R&B music‘s development was significantly shaped by African American migration during two distinct waves known as the Great Migration. These movements brought with them new composers and audiences for jazz, blues, and gospel music genres.
In the 1940s, boogie-woogie piano players popularized a smooth blues style which later inspired R&B artists. Meanwhile, doo-wop vocal groups such as The Drifters and Platters became highly sought after, adding tight harmonies to their songs.
The Birth of Rhythm & Blues
After World War II, African American migrations to urban centers and civil rights activism helped propel rhythm and blues into mainstream consciousness. Once known as race music, rhythm and blues was developed by black musicians influenced by jump blues, big band swing, boogie-woogie piano music and gospel genres.
Early R&B artists distinguished themselves from the more mainstream swing formula by performing in small combos and emphasizing blues-style vocals; also, playing heavier sound arrangements suitable for radio playback or jukebox playback; artists such as Sam Cooke and Chubby Checker became immensely popular chart toppers.
In the 1960s, R&B evolved further into soul music through labels like Motown in Detroit and Stax in Memphis that combined blues music from southern states with soulful vocalists such as Etta James, Otis Redding, Carla Thomas etc. Soul music increasingly associated with the civil rights movement also became more socially activist-based.
The Great Migration
As Black Americans moved from rural areas during the Great Migration into cities during this time, they brought with them their culture – including music. R&B emerged out of an expressive arts tradition which included jump blues, big band swing, gospel and boogie-woogie.
As they settled into urban communities, Black people developed a sense of cultural pride. They formed large national organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and National Urban League in order to fight for change across society institutions.
Sam Cooke, the Miracles and Chubby Checker exemplified this era as their music blended rock and roll with rhythm and blues to form rhythm and blues. Motown Records would soon launch soul music while Stax would develop Memphis soul. Reggae also made its mark in American popular music scene during this era.
The 1950s
From the late 1940s through the early 1950s, numerous R&B artists found success. Louis Jordan pioneered elements of R&B with his jump blues band featuring shuffle rhythm, boogie-woogie bass lines and short horn patterns or riffs influenced by Nat King Cole; his combo also employed African American vernacular, humor and vocal call-response sections. Pianist Charles Brown developed a smooth blues/R&B sound in postwar Southern California featuring ballads featuring Nat King Cole-influenced ballads that hit.
Early 1950s saw a major breakthrough in music technology with the debut of solid body electric guitar. This instrument quickly gained acceptance among R&B and later Rock bands, even though its purpose wasn’t overtly political; nonetheless it reflected social and cultural changes which helped drive both civil rights activism and ethnic awareness in America.
The 1960s
As the Great Migration introduced new Black audiences and artists, classic R&B created its own distinct sound. Although still heavily influenced by jazz and blues, classic R&B continued its interweave between jump blues, boogie-woogie, jazz, piano and saxophone were prominent instruments of its soundscape. Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner and Amos Milburn became pioneers of its sound while piano and saxophones continued as key musical instruments of classic R&B music.
Motown Atlantic Records and Stax Records became business staples over several decades, as artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway and the Temptations created timeless R&B music with themes relating to pain, hardship and aspirations for a better life.
R&B music has quickly become one of the most popular forms of contemporary music due to the rise of R&B fusions and crossover genres like hip hop. Critics contend that its essence has been lost through excessive technological production techniques and overreliance on mainstream pop-style vocals.
The 1970s
As the decade wore on, R&B became more closely associated with civil rights activism. Both Motown and Stax released artists who used music as an agent of change; Motown produced gospel-to-R&B crossover acts such as the Staple Singers to spur this cause.
Musicians also began experimenting with more complex rhythms and adding Afrocentric lyrics to the genre, which eventually gave rise to funk and disco music; Isaac Hayes famously combined gospel church music with African rhythms and instruments for this style.
Early R&B music was marked by energetic shuffle rhythms, shouted blues vocals, and honking saxophones from Count Basie, Leroy Carr and T-Bone Walker who introduced energetic shuffle rhythms, shouted blues vocals and honking saxophones; their influence can be found in the later work of smooth blues pianist Charles Brown who blended both genres in his songs.
The 1980s
In the 1980s, R&B began fusing with other genres such as pop and hip hop to form contemporary R&B music. Artists like Michael Jackson – often called the “King of Pop” – and Whitney Houston were among its biggest stars during this era; additionally, groups like Staple Singers who focused on gospel-influenced civil rights activism found considerable success during this era.
During this era, R&B also experienced strong crossover with rock music; many white artists were heavily influenced by R&B. Guitar-driven R&B became more sophisticated, incorporating elements such as disco and funk that helped broaden its appeal among a broader audience. Today’s R&B continues to change and incorporates influences from various genres such as pop, rap and electronic music; artists such as Beyonce and The Weeknd have played key roles in shaping its modern incarnation.
The 1990s
In the 1990s, R&B began merging with pop and hip hop music genres, giving birth to what is now known as contemporary R&B. Artists such as Michael Jackson – commonly dubbed the King of Pop – and Whitney Houston (known for her soulful sound) released iconic works rooted deeply in R&B.
Destiny’s Child and Boyz II Men were among the most successful R&B acts during this era, thanks to their smooth ballads and beautiful harmonies which topped charts.
Janet Jackson’s album Control marked a turning point in R&B music at this point, successfully incorporating elements of funk and disco into R&B for the first time ever. It included synth effects and electronic percussion along with rap verses – marking a departure from gospel and soul which had previously dominated. R&B has continued its transformation over time into one of music’s most beloved genres.
The 2000s
At the dawn of R&B music, artists with backgrounds in blues and African American church music traveled from southern cities to northern ones where they recorded new material utilizing electric guitars, double basses, and pianos.
Doo-wop, a vocal style featuring harmonies and falsetto singing, began during this era as well. R&B would continue its expansion as rural Southern African Americans moved into urban centers where work opportunities existed.
By the 1980s, R&B began to blend with pop and hip hop genres for a more contemporary sound that saw international success via artists such as Michael Jackson (dubbed King of Pop) and Whitney Houston. Since then, Frank Ocean, H.E.R and Snoh Aalegra have continued pushing boundaries of contemporary R&B while refusing to be defined by traditional definitions of R&B music.
The 2010s
R&B music’s development can be traced directly back to the growth of twentieth-century African American urban communities. Specifically, The Great Migration from 1916 – 1930 and again during the 1950s saw rural Southern African American populations migrate north into major urban centers like Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Detroit and Memphis where their music became part of local cultures.
In the 1960s, Etta James and Sam Cooke added smooth vocal crooning to pop music while Motown Records in Detroit produced commercially polished sounds that combined Southern blues and soulful vocal crooning. R&B music also took on influences from disco, funk and hip hop as it transitioned towards becoming an evolving form.
In the 90s, R&B music saw unprecedented success by fully embracing hip-hop collaborations and production techniques. Established artists featured rappers on their tracks while mixing hip hop’s swing beats with R&B vocal arrangements to produce songs with fresh new appeal.
The 2012s
Current R&B music is both diverse and progressive, as demonstrated by acts like Miguel who introduced dance floor jams back into R&B with their 2012 track from Neptunes featuring upbeat bongos, keys and claps.
R&B emerged as a musical genre during three major historical processes: the Great Migration of African Americans, jazz’s rise and civil rights activism. Additionally, R&B musicians often drew influence from blues and church music traditions within Black gospel tradition.
Early R&B artists were frequently co-categorized with rock ‘n’ roll artists, and the guitar played a central role in R&B style. R&B had strong ties to many popular genres of music including rock and roll as well as its long history of crossover with white music genres.