Hughes pioneered poetry by writing lines that blended how black people spoke and the jazz and blues music they listened to. With "The Weary Blues," written in 1923 and published in his 1926 collection, he pioneered the use of the blues genre in poetry. He also wrote about racial injustice and discrimination in poems such as "John Henry" and "The Negroes' Prayer." Hughes helped to inspire a generation of black poets and musicians who created their own styles based on what they heard in nightclubs and juke joints. His influence can be seen in the work of Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong. Hughes started publishing poems in black newspapers at a time when this form of advertising was important for artists and performers looking to make a name for themselves. His work drew attention from critics and readers alike, which led to more opportunities for him to publish more poems. In addition, he performed many of his poems on radio stations across the country where listeners could hear his voice and watch his hands as he sang and played the piano. Hughes's influence on African-American poets and musicians is evident today.