texas Slow Blues Texas Strat Blues Texas Boogie Blues Texas Soul-Blues 6 Soul-Blues Blues Soul Southern Soul-Blues R&B-Blues Rhythm & Blues Modern Soul-Blues Deep Soul-Blues Gospel Soul-Blues Blues Ballad Romantic Soul-Blues Roadhouse Soul-Blues Soulful Slow Blues Horn-Driven Soul-Blues Southern Blues-Soul Contemporary R&B-Blues 7 Jump Blues Early R&B Rhythm & Blues Blues Shouter Horn Blues Swing Blues Big Band Blues Dance Blues Jive Blues Uptempo Blues 40s R&B Post-War R&B Rock & Roll Precursor Blues Jump-Jive Blues Boogie Jump Blues 8 Gospel Blues Spiritual Blues Sacred Blues Country Gospel-Blues Delta Gospel-Blues Soul Gospel-Blues Church Blues Testimony Blues Devotional Blues Hymn-Blues Blues Spiritual Sanctified Blues Gospel Slide Blues Gospel Blues Ballad Inspirational Blues 9 Memphis Blues St. Louis Blues Urban Blues Beale Street Blues Memphis Electric Blues Memphis Soul-Blues St. Louis Piano Blues Jug Band Blues City Blues Vaudeville-Urban Blues Memphis Jug Band Blues Memphis Gospel-Blues Early Urban Blues Blues Revue 10 British Blues British Blues Rock British Electric Blues British Blues Revival UK Blues British Blues Boom British R&B Blues British Guitar Blues British Harmonica Blues British Blues-Jazz British Pub Blues British Roots Blues British Acoustic Blues British Power Trio Blues Rock Blues-Rock Revival 11 Blues Shuffle Boogie Blues Guitar Boogie Texas Shuffle Chicago Shuffle Swing Shuffle Roadhouse Boogie Blues Boogie Rock Jump Boogie Barrelhouse Boogie Honky-Tonk Blues Shuffle Train Beat Blues Dancehall Blues Party Blues 12 Piano Blues Boogie-Woogie Barrelhouse Blues Honky-Tonk Piano Blues Ragtime Piano Blues St. Louis Piano Blues Chicago Piano Blues New Orleans Piano Blues Jump Piano Blues Blues Ballad Piano Gospel Piano Blues Barrelhouse Boogie Stride Blues Piano Blues Revue 13 West Coast Blues California Blues L.A. Blues Oakland Blues West Coast Jump Blues West Coast Swing Blues West Coast Guitar Blues West Coast R&B Blues Smooth West Coast Blues Urban California Blues Jazz-Inflected West Coast Blues Blues Club California West Coast Soul-Blues West Coast Blues Revival 14 Swamp Blues Louisiana Blues Bayou Blues Baton Rouge Blues Cajun Blues Zydeco Blues Swamp Rock-Blues Swamp Soul-Blues Tremolo Guitar Blues Bayou Shuffle Louisiana Electric Blues New Orleans-Adjacent Blues Southern Gothic Swamp Blues Swamp Gospel-Blues 15 Piedmont Blues East Coast Blues Carolina Blues Virginia Blues Georgia Blues Ragtime Blues Fingerstyle Piedmont Blues Country Rag Blues Acoustic East Coast Blues Songster Blues Piedmont Gospel-Blues Piedmont Folk Blues Guitar Rag Blues Light Swing Blues Front Porch Piedmont Blues 16 New Orleans Blues New Orleans Piano Blues Crescent City Blues Second-Line Blues New Orleans R&B Blues New Orleans Soul-Blues New Orleans Jazz-Blues Carnival Blues Gumbo Blues New Orleans Shuffle New Orleans Funk-Blues Creole Blues Brass Blues New Orleans Gospel-Blues 17 Hill Country Blues North Mississippi Blues Mississippi Hill Country Blues Trance Blues Drone Blues Hypnotic Blues One-Chord Blues Groove Blues Juke Joint Hill Country Blues Hill Country Boogie Hill Country Electric Blues Hill Country Gospel-Blues Percussive Guitar Blues Rural Groove Blues Modern Hill Country Revival 