How did blues music influence rhythm and blues?

Blues music served as a foundational element for rhythm and blues (R&B), influencing the genre through both its structural forms and its evolution into urban styles.12

Beginning in the 1930s, artists like Louis Jordan developed a sophisticated urban sound that combined classic blues forms—specifically the 12-bar A-A-B structure—with upbeat rhythms and boogie-woogie influences. This "jump blues" set a pattern that became a dominant form of Black popular music during and after World War II.1

By the mid-1950s, the term rhythm and blues expanded to encompass the guitar-led electric blues emerging from Chicago and Memphis. Performers such as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf became regarded as R&B artists, as their amplified, electric style provided a core foundation for the genre. While early R&B often featured horn sections and band-backed "blues shouters," the transition toward electric blues solidified the deep connection between traditional blues techniques and the evolving R&B landscape.12