What makes 'blues music' special? Is it the beat like rocknroll or is it because it is sad?

Answer 1

Blues music is special because it's the roots of rock & roll. Before rock & roll finally got to the middle class white kids, Blues and R&B were the cool music to listen to. When middle class kids picked up on "Race Records" (as they were called), record companies tried to feed them bland cover versions of this great music, performed by Pat Boone and others. It took a long time for blues musicians to get the recognition (and royalties) they were rightfully due. Early Rolling Stones and Beatles albums were filled with covers of songs by Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley and it took the British Invasion to show Americans what they'd been skipping over.
Blues isn't always sad. There are lots of songs about partying, "Wang Dang Doodle", "I Feel So Good", etc. Lots of the tunes were about having sex, "Let Me Play With Your Poodle", "The Honeydripper", "60 Minute Man" to name a few.
Blues music is about living life......whether it's "Murdering Blues", "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", "House Rent Boogie", "Hideaway", or "Mercury Blues". It's the purest link we have to the past and should be looked into by anyone with a serious interest to discover many more great tunes and greater musicians.

Answer 2

in order to understand fully why the blues is so special in our music history all you need to do is go back to its roots and listen to some Robert Johnson ,sonny boy Williamson blind willie mctell;later people like john lee hooker howling wolf, muddy waters.these are songs that deal with ever day life poverty i got the empty pocket blues;sickness,the tb sheets.separation ,the my car wont start blues.basic challenges we often face done with a driving,repetitive,pulsating rhythm then you'll understand its place and right-full importance.

Answer 3

Blues music is special to different people for different reasons. But it's special to me, as it reaches out and touches the soul.