18 Slide Blues Bottleneck Blues Resonator Blues Dobro Blues Lap Steel Blues Electric Slide Blues Acoustic Slide Blues Delta Slide Blues Gospel Slide Blues Country Slide Blues Swamp Slide Blues Texas Slide Blues Blues Rock Slide Open-Tuning Blues Guitar Hero Blues 19 Harmonica Blues Blues Harp Chicago Harmonica Blues Delta Harmonica Blues Country Harmonica Blues Amplified Harp Blues Acoustic Harp Blues Train Harp Blues Jump Harmonica Blues West Coast Harmonica Blues British Harmonica Blues Swamp Harmonica Blues Harmonica Shuffle Harp-and-Guitar Blues Blues Harp Instrumental 20 Jazz-Blues Blues-Jazz Swing Blues Big Band Blues Vocal Jazz Blues Jazz Guitar Blues Horn Blues Club Jazz-Blues Soul Jazz Blues Bebop Blues Hard Bop Blues Latin Jazz-Blues Smooth Jazz-Blues Swinging Blues Ballad 21 Folk Blues Americana Blues Roots Blues Acoustic Roots Blues Singer-Songwriter Blues Protest Blues Old-Time Blues Blues Americana Coffeehouse Blues Revival Folk Blues Country Folk Blues Gospel Folk Blues Dark Folk Blues Modern Roots Blues 22 Classic Blues Vaudeville Blues Classic Female Blues Early Recorded Blues 1920s Blues Race Records Era Blues Theatre Blues Blues Revue Cabaret Blues Jazz-Band Blues Early Urban Blues Torch Blues Barrelhouse Vocal Blues Classic Blues Ballad Minstrel/Vaudeville-Adjacent Blues 23 Blues Ballad Slow Blues Ballad Vocal Blues Torch Blues Soulful Blues Ballad Gospel Blues Ballad Piano Blues Ballad Country Blues Ballad Jazz Blues Ballad Breakup Blues Love Blues Heartbreak Blues Lonesome Blues Confessional Blues Testimony Blues 24 Blues-Funk Funk Blues Soul-Funk Blues Groove Blues Funky Electric Blues Blues Jam Funk New Orleans Funk-Blues Texas Funk Blues Blues-R&B Groove Blues Dance Groove Slap-Bass Blues Funky Shuffle Blues Psychedelic Funk Blues Soul Groove Blues 25 Modern Roots Blues Americana Blues Roots Rock Blues Contemporary Roots Blues Indie Blues Singer-Songwriter Blues Folk-Americana Blues Blues Revival Modern Acoustic Blues Modern Slide Blues Modern Gospel-Blues Modern Soul-Blues Festival Roots Blues Blues-Americana Ballad Porch-to-Stage Blues 26 Blues Pop Pop Blues Adult Contemporary Blues Smooth Blues Commercial Blues Blues-Pop Ballad Pop-Soul Blues Pop-Rock Blues Country Pop Blues Singer-Songwriter Pop Blues Soft Blues Radio Blues Blues Lounge Crossover Blues Mainstream Blues Revival 27 Blues Rap Blues Hip-Hop Sample Blues Rap Delta Sample Rap Blues Boom-Bap Blues Trap Gospel Blues Rap Blues-Soul Rap Guitar Loop Blues Rap Harmonica Sample Rap Chain-Gang Sample Rap Blues Spoken-Word Noir Blues Rap Country Blues Rap 28 Dark Blues Gothic Blues Noir Blues Southern Gothic Blues Haunted Blues Minor-Key Blues Murder Ballad Blues Graveyard Blues Occult Blues Voodoo Blues Swamp Noir Blues Dark Folk Blues Doom Blues Cinematic Blues Blues Noir Ballad 29 African Blues Desert Blues Saharan Blues Afro-Blues Latin Blues Chicano Blues Caribbean Blues Cajun Blues Zydeco Blues Celtic Blues British Blues Canadian Blues Australian Blues European Blues World Blues Global Blues Fusion 30 Work Song Blues Field Holler Blues Prison Blues Chain Gang Blues Labor Blues Protest Blues Political Blues Civil Rights Blues Social Commentary Blues Hard Times Blues Depression Blues Dust Bowl Blues Migration Blues Railroad Blues War Blues Testimony Blues 31 Instrumental Blues Guitar Instrumental Blues Blues Guitar Showcase Blues Jam Slow Blues Solo Texas Guitar Instrumental Chicago Guitar Instrumental Slide Guitar Instrumental Harmonica Instrumental Piano Instrumental Blues Jazz-Blues Instrumental Blues Rock Jam Festival Jam Blues Guitar Hero Blues Improvisational Blues 32 Pre-War Blues Era Classic Blues Era Race Records Era Delta Blues Era Post-War Blues Era Chicago Blues Era Jump Blues / Early R&B Era Electric Blues Era British Blues Boom Blues Rock Era 60s Blues Revival Folk Blues Revival Modern Blues Revival Contemporary Blues Era Blues Festival Circuit Juke Joint Era Chess Records Era Soul-Blues Era Blues-Rock Revival Streaming Blues Era 33 Blues ◎ hide wheel 1. Electric / Contemporary Blues 16 › 2. Blues Rock / Rock-Blues 14 › 3. Chicago Blues 15 › 4. Delta / Mississippi Blues 14 › 5. Country / Acoustic Blues 15 › 6. Texas Blues 15 › 7. Soul-Blues / R&B-Blues 15 › 8. Jump Blues / Early R&B 15 › 9. Gospel / Spiritual Blues 15 › 10. Memphis / St. Louis / Urban Blues 14 › 11. British Blues 15 › 12. Boogie / Shuffle Blues 14 › 13. Piano / Boogie-Woogie Blues 14 › 14. West Coast / California Blues 14 › 15. Swamp / Louisiana Blues 14 › 16. Piedmont / East Coast Blues 15 › 17. New Orleans / Louisiana City Blues 14 › 18. Hill Country / Trance Blues 15 › 19. Slide / Resonator / Guitar Blues 15 › 20. Harmonica Blues 15 › 21. Jazz-Blues / Swing Blues 14 › 22. Folk / Americana / Roots Blues 14 › 23. Classic / Vaudeville / Early Recorded Blues 15 › 24. Vocal / Ballad Blues 15 › 25. Blues-Funk / Groove Blues 14 › 26. Modern Roots / Americana Blues 15 › 27. Blues Pop / Crossover Blues 15 › 28. Blues Hip-Hop / Sample Blues 14 › 29. Dark / Gothic / Noir Blues 15 › 30. Global / Regional Blues 16 › 31. Political / Work Song / Prison Blues 16 › 32. Instrumental / Guitar Showcase Blues 15 › 33. Era / Scene Labels 20 ›
1 Electric / Contemporary BluesModern default blues: electric guitar, bass, drums, solos, expressive vocals, shuffles, slow blues, blues-club energy, and polished contemporary production.
Electric / Contemporary Blues Modern default blues: electric guitar, bass, drums, solos, expressive vocals, shuffles, slow blues, blues-club energy, and polished contemporary production.
Blues Rock / Rock-Blues The biggest crossover lane between Blues and Rock: distorted guitar, heavier drums, blues scales, extended solos, power-trio energy, and rock-stage arrangements.
Chicago Blues Urban, amplified blues: electric guitar, harmonica, drums, piano, bass, club band format, and strong post-war city energy.
Delta / Mississippi Blues Raw, foundational Southern blues: acoustic guitar, slide, haunting vocals, sparse arrangements, field-holler feeling, and deep storytelling.
Country / Acoustic Blues Rural, acoustic, folk-rooted blues: fingerpicking, slide guitar, front-porch vocals, traveling-song themes, and pre-electric blues traditions.
Texas Blues Guitar-forward blues with big tone, swagger, swing, shuffles, and strong electric lead playing. Can be raw, slick, jazzy, or rock-heavy.
Soul-Blues / R&B-Blues Blues that leans into soul singing, R&B grooves, horns, gospel influence, romantic pain, and Southern soul feeling.
Jump Blues / Early R&B Uptempo, horn-driven, danceable blues that bridges swing, jazz, boogie, and early rhythm & blues.
Gospel / Spiritual Blues Faith, lament, testimony, redemption, spiritual struggle, sacred melody, call-and-response, and church-rooted blues feeling.
Memphis / St. Louis / Urban Blues Urban and regional blues lanes that connect pre-war blues, soul, early R&B, piano blues, and city-band blues.
British Blues UK blues and British blues-rock traditions: electric guitar focus, blues revival energy, rock-band formats, and transatlantic reinterpretation of American blues.
Boogie / Shuffle Blues Groove-first blues: walking bass, shuffle rhythm, piano boogie, guitar boogie, danceable swing, and barroom propulsion.
Piano / Boogie-Woogie Blues Piano-centered blues: left-hand patterns, rolling bass, barrelhouse energy, ragtime influence, boogie figures, and saloon/juke-joint feel.
West Coast / California Blues Smoother, jazzier, sometimes horn-driven blues associated with California scenes, polished electric tone, swing, and post-war R&B influence.
Swamp / Louisiana Blues Moody, humid, groove-heavy blues: tremolo guitars, lazy backbeat, Cajun/Creole edges, bayou atmosphere, and Southern soul overlap.
Piedmont / East Coast Blues Fingerpicked, ragtime-influenced, lighter-swinging East Coast blues: alternating bass, syncopated guitar, melodic detail, and folk-song structure.
New Orleans / Louisiana City Blues New Orleans rhythm, piano, second-line feel, early jazz connection, R&B, soul, and carnival energy.
Hill Country / Trance Blues Mississippi Hill Country groove blues: hypnotic riffs, fewer chord changes, droning vamps, call-and-response, and deep pocket rhythm.
Slide / Resonator / Guitar Blues Technique-centered blues built around slide, bottleneck, resonator guitars, open tunings, bends, and expressive guitar tone.
Harmonica Blues Blues centered on harmonica/harp: amplified harp, train rhythms, call-and-response with guitar, Chicago club energy, and raw vocal phrasing.
Jazz-Blues / Swing Blues Blues with jazz harmony, swing feel, horn arrangements, improvisation, and sophisticated changes.
Folk / Americana / Roots Blues Blues as part of the broader roots ecosystem: acoustic storytelling, revival folk stages, singer-songwriter influence, Americana, old-time, and protest traditions.
Classic / Vaudeville / Early Recorded Blues Early commercial blues, vaudeville stage influence, classic female blues singers, theatrical delivery, jazz bands, and early recording-era arrangements.
Vocal / Ballad Blues Blues where the vocal performance, lyric pain, romance, heartbreak, or testimony carries the song more than groove or guitar fireworks.
Blues-Funk / Groove Blues Blues with funk, soul, dance, and groove emphasis: bassline-forward, syncopated, jam-friendly, often closer to R&B/Funk or live-band festival blues.
Modern Roots / Americana Blues Contemporary roots-blues: festival-friendly, Americana-adjacent, acoustic/electric hybrid, often polished but earthy.
Blues Pop / Crossover Blues Blues phrasing and harmony shaped into pop, adult contemporary, radio, or singer-songwriter structures.
Blues Hip-Hop / Sample Blues Blues elements inside hip-hop/rap: blues samples, guitar loops, moaning vocal chops, Delta imagery, dusty grooves, and lyrical blues themes.
Dark / Gothic / Noir Blues Minor-key, haunted, cinematic, death-haunted, occult, Southern Gothic, or smoky late-night blues.
Global / Regional Blues Blues outside the standard U.S. regional frame, or blues fused with global traditions.
Political / Work Song / Prison Blues Blues as labor, lament, protest, testimony, oppression, survival, field holler, prison song, or social document.
Instrumental / Guitar Showcase Blues Blues as instrumental performance: guitar tone, soloing, improvisation, jam format, instrumental hooks, and player-focused records.
Era / Scene Labels These should usually be filters, not primary sound-homes